ELT365 · Day 165 — Schema activation — building context

Idea — Schema is the network of prior knowledge a reader or listener brings to a text. Activating it before a task reduces cognitive load and dramatically improves comprehension.

Example — Before a listening on restaurant complaints, ask: ‘What do people most often complain about in restaurants?’ The answers prime learners for exactly the content they are about to hear.

Try — For any upcoming lesson, write three questions that activate what learners already know about the topic. Use them as a 3-minute lead-in, not a quiz.

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