Things to consider when using drills:

  • Use vocabulary that the learner already knows. This activity is used to increase accuracy, not develop a larger vocabulary.
  • Limit the amount of time you spend at each session on drills. Try to limit the time used to 10 minutes per session.
  • Use pictures or objects when appropriate.
  • Do not overemphasize the word you want substituted. Make sure that the stress and intonation you use are natural during the exercise.
  • Follow up on the drills. Do reading and writing exercises that focus on the content and grammatical forms used in the drill.
  • Find ways to adapt drills to your learner's needs. Drills can be used to teach verb tenses and a multitude of other things.

Adapting drills to larger groups:
Completion drills

You can use drills in a classroom environment by having the learners sit in a circle and complete a sentence that you start.

Tutor: I had a lot of fun last night. I...
Learner 1: I had a lot of fun last night. I saw a movie and...
Learner 2: I had a lot of fun last night. I saw a movie, ate some popcorn and...

You will notice that, in this type of drill, you are required to repeat everything your classmates have said. This provides each learner with a fair amount of repetition. You will notice, for this lesson, the tutor has decided to focus on the past tense.