TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook

Observation Report
Forms for inclusion in the Observation Notebook must be typed

Name of Observer Tomomi Yuma

Date
Observation Environment

Observation # 4

Class Teacher Level/Number (Beg./Int./Adv.) August 14 classroom Writing Beginning Matt Kutter (300 level) Focus on relevant areas from the What Can Be Observed handout. Notice how the teacher handles these areas during the class.
(include URL if the class was online)

Class Skill/Content

OBJECTIVE OF THE LESSON: Students will create an organized paragraph in English. Notes while observing:

Another paper

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Last Updated: 11/5/2013 8:08 PM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
What did you learn about teaching or learning from this lesson? Discuss your observation focus, and the theory you have studied in your TESOL classes. Consider the three levels of teacher reflection (surface, pedagogical, critical). (100-200 words)

I focused on how much English the teacher and the students wrote in the writing class. The teacher filled a white board with sentences three times. The teacher wrote the examples of a whole paragraph, a topic sentence, and some confusing expressions. Students wrote idea lists and a paragraph on one page. This class was given for intermediate level students who did not have many experiences of writing English paragraphs before. This was why I think the teacher wrote many examples on the board. The teacher tried to show them what English sentences or paragraphs look like and how they are written. Handwriting on the board can show students how long it takes to write a paragraph or how hard it is. This cannot be demonstrated by just giving them a printed handout. Writing much on the board is time-consuming and inconvenient, but I believe this is necessary especially for beginners. They do not know much about what and how to write. Teachers handwriting can be a good model and can guide them to take a step in writing. A productive task is more stressful for learners than receptive one. They need step-bystep support.

Last Updated: 11/5/2013 8:08 PM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
What activities/techniques from this class do you want to remember for your own teaching practice? Discuss specific ways in which you could apply the techniques and methods you saw. Discuss your future teaching environment and your students needs and goals. (100-200 words)

In this class, the teacher made students revise their writing many times. The teacher gave some advice or information about their writing while students were writing. For example, after students made a list, the teacher explained that the most important reason comes at last, then students checked and changed their lists. The teacher also explained useful expressions which some students used in the wrong way in their writing after most of them finished writing. After this explanation, students revised their writing again. At the end of the lesson, the teacher told the students to exchange their writing with peers and give feedback to each other. In this way, the teacher provided students with many opportunities to read and revise their writing. Writing needs a process of many revisions. Students should think about their writing many times from different perspectives. The process of writing was naturally taught in this class. The techniques that require students to read what they write again and again can be applied to teaching reading and listening skills. Teachers want students to read and listen to the same passage many times, but it is difficult to motivate them to do that. In my future teaching, I want to give information little by little and made a situation where students need to read and listen to the passage again.

Last Updated: 11/5/2013 8:08 PM