Teaching Reflections - Lesson 3

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TESL 0170
Practicum in Teaching ESL

Today I taught the third lesson for my TESL Practicum. This time, I taught a High Advanced (CEFR C2) Speaking class in the afternoon, from 1-3. Teaching this class was quite different from the Entry level class I had taught before. For this class I was able to speak at more or less my regular speaking rate and I didn't have to use basic vocabulary.  I followed the same procedure that my Sponsor Teacher used and began the class by having the students formulate some discussion questions based on the Words of the Day from this week and the topic of the unit in their textbook. Students then discussed the questions in small groups. This provided them with fluency practice. Then I moved on to the lesson that I had prepared on limericks. By studying and reading limericks aloud, the students were able to practice pronunciation and fluency in a fun and interactive way. We discussed rhyme and rhythm and identified the weak and stressed syllables in some limericks. We also noted the use of literary devices and humour in the limericks. Students had the opportunity to unscramble and fill in the missing words in some limericks and even create a limerick of their own.

I think that this lesson was very effective and fun. The students were actively engaged and seemed to be enjoying themselves. They had the opportunity to practice several limericks and to learn some new vocabulary as well. I did some whole class teaching and a lot of modeling of the rhythm of the limericks. I  had the students complete some of the activities by themselves, with a partner and with their table group. I think there was a pretty good balance throughout the lesson.

My sponsor teacher said that she thought the lesson I prepared was fun and interesting. She really like the pronunciation element; if the students didn't pronounce a word correctly the limerick would not sound right. She thought that it went very well and she said she enjoyed observing it. She appreciated how the lesson started out being very tightly controlled and then moved on to be less and less controlled as the lesson progressed. She even said she might use this lesson in the future!

My lesson plan and handouts are attached below:
Lesson Plan 3
Limericks Handout

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