THE “SHERLOCK HOLMES STRATEGY”

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY - STEP 5

I think this strategy – an example of the use of inferential/deductive processes – is of paramount importance in language learning because …

·it encourages an active approach to new language – from the basic need to deduce the meaning of individual words to the wider need to understand and interpret sentences, paragraphs, whole texts

·it promotes students’ use of their background knowledge (both linguistic and extra-linguistic)

·it focuses their attention on both single words and wider contexts

·it shows that you can do a lot even with limited knowledge – provided you are willing to tolerate ambiguity and takereasonable risks

·it highlights the difference between blind, wild guessing and informed predictions

I hope I’ve given you an idea of what I mean byinformed strategy training:

·giving the strategy a “memorable” name (e.g. “the Sherlock Holmes strategy”)

·experiencing the use of the strategy

·modelling the strategy, by providing sequenced steps to follow in using it

·eliciting how the strategy works, the rationale for its use (e.g. by showing what kinds of criteria or background knowledge we use to make predictions or hypotheses)

·discussing how the strategy can be put to use in different contexts, thus promoting transfer to other situations

·verbalising andsharing ideas and reactions with others all through the strategy training activity

If you would like to have a look at a list of  more detailed criteria for word- and text-attack, click here – and …

look at other examples of the “Sherlock Holmes strategy” here!