Task 3

LESSON OBSERVATION SCHEDULE

Student Teacher: Özlem ÖZKAN
Class: 8- A/B
Date: 21.10.2015
Lesson: English
Number of Students: 24 – 26

Focus: Grammer-based lesson
Lesson Objectives:  At the end of the lesson, students will be able to use Simple Present Tense and  prefer …to structure.
Lesson Planning:  Actually there is no lesson plan prepared before the lesson because the teacher follows the coursebook very strictly so the lesson is shaped according to it.
Beginning: Firstly the teacher gave information about the upcoming English exam. And then, she started the lesson very quickly. There is no warm-up session or something like that.
Teaching Methods: The teacher followed the coursebook. And it includes matching, ordering conversation and fill-in-the-blanks exercises…
Transition between activities: The teacher did not use any smooth transition activity. She just gave instruction of the next activity and went on the lesson.
Managing students: 
-- How does the teacher manage the behavior of students?

• Firstly she warned them very kindly. If they keep on making noise, the teacher used high voice. They are really so spoiled children that she sometimes even shouted.

--     How is the class motivated?

• Actually there is no motivation resource for students. The teacher just reminded them the upcoming TEOG exam.

--     How does the teacher arrange students for the lesson?

• The activities was individual ones. So the students answered the questions one by one.

--     Does the teacher use praise or sanctions?

• No, she didn’t use any praise except for saying ‘yes’ for acknowledging the right answers.

-- How does the teacher handle potential disturbances?

• She just warned them.

-- Consider the teachers use of tone of voice and of non-verbal means of communication.

• Tone of her voice is similar while conducting the lesson. She just raised his voice for warning the students. She walked around the room while teaching the lesson. Except for this, she did not even use her body language.

Lesson ending: She gave assignment to the students and to look forward she said that they will progress quickly to be able to complete the subjects.
Evaluating student work: She uses written exam for evaluating the students.

CLASS MANAGEMENT SCHEDULE

Date: 21.10.2015                      Class: 8- A/B                Time: 11:30 (the last 4 lessons)

Before Lesson: She said she does not use any pre-planned lesson plan.
The beginning:
-- How does the teacher draw the attention of the ss?

• Actually in this lesson she was trying to complete the subjects so she warned the students posing problem and making noise and even if she couldn’t draw their attention she continued the lesson with students who are eager to learn.

-- How does the teacher start the first activity?

• She began the first activity after the class was ready to learn.

-- How does the teacher deal with late comers?

• There was not any student who came lesson lately.

-- How does the teacher deal with distractions?

• She tried to draw their attention orally and by warning them.

During:

• Yes, the teacher knows the students’ name.
• Yes, her instructions was clear actually because she is using L1.
• Yes, she is looking at the students when speaking to them.

Action:

• No, she didn’t turn her back to her class.
• She sometimes walked around but generally stay at the front.
• No, I think she doesn’t give importance to the activity transitions.
• Partially yes. She asked the students: What was this word’s meaning?
• Yes, in the beginning of the lesson she is trying to spread questions round the class but afterwards she continued the lesson with students who did their homework and knew the answer.
• No, we can’t say she praised them she just nodded his head for the right answer.
• Yes, she facilitated the activities by giving explanations in their mother tongue.

If a problem arises:

• Yes, she acted quickly.
• Yes, she avoided confrontation which she cannot win.
• No, actually she focused on the person who arose the problem.
• Yes, she clarified.
• She didn’t give any punishment.

End of the lesson:

• Yes, she gave enough time.
• No, she didn’t.
• Yes, she did.

Class Log 2

Student Teacher: Özlem Özkan
Date: 21.10.2015

       It was my first observation experience. Our mentor teacher is Ece Susam Karabulut. She has been an English teacher for 5-6 years so she is an experienced one. 
       Firstly my friends and me went to the 8/B class for observation. I was very excited. And then we had a seat randomly, mostly back seats. Students are hardworking and they will enter the TEOG exam in two months. So they think that they need English just for passing this exam that's sad. Because of this, our mentor teacher's aim is to teach them enough English to pass this exam. She is following the coursebook ( I think It was given by Ministery of Education.) so densely. 
      The subject of the lesson was Simple Present Tense. Teacher finished the presentation part before we came so they were doing exercise for reinforcing. While they are doing that, we helped them. And I observed that they have a difficulty in using 'be' as 'am, is, are' in sentence. There was no one (as far as I saw) in the class who could use this structure correctly. I think this point is difficult for them and need emphasis. And also students have problem with pronuncing the words correctly. They are making fun of each other when they cannot pronunce a word correctly. Teacher warned them about this. 
     Teacher explained the difference between 'What does s/he like?' and 'What's your brother like?' structures which can be beneficial for them. She was using L1 while teaching the lesson so I couldn't observe any interesting or useful language appearing in the instructor's procedural language.
    If I were to teach this lesson again, I would and should make so many modifications. Because she is using exactly Grammar-Translation method. Actually that's very common in Turkey.I could use variety of activities by teaching this lesson for example; games, songs, puzzles and so on. It could be so a funny lesson. 
    After the lesson, our mentor teacher explained the situation. She said that they are very spoiled children so sometimes you have to be even sulky to be able to create authocracy. I think she is right and that's what I learned from this observation.

Task 1-2

TASK 1: THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND WHOLE SCHOOL ISSUES

1. What are his/her goals for the school?

• To improve the quality of education and acquisition and to raise worthwhile individuals for the future.

2. What are the expectations that the principal has for the teaching staff?

• S/he must be good at communication, 

             supervise students at shifting hours, 
             attend lessons on time, 
             s/he also must programme yearly lesson plans.
If we consider the English lesson, we expect them to give more importance to speaking and listening, she says.

3. What role does he/she take in helping new teachers fit into the school during their first year?

• Actually in our school, there isn't any new teacher. Our teachers are experienced. But even if there is, we direct them to the principal teacher of her department to get help when s/he needs.

4. What is the principal's opinion regarding the characteristics which good teachers possess?

• S/he must be up-to-date today's world of English Language Education, and s/he must know how to conduct technology integrated lessons. 

5. What makes the director proud about the students and the staff of the school?

• The success of the school and the students.

6. What are the school discipline rules for the students and the teachers?

• There are not strict discipline rules due to their puberty of the children in middle schools, she says.

TASK 2: YOUR DEPARTMENT IN SCHOOL

1. English teachers at Osmaniye Middle School:

• Menekşe Kocagil - 6,7 years
• Emel Koçak - 2 years
• Ece Karabulut Susam - 6,7 years
• Şadıman Esatoğlu - Attendant Teacher

3.Rewards and Punishments*:

• Medals
• Gifts for Sportive Students
• Certificates of Honour

*Punishments are not processed affectively in middle schools. 

The students are at their most sensitive ages and their parents represent them in cases.

3. Resources at school:

• Laboratory-like designed classes
• Smart Boards

Class Log 1

FIRST THINGS FIRST

TASK 1

  Step 1

      I remember the first lesson of my Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL) course at university. I heard some rumors about this lesson. All the people who took this course before said that it was a hard course and you would have to spare your time so much in order to meet expectations of the course.  Actually I showed the white feather when I heard these rumors. But my teacher was good at her work and I could understand this even in the first lesson so I felt relax. I didn’t hear only bad things about this course. I heard that this course was so funny because you were studying in order to prepare perfect lessons for children. Sometimes we acted like a queen and dressed up according to it. Sometimes we acted as if we were a dog. We used puppets, music, role-play and something like that. I felt happy and excited for the course in the first lesson.

Step 2

2-    a) In the first lesson, the teacher gave us some information about the course like the evaluation criteria and course requirements. Because I was at university, it was supposed to be, it’s normal. All the teacher in the department were used to do in their first lessons. So I didn’t have any different and interesting dreams about the course.

       b) As a learner, I am an introverted person so I don’t want to be asked a question in an unpreparedly way in the first lesson. I feel embarrassed, If I can’t answer the question. Because it is the first lesson, I feel like something missing. That’s my dread.

4-    As a teacher, I would like to seem so well-qualified and wise in my first lesson. The most important point for the first impression is being able to making up an autocratic atmosphere from the first minute of the lesson because I believe in that all the feelings like trust or affection are shaped in the first moments.

TASK 2

Actions in First Lessons	Underlying Beliefs
1.       …       2.       …       3.       …       4.       …       5.       …       6.       …       7.       …       8.       …	A, İ, H A, B, İ E, F, H B, D, G K, İ, F F F, H, J J

TASK 3

Step 1

FOCUS QUESTIONS

Activity A – Reverse role-play

  1-      The main aim of the activity is communication and developing speaking skills.

  2-      I think this activity is appropriate for adult learners. The level of the activity is so high maybe B2 or more.

  3-      The activity is innovating exciting because you are trying to learn something about the other person so it can be suitable for the first lesson.

  4-      I think the activity isn’t so problematic but the practice of it can be a bit confusing. If it is applied to the right group and in the right time, it might be useful and interesting.

Activity B – Making Rules

  1-      The activity aims to determine the class rules.

  2-      The target group might be children who is taking the English course for the first time.

  3-      I like that ss can add rules and can say their opinions about the rules freely.

  4-      This is a good activity. In the Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL) course, I learned that making rules in the beginning of the semester is a must and so important.

Activity C – Names

  1-      The activity aims to teach “What is your name?” structure to the ss and give opportunity to introduce themselves.

  2-      The target group might be children who is taking the English course for the first time.

  3-      It is so useful activity for ss in order to learn each other’s names.

  4-      But after a while, it can be boring. I would like to change this activity. I think ss should use the “What is your name?” structure from the beginning of the activity, not when they forgot the names.

Activity D – Questions First

  1-      This activity has both linguistic and introducing aims.

  2-      It is for teenagers and pre-intermediate ss.

  3-      It is effective for knowing something about people.

  4-      Maybe some ss do not want to answer the questions because of the fact that they can find the questions so personal that’s a limitation.

Activity E – Questionnaire

  1-      The aim is gathering information about the students.

  2-      Due to the level of the questions, it is appropriate for pre-intermediate students. And for adults or teenagers.

  3-      It might be informative about students so we can shape our lessons according to the needs of our learners.

  4-      It is so boring activity. If I were the students who take this lesson, I would feel so bored. It can be developed. The paragraph writing part is useless. I hate this activity.

Activity F – Drawing My Life

  1-      Again the aim of activity is to gather information about ss and to give opportunity to ss for knowing each other.

  2-      It can be so funny activity for children, maybe teenagers.

  3-      I like this activity so much because it is so structure and predetermined before. And of course it is so funny.

  4-      I think it is perfect and both as a learner and as a teacher I would like this activity to be applied in my lesson.

Step 2

First English Lesson           Possible                                             Activity

(I)                                          -   C (II)                                        -   F (III)                                      -   D (IV)                                      -   B (V)                                        -   A (VI)                                      -   E (VII)                                    -   D