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Questions
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One of the most common activities during listening is to have students answer questions individually or chorally, orally or in writing.  Sometimes students may answer the questions while listening, and other times they can answer them afterwards.  Some students find it helpful to preview the questions before listening.  After the activity, review the correct answers to the questions and discuss the text with the class.


One question teachers have asked me in the past is in which language they should ask questions.  I think it depends on the level, the objective, and the situation.  For example:

English to English
I may read aloud a story and want to know how much my students have understood.  Therefore, I will ask questions in English and they will answer in English.

Spanish to English
Sometimes I like to mix it up.  I still want make sure students understand and are not just regurgitating the words they heard in Spanish without knowing their meaning, so I will ask a question in Spanish and instruct students to answer in English. 

Spanish to Spanish
We may be discussing something in Spanish and I want to keep the conversation in Spanish.  As a result, I will ask questions in Spanish and students must answer in Spanish. 

 

Question Activities
    Multiple Choice
    1. Students listen to a passage. 
    2. Afterwards, they answer multiple choice questions about the content.

      Example:

      Students listen to a passage about Day of the Dead and answer the following questions. 

      1. ¿Cuándo se celebra el Día de los Muertos?
        1. el primero de octubre
        2. el primero de noviembre
        3. el primero de diciembre
      2. ¿Cómo se llama el tipo de pan que se come durante el Día de los Muertos?
        1. Pan dulce
        2. Pan de los esqueletos
        3. Pan de los muertos

    One word answers
    1. Students listen to passage.
    2. Afterwards, they answer (orally or written) the following types of questions:

      Sí/No

      Example:

      ¿Es el gato blanco?
      Is the cat white?

      Either/or

      Example:

      ¿Es el gato blanco o negro?
      Is the cat white or black?

      One word responses 

      Example:

      ¿De qué color es el gato?
      What color is the cat?

      Open Ended Questions
      Go beyond yes/no questions and ask for more information.

      Who?       ¿Quién fue a México?

      What?      ¿Qué tiene la chica?

      When?     ¿Cuándo es el cumpleaños de María?

      Where?    ¿Dónde vive Carlos?

      Why?       ¿Por qué llora la chica?

      How?       ¿Cómo fue a México?
    Students Write Questions
    1. Read aloud or play an audio clip containing a story, paragraph, or article.
    2. Students write questions pertaining to what they heard and share them with the class. 
    3. Answer their questions. 
    4. Test students how well they listened by creating comprehension questions based on your answers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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