Eliciting is a teaching technique that involves encouraging students to actively participate in the language learning process by responding to questions or prompts from the teacher.
In an English Language Teaching (ELT) classroom, eliciting is an effective way to develop students' speaking, listening, and comprehension skills. It is also an important tool for promoting engagement and encouraging active participation in class.
By eliciting information from students, teachers can help students to express themselves more effectively and facilitate the process of language acquisition.
- Asking open-ended questions: Open-ended questions are those that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. They require students to think critically and provide a more detailed response. Examples include "Why do you think that is the case?", "Can you explain how you arrived at that conclusion?", "What would you do in this situation?".
- Using prompts and cues: These are phrases or words that help to guide students' responses. They can be used to encourage students to elaborate on their answers or to provide more specific information. Examples include "Can you give an example?", "What else?", "Can you say more about that?".
- Using realia and visual aids: Realia refers to the use of real-world objects or materials in the classroom, such as pictures, photographs, and videos. Visual aids, such as diagrams and charts, can also be used to elicit information from students. For example, a teacher can use a map to ask students about the location of different cities, or a photo of a famous landmark to elicit information about it.
- Using games and activities: Games and activities can be a fun and engaging way to elicit information from students. They can be used to practice specific language structures or to encourage students to use the language in a more natural and spontaneous way. Examples include word-guessing games, role-playing activities, and information-gap activities.
Advantages of Eliciting
- Encourages active participation and engagement: Eliciting requires students to actively participate in the class and engage with the material. By encouraging students to respond to questions and prompts, the teacher creates opportunities for students to use the language and practice their skills.
- Develops critical thinking skills: Eliciting encourages students to think critically and provide more detailed responses. It also helps students to analyze and evaluate information, which can improve their critical thinking skills.
- Helps students to express themselves more effectively: By providing opportunities for students to use the language, eliciting can help students to express themselves more effectively and develop their confidence in speaking and listening.
- Facilitates the process of language acquisition: Eliciting is an effective tool for facilitating the process of language acquisition by providing opportunities for students to practice and apply what they have learned. It can also help to make the learning process more engaging and meaningful for students.
- Allows teachers to assess student understanding: By eliciting responses from students, teachers can assess student understanding and adjust their teaching accordingly.
- Difficulty in understanding students' responses: Depending on the student's level of proficiency, it can be challenging for the teacher to understand their responses and provide appropriate feedback.
- Difficulty in maintaining classroom control: Eliciting can be challenging if the teacher is not able to maintain control over the class. It can be difficult to keep the class focused on the task at hand, especially if students are not fully engaged or if the class is large.
- Limited time and resources: Eliciting can be time-consuming and may require additional resources. For example, it may be difficult to find suitable realia or visual aids, or to prepare engaging games and activities.
- Cultural barriers: Eliciting may be difficult for students from different cultures, as their responses may be influenced by their cultural background.
- Language barriers: Eliciting may be difficult for students who have limited proficiency in the target language, as they may not have the necessary vocabulary or grammar to respond effectively.
Conclusion
To sum up, eliciting is a powerful teaching tool that can enhance student learning and engagement in the ELT classroom.
By providing opportunities for students to use the language and practice their skills, eliciting can help students to express themselves more effectively and facilitate the process of language acquisition.
However, it is important for teachers to be aware of the challenges of eliciting, such as difficulty in understanding student's responses, maintaining classroom control, limited time and resources, cultural and language barriers.
Through using different techniques and being aware of the advantages and challenges, teachers can use eliciting effectively to support student learning and improve their language skills.
