Checking answers

What and why?

After students have done an exercise, it is important that they have an opportunity to check what they have done. This will give them FEEDBACK on their work. There are a number of ways in which you can do this.

Practical ideas

• You can go through the answers while the students look at their own work.
• Students can work together and then sit with another pair to check the answers.
• Small groups of students can go through their answers together. During this time, you can circulate around the class, helping and checking.
• You can provide an 'answer sheet' for students to check their own answers. (This can be circulated around the class while students are doing some other activity, pinned up on the board for them to check after the lesson, or written on the blackboard.)
• If students have incorrect answers, you can give hints or clues rather than simply giving the correct answers. This can help them think through the task again and learn more. (See ERROR CORRECTION.)