Classroom techniques: Dictocomp (Wajnryb 1988, 1990)

Goal 

• to focus learners on language accuracy in a task-based, interactive way 

Features 

• student arrangement – can proceed from individuals to pairs to groups to whole class
• information distribution – ākonga cooperate to combine their knowledge and skill, having the same access to the information 
• student focus – focus on language accuracy as well as meaning; can focus on a particular language feature 
• language modes – listening, writing, speaking 
• peer teaching – if ākonga with different abilities/knowledge of Māori work together, the more advanced student can teach the other 
• challenge – ākonga hear the passage only twice and have to use their own knowledge of language to rewrite it 

Materials

See Materials that come with this resource to download Dictocomp example texts (.doc).

Procedure 

Select a short text appropriate for your ākonga (approximately five sentences). 

Prepare ākonga for the text by: 

• focusing on the topic (for example, by brainstorming or predicting from a picture) 
• teaching any necessary content vocabulary 
• making sure ākonga understand the task and are seated in their groups. 

Read the text out at a normal speed while ākonga just listen. 

Read it again at normal speed, pausing between sentences, while ākonga take notes of key content words. 

Ākonga work in groups of four to rewrite the text using their notes. They should aim to write a text that contains the information they heard and is accurately recorded in Māori, but is not exactly what they heard. Because they cannot remember every word, they will have to use their own knowledge of the language to complete the task. 

Kaiako can circulate during this stage and quietly prompt ākonga to correct minor errors that are not part of the grammar focus of the exercise. 

As a whole class, compare reconstructions with the original text and discuss differences, focusing on the major grammatical points. This can be done by writing the first sentence from each group on the board and discussing it before moving on to the next sentence.

Kaiako considerations 

Choose or write a text that is suitable for your ākonga based on: 

• language (vocabulary and grammar) 
• length and complexity (for example, short familiar story for young children, more complex factual text as appropriate; 3–5 sentences is generally long enough) 
• background knowledge and ākonga interests. 

You can focus on a grammatical structure or groups of words that ākonga have been learning. 

Reading the text at a normal pace. The aim is to let ākonga take notes of keywords so they can rewrite the text, not to reproduce it word for word. Make it clear to ākonga that you do not expect them to write every word down. 

Variations 

You can extend the task by using a sequence of student arrangements – starting with pairs, then groups of four, then the whole class. 

In the early stages of proficiency, ākonga may talk in English as they negotiate what to write. At higher levels, ākonga should communicate in Māori to complete the task. 

To make it easier for ākonga, you can read the text more than twice, but don’t read it enough times that ākonga can write it word for word. 

You may wish to highlight or revise certain grammar or vocabulary that appears in the text, before reading it. 

From level 4 of the curriculum, ākonga are learning to conduct polite social interactions, such as disagreeing politely – dictocomp discussions provide a good opportunity to practise these and this goal can be highlighted. 

Give roles to each student in the group, for example:  

• facilitator of discussion 
• decision checker (checks that everyone can explain why a decision is made) 
• language monitor (checks that te reo Māori is being used when appropriate) 
• conflict creator (disagrees, to generate debate).  

Or each student can have a different reference book (grammar book, dictionary, etc). (Jacobs & Small, 2003) 

When reconstructing, pairs or groups can discuss, but each then writes their own individual text. 

Introduce an additional challenge, such as a time limit. 

Split the information so that some ākonga hear part of the text and others hear the other part. 

Read a longer text and ask ākonga to write a summary based on their notes. 

Instead of listening to the text, ākonga can read it, then follow the same procedure, after putting the original text away. (Nation, 1989, p. 91 – Backwriting) 

Benefits of this technique 

Ākonga gain confidence in listening globally, rather than ‘blanking out’ when they hear a word they don’t know, and get practice in listening for keywords. 

There is a nice balance between interactive group work and focus on correct grammar. (Read, 1996) 

Evaluation of the task 

• Were ākonga able to reconstruct a text that contained the key ideas? 
• Did ākonga negotiate with each other to get correct grammar and content? 
• Did the whole class discussion at the end revise important language points? 

References 

Jacobs, G. & Small, J. (2003). Combining Dictogloss and Cooperative Learning to Promote Language Learning. The Reading Matrix 3 (1). 

Nation, I. S. P. (1989). Language Teaching Techniques. English Language Institute Occasional Publication No. 2. 

Read, J. (1996). Teaching Grammar Through Grammar Dictation. Wacana [e–journal]. 
Discusses the technique in the context of teaching Indonesian at university. 

Wajnryb, R. (1988). The Dictogloss Method of Language Teaching: A Text–based, Communicative Approach to Grammar. English Teaching Forum. 26 (3), pp. 35–38. 

Wajnryb, R. (1990). Resource Books for Teachers: Grammar Dictation. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

Also see

Gibbons, P. (1991). Learning to Learn in a Second Language. Newtown, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association. 

Gibbons, P. (2002). Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning: Teaching Second Language Learners in the Mainstream Classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.