English Teaching

ELT365 · Day 155 — The gist task: one question, whole text

📚60-Day ELT Masterclass — This post is part of an ongoing series. View full index →

Idea — A gist task gives learners one broad question before they read or listen. It sets a purpose, activates schema, and stops word-by-word panic. One question only — more kills gist.

Example — Gist task for a short podcast on remote work: ‘Is the speaker for or against working from home?’ That is it. No detail, no analysis — just the big picture.

Try — Write a gist question for a text you use regularly. Check: is it answerable after one fast read? If not, it is too detailed — simplify.

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