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Eliciting is a major language teaching technique consisting in evoking or drawing out answers in response to the teacher's "loaded" questions.

Don't confuse it with elision.

Advantages of eliciting[edit]

  • It helps develop a learner-centred classroom.[1]
  • The teacher will become aware of the students' existing knowledge of the subject.
  • Those students who are unaware of the answers to certain issues will get early clarification from their peers.


  • Care must be taken to ensure that not just the "know-it-all" gets to answer everything and that all students are given a fair chance to respond.
  • Depending on how it is carried out - and its frequency - students can become irritated by a teacher who asks them questions about things to which they clearly don't know the answer.


  1. "eliciting" at TeachingEnglish.org (British Council/BBC)

See also[edit]
