Short answer
Bring earlier language back into a conversation or activity and give learners a small cue when they cannot retrieve a word. In S06E10, Em suggests offering the first sound, first letter, a definition or a reminder of when the class met the word before.
A cue can help learners recall language without simply giving them the answer. Start with the lightest prompt that helps, then add more information if they are still stuck.
Try this in your next lesson
Pause before giving the missing word.
👇 Scroll down for our practical checklist or activity and download.
Listen to the whole S06E10 discussion in our podcast episode guide here🔊.
Return to familiar language
Invite conversation that revisits a topic learners have already studied. Asking about a familiar subject from a new angle can prompt them to retrieve vocabulary and use it again.
Offer a useful cue
If a learner cannot remember “window”, you might give the first sound, describe it as something made of glass that lets light in, or remind them of a previous lesson. Choose a clue that supports recall without turning the moment into a guessing ordeal.
Let retrieval lead to use
Once the learner remembers the word, encourage them to use it in a sentence or continue the conversation. The aim is not only to name a word but to bring it back into active use.
Build a cue ladder
We can make this easier to manage by deciding on a few prompts before the lesson. Start with a pause, then a reminder of the earlier conversation. If that is not enough, try a definition or first sound. Em demonstrates several kinds of cue in the recording; the ladder is our classroom adaptation. It is not a fixed order that every learner must follow. Some people will recognise a sound immediately, while others need the situation again.
Check recall in a fresh context
For example, after reviewing window, ask the learner to describe the room or explain what they can see outside. Later, return to the word without the same clue. If they still need support, that gives us useful planning information. We do not need to make a public contest out of somebody forgetting a word. In a group, a quiet note or a few seconds to think can keep the conversation moving.
Make revision manageable
Choose three or four useful words from an earlier lesson rather than testing everything at once. Let learners choose a topic that naturally brings those words back. Online, keep the word list hidden until the first attempt, then reveal only the help needed. Finish by noting which words came back independently and which need another encounter.
Gav and Em suggest: cue before you tell
- ☐ Pause before giving the missing word.
- ☐ Offer the lightest cue first: first sound, first letter or a short definition.
- ☐ Add more help only if needed.
- ☐ Once the word returns, use it in a new sentence.
- ☐ Bring it back again later so retrieval is not a one-off success.
Our classroom adaptation: Download the S06E10 practice resource (PDF).
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