Teaching Observation Final Report

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TESL 0170
Practicum in Teaching ESL

Teaching Observation Overview

For my practicum I observed an Entry level (CEFR A1-A2) integrated skills class that included listening, speaking, reading and writing. The class takes place from 9-3, Monday-Friday with an hour off for lunch from 12-1. I observed two full days of lessons, from 9-12 and 1-3 on Tuesday, July 9th and Thursday, July 11th. The morning classes are based on the units in the class textbook. The afternoon classes focus on a specific skill depending on the day of the week and use supplementary materials. The lesson topic during my observations was “On Vacation.” The learning outcomes for the lessons I observed were greeting someone arriving from a trip, asking about someone’s vacation and discussing vacation preferences. There were thirteen students in the class from a variety of countries including China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Brazil. The age of the students ranged from fourteen to about fifty. I observed and learned a great deal about best practices during my teaching observation that I plan to incorporate into my own teaching in the future.

Best Practices

Presenting Materials: When introducing new material to students, it is useful to help students connect the new material to something they already know. This can be done through a discussion or explanation. The use of a visual, realia, video or  print material is also beneficial when presenting new material. The presentation should be interactive and allow for student questions and comments. 

Engaging Students: In order to engage students in a lesson, it is important to use a variety of activities and to change the type of task often. Alternating between student-centered and teacher-centered activities and between receptive and productive tasks will keep students interested and focused. Providing students with the opportunity to make personal connections to the material being studied by relating it to themselves and their country is also beneficial. Building relationships with students and calling on them by name is also extremely important for engagement.

Responding to Student Questions: If students do not understand a vocabulary word or a concept, they should feel comfortable asking the teacher for clarification, either during instruction or at a later time. Frequently confirming the students’ comprehension of material and asking if they have any questions is important. At times, sharing an answer to a student’s question with the whole class is beneficial as many students may have the same question. At other times, it is useful to have the student or their classmates figure out the answer on their own, perhaps with some prompting or guidance.

Incorporating Technology: If it is available, incorporating technology enhances a lesson. Technology such as a digital version of the text or text website, as well as a smartboard with the ability to be used for audio and video presentations and internet access can make a lesson more engaging and interactive for students. Having a back up plan in case the internet is down or the technology is out of order is important for a teacher. The use of students’ personal devices as dictionaries can also be an advantage.

Classroom Management: If a teacher keeps a lesson moving with varied activities, good pacing and movement around the classroom, there will be little need for classroom management. Building strong relationships and rapport with students and showing them that you are interested in what they have to say goes a long way in managing a classroom. Varying the types of tasks and including all students in activities reduces the need for classroom management. If a student is off task, a gentle reminder can usually redirect them.

Error Correction: When a student makes an error in pronunciation, vocabulary or grammar, it is important to do some form of error correction. Repeating what the student said in a questioning tone or repeating what the student said up to the point of error can often prompt the student to self-correct. Asking the student a direct question can also be effective. At other times it may be necessary to model the correct pronunciation, word or grammatical form and have the student repeat. Additional examples and explanation may also be needed to aid in the student’s understanding. Error correction does not normally take place during discussion activities when the focus in on fluency building.

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