University of Education Lahore Department of English

University of Education Lahore

Department of English
Course Title: General Method of Teaching

Programme: BS English

Course Code: EDUC1112
Instructor Name: Kareem Nawaz

Drill Method
Agenda
• Introduction
• Definition
• Characteristics of Drill Method
• Types Of Drill Method
• Merits Of Drill Method
• Demerits Of Drill Method
Introduction:
Drilling is a technique that has been used in foreign language classrooms for many
years. At its simplest, drilling means listening to a model, provided by the teacher,
or a tape or another student, and repeating what is heard. This is a repetition drill,
a technique that is still used by many teachers when introducing new language
items to their students.
Definition:
• “A drill is a classroom technique used to practice new language. It involves the

teacher modeling a word or a sentence and the learners repeating it. There are
different kinds of drilling, such as choral (vocal) drill, which involves the whole
class, and substitution (replacement, change) drill, where the teacher changes the
cue words after each repetition”.
Characteristics of Drill Method:
• For the learners, drills can:
1. Provide for a focus on accuracy. Increased accuracy is one of the ways in which a
learner’s language improves so there is a need to focus on accuracy at certain
stages of the lesson or during certain task type.
2. Provide learners with intensive practice in hearing and saying particular word or
phrases. They can help learners get their tongues around difficult sounds or help
them imitate intonation that may be rather different from that of their first
language.
3. Provide a safe environment for learners to experiment with producing the
language. This may help build confidence particularly among learners who are not
risk takers.
4. Help students notice the correct form or pronunciation of a word phrase. Noticing
or consciousness rising of language is an important stage in developing language
competence.
5. Provide an opportunity for learners to get immediate feedback on their accuracy

in terms of teacher or peer correction. Many learners want to be corrected.
6. Help memorization and atomization of common language patterns and language
chunks. This may be particularly true for aural learners.
7. Meet student’s expectation, i.e. they may think drilling is an essential feature of
language classrooms.
• For The Teacher:
1. Help in term of classroom management, enabling us to vary (differ) the pace

(step) of the lesson or to get all learners involved.
2. Help the teacher recognize if new language is causing problems in terms of form
or pronunciation.
Types Of Drill Method
1. The Repetition Drill:
• The teacher says models (the word or phrases) and the students repeat it.
• Example:
• Teacher: It didn’t rain, so I needn’t have taken my umbrella
• Students: It didn’t rain, so I needn’t have taken my umbrella
2. The Substitution Drill:
• Substitution drill can use to practice different structures or vocabulary items
(i. e one word or more word change during the drill)
• Example:
• Teacher: I go to school. He?
• Students: He goes to school.
• Teacher: They?
• Students: They go to school.
3. The Question and Answer Drill:
The teacher gives students practice with answering questions. The students should
answer the teacher’s questions very quickly. It is also possible for the teacher to let
the students practice to ask question as well. This gives students practice with the
question pattern.
• Example:
• Teacher: Does he go to school? Yes?
• Students: Yes, he does.
4. The Transformation Drill:
• The teacher gives students a certain kind of sentence pattern, an affirmation
sentence for example. Students are asked to transform this sentence into a negative
sentence. Other examples of transformations to ask of students are changing a
statement into a question, an active sentence into a passive one, or direct speech
into a reported speech.
• Example: (positive into negative)
• Teacher: I clean the house.
• Students: I don’t clean the house

• Teacher: She sings a song.
• Students: She doesn’t sing a song.
5. The Chain Drill:
The teacher begins the chain by greeting a particular student, or asking him a
question. That student respond, then turns to the students sitting next to him. The
first student greets or asks a question of the second student and the chain
continues. A chain drill allows some controlled communication, even though it is
limited. A chain drill also gives the teacher an opportunity to check each student’s
speech.
• Example:
• Teacher: What is the color of sky? The color of sky is blue what the color of
banana?
• Student A: The color of banana is yellow what is the color of leaf?
• Student B: The color of leaf is green what is the color of our eyes?
• Student C: The color of our eyes is black and white
6. The Expansion Drill:
This drill is used when a long line dialog is giving students trouble. The teacher
breaks down the line into several parts. The students repeat a part of the sentence,
usually the last phrase of the line. Then following the teacher’s cue, the students
• students expand what they are repeating part at the end of the sentence (and works
backward from there) to keep the intonation (pitch, tone) of the line as natural as
possible. This also directs more student attention to the end of the sentence, where
new information typically occurs.
• Example:
• Teacher: My mother is a doctor.
• Students: My mother is a doctor
• Teacher: She works in the hospital.

• Students: She works in the hospital
• Teacher: My mother is a doctor. She works in the hospital.
• Students: My mother is a doctor. She works in the hospital.
7. The Communicative Drills:
• This kind of drills is quite different from the so-called meaningless and
mechanical drills used in a traditional grammar oriented class by some teachers, in
which the primary focus is on the form of the language being used rather than its
communicative content guessing game.
• Examples:
• Students: Is it in the class?
• Teacher: Yes, it is.
• Students: Is it blue?
• Teacher: No, it is not.
• Students: Is it black?
• MERITS OF DRILL METHOD:
• While drills are associated with a regimented style of instruction, they do have a
place. Drills are used successfully when teaching students technique.
• For instance, when young people are learning their multiplication

• tables, they can do drills on each number set to help them memorize; they can then
proceed to more difficult concepts that use the information obtained from drills.
• In physical education and music, coaches and teachers use drills as a method to
hone skills that need repetition for improvement. Additionally, students can use
this technique with one another for shared learning opportunities.
• Drilling help our learner’s memories language by the teacher’s control. And the
teacher can correct any mistakes that students make and encourage them to
concrete on difficulties at the sometime.
Demerits Of Drill Method:
• There are potential drawbacks to practice and drills. Teachers need to make sure
that when having students practice, there is a clear link between concept and
action
• Students must be able to relate what they are doing to what they are learning.
Similarly, drills are not effective when students are not prepared enough; they will
not be able to maintain a pace if they are still unclear about a concept.
• Furthermore, drills are typically for more basic knowledge or for a more physical
understanding. If teaching about more abstract concepts, a drill methodology
would not be appropriate.
• Drilling often make the students not vary creative. In all drills learners have no or
vary little choice over what is said so drills are form of very controlled practice.
• The teacher needs to handle the drills, so that the students are not over used and
they don’t go on far too long.
• One of the problems about drills is that they are fairly monotonous.
THE END
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University of Education Lahore

Course Code: EDUC1112

Instructor Name: Kareem Nawaz

• “A drill is a classroom technique used to practice new language. It involves the

• For the learners, drills can:

5. Provide an opportunity for learners to get immediate feedback on their accuracy

• For The Teacher:

1. Help in term of classroom management, enabling us to vary (differ) the pace

• Teacher: I clean the house.

• Students: I don’t clean the house

• Teacher: My mother is a doctor.

• Students: My mother is a doctor

• Teacher: She works in the hospital.

• Teacher: My mother is a doctor. She works in the hospital.

• Students: My mother is a doctor. She works in the hospital.

7. The Communicative Drills:

• For instance, when young people are learning their multiplication

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