Fact · Languages and accents
5words
In running dictation, the runner is told to try to remember about five words at a time, and this can vary by level.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“try to remember about five words (this can vary according to level) from the text, and say them to another student who copies them”
Running dictation for pronunciation practice, Duncan Minett-Westwood, The Language Teacher, JALT, 2010, Procedure, step 2.
Open the original- What it measures
- In the activity, one student runs to the text, memorizes a chunk and dictates it to a partner who writes it down, then they swap roles.
- What it does not show
- Teacher guidance, not a measured figure for memory.