Why Running Dictation Deserves a Place in Every ESL Classroom
- Alan David Pritchard
- Jul 3
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 24
ESL-Wise: Blog 5
Why Running Dictation Deserves a Place in Every ESL Classroom
By Alan David Pritchard
Why do some tasks stick, not just in students’ memories, but in their language systems?
Because they create the right kind of tension: focused, purposeful, slightly challenging, but fun.
Because they make learners notice the shape of a sentence, remember what a modal sounds like, self-correct a missing article.
My year 9s had to do such an activity (see the example picture below) where they had to run to the board, remember a way to improve writing, run back to their group and share that information so that the group could use that information to redraft a poorly-written text.
This meant that the runner did not simply have to remember that information, but had to internalise it so that it could be explained to others.
This led to a lot of back and forth checking, a lot of laughter, a lot of explaining. Which is why I am so fond of Running Dictation.
It doesn’t look serious, but it is. Beneath the movement and laughter lies a high-impact learning routine: one that blends memory, accuracy, and peer collaboration into a single burst of focused language practice.
If you haven’t used it recently (or have only used it as a time-filler) it might be time to rethink what it can do.
What Makes This Task So Powerful?
I’ve used running dictation with groups from beginner to upper-intermediate. I’ve used it with reluctant 15-year-olds, stressed-out IELTS candidates, even adult learners after a long day at work. The energy shifts immediately: students are suddenly focused, animated, and deeply engaged.
But it’s not just the movement or novelty that makes it work.
What’s really happening is this:
Students are rehearsing structures repeatedly without realising it
They’re noticing the grammar they half-know but don’t yet control
They’re engaging in meaning-driven communication that still requires accuracy.
It’s a fluency–accuracy hybrid. And that’s rare.
How Running Dictation Works
In its most basic form:
Post a short, grammar-rich text on the wall, away from student desks.
Students work in pairs: one is the “runner,” the other the “scribe.”
The runner goes, reads part of the text, and returns to dictate from memory.
The scribe writes what they hear.
They switch roles as needed until the full text is complete.
Then they check, correct, and reflect.
But within that simple shell, there’s room for serious pedagogical intention.
One of my go-to activities is to provide my students with a text consisting entirely of simple sentences. Then, one by one, students in a group go to a wall where I have posted a selection of sentence variety tips.
Not only do they have to read and remember the tips to share with their group, but the group has to apply that advice to improve the given text. Here is an example of the text students are expected to recreate and apply.
It is a bit longer than what I recommend, but I tell students that it is okay to internalise the information and then share it in a way that helps the group improve the text.
Here is a link to the resource from which this example is taken. It is from my Sentence Variety Swirl Lesson Pack, available on TPT and TES.
Why It Works for Language Development
Despite appearances, this is not a filler task. It supports real progress, especially for ESL learners who need repeated exposure to target forms in low-stress, high-engagement conditions.
It strengthens working memory and grammatical accuracy.
Runners must remember the shape of a sentence, not just isolated words. That reinforces grammar chunks, collocations, and word order.
It builds pronunciation and decoding skills.
Students hear each other, not just the teacher, and that listening leads to more self-monitoring, clarification, and peer correction.
It supports fluency, but with scaffolding.
Unlike role-plays or free chat, this task focuses attention on exact forms, so students practise fluency with form in mind.
It engages kinetic and visual learners.
And not in a token way. Movement here supports cognitive load: students remember better because they’re active participants in a challenge.
It encourages authentic collaboration.
Pairs naturally talk about spelling, punctuation, and whether “was” or “has been” sounds right because the task demands it.
A Quick Example (Passive Voice – B1 Level)
“English is spoken in many countries around the world. In some schools, it is taught from the age of six. Students are encouraged to practise it every day.”
This 3-sentence text is packed with passive constructions, offers rhythm and repetition, and links naturally to follow-up tasks, like rewriting it in the active voice, adding modal verbs, or turning it into a paragraph about another subject (e.g. Mandarin, recycling).
A recent example used in a Year 10 IGCSE ESL class
Just last term I gave my IGCSE class a workbook (AI-Generated) based on the errors students had made in their writing throughout the year.
Instead of giving the answers to them, or asking them to mark each other's work, I posted the answers on sheets of paper that had been folded over so each had a flap that had to be lifted in order to view the answers.
Then, in pairs, my students had to take turns to travel around the room to find the answers, remember them, return to their partners and share what they had seen and remembered. Both would mark their work, and the next partner would then get up to search for more.
With 15 students in the class, there was a lot of getting up, travelling, returning because they can not remembered properly, and sharing, often leading to 'Are you sure that's right?' moments where more explanatory talk ensued.
Making the Task Work: Setup Tips
Choose a short, structured text:
40–60 words
3–5 sentences
Grammar focus: past simple, present perfect, passive voice, conditionals
Clarify the rules:
Runners may not write
Writers may not stand
No phones, photos, or shortcuts
Whole sentences must be reconstructed
Accuracy matters as much as speed
Variations That Add Depth
Jigsaw Running Dictation. Each group reconstructs one part of a larger text. After writing, groups collaborate to assemble the full piece in the correct order.
Grammar Edit Post-Task. Once the text is complete, students highlight all past tenses, or underline prepositions, or rewrite it using modals.
Cloze Running Dictation, Writers are given a gapped version. They must reconstruct the full text with accurate word choice. Useful for articles, collocations, and prepositions.
Visual Running Dictation. The runner describes a diagram or infographic. The writer turns that information into a short paragraph or report. Especially effective for academic writing preparation.
In Year 12, I teach mind mapping as a study skills / note-taking tool. I found a useful 'How to Mind Map' mind map online and posted a printed copy on the outside of the window that looks into my room from the library. Students had to get up, leave the room, look at the poster, then return and explain to the others how to recreate the exact-same mind map. I will post the link below if you'd like to try this activity.
Final Reflection
Running dictation offers fluency with structure, repetition with variety, and movement with meaning. It builds memory, accuracy, collaboration, and confidence - all in one go.
Well-designed, well-timed, and well-scaffolded, it becomes far more than a fun activity. It becomes a classroom staple, one that students remember, request, and benefit from.
If you would like to listen to a podcast about running dictation on my Terrific Teaching Techniques page, click here.
Please feel free to share your thoughts on this topic in the comments section below.
I’d love to hear from you.
Further Reading
Colorín Colorado – “Running Dictation” (ELL Classroom Strategy Library)https://www.colorincolorado.org/teaching-ells/ell-classroom-strategy-library/running-dictation teachingenglish.org.uk+15colorincolorado.org+15colorincolorado.org+15
British Council (TeachingEnglish) – “Running dictation”https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teaching-resources/teaching-secondary/activities/pre-intermediate-a2/running-dictation teachingenglish.org.uk+8teachingenglish.org.uk+8
Learning Fundamentals - Learn how to mind map
Click the image or explore all 10 categories and 100 sets HERE.
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