The Practical Observation

The observation  the  teachers with  have extensive experience in the field of education to achieve perceive a real vision of the profession as a teacher watching their skills, abilities and implement strategies and us as beginning teachers to transform and promote teaching and learning, for progress and the formation of the institution of both students and teachers.

Moment 3: Describing different observations tasks – First Session March 16th to April 2nd

Time

Description of activities

March 16th to April 2nd

INDIVIDUAL WORK 1. Review the course material of the Unit 1, more specifically the final chapter “Peer observation”, the nature, purpose and benefits, procedures and implementation in order to do different observation tasks. 2. Taking into account the information given in the Moment 1 about the educative institution, each student must develop the observation process in order to present a teaching journal. It is necessary to participate in two classroom observations according to the following specific tasks: FIRST SESSION: Observation Tasks. (Two hours) Purpose: The purpose of these classroom observations is to improve performance in English teaching. It is important to use the observation to learn about language teaching. These are the observation tasks for this session. Please consider each item carefully according to the following format:

City:   Acacias Meta Institution:   E.L.C Center                                               Course: ______________________ Teacher Observed: Carlos Andres Silva Torres            Nr. of Students: 10 Grade:  Students between 8 and 12 years                       Date:  9 April Class Observation: English                                              Observer: Andrea Perez

Observation Task

Item

Needs improvement

Effective

Highly Effective

N/A

1. The  Teacher  The Teacher

Communicates the purpose of class session and instructional activities

X

Uses concrete examples and illustrations that clarify the material.

X

Challenges students to think analytically.

X

Uses activities in class to determine whether students understand course material.

X

Fosters student to student interaction.

X

X

Links new material to previously learned concepts.

X

Uses visuals and handouts where appropriate to accompany verbal presentation.

X

Requires students to be active (completing a task, applying concepts or engaging in discussion instead of passively listening).

X

Comments: Activities, attitudes, interactions

2. The Individual Learners

Name

Behaviour

Claudia Lozano

Takes the initiative, volunteers answer to questions and asks questions of his/her own.

Yeison David Sánchez

Avoids answering questions, or only answers if called on by name; doesn’t participate much in open class

Gabriel Andres Lopez

Takes part actively in pair work and group work

Emanuel  Lopez Leiton

Tends to take a back-seat role in group work, and does only the minimum in pair work.

Karol Yisell Paz

Takes risks with the language, and isn’t afraid of making mistakes.

Juan Manuel Cañas

Is hesitant, even reluctant, to speak.

Cristiano Andres Perez

Catches on quickly and follows explanations relatively easily.

Santiago Alejandro Rojas

Often gets confused and frequently seeks clarification from peers.

Learner Participation: Choose one learner to focus on (preferably one that you can see and/ or hear well) and answer the questions: 1.      How much speaking (in English) does he or she during the lesson? The student is Gabriel Andres Lopez, is very active, dynamic and likes to participate in English classes, understands the lesson and facilitates the talk. 2.      How many contributions does he or she make in the whole class stages (as opposed to in pair- or groupwork)? Student participation is active makes significant contributions and contributes to a more dynamic class. 3.      Do these contributions take the form of one or two-word utterances, or complete sentences? Contributions are made with up to three word sentences and only. 4.      At any point does the learner contribute more than sentences? Although the student has learned the lesson clear sometimes has difficulty pronouncing some words because these are similar in intonation.

3.  Interaction

Interaction pattern

Amount of time spent

Teacher – whole process

40 %

Learners in pairs

20 %

Learners in groups

15%

Learners working individually

25%

Other

0 %

Comments: 1.      What is the predominant type of interaction? When you start the predominant class interaction but after the teacher explained the lesson are students who dominate the class. 2.      Does it seem appropriate to the aims of the lesson? Definitely are clear also well-founded and appropriate for the age of each of the students because learning is meaningful and participatory where students are involved in classes and if necessary to make more appropriate modifications the teacher has no doubt redefine the objectives. 3.      In which interaction were the learners most productive? The interaction is more productive when there is an exchange of knowledge acquired during classes. 4.      Does the teacher provide frequent and appropriate feedback? The teacher constantly fed back in class with this allowing the student to learn and interiorize new knowledge. 5.      How does the teacher encourage student questions or discussion in order to monitor his/her progress? The teacher engages the student and for this reason classes are educational and fun and very participatory where the student protagonist of their own learning. 6.      How does the teacher show interest in the students and their learning? The teacher motivates and encourages students also rewards them for good performance, occasionally leads refigerios to share in a group.

Moment 3: Describing different observations tasks – Second Session (Two hours) April 4th to April 16th

April 4th to April 16th

SECOND SESSION: Observation Tasks Complete the following format taking into account the following observation tasks and items:

City:   Acacias Meta Institution:   E.L.C Center                                               Course: ______________________ Teacher Observed: Carlos Andres Silva Torres            Nr. of Students: 10 Grade:  Students between 8 and 12 years                       Date:  9 April Class Observation: English                                              Observer: Andrea Perez

Observation Tasks

Item

Needs improvement

Effective

Highly Effective

N/A

1. Planning and Staging

There is a clear division into stages. For example, there is a beginning, middle and end.

X

Clearly states purpose/objectives of the presentation.

X

Presents material in a logical sequence.

X

Summarizes major points of lesson

X

Comments How is each new stage signaled? The teacher remembers what they saw in the previous class and announces the purpose of the theme that will be addressed but in the course of the class the teacher is willing to make improvements suggested by students. 2. What is the aim for each stage? The aim of the teacher is that students acquire new knowledge but also reinforce previous knowledge for this reason the teacher strives to make their classes are interactive, dynamic and go hand in hand with the use How does the teacher demonstrate organization of the subject matter? When the teacher starts class gives them to know the order in which it will develop and although the teacher is willing to make changes to bring about a sequence with the sole purpose that students acquire and learn everything taught in class.

2. Use of Technology/aids

Question

Answer

What technology or aid is the teacher using (Computer, interactive board, video, tape recorder,…)?

board computer TV video bean Tablet stereo with big speakers microphone internet making use of interactive games online books cards posters

How fluent is the teacher with the use of this aid?

The teacher has complete mastery of each of the aid which makes it fluid in its class.

Does it contribute to the flow of the lesson, or does it disrupt it?

Thanks to all these aids the class is interactive and makes all students involved.

To what extent does the technological aid enhance the lesson?

Technology makes students have multiple tools such as YouTube, doulingo, plus programs and educational games 100% interactive where students put into practice the four skills, which are the listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Could the lesson aims have been achieved as effectively without it?

The teacher Carlos has an excellent professional training and has great capabilities to transmit their knowledge but the use of tools in addition to the implementation of new technologies make learning interactive and meaningful.

3. Meaning

Question

Answer

Are there any points during the lesson when the learners seem unclear as to what something means? How can you tell?

Although not relevant drawbacks evidenced during the master classes constantly inquire if there is any doubt.

How is the problem resolved?

With dialogue addressing directly the drawback to prevent these arise in the future.

Does the teacher deliberately seek to check understanding?

The teacher checks that their teaching is comprised of otherwise willing to find other alternatives for their students reach the purpose of the class.

How is this done?

Because it is reduced the number of students the teacher has the advantage of offering an almost direct learning what helps each student to acquire better knowledge.

How effective is it?

It is very effective because being the most personalized knowledge is achieved that students really understand the lesson and expand their knowledge.

4. Instructions

Question

Answer

Are there any points in the lesson when learners seen unsure of what the teacher wants them to do? Why is this, do you think?

Students feel confident their new knowledge and this is due to the fluidity and effectiveness of the teacher to teach.

Write down, word for word, some examples of instructions that occur during the lesson? Are they clear and effective?

The teacher asks the students to do the first two groups is the girls and the other group is the children,. The next instruction of the teacher is to read 6 short texts about descriptions of singers, writers and famous athletes. After each group to read the texts, the group of girls chooses one member of the group of children to describe a character and the other child must guess what the famous character, all the dialogue should be in English and the group more guesses will be the winner. In this case they won with 2 hits girls more than boys.

3. Taking into account information collected through observation tasks, each student using a Teaching Journal must reflect on: 1.      Your own experience as observer: How do you feel about it? What have you learnt? This experience made me feel that I chose the right career but also made me aware of the great responsibility that I bear to offer quality education and be competitive people. 2.      Some general principles of effective teaching. Provide meaningful learning, based coherent well but also versatile that fosters academic growth of students succeeding in giving quality education.. 3.      A critical analysis of each event or session, exploring what could be improved or developed and how might this be achieved in each one of the observation tasks. On this point there is very little there is to say, a point to improve would provide other students environments such as open spaces, the municipal library; Additional to this would suggest that they contact native teachers of English to learn English in a real and consistent environment. 4.      A critical reflection to propose some changes that might improve the teaching sessions on specific areas taking into account your attitudes and awareness which you believe can benefit your professional growth as teacher, as well as enhance the kind of support provided to the students, use of technology, lesson structure, student activity, interactivity, etc. Upon entering the classroom I noticed that there is certain shyness although the teacher tries to persuade students that show this behavior I have occasionally difficult, but the pass classes are becoming more dynamic and interactive which makes students more timid distracted and participate in the lessons. Eventhough the classes are not routine and the teacher has adequate qualifications and a very good professional training, I think every day is necessary to have important train, renew their skills and move forward to contributing to the formation of large competitive professionals and able would play in any field that applies. This activity taught me a lot, interaction with students clarify much gave me my knowledge and tools needed to focus better in my career. Evidences of students’ attendance, pictures, photographs, videos, etc