Delayed Copying

Learners copy a text by reading a phrase, looking away, and writing it from memory, gradually increasing the length of phrases held in memory.

Procedure

1. Give learners a short text at or slightly below their level.
2. Learners read a phrase from the text and try to hold as large a phrase as possible in memory.
3. They look away from the text and write the phrase from memory.
4. They return to the text, read the next phrase, look away, and write it.
5. Continue until the whole text has been copied.

Tips

• The key rule: do not copy word by word. The goal is to hold and write increasingly longer phrases.
• Ideally suited to individual practice and homework.
• Unlike dictation, the input is reading rather than listening, making it useful for learners who need writing practice without the added challenge of listening.
• The technique builds working memory span in the foreign language, which is an indicator of language proficiency.
• Can be combined with a timing element for fluency development.