The Question That Changed My Teaching — CCQs
.lc{font-family:’Segoe UI’,Arial,sans-serif;max-width:700px;margin:0 auto;color:#222;line-height:1.6}
.story{background:#fff8e1;border-left:5px solid #f9a825;padding:14px 18px;border-radius:10px;margin:14px 0}
.focus{background:#e3f2fd;border-left:5px solid #1565c0;padding:14px 18px;border-radius:10px;margin:14px 0}
.ex{background:#e8f5e9;border-left:5px solid #2e7d32;padding:12px 18px;border-radius:10px;margin:10px 0}
.quiz-wrap{background:#fce4ec;padding:16px;border-radius:10px;margin:14px 0}
.quiz-wrap h3{color:#c62828;margin-top:0}
.qbtn{background:#e53935;color:#fff;border:none;padding:8px 18px;border-radius:20px;cursor:pointer;font-size:14px;margin:4px 2px;transition:background .2s}
.qbtn:hover{background:#b71c1c}
.ans{display:none;background:#fff9c4;border:1px solid #f9a825;padding:8px 12px;border-radius:8px;margin-top:6px;font-weight:600}
.tip{background:#ede7f6;border-left:5px solid #512da8;padding:12px 18px;border-radius:10px;margin:14px 0;font-size:14px}
.badge{display:inline-block;background:#1a237e;color:#fff;font-size:11px;padding:3px 12px;border-radius:20px;margin-bottom:8px}
.kid{background:#e0f7fa;border-left:5px solid #00838f;padding:10px 14px;border-radius:10px;margin:10px 0;font-size:14px}
h2{color:#1a237e}
The Question That Changed My Teaching
During my 120 hours of supervised teaching practice, a trainer stopped me mid-lesson. ‘You just asked — Do you understand?’ She wrote on the board: WHY IS THIS USELESS? Because anyone who doesn’t understand will say yes anyway. The solution: a concept-checking question. One question that proves understanding without asking about it.
A Concept Checking Question (CCQ) checks meaning indirectly. It asks about the concept, not whether students ‘understand’.
Target language: ‘She used to smoke.’
❌ Bad CCQ: ‘Do you understand?’
✅ Good CCQ 1: ‘Does she smoke now?’ → No.
✅ Good CCQ 2: ‘Did she smoke in the past?’ → Yes.
✅ Good CCQ 3: ‘Was it a habit?’ → Yes.
1. “I’m exhausted.” → CCQs: Am I tired or energetic? Is this a small feeling or a strong one?
2. “She had been waiting for an hour.” → Did she wait before another past event? Yes. Is she still waiting now? No.
Which is the better CCQ?
Target: ‘You must wear a seatbelt.’ — Is option A or B better? A: ‘Do you understand must?’ B: ‘Is this a rule or a choice?’ B — it checks the concept (obligation vs choice) without asking about understanding.
Write one CCQ for: ‘I might go to the party.’ e.g. ‘Am I certain I’m going?’ (No.) ‘Is it possible?’ (Yes.)
Independent project; not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Confers no qualification.
Leave a Reply