Eliciting

Eliciting is a major language teaching technique consisting in evoking or drawing out answers in response to the teacher's "loaded" questions.

Don't confuse it with elision.

Advantages of eliciting

 * It helps develop a learner-centred classroom.
 * The teacher will become aware of the students' existing knowledge of the subject.
 * Those students who are unaware of the answers to certain issues will get early clarification from their peers.

Drawbacks

 * Care must be taken to ensure that not just the "know-it-all" gets to answer everything and that all students are given a fair chance to respond.
 * Depending on how it is carried out - and its frequency - students can become irritated by a teacher who asks them questions about things to which they clearly don't know the answer.