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Aims of the workshop
 Give an overview of the skills needed for dealing with open
cloze tasks successfully
 Propose strategies that students should implement
 Explore different methods for practice
 Let you create similar types of exercises suited to the needs
of your students
What is the aim of reading tasks?
Their aim is to improve your skills in the techniques of:
1.
Skimming
- we read the text quickly to get the general idea of what the text is about
without stopping at unknown words
Faster reading aids comprehension.
2. Scanning
- we go through the text quickly looking for specific pieces of
information, or to locate the part of the text where the answer is
3. Close/intensive reading
- involves reading and trying to understand every word
- it might involve reading something more than once
Which types of reading are relevant when completing the open cloze?
(1.,3.)
What type of exam task is an open cloze?
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It is a test of close reading and understanding of
structure
A gapped text that tests our knowledge of grammar and
functional vocabulary (Ispitni katalog DM: leksički i
strukturalni obrasci )
Students are given a short text with 8 words missing, and
they have to fill in the missing words but they are not
given any words to choose from
They need to put ONLY ONE WORD in each space
What specific micro-skills do our students need for the
open cloze?
 Extracting main ideas
 Dealing with unfamiliar words
 Understanding complex sentences
 Linking ideas
 Predicting
 Recognition or recall of details
Give your students key to open cloze tasks from different practice books and
let them analyse the words. What kind of words are these?
from
(results
from)
on
taken
pair (a
with
(dependent (taken into pair of
(dealing
on)
account) trousers) with)
which
these
as
when
her
who
of
where
they
would
is
in
like
no
had
and
what
a
most
but
this
the
being
in
own
The most common kinds of missing words are:
 Determiners (articles, possessives,demonstratives,
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quantifiers)
Pronouns (personal, possessive, reflexive, relative )
Adverbs and time expressions
Auxiliary verbs
Question words
Linking words and conjunctions
Collocations and fixed phrases
Prepositions, prepositional phrases and phrasal verbs
Look at the words below and tick the ones which are UNLIKELY
to appear in an open cloze task?
 their
 although
 has
 take
 with
 turquoise
 can
 this
 understand
 queue
 which
 there
 one
 fantastic
 won’t
 even
 immigration
 been
 to
 being
 by
 when
 successfully
 produce
Suggested procedure
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Read the instructions carefully
Skim the text for general understanding
Cross the example gap
Write only one word in each gap
Look for clues that help you decide what part of speech (verb, noun,
preposition, etc.) each missing word is
6. Read through the completed text to make sure it makes sense
7.
Remember that the missing words are likely to be grammatical words
8. Never leave a space empty and make sure your
handwriting is clear
9. Keep track of the time and double-check your spelling!
How to prepare ?
(TIPS)
 A lot of reading
 Make your reading lessons effective
 Use a variety of different reading activities
 Explain the strategy to your learners and make sure that they use it
 Let your learners work things out for themselves
 Learners should get in the habit of underlining and memorising
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useful phrases and collocations (language ‘chunks’)
Practise the difference between commonly confused expressions
Practise linking ideas
Some grammar study can also be useful
Give your learners a lot of timed exam practice
How to prepare?
(ACTIVITIES)
A) Different categories separately
(e.g. articles, linkers, prepositions, phrasal verbs, collocations,
quantifiers)
Survivor
Of 0 all the reality shows I find Survivor the 1 ___________ interesting. I have enjoyed 2 __________
episode.
The rules of this game are rather simple:
At the start of the game 16 to 20 contestants are divided into two teams, or tribes and they are left in the
middle of 3 ___________ of the most remote places on earth. 4 __________ of them can contact their
friends or family for the time of the game. They are given very 5___________ food and only the most
necessary tools and supplies and 6 ___________ matches or lighters to start the fire. 7___________ team
has to build their own shelter. There are 8 ___________ challenges the tribes take part in, of which there
are two types: reward and immunity. A reward challenge will provide the 9 ___________ team with
creature comforts (which is 10___________ food or a means to provide it). If 11 ___________ team loses
an immunity challenge, they must go to tribal council that night - where 12 ___________ must vote to
throw 13 ___________ out of the tribe. Once a total of six people have left the game, 14___________ two
tribes merge. 15 __________ of the two tribes can keep their tribal symbols 16 ___________ more.
After the merge, 17 __________ person must compete for him/herself at 18 __________ reward and
immunity challenges. When a person receives immunity, that person cannot have 19 ___________ votes
against him/her at that tribal council. Rewards challenges may be even 20 ___________ important. The
rewards become 21 ___________ better, and usually only one person wins but he or she can often bring a
fellow tribemate along and thus make the future allies.
The last seven people voted out will have to return to be on a jury - they vote at the final tribal council for
the winner. The last Survivor at the end wins 22 ___________ of money.
Taken from Structures in Context
KEY
1 most 2 every 3 some 4 None 5 little 6 no 7 Each 8 many 9 whole 10
either 11 a 12 everyone 13 someone 14 the 15 Neither 16 any 17 every 18
both 19 any 20 more 21 much 22 lots
B) Word lists with prepositional phrases (eg. verb+preposition,
adjective+preposition, noun+preposition) or collocations
- Ss can analyse complete lists or fill in the missing words
verb+prep.
adjective+prep.
apologise FOR
approve OF
benefit FROM
contribute TO
dedicate TO
suffer FROM
participate IN
ashamed OF
attached TO
exposed TO
fond OF
inferior TO
notorious FOR
patient WITH
noun+prep
access TO
credit FOR
relationship WITH
link WITH
reaction TO
respect FOR
solution TO
e.g.
I apologise for not being attached to your lovely pit
bull terrier, who I have an allergic reaction to but
highest respect for.
C) Read aloud the text students are familiar with, pausing at words of
your choice (prepositions, participles,etc.) or making a ‘beep’ sound
Jason needs to find a job. He put beep going to business school in
order beep get some work experience first. It’s hard for him to get
used beep being unemployed. He worries beep not being able to
pay the rent on his condominium. Currently, he relies beep getting
financial help from his parents.
Jason is interested beep finding a job in marketing. He would like
to specialize beep doing "branding“.
Jason will keep beep trying until he succeeds beep finding
employment. His father insists beep helping him.
Jason looks forward beep being independent. He dreams beep
doing well. For now, he is coping beep being one of the thousands
of unemployed college graduates.
D) Guided task – questions
Fill in each space (1-8) with one word
Hamlet
'Hamlet' is perhaps (1) __________________ most famous tragedy written by William
Shakespeare. It is not known for sure when the play (2) __________________ written,
but it is thought that it can be dated to about 1600.
The action of the play (3) __________________ set in Denmark and tells the story of
how Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, takes his revenge on his uncle Claudius, (4)
__________________ has murdered Hamlet's father and married his mother to become
King of Denmark.
The main themes of the play are madness, betrayal and revenge, and the work (5)
__________________ been endlessly analysed in attempts to uncover the many layers
of meaning that are present. For (6) __________________ , one of the most famous
interpretations of the play is that of the Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.
There have also been many screen versions of 'Hamlet'. In (7) __________________ , it
has been claimed that it is the second most filmed story in the world after 'Cinderella'.
It also contains (8) __________________ is possibly the most quoted line in English
literature - "To be or not to be: that is the question".
The task taken from Log On@ In Frame3
Key: 1 the, 2 was, 3 is, 4 who, 5 has 6 example / instance 7 fact, 8 what
E) All answers offered in the wrong order
Compulsive Shopping
For many people, shopping means getting new clothes or a pair of shoes. For others,
(1) __________ shopping takes on a completely different meaning. It can become a
destructive addiction referred (2) __________ as compulsive shopping or compulsive
spending. It is also often known as “shopoholism". The consequences can (3)
__________ anxiety, stress, depression and (4) __________ suicide attempts. Experts
say that this type of shopping is not the same as occasional impulse buying, (5)
__________ many people often engage in. A shopping addiction is a continuous
problem and (6) __________ that gets worse over time. You go shopping with the
intention of buying only one thing but (7) __________ you know it you are going
home with large quantities of unnecessary items. You tend to hide your purchases (8)
__________ to the financial and family problems you have already created. According
to recent new studies, (9) __________ may be more people involved in compulsive
buying than previously thought. Researchers have also found out that almost (10)
__________ many men as women have this disorder. The traditional opinion that the
most compulsive buyers are women is probably the result of most studies (11)
__________ done mainly on women. Programmes addressing compulsive shopping
disorder have already been developed as (12) __________ as the creation of multiple
sources of support needed to overcome the addiction.
Taken from Master Your Exams
Answers:
be/ cause, even, before, there, being, as, well, due/owing, however/though, one, to,
which
KEY
1 however/though, 2 to, 3 be/ cause, 4 even, 5 which, 6 one, 7 before,
8 due/owing, 9 there, 10 as, 11 being, 12 well
F) Swapped answers
Total Physical Response
Total Physical Response is a language teaching method (1) when attempts to
teach language through physical activity.
Already in the late 1800s, a French teacher (2) of the name of Francois Gouin
was trying to devise a method of language teaching based on the way young
children learn their first language. His approach became (3) lot as the Series
Method. His method included the use of easy and simple sentences, so the
language (4) to used could be directly related to whatever the speaker was
doing at the time. His ideas were definitely well ahead (5) by his time.
Some 80 years later, in the 1960s, James Asher began experimenting (6) in a
method he called Total Physical Response. It was (7) being become particularly
popular in the 70s. The theory owed a (8) known to certain basic principles of
language acquisition by young learners, in (9) sense to the ‘trace theory’ that
memory is stimulated and increased (10) which it is closely associated with
some kind of motor activity. Asher also claimed that learning should be as fun
as possible.
Nowadays, TPR is a standard requirement (11) with the teaching of young
learners. Therefore, it would make (12) addition to determine whether it can
be effectively used at advanced levels.
Taken from Master Your Exams
KEY
1 which/that, 2 by, 3 known, 4 being, 5 of, 6 with, 7 to, 8 lot, 9 addition,
10 when, 11 in,12 sense
G) Correct and define the type of mistake
Mary Celeste
On 4 December 1872, the Mary Celeste, (1) an American ship on (2) it’s
way to Italy was sighted heading towards the Straits of Gibraltar. The
crew of the vessel that (3) have sighted her noticed that she was
moving in an unusual manner and decided to investigate. On boarding
the ship, they discovered that she had (4) been abandoned but that her
cargo of alcohol was (5) yet intact. (6) All of the eight members of the
crew or the two passengers were ever found. What had happened to
them?
The most widely accepted theory is that (7) a ship's cargo of alcohol
had started to give (8) out vapours. Afraid that the ship was (9) about
to explode the captain ordered everyone into the lifeboat. After the
lifeboat had been launched, the wind had started to blow strongly and
the ship had been blown away (10) off the lifeboat. The crew and
passengers (11) than either drowned or starved to death. It is almost
certain that we (12) will never find out what really happened.
The text taken from Log On@ In Frame3
KEY
On 4 December 1872, the Mary Celeste, an American ship on its
way to Italy was sighted heading towards the Straits of Gibraltar.
The crew of the vessel that had sighted her noticed that she was
moving in an unusual manner and decided to investigate. On
boarding the ship, they discovered that she had been
abandoned but that her cargo of alcohol was still intact. None
of the eight members of the crew or the two passengers were
ever found. What had happened to them?
The most widely accepted theory is that the ship's cargo of
alcohol had started to give off vapours. Afraid that the ship was
about to explode the captain ordered everyone into the
lifeboat. After the lifeboat had been launched, the wind had
started to blow strongly and the ship had been blown away from
the lifeboat. The crew and passengers then either drowned or
starved to death. It is almost certain that we will never find out
what really happened.
H) Decide where the gaps are and complete the text
The Chemistry of Love
Some scientists believe that everything we are and (0)
everything we do is driven by our genes, and that perhaps the
main aim of our genes is to propagate life by combining with
the genes of person through sex. But not other set of genes will
do - our genes want to select the right set of genes ensure their
survival in the new cocktail in the new body through which
they carry their existence. Our bodies are determined by our
genes. Our genes instruct our cells to grow and so are
responsible everything from the colour of our eyes and hair
and the structure of our body the layout of our face. Thus our
bodies are advertising hoardings for our genes. Our genes also
determine the we perceive through our senses. So when we
meet person, the theory goes, our genes are looking the
outward manifestation of the other person's genes. Who
knows? It could be love at first sight.
Taken from Log On@ In Frame 4
KEY
The Chemistry of Love
Some scientists believe that everything we are and (0)
everything we do is driven by our genes, and that perhaps the
main aim of our genes is to propagate life by combining with the
genes of (1) another person through sex. But not (2) any other
set of genes will do - our genes want to select the right set of
genes (3) to ensure their survival in the new cocktail in the new
body through which they carry (4)on their existence. Our bodies
are determined by our genes. Our genes instruct our cells (5)
how to grow and so are responsible (6) for everything from the
colour of our eyes and hair and the structure of our body (7) to
the layout of our face. Thus our bodies are advertising hoardings
for our genes. Our genes also determine the (8) way we perceive
through our senses. So when we meet (9) another person, the
theory goes, our genes are looking (10) for the outward
manifestation of the other person's genes. Who knows? It could
be love at first sight.
Online Gamers Have Saved Strangers’ Lives
Current technology can bring people together and it allows
gamers to speak to opponents at the other side of the world
with nothing but a cheap headset. For instance, a Canadian
teenager made the news after helping an autistic youth online
who was showing serious signs of depression, to the point of
hinting at suicide.
The teen said that he knew nothing about the other kid except
his gamer tag. That didn’t stop him from getting in contact
with the police. The Police Chief Inspector said that they had
contacted the at-risk kid over Xbox Live. Then they were able
to spend a few hours talking him down.
And here’s the best part. The authorities got in touch with the
suicidal kid’s parents, and here’s what they say: ‘We had no
idea there was a problem. If only we knew...’ So, it took a 14year-old gamer who lived 1,500 miles away to see the signs.
Taken from Forward 2, radna bilježnica za engleski jezik
Answer key – tasks A & B
TEXT A
1 the, 2 there, 3 as, 4 in, 5 because, 6 A, 7 after/with 8
out, 9 them, 10 favour/place
TEXT B
1 over, 2 way, 3 for, 4 are, 5 in, 6 extent, 7 no, 8 bilingual,
9 own/native, 10 those
References
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Hindlaugh, Jurković: Master Your Exams, Školska knjiga 2009
Ivić,Pavličević: Structures in Context, Školska knjiga 2006
Doolan, Hindlaugh, Ivić-Doolan: Log On @ In Frame 3, Školska
knjiga 2005
Doolan, Hindlaugh, Ivić-Doolan: Log On @ In Frame 4, Školska
knjiga 2005
Gregović: Forward 2, Radna bilježnica, Školska knjiga 2014
http://www.usingenglish.com/articles/how-to-teach-fce-use-englishpart-two-open-cloze.html
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