31.12.2019
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Boring multiple-choice? Upgrade it!

There are lots of typical tasks that we use over and over again although they might be quite efficient. Students may look at the exercise and think: “Oh, no. The same … Again”. Let’s see how we can change and vary multiple-choice tasks and make them more appealing to students.

  • Options first

Turn the task upside-down. Students first look at the answers and try to guess the question for them. There are options on how to gamify this task. You can split students into pairs and ask each pair to think of one question/task for the answer, then they mix questions with other pairs and answer. Then see which pair answered more questions correctly.  Another idea is to give points to each team/pair/individual to see who is closer to the original question.

  • Millionaire game

Split students in teams or pairs, or they can work individually. Include 3 hints in the game: “Fifty-fifty” (when you leave only two options), “Phone a friend” (when they can ask someone in class their opinion), “Ask the audience” (have the whole class vote)

Each person, pair or team can use each hint only once.

  • Mix and match

Cut out and mix all the questions and answers. Have the students match the questions and answers first, then have them answer the questions.

  • No answers

Firstly, show the students only the questions. Ask them to guess the answer first without choices, then show the options. Another idea is to write down all their answers on the board and have the student vote for the correct one. Another option is to have students’ answers written on board and then you give correct answers one by one. Students have to choose if they leave your option or theirs. Add a leader board, points to gamify the task.

  • Grow and rotate

Split students in teams or pairs. Give each group one different question with 2 options. They have to guess the answer (don’t say the correct one yet), add another wrong option and pass it to the next group. The next group answer their questions and make up another wrong option and pass it to the next group. Write down the answers on the board for each team. The winner is the group with more correct answers. To gamify the task, they can bet for their answers.

  • Correct

Give the students questions with the underlined correct answers and ask them to clarify why this option is correct and others are wrong. Another option is to give them 3 wrong answers, ask them to find out why they are wrong and to work out the correct answer themselves.

  • Guess first

If you have multiple choice questions for listening and reading tasks, have students firstly read the questions and answers and try to guess the correct options before listening or reading. It also helps students predict what the talk or text will be about, understand the questions and have them in mind when they listen to the audio or read the text. This way, their listening and reading will be more focused and purposeful.

  • Highlight

Give students the script or the text with highlighted parts where they can find the answer. Have them answer the questions using these hints and ignore the rest. It’s a good way to teach students to answer multiple-choice questions at the very beginning, to teach them strategies, to scaffold these tasks. Another variation of this activity is to underline the keywords in the questions, not in the text. This one is more difficult.

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