| Information gap activities are those in which | | | | groups are formed with one member from each |
| students exchange information in order to | | | | previous team. The new groups now have one |
| complete a required lesson plan activity. | | | | representative from each section and each can |
| Most information gap activities are done in pairs, | | | | share what s/he understood from his or her part |
| with each student having a part of the | | | | of text. Students then can either write a |
| information. They are especially effective when | | | | summary of the text or answer questions about |
| used as vocabulary activities during the | | | | the entire text. |
| pre-reading part of a reading lesson, but they can | | | | How An Information Gap Activity Should Be |
| also be applied to reading comprehension and | | | | Structured |
| math activities as well. | | | | Consider also the following main issues in your |
| For example, this strategy can be used to teach | | | | lesson plans: |
| new vocabulary from a passage students haven't | | | | * Purpose: What is the purpose of the activity? |
| yet read. Student A would have the vocabulary | | | | For example, is the purpose to introduce, |
| words written on strips of paper and student B | | | | reinforce, use or bridge the gap between letters |
| would have the definitions of those words. | | | | and their corresponding sounds? Or, is the |
| Working together, they pair words and definitions | | | | purpose to reinforce words and their meanings? |
| to learn new vocabulary. | | | | * Organization: Who is in control - the class or the |
| Vocabulary Activities | | | | teacher? Once you develop the necessary |
| Information gap activities such as the example | | | | classroom management skills, you can effectively |
| below function as vocabulary lessons after | | | | implement information gap activities. |
| students have already encountered the | | | | * Length of Lesson: The element of time must |
| vocabulary in the text. | | | | be considered. How long will this activity take? |
| Teacher and/or class prepare 2 lists of about 20 | | | | * Ability level: Consider the ability of the class, |
| items. List A contains people and animals. List B | | | | homogeneous or heterogeneous groupings, and |
| contains objects. The aim is to combine one | | | | adaptations such as a backup plan when students |
| words from List A with one from List B. Example: | | | | can't do the activity as planned. |
| What can a/an A do with a/an B? Why does a | | | | * Materials and procedures: What is needed for |
| an A need a/an B? Students create a list of | | | | the lesson? How will the teacher present |
| combinations. | | | | information gap activities. |
| Or, Student A has pictures of newly introduced | | | | * Who? The level of the students including the |
| words and student B has the matching words. | | | | ability and grade. |
| When matched correctly, they create an | | | | * What? What is the context for your information |
| interesting shape. | | | | gap activity? |
| Math Activities | | | | * How? Through which new points will the main |
| The same principles of information gap activities | | | | skills be introduced? Example: Will students need |
| can also be applied to Math lesson. Student A | | | | to read a passage containing the new words |
| measures triangles of various sizes while student | | | | before matching words and their corresponding |
| B measures circles of various sizes. Together, | | | | definitions in pair work? |
| they answer questions that relate to the | | | | Possible Problems Using An Activity on an |
| relationship between them. | | | | Information Gap |
| Reading Comprehension Activities | | | | What if your lesson didn't go as planned? A |
| An information gap activity can also be used as a | | | | potentially well planned information gap lesson can |
| main reading task when students need to share | | | | backfire due to neglect of one of the main |
| information they read from an assigned passage. | | | | planning issues (see above). |
| An especially effective information gap activity is | | | | Classroom management is typically the reason |
| A jigsaw reading which is a type of activity that is | | | | why information gap activities do not go as |
| done usually in groups. In a jigsaw reading, the | | | | planned. It is worthwhile to invest time therefore, |
| teacher can use academic texts or texts from | | | | in the principles of classroom management before |
| the students' coursebook. | | | | implementing any information gap activity. |
| In the traditional method of jigsaw reading, the | | | | Information gap activities are user-friendly for the |
| teacher divides a text into sections and assigns | | | | teacher to recycle previously taught information. |
| each group a section to read. Each group is | | | | Some will take more time to implement, but it is |
| responsible for understanding its part. Then new | | | | an investment well worth the effort. |