Disappearing Dialogue

A short dialogue is on the board. The class drills it, then the teacher erases two or three words. Drill again — students fill the gaps from memory. Continue erasing until the dialogue is gone and students perform it from memory alone.

Classic Audiolingual-era drilling technique, still gold for functional dialogues.

Procedure

1. Write a short dialogue on the board (6–10 lines):

   A: Excuse me, is this seat taken? B: No, go ahead. A: Thanks. Is the train usually this crowded? B: Usually, yes — especially on Fridays.

2. Drill the whole dialogue: class in two halves, reading one role each. Repeat twice.
3. Pairs practise with the text once.
4. Erase 3 words (scatter them). Drill again: the class fills in from memory.
5. Repeat: erase 3 more words, drill again. Keep going.
6. When the board is blank, pairs perform the whole dialogue without any support.
7. Finally: swap roles and perform again.

Why It Works

• Gradual memory load: each erase increases what must be retrieved, scaffolded by what remains.
• Repetition with purpose: each drill has a different cognitive demand — reading, guessing, recalling.
• Functional memorisation: students leave with a full exchange they can actually use.
• Satisfaction: the final blank-board performance feels like a genuine achievement.

Good Dialogue Choices

• Functional exchanges: asking directions, ordering food, checking into a hotel
• Telephone routines: making an appointment, calling in sick
• Social openers: meeting a new colleague, reconnecting with an old friend
• Classroom functions: asking for clarification, checking homework

Variations

• Student-led erasing: after teacher models, a student chooses which words to erase next.
• Write the missing word: instead of saying it, individual students come up and write it back in. Spelling reinforcement.
• Chant version: turn the dialogue into a rhythm; drill with claps.
• Reverse disappearing: start with an empty board; add one word per drill until the full dialogue reappears.

Tips

• Keep the dialogue short. More than 10 lines and the memory curve crushes learners.
• Erase function words first (prepositions, articles), then content words, finally phrases.
• Ideal end-of-lesson activity; students leave having something they can perform.