Keira CO #3

Keira CO #3

Date/Time: May 10th, 2017, 1:00-1:50 pm

Topic/Skill: Group 4A Speaking

Teacher Presentation: I sat in on Olivia James' class for my final observation. When I first introduced myself to her and took a seat, she quietly asked me if it would be all right for her students to ask me some questions, which I gladly said was fine. Her students were in the process of preparing for two separate formal presentations. This class period was to be their prep work, and the next class they were to discuss their ideas for these presentations. 

The first part of the class was spent learning the phrase "on the spot" by way of putting both the students and myself on the spot; I introduced myself, and at least one person from each table had to ask me a question, mostly about what I wanted to do with my TEFL certification. This gave the students a chance to not only have the phrase explained, but to see it be used. 

After this activity, the instructor went over the details of the upcoming presentations, covering the guidelines and what was to be expected. Following this, she played a YouTube video for the students in which a neuroscientist explains a specific scientific topic, Connectomes, in five different levels of difficulty: to a five year old, to a thirteen year-old, to a college student, to a graduate student, and to a Connectome entrepreneur. This related back to what the students needed to be preparing to do with one of their two presentations. The first presentation would be about something the student is interested in in his or her field, and would be presented three times as if to three different audiences: a child, an investor, and a professional audience member in that field. When playing the YouTube video, she put on the captions to allow her students to read along as well as listen. After this, she moved on to the next presentation, the Ethnographic study, and asked students to pair up and brainstorm places they could do this study. She asked them to consider where they could visit three times, who they could talk to, and what they could do in English. Then she walked around the room offering feedback and approving ideas. 

Classroom Management: When doing the "on the spot" exercise, the instructor ensured that at least one student from each table asked me at least one question. One table consisted of one student, who really seemed to struggle with bringing himself to ask me anything, even when the instructor whispered a suggested question to him. However, despite all his hesitation, she did not allow him to opt out of questioning me. She was not unkind about it, however. She merely wanted to make sure everyone was getting practice, even and perhaps especially when they were reluctant to try. She also went around the room and spoke to each student about what he or she was thinking about doing for the Ethnographic study. She held a conversation with each student and gave her suggestions and approval. She also had a special bin for cell phones, which she explained at the top of the class. If a student began to use his or her cell phone for anything other than looking up something for class, she would discreetly set the bin down next to the student in question, signaling that the phone needed to go into the bin. I only saw her have to use this once.

Materials: Whiteboard, computer, projector and projection screen, Internet access

Student Participation: The students seemed generally more eager to pair off and discuss their presentations, or ask the instructor for her feedback, than they were to ask me questions. I believe being put on the spot intimidated several of them, but overall they seemed happy to participate, and they seemed to value the instructor's input a great deal.

Feedback Provided: The instructor's feedback when the students were trying to plan their Ethnographic studies was very practical. She posed questions to help the students further develop their ideas, or steered them away from ideas she felt may be too difficult. For students who were truly stumped, she offered suggestions based on what she knew their interests to be, such as one student who could base his presentation around a local bike riding group.

Lesson(s) on Teaching You Learned: The instructor found a way to bring the meaning of an English phrase, on the spot, to the students in a very real and understandable way. She was able to find a way for them to practice their speaking while simultaneously reinforcing their vocabulary, which I thought was both practical and wise.