Activity 4: Practicing grammar through dictation

Aim: Get students to listen out for grammar and transcribe it accurately

Moodle modules: Lesson or Wiki

Extra programs: NanoGong

Ease of setup: **

Dictations are an excellent way to get students to home in on grammar. There isn't a Dictation module in Moodle, but there are several alternatives which can be used effectively. We'll look at two variations. The first uses Lesson and helps us lead students through the dictation. The second uses a Wiki and encourages collaboration.

If you don't have the audio recorder, NanoGong, installed, you can follow the procedure for creating an audio player in Chapter 2, Getting Started with Moodle. Using NanoGong is a quicker way of setting up the activity.

Preparing for a dictation

First we need to choose a text that illustrates some grammar points that we want to practice with our students. Make sure it's an appropriate length. If possible, choose a text that will motivate the students because of its content,...