SMART Check Tables

Using NOW and LATER

Give students some example sentences

The teacher gives a few examples on how to make a sentence using the target phrases in the NOW table. Examples are written above the SMART Check table. There are lots of additional examples in the teacher's guidebook.

Set a 3-minute timer for the NOW table

Students are given 3 minutes to create sentences in their mind using the target phrases in the NOW table. If they can make a sentence in their mind, they put a check in the box.

And if students can't make a sentence?

They leave the box blank. These blanks are just as important as the checks because students become aware of their language gaps. Now they know what to focus on during classes.

Students write their total checks 

After 3 minutes, students stop and count their checks. They then write their total in the SMART Score (Total Checks) box. In this example, they've put '4'.

Students finish by sharing sentences

Just to make sure that students can truly make a sentence with the phrases, they share their sentence ideas with a partner or the teacher.

Students use phrases in class activities

What follows is a range of writing (Showtime), speaking (Ready and Traffic Light Trainer) and listening activities (Dwayne's World). Each activity is designed to help students communicate using the target phrases.  

Track progress with the LATER table 

The LATER table is done exactly like the NOW table. Students can see their improvement by comparing their NOW and LATER scores. They summarize these improvements in special tables on pages 38 and 66.