[etni] CLOZE
- From: Ronald Green <greenelt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 09:58:17 +0200
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As far as I understand it, the Cloze was eliminated from teaching and
testing because it was not considered to be a communicative activity and had
nothing to do with what one does as a user of English. Very true, but
symptomatic of the movement from basics to a politically correct
information-gathering method of "learning" English.
I agree that if one believes that English in an EFL environment can be
learnt without getting into basics such as grammar (and please excuse the
'G' word), then Cloze is out. But for those who would like English in Israel
to be more on a par with that in, say, Holland, the Cloze is a wonderful way
of teaching and testing - if, of course, the Cloze is built properly.
Here are a few examples:
When ____ you going shopping? I'd like to go with you.
I can't see Jane. Where ____ she gone?
When I walked into the room, I knew someone ____ been smoking.
Or for weaker pupils. For teaching as well as testing:
When is/are/have you going shopping? I'd like to go with you.
I can't see Jane. Where has/is/did/ she gone?
When I walked into the room, I knew someone is/has/had/ been smoking.
Word formation:
You need to decide soon ... [text] I need your _____ by this evening.
There are countless examples of where the Cloze is a good teaching and
testing tool. And for those who will ask: "But does it show that they know
English?", I can but point to this summer's Bagrut exam, which showed how
well pupils could cope with what was considered to be knowledge of English.
Ronald Green
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