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Drilling
Drilling is the process of students listening to and repeating sentences, phrases and words modelled by the teacher. There are different techniques such as 'chaining' and 'back-chaining', but is drilling something that you like to do with your classes?

How often do you use drilling with your students? Results of voting so far 1: I use drilling regularly 136 ( 55%) 2: I don't use drilling very much 83 ( 33%) 3: I never use drilling 30 ( 12%) Total votes so far: 249

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Your comments

H. Shaefi
I prefer to use driling in teaching pronunciation to my students, especially the sounds that have difficulties as (p,b)(v,f).

Sumbal, Pakistan
I think drilling is pretty good in junior classes , but it is unnecessary in senior classes; older students should listen to the lecture and write it on their notebooks. However, in junior level drilling is very useful.

Kimura Masakazu, Japan
Drilling often ends up just a mechanical repetition without thinking of the natural process of the discourse. It must be followed by/with some cognitive support by the teacher in charge.

Unnikrishnan, India
Of course, drilling has a definite role in teaching a language, like English. But drilling which fails to generate a sense of purpose, interest, challenge and involvement has no role in educating the student. Drilling begun with a good intention then turns into a trap for the good-intentioned teacher.

Geoff Hirst, UK
Some drilling is a part of getting familiar with unfamiliar words or expressions.

Nabil Boumendjel, Algeria
This technique can be boring sometimes and students may get upset

Christine, Singapore
Drilling helps for really clueless students but only for keeping up with the appearance that they are learning something... drilling must be backed with more substantial teaching and learning..

Éva Gibicsár
Drills can be very colourful as well. You may vary the number of the students who repeat together; you can vary the volume and so on. And please do not forget those kind of drills, which concentrate on the pitch or the intonation. Drills are also good for give a mental break for the students. I think the most important thing is to get the students to known what they should concentrate on during the drill. Drilling is the best situation to the students to compare their articulation and all the pronunciation issues to the native ones. bye!