Thailand
Extended Reflection on a TEFL Classroom Experience
Lesson #4
I would like to say this lesson was my favorite because I feel as though I got the students to speak more English and be more relaxed doing that. I was very content to say that I gave the students the best opportunity to expand and use their English language. I also feel that the lesson was quite trouble-free. This made me feel pleased
I think right from the start I had the students focused as I got them into groups and had them up off their chairs to the whiteboard. This exercise had them thinking of things that happen in the morning before they go to an appointment. I felt as though this was a good learning experience because they contributed in their two groups, and I noticed that were all laughing at some of the mistakes they were making. I think this was great that they were happy to get it wrong and not worry. I was happy just to hear them trying. I must say though they were on the right track and mistakes were few and far between. I would say I just tweaked their words a bit to make them right. This, I did by using CCQ’s (concept checking questions). I also did some pronunciation, so I feel we all understood even the quiet students who I tried to involve. I am glad I was aware of these students and did something because there were some problems there. The words the students put on the whiteboard were also a great way to add emphasis because I challenged a few of their results by adding further questions like ‘where is the verb?’, ‘Do you really do this in the morning?’ but I did not overplay it which I liked. I think this was a good idea because they were at a lower level. I think now I have been doing this course I have become more student-focused, and I am realizing these problems the students have. I think for a teacher if they can help the class to work as one and help the weaker ones it will be great. I am glad during the lesson I established who the students were who had some little problems.
The only slip-up I noticed, and this was an action point of mine was ‘the challenging of students’. I think there was one point in the lesson that I should have expanded on. This was the ‘during stage’. I had the students watch a video and put their sentence strips of what happened in the order of the video. Even before the video they had to put the sentence strips in an order they thought. This time spent doing this, I think, would have made them accustomed to the words. Thus, if I had taken them away when they watched the video I think they could have retold the story by remembering the strips they had and having also watched the video. I realize that they were a level that was capable of retelling the story. Moreover, it would have given the students more chances to speak. It would have also made the ‘during stage’ longer. I must remember that I was doing a PDP lesson. This is where I must say time hindered me. I know that I should have cut stages down so I could fit in certain aspects, but today they were happy doing the exercise, and I thought that they were showing me that they were learning and using English. They certainly were not just talking Thai which I am aware some do. At that time I thought it would be rude to stop them from using this language. But, now I realize that there could have been other ways to make them talk, namely retelling the story. Even so, I felt they were learning so am I really wrong?
After all that has been said I am not sure my SWBAT (students will be able to..) was fully clear. I did say in my lesson plan the ‘students will be able to talk about plans to go to an appointment’ but that was in the post-stage. So, I think for a well-achieved SWBAT this might have been the wrong choice for this PDP lesson. This doesn’t mean to say I didn’t get the students to achieve anything. I did have them talking about things you do in the morning and being late for appointments. I think with the retelling of the story in the ‘during stage’ there would have been a SWBAT. I think a bit more preparation with the lesson plan will alleviate mistakes like this. I think a bit of foresight into the lesson can help.
I think for my next lesson I will still plan on challenging the students. Also, I would like to think that I will follow the PDP more closely. I am still doing good lessons but I think I still fall short, a little, on achieving the main SWBAT. I see this point because then I can actually gauge how much the students have learned because they should be using the new grammar/sentences.
SIT TESOL CERTIFICATE COURSE
Essay # 1 – Focus on Learning
(814 words)
For this essay, I would like to focus on my experience so far on the TESOL course. Our TESOL group of students have so far been shown many different techniques and been made to feel like students as a way of letting us learners get to see it from the student’s perspective. The crux of my ideas and formulation for future actions with regard to teaching, the TESOL student has to know how it feels to be a learner to understand how they feel and take in the lesson. This of course will relate to the soon-to-be teacher’s future benefit of becoming as valuable a teacher as possible. In relation to this, I will further refer to my SIT course and focus on the learner.
Referring to my language learning first as a supposed language student, I can fairly say that it wasn’t a breeze. You have to write words down, memorize, ask your peers, organize information, play an active part and downright do more, which is hard if you really want to be a successful and competent language learner. I had a few times when I wasn’t really involved and missed a few points, but at those times the auditory experience was enough, I enjoyed sitting back. On the flip side to this experience, I had many times when I sailed through everything because I put the work in and got the benefit out. I suppose that for a language learner it is hard to be attentive all the time and at times the students would just prefer to be looking at the class happening and not playing an active part.
With reference to the ‘Learners Are Individuals’ handout that I have read, it alludes to this point that there are many different styles of learning, you can not have a class of 20 students all with exactly the same way of learning. I empathize with this as I sometimes hear my peers speak and they have a lot more to say or they explain a point better than the way you thought. My reaction to this is that we are all the class together and it should be a shared experience and that everyone should benefit from everyone although there are some students more salient.
Everyone in the class I have found is a vital part of having the successful ambiance that will bring successful lessons. I found that my peers were very helpful, funny at times, and really people who wanted to learn. This made for a worthwhile lesson. The people, my fellow peers, on the course are from a diversity of backgrounds. It is funny really there are people on the course who every morning say they have done the homework and others that say they are going to leave it for another day. Some people just do their writing in note form and those that write full essays. I think this shows that people have their own way of processing information and dealing with set projects to do. I am sure everyone will hand his or her work in on time but not everyone follows the same learning path to the end.
What I have learned from the perspective of a student is that it is hard and materials have to be explained and modeled properly. Students have got to be kept amused and clear instruction has to be given. Now that I am further into the course and having been shown constructional ways of making and doing lesson plans I have noticed the techniques you, the teacher, are using to get the students to reach their goals. An example would be (the instructor) Fran’s class on ‘problems and advice’. The step-by-step process using PPU (presentation / practice / use) allowed the students to learn about giving advice. It basically followed a course of Fran explaining first then some manipulated practice and then the students using their learned language on advice. I think this method helps all individual members of the group who are all of a different aptitude. We worked as a group with Fran making sure everybody had a chance and I felt as though the group moved along nicely if I were that ESL student the class would have instilled that knowledge of giving advice because of the systematic way of keeping the students attentive with varying teaching techniques.
To conclude the focus on learning and In relation to bringing this learning experience to my teaching. I think it gives me a broader perspective to look at the fact that there are many facets to a learning classroom experience and what you take from it is to try and apply these to your classroom. What you are left with a feeling that you can emphasize with the students’ needs and thus you be able to bring that something that will help the students to achieve.
That first TEFL class
So, someone asked me what I thought about starting with a new school abroad and how would a new teacher prepare for such an adventure that would help them settle in smoothly. I thought I should share my ideas with you hopeful educators. Hopefully, it gets you thinking a bit more and helps you along.
…..I would say beforehand go into the school and meet everyone to show them you are willing to learn more about the school and to show that you are friendly. This may be a good chance to find out what books are being used (you could actually take the books home then) and what is the curriculum; also the ages of students, their backgrounds, and their levels. I worked for a school that had 15 levels from basic to advanced, so it is good to know what you will be teaching. I would also see what hours I am working and how long I have the students for. In a high school you may have them for a whole term but in a language school only 30 hours (4 – 6 weeks).
I think you should mention that you would set up a few observations beforehand (and in those first few weeks). With these observations, you may actually be observing the class(es) you will be teaching, the students will be glad to say hello, this may be beneficial when you have that first class. This could be good as you get to see the teachers in action and how they use the classroom (classroom management). It would also be good to get a mentor. He or she could help you with the school’s teaching approach and also observe you in those first classes just to help you along. I would also go out for a drink with the teachers beforehand or have lunch together. They may even have a teacher’s room where they can show you all their available materials and of course your desk.
There are many private schools out there where there are 15 to 20 in a class (high schools I had 60). Above all, this kind of work has a very communicative approach because more than likely the students learn English but not with a native speaker. They usually have to sit and listen. Think about pair work, group work, students facing the board, and being able to come up and write at any time. Your classes need to be active and student-centered because in many ways you are the facilitator.
(420 Words)
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