01/09/2026
Your learner nodded and said 'yes, teacher.' That doesn't mean they understood.
This happens in almost every classroom. You ask 'Do you understand?', everyone nods, the lesson moves on, and then the activity starts and it's clear half the class had no idea what you meant.
That's not a learner problem. That's a checking problem.
CCQs (concept checking questions) are one of the most practical tools a language teacher has. A good CCQ doesn't ask 'Did you get it?' It tests the concept indirectly. Teaching the present perfect for life experience? Instead of asking 'Do you understand the present perfect?', you ask: 'If I say I have visited Japan, does that mean I'm in Japan right now?' The learner has to engage with the meaning, not just recall a rule.
A few principles worth keeping in mind:
- Keep the language of the CCQ simpler than the language you're checking.
- At lower levels, aim for yes/no or short-answer responses.
- Ask more than one. One question can be guessed. Two or three give you a much clearer picture.
- Don't rush past a wrong answer. It tells you exactly where the misunderstanding lives.
CCQs take about thirty seconds. The comprehension gaps they prevent can take weeks to undo.
Follow for more practical teaching strategies you can use in your next lesson.
