Using the Cloze Technique to Teach ESL and ELD

The Cloze technique for teaching ESL or ELD is a simple strategy for improving vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.

The Cloze Technique

In a Cloze exercise, a passage is chosen within a student's reading ability. Words are then deleted from the passage according to one of several criteria, such as a word count formula where every fifth or sixth word is deleted. Words that are being studied during vocabulary lessons may be deleted to test comprehension, also. Understanding of grammatical structures may be tested by deleting conjunctions, prepositions, or verbs.

The passage with the deleted words is then given to the students who must "cloze" the blanks in the passage with the appropriate words. Students must use critical reading skills, grammatical understanding, and vocabulary knowledge to complete the passage.

Cloze passages may be given to students without any clues as to what words belong in each blank. Generally, the first and last sentence of each paragraph and all punctuation are left in tact. Adaptations may be made one of two ways if students have a hard time determining what words fit in each blank.

The first adaptation requires providing a list of words that can be used to fill in the blanks of the passage. Extra words can be included to provide more of a challenge. The second adaptation involves providing the first letter of the word for each blank, to give students a clue of what word belongs. Another adaptation involves providing a multiple choice list of words to choose from for the passage.

The Cloze technique is used for several different purposes. First, it helps test a student's knowledge and understanding of the reading process. Second, it tests a student's vocabulary and knowledge of a subject. Finally, it requires critical and analytical thinking about a passage.

Sample Cloze Passages

Cloze passages can be taken from a variety of sources, including literature you are reading in class, newspapers, textbooks, and websites. The following passage is from the article, "First pair of 33 men rescued from Chilean mine," written by Michael Warren of the Associated Press.

In this example, approximately every fifth word was removed after the introductory phrase and since students had not seen this passage before, a list of missing words was provided at the end:

SAN JOSE MINE, Chile - The first two of 33 men trapped in a collapsed mine were rescued early Wednesday after 69 days _____, pulled to fresh air _____ freedom at last in ­­­_____ missile-like escape capsule to _____ cheers of family and ____.

Rescued first was Florencio Avalos, ____ wore a helmet and ____ to protect him from ____ glare of bright lights. ____ smiled broadly as he ____ and hugged his sobbing 7-year-old ____, Bairon, and wife, then ____ Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and ____.

Missing Words: sunglasses emerged a who rescuers underground son bearhugged the and he countrymen the