Students Design the Reading Comprehension Questions

(TESOL Ideas--Activities that Can Be Used with Any Reading Text)

google: docs, pub

This is an oldie but a goodie.  I don't believe I've written about it here yet though, so I should add it to my list of activities that can be used with any reading text.  (Although I have previously posted a similar activity--Make Your Own Test Game: IELTS Reading).

Students are divided into groups of 4 or 5.  They have to make comprehension questions based on the reading text for another group to answer.

In my experience, I've found that this activity works best if students are first instructed to write down questions and answers.  (In my experience, if students are not required to write down suggested answers, sometimes students will write vague questions that they themselves don't have a clear idea of how to answer.)  

Then, once I've approved that the groups have created clear questions with clear answers, the questions are transferred onto another sheet of paper, and given to the other group to answer.

Two groups answer each other's questions about the reading texts.  Then, the groups combine to give each other feedback.

It's a great way to get students more involved in the reading text.

Addendum: after getting frustrated with a class of students that had trouble designing questions for each other, I've decided to make this task more guided.  I designed a worksheet here: docs, pub