Fragtsituationer

Fragtsituationer is a concept used in education and training to describe structured, context-rich scenarios designed for practicing information-seeking through questions. The term appears to be a compound of elements from Nordic languages, combining a verb meaning “to ask” with “situations.” It is most commonly referenced in language teaching, customer service training, and public administration education in Nordic contexts.

In practice, fragtsituationer place learners in plausible interactions—such as a customer inquiring about product details, a student requesting clarification on a procedure, or a citizen seeking information from a public agency—where the primary goal is to formulate effective questions, listen to responses, and adapt subsequent inquiries accordingly. The emphasis is on pragmatic competence, appropriate register, and conversational flow.

Structure and implementation typically involve a brief scenario, role assignments, and a task that requires multiple questions to complete. Instructors provide responses that may guide or require follow-up questions. Assessment often focuses on the clarity and relevance of questions, the ability to ask follow-ups, and the appropriateness of the overall information-gathering approach.

Variations include digital simulations, branching dialogues, and collaborative work in pairs or groups, accompanied by rubrics and targeted feedback. Fragtsituationer are valued for their flexibility and transferability across languages and contexts, though they may be criticized for being somewhat scripted and not fully capturing the spontaneity of real-world interactions.

See also: role-play, task-based language teaching, communicative competence, scenario-based learning.