Reverse Running Dictation

Ever since I first tried running dictation it’s been one of my favorite activities to use and reuse in my classroom! After ACTFL this fall I was stalking the hashtag for #ACTFL19 to see what I’d missed and ran into this tweet from Maris Hawkins (blog, Twitter) that I knew I had to try! From her hashtag, it looks like she was in a session lead by La Maestra Loca!

Another fun twist on running dictation- put up pictures from clip chat outside and match up description with letters on the pictures #actfl19 #learningwithlaloca

— Maris (@Marishawkins) November 23, 2019

I have been using a lot of Señor Wooly songs this year to supplement my units and it has been awesome. I knew when I saw this tweet that it would be perfect to use with a Wooly song! If you’re not familiar with the resources from Señor Wooly (check out my post here for more details) you may not know that they provide stills from the videos that you can use for all sorts of things! Here’s how we used them for a Reverse Running Direction!

Watch the Video

Set Up

Pick out your images, then write sentences that describe them. I started with 10 sentences and 10 images. Label your images with letters. Hang them in the hallway! Then I split my sentences in half for the pairs.

These are the instructions I gave to my students:

Instructions:  Without showing this sheet to your partner, read the sentence out loud to them. Your partner will go and find the image that illustrates the sentence you read and tell you the letter of the image. Then, you will record the letter, and read the next one! When you get through your sentences, turn in this sheet and your partner will pick up the sheet for Partner B.

Partner B had similar instructions!

Classtime

My students are familiar with running dictation, and when they were on their way to class they saw the pictures in the hall. I actually had several kids say, “I bet we’re going to use descriptions and go match them!” Yep. You got it, kiddos! I split them up into their pairs, gave A their half sheets, then they got started! One thing is that I really, really tried to impress on them that it was a listening activity. They weren’t supposed to show their partner the sentences! A few of them needed some reminders, but for the most part they did well with it.

Reflection

I was really happy with how it went overall! However, we had been working with these structures for about 8 class days, and the high frequency structures for even longer! They went fast. For the most part, they didn’t need their partners to repeat the sentences at all. They only needed to hear it once, and off they went! Because of this, I think next time I would either add more sentences and pictures, OR, maybe just add more pictures for them to have to look through and find the correct ones.

Another option would be to do this at the beginning of the unit – maybe even to introduce a song! I think that could work really well, and I may just try it next time.

Oh – and side note – I’m planning on adding the doc, instructions, and absent student version to the Sr. Wooly (Woology) group on Facebook, in case my fellow Wooly fans want to give it a try!

What do you think about this activity? Any suggestions or questions for me? Comment below!

Why Reverse Running Dictation Is a Total Win

Reverse Running Dictation is one of those activities that feels like pure classroom magic. It brings movement, curiosity, teamwork, and just the right amount of chaos in the best way possible. Students are up, engaged, and actually excited about a listening activity. And beneath all the fun, they are practicing meaningful listening, interpreting language, and matching it to visual context without even realizing how much Spanish they are soaking up.

What makes this so powerful is how adaptable it is. You can make it super approachable for novices with fewer visuals and short sentences, or dial it up with similar-looking images and more detailed descriptions for your upper-level students. It is easy to prep, fun to run, and a fantastic way to add energy and purpose to your lesson. Once your students understand the routine, it is something you can revisit again and again with new content and still keep it fresh.

Ways to Make It Even More Magical

Already loving how this works in your room? You can take it even further. Let students create their own descriptions and swap with another group. Or turn it into a sneak peek activity before introducing a story or song. Imagine students guessing the plot of a Señor Wooly video based only on still images and mysterious lines of text. Their curiosity will be through the roof and they will be primed for maximum input.

You can also use this as a mini competition or as part of a larger review day. Add extra images or plant tricky lookalikes in the mix and watch your students dig deeper into what they hear. It becomes a challenge to listen more carefully, repeat with intention, and collaborate. It is also a joy to step back and watch your students take the lead. That moment when they lock eyes with the right image and shout the letter with confidence is so satisfying.

Looking for More?

If you like this idea, check out 9 more unique activity ideas for your Spanish classes here!