ELT365 · Day 219 — Checking Instructions — ICQs
Idea
Instruction-checking questions (ICQs) confirm learners have understood the task before they start — not what they should produce, but how they should work.
Example
‘Are you writing or speaking?’ / ‘Are you working alone or with a partner?’ / ‘How much time do you have?’
Try
Write two ICQs for a speaking task in your next lesson. Make each one answerable in one or two words.
From my training materials
In my CELTA training file, I have kept the instructions from a Progress Test book on administering listening activities. This document provides precise methodological guidance on how to manage the task flow for learners. It advises teachers to “allow students time to read through the questions” for a specific section before starting the audio. It then instructs the teacher to “play that section of the recording without stopping” and let students answer. Finally, it notes that the recording should be played “again without stopping.”
Although this specific protocol focuses on listening tests, the principle of clear, sequenced instruction is directly related to checking instructions. When I use Instruction-Checking Questions (ICQs) for speaking tasks, I am serving the same purpose: ensuring learners understand exactly how to work. The test instructions emphasize that clarity in procedural steps prevents confusion. Similarly, asking ICQs like “Are you working alone or with a partner?” confirms that the procedural logic is shared between the teacher and the class before the communicative work begins.
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