The Power Of A Prompt

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Early on in my teaching career, I realised that one of my central jobs as an English language teacher was to keep the conversation going. Relax students, get (linguistic and personal ) information out of them so I could teach them better.

In essence, I realized I was a serious sinner, in the sense that I was a pyromaniac, lighting fires constantly, fanning them constantly and keeping the light of learning alive in my language classroom. That’s it in a nutshell, the teacher as a motivation master, always ready with a carrot to swing in front of the students’ noses. [see this classic article of mine for some other sins that teachers must commit to keep their lessons singing]

I write all this because earlier this week, I sat down and put some lipstick on my old prompt generator. It’s a free tool that is powerful if used well. Choose from the menu on the right, many different kinds of prompt generators. Click and generate a new prompt.

But I digress. Allow me to continue - a good prompt is what seperates the wheat from the chaff in the language classroom.

The art of prompting is more than just nodding in agreement and like an overpaid psychiatrist saying “Tell me more …”

Prompts must have the following qualities;

1. They are comprehensible. The teacher shouldn’t need to elaborate and explain. Otherwise, the joke is both on the teacher and learner.

2. The prompt allows for students to practice a specific form of language, genre or vocabulary set. The prompt funnels the language learners towards the goals set by the teacher.

3. The prompt must be short, concise - allowing the learner to finish, add more information, expand the thought … A prompt is a door that opens both ways.

4. Ideally the prompt engages the learner and is creative, of personal interest and gets the students replying through the lens of their own lives. Good prompting by a teacher helps students make personal connections to the learning, the language.

Prompting is a teaching skill. A valuable one and one I’ve noticed good teachers have in spades — this ability to prompt and be a composer, controlling the orchestra that is the classroom body of students. (and too why teaching is tiring!).

For example, if using the generator, use it to start the fire and then follow up with more questions. Lead the students in dialogue and slyly get them to practice certain vocabulary, certain language forms and structures. The initial prompt is just the start.

Prompting can be creative and open, for example, asking students about their shopping habits for a lesson on shopping.

Where do you usually shop for groceries? What do you like about the place? …

Or it can be narrow and close, for example, getting students to finish a sentence starter with their own words and use a particular language form.

Have you ever eaten ….? Have you ever been to ….? Have you ever seen ….?

I often use the generator in reverse. The students control it and they prompt me. They ask me what the generator prompts and we go from there. Or, you can just choose a student with a strong level to “interview” and hit with prompts.

There are so many ways to use this generator but most important is for YOU the teacher to remember you are generating these small fires that you’ll have to keep fanning, so to keep the fire of student learning burning …

Happy prompting out there!