Drills as a method of better speaking English is hard to overestimate.
Even though this approach has gained less popularity among practicing teachers I had a pleasure to meet, I strongly believe it is one of the most powerful and effective methods of developing English communicative skills.
Let me show you how it works.
A student is sitting in front of the teacher and the latter starts the recording with the following phrase:
“Do you ever go to the theatre on Mondays?”
Another recorded voice adds:” Never”
A student then at once reacts:
“I never go to the theater on Mondays,” just to hear the right recorded answer that follows almost immediately after the student’s phrase.
Next question is shot immediately:
“Last Saturday?”
“I went to the theater last Saturday,” answers the drilled.
And so on.
You can record as many sentences on this pattern as you wish on all possible grammar tenses and word combination, in both active and passive voices.
The set of drills and the time depend on the level of the student.
What are the benefits of drilling? There are seven of them:
- A learner is forced to concentrate fully on the question.
- She hears the right version of the reply right after her answer.
- A trainee learns how to react quickly on the question.
- A learner works under time pressure: she’s got only a few seconds for the reply.
- A student is completely focused on the process of training, no time to relax.
- A student is able to imitate correct pronunciation of English.
- A trainee develops a good speed of speaking without spending much time on trying to find the right words and appropriate grammar construction.
When I discovered the magic power of drills in English learning and started using them with those of my students who were smart enough to agree with this system, all of them had made significant improvement in all areas of English language communication.
Try the method of drilling and you will see good results in no time!
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