Fill in the blank exercises: Integrating prediction exercises in reading with listening

Often, learners will read the text and make predictions (based solely on the reading) regarding what words will appear in the blank. The learner could then fill in the blanks and listen to the speech sample to compare her predictions to the words actually heard. Follow-up exercises could consist of discussing with the learner:

• Which words were the same?
• Which words were synonyms?
• Which words share the same part of speech but have a different meaning? (Why would this word work or not work in this sentence?)
• Which words were different in meaning and the part of speech used? (Why would this word work or not work in this sentence?)

A mini-lesson incorporating reading prediction exercises and listening follow-up

Step 1: The learner reads and fills in the following text.

My last weekend

On Friday, I ________ out with a bunch of friends. After we ________ at the local café and ____________ until we couldn't eat another bite, we ____________ to go see a movie. We ____________ through the newspaper, trying to find a movie we all ____________ to see. We ________ and _________ about it. No one could agree!

Finally, Pete ___________ that we could just go to his house and play cards. At that time, it was 9:30, and far to late to go to a movie. We all __________. I happily ______________ home at 1:00. I had won the poker game!

Step 2: The tutor plays a tape with (or reads) the following text. The learner writes words that are different above the previous word chosen.

Step 3: The tutor poses the follow-up questions highlighted above.