Skill-Using Activities
WHAT: Skill-using activities are sometimes referred to as "study practice" or "free practice". Skill-using activities extend the use of the elements introduced in skill-building activities into a more flexible and natural context. Where skill-building activities can sometimes be done in isolation, skill-using activities require more context and rely on the student's natural ability to use the language with less support. Skill-using activities can be used as evidence samples in the student's portfolio.
WHY: Skill-using activities are usually done as a practice run or dress rehearsal of the assessment task. They provide a low-pressure opportunity for the students to practice the assessment task without being formally graded, while also allowing the teachers to get a sense for how well the students are doing with the task.
HOW: Skill-using activities should be done after skill-building activities and before the assessment task. Teachers can provide feedback during or after the skill-building activity and may decide to go back and do more skill-building to help with a difficult element before moving on to the assessment task. Skill-using activities can be marked by the teacher, the student, or peers, but marks would not be counted as assessments.
WHY: Skill-using activities are usually done as a practice run or dress rehearsal of the assessment task. They provide a low-pressure opportunity for the students to practice the assessment task without being formally graded, while also allowing the teachers to get a sense for how well the students are doing with the task.
HOW: Skill-using activities should be done after skill-building activities and before the assessment task. Teachers can provide feedback during or after the skill-building activity and may decide to go back and do more skill-building to help with a difficult element before moving on to the assessment task. Skill-using activities can be marked by the teacher, the student, or peers, but marks would not be counted as assessments.
Samples
See the Skill-Building Activities page for more planning templates and examples!
Samples are provided in Word format as they should be adapted and modified for your own students and level.
To download the documents below, please click on the button under each image. The document will download directly to your computer. Clicking and downloading from Scribd (like previously) will not work.
To download the documents below, please click on the button under each image. The document will download directly to your computer. Clicking and downloading from Scribd (like previously) will not work.