Drilling

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A controlled repetition technique in which learners repeat target language (words, phrases, sentences, or sounds) after a model, with the goal of developing accurate production and building automaticity. Drilling is one of the oldest and most widely used classroom techniques, associated historically with the Audiolingual Method but still a standard tool in contemporary ELT when used judiciously.

Definition

Scrivener (2011, p. 176) defines drilling as "getting students to repeat words, phrases or sentences, either in chorus or individually." Harmer (2015) positions drilling as a controlled practice technique where accuracy is the primary goal — learners reproduce a model rather than creating original language.

The technique draws on Skill Acquisition Theory (DeKeyser, 2007): initial declarative knowledge becomes proceduralised through practice, eventually reaching automaticity. Drilling provides the repetitive practice that enables this transition, particularly for pronunciation and formulaic expressions.

Types of Drilling

Choral Drilling

The whole class repeats together after the teacher's model.

Purpose: Safe, low-anxiety practice; all students participate; teacher can hear general accuracy
Technique: Teacher says the model clearly → signals class to repeat (gesture or verbal cue) → listens and repeats if needed
When: Introducing new pronunciation, checking stress patterns, building confidence with new structures

Individual Drilling

Students repeat one at a time after the teacher's model.

Purpose: Checks individual accuracy; reveals problems hidden in choral drill
Technique: Often follows choral drilling — "Open pairs" (teacher nominates individual students)
When: After choral drill to check; when specific students need targeted practice

Substitution Drilling

Students repeat a sentence but substitute one element each time.

Purpose: Practises a structure while requiring limited creativity; bridges drill to freer practice
Example: Teacher: "I went to the cinema." → "shops" → Student: "I went to the shops." → "park" → "I went to the park."

Transformation Drilling

Students change the sentence structurally (e.g., affirmative to negative, statement to question).

Purpose: Practises manipulation of form
Example: Teacher: "She has finished." → Student: "Has she finished?"

Chain Drilling

One student says a sentence to the next, who responds and passes it on.

Purpose: Practises functional exchanges (greetings, questions, offers)
Example: S1 → S2: "Have you ever been to Japan?" → S2: "No, I haven't." → S2 → S3: "Have you ever been to Japan?"

Backchaining (Back Drilling)

Building up a long phrase from the end, adding one unit at a time.

Purpose: Maintains natural stress and intonation patterns in long utterances
Example: "...on Saturday" → "...to the cinema on Saturday" → "...going to the cinema on Saturday" → "I'm going to the cinema on Saturday"

Mumble Drilling

Students repeat very quietly to themselves — semi-private practice.

Purpose: Low-pressure individual rehearsal; particularly useful for introverted learners or new structures
When: Before asking students to produce publicly

Drilling and Pronunciation

Drilling is most valuable for pronunciation work:

Isolating and practising difficult phonemes (see Phoneme)
Establishing correct Word Stress patterns
Practising Sentence Stress and weak forms
Developing Connected Speech features (linking, elision, assimilation)
Modelling and practising Intonation patterns

The Case For and Against Drilling

Arguments For

Builds muscle memory for pronunciation
Provides safe, supported practice before freer production
Useful for formulaic language and fixed expressions
Efficient — many repetitions in short time
Connects to Skill Acquisition Theory: proceduralisation requires repeated practice
Learners from many educational cultures expect and value it

Arguments Against (Thornbury, 2006)

Mindless repetition without understanding is not acquisition
Drilling works the "articulatory loop" but may not engage deeper processing
Learners can drill perfectly and then fail to produce the form communicatively
Over-reliance on drilling crowds out meaningful practice time
The Audiolingual assumption that "habits = learning" has been discredited

The Balanced View

Most contemporary methodology (Harmer, 2015; Scrivener, 2011) takes a middle position: drilling is a useful technique when:

Used briefly and purposefully — not as the main activity
Combined with meaningful practice that follows
Focused on pronunciation and formulaic expressions rather than free grammar
Used as part of a PPP or presentation stage, not as a standalone lesson
Kept energetic and brisk — boring drilling is counterproductive

Effective Drilling Technique

Model clearly: Say the target naturally (not slowly) 2-3 times before asking for repetition
Use gestures: Clear hand signals for "listen" vs "repeat" vs "again"
Vary the pattern: Choral → half class → rows → pairs → individual
Keep it short: 3-5 minutes maximum for any drilling sequence
Focus attention: Before drilling a word, highlight the target feature (stress, sound, linking)
Listen carefully: Use individual drilling to diagnose persistent problems
Move on: Drilling leads into practice; it is not the destination

Key References

Scrivener, J. (2011). Learning Teaching (3rd ed.). Macmillan. pp. 175–180.
Harmer, J. (2015). The Practice of English Language Teaching (5th ed.). Pearson. Chapter 7.
DeKeyser, R.M. (2007). Practice in a Second Language: Perspectives from Applied Linguistics and Cognitive Psychology. Cambridge University Press.
Thornbury, S. (2006). An A–Z of ELT. Macmillan.
Spratt, M., Pulverness, A. & Williams, M. (2011). The TKT Course (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.