Title

by your name
This is an analysis of the classroom interaction in . . .. A transcript of the video is given in the Appendix. In this analysis I
have followed a common linguistic convention of writing examples from the transcript in italics, like this, although
sometimes I treat longer examples as quoted speech, like this.
1. Brief overview
This video seems to show a teacher presenting a lesson on ____ to a class at an upper ____level (judging from the
appearance of the students; the exact year level is not clear). The lesson is already in progress at the start of the video, and
it continues by the teacher
2. Physical setting
Describe the setting where the lesson has taken place.
3. Dialect(s)
Provided a definition of dialect (with a reference!). Then describe the dialect in the video.
4. Register Define register
Field: Define field, then describe the field of the video.
Tenor: Define tenor, then explain the tenor of the video.
Mode: Define mode, then explain the mode used in the video.
5. Use of written language
6. Nonverbal communication
7. Shared background knowledge
8. Discourse patterns
9. Vocabulary
10. Grammar
11. Pronunciation
12. How the teaching works
13. Conclusion
[Note that the conclusion does not introduce anything not covered in earlier sections, and that it can simply refer to
specific sections for details. I decided not to mention Section 5 on written language, 6 on non-verbal communication, and
Section 12 on pronunciation because there seems to be nothing really noteworthy in them.]
Reflection
Demonstrate application of your knowledge by reflecting on your use of English and set some goals for yourself to
effectively communicate with your students.
References
Alber, Rebecca 2010, Doing It Differently: Tips for teaching vocabulary, Edutopia, electronic document found at
<http://www.edutopia.org/blog/vocabulary-instruction-teaching-tips-rebecca-alber> on 1 January 2014.

Appendix:
Transcript of classroom observation part 1
found at <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAz7TD02ytU>
Conventions: Italics are used to show more than normal emphasis, like this. Three full stops (technically points
of ellipsis) indicate pause, like... this. A dash shows that speech is broken off abruptly, like
Where it is difficult to be sure exactly what was said, a guess at the words in given in round brackets and
followed by a question mark, (like this?). Where one or more words are too unclear even to guess, two question
marks are given within the brackets, like this: (??).
Explanation or descriptive information on things like non-verbal communication are given in square brackets,
[like this]. Timings are shown approximately every minute in the format mm'ss", where mm represents the
number of minutes and ss the number of seconds.
Note: The camera moves, and the teacher is not always visible. Information on her non-verbal communication
is of course only given for when she is visible.
00'00"
[Students are already raising their hands.]
Teacher:

Raise your hands, football players. [points at one student] Cameron.

Cameron: (??) You say...

Teacher:

[with hand gestures] The team is amazing, you guys win every weekend, because...

Cameron: Our skills, our skills are good because we, cause (we?) Yeah, our skills are good.
Teacher:

Our Your skills are great! What else? [points at one student] Kingston.

Kingston: [faint] Because we keep on practicing,...

Teacher:

You keep on practicing. Phenomenal. [finger pointing down] Lets look at the next box. Look in the
purple box. What is the next word that is down there?

[Some students raise their hands]

Teacher:

[moving towards one student] Yes?

Boy:

(??)

Teacher:

[pointing towards book] Right here. [addressing all students] Put your finger on it please. I need the
tracking finger going.

[Students put their fingers on a box in their books.]

Boy:

(?? specially? ??)

Teacher:

Specially. Specially. What do we think that sounds like? What is that root word in there? [students
raise their hands.] Miss Wiggins taught you bout root words; what is that root word that would be
in specially? [points at one student] Yes.

Girl:

Special?

Teacher:

Special. What does it mean to be special, Kamani?

1'00"

Kamani:

[faint] (Its something that you very)

Teacher:

(Im)

Kamani:

Its something that you very very (want?) and its important to you.

Teacher:

Something that you like a lot and its important to you, excellent! Next time (try?) just a little bit
more loud,... What does it mean to be a little bit louder when were speaking?

Students:

[together] Conviction!

Teacher:

Thank you; we need to speak with conviction. [pointing at her right ear] I can barely hear you (??)
old (and?) hard of hearing. [backing away] I cant hear you if Im over here, OK? [moving, with
gestures, and adjusting clothes] She said... that... to be special... meant... you were it was really
important to you,... and it was very it was something that you like a whole lot. So something is
specially specially made, specially made. Miss Wiggins specially made... presents... for each of
her students. [moving back along the class] What do you think that means? [point towards one
student] Yes, Armari.

Armari:

I... think... it... means... you... made something for us special.

2'00"
Teacher:

I made something special for you, and because its special do you think Im I gave the same
present... to everybody?

Students:

[some] Yes [more] No

Teacher:

Maybe?

Students:

[quietly] No

Boy:

Maybe, yeah maybe!

Teacher:

Who thinks no?

[Some students raise their hands.]

Teacher:

[points at one student] Kayla, why not? Why do you think no? [student does not reply; teacher with
hand on chin] Something specially made. (Would?) I give this same thing to everybody, if cause
(it?) is important [gesturing towards Kamani] Kamani told us that if something is special to you,
its important to you. Is something that's important to Kamani important to everybody?

Boy:

[low voice] No.

Teacher:

[gesturing towards Kamani] Kamani might have What, whats your favorite animal at home, your
favorite stuffed animal.

Kamani:

(My? ??) my dog,...

Teacher:

Your dog,.... [Students raising hands; teacher points to another student] What is something that's
really your favorite, favorite toy ever? (Takaz?)?

Takaz:

[faintly] Parrot.

Teacher:

Your parrot. Whats your favorite toy, Amari?

Amari:

Stuffed baby toys.

Teacher:

Your stuffed baby toys; now do you think... that if Miss Wiggins made something specially made...
for each of you that would be the same thing?

3'05"
Students:

[faintly] no,...

Teacher:

because (?? we? ?? here?), were they all different things, or were they all the same?

[Students give various unclear responses]

Teacher:

Theyre all different. Theyre all different, and theyre all important to you for different reasons,
[pointing fingers to both sides], so theyre all specially made. Now,... [start to walk around the
classroom] let's think about that. If I specially made a special food for you guys,... I specially made
brownies... for Miss Wiggins class,... specially made brownies for Miss Wiggins class,... what do
you think... about those brownies; you think there going to be the same brownies Miss (Priors?)
class gets? [points at one student]

Boy:

[raising his hand; faintly] No.

Teacher:

Why not?

Same boy: Because some brownies are different,...

Teacher:

Some brownies are different, and the brownie our class has because theyre specially made,
means they are important to who? Miss (Priors?) class or our class?

Students:

[together] Our class!

Teacher:

Exactly. Lets look at the next word. Struggle. What does it mean to struggle; who knows the word?
(??) Kim, would you like to share out with us?

4'06"
Kim:

Like, if somebody, like, grabbing you [arms crossing the chest with hands on shoulders] (like?)...
When you struggling to get something, (?? wall?), you pullin very hard, tryin your best,

Teacher:

So youre trying your best? I hear some key words there, tryin your best, you're tryin to get away,
youre workin really hard,... What else do we know about struggling? [students raise hands] You
struggle on the football field, when somebodys tryin to tackle you? Tell me why. Whats going on?

Boy:

[faintly] (?? break? ?? break? ??)

Teacher:

[quietly, pointing to her ear] I can barely hear you; (can you?) speak a (bit more loud?), please?

Same boy: So I can break out the tackle n get a touchdown.

Teacher:

So you can break out the tackle and get the touchdown. Im hearing a theme here. [some students
raising hands] Im hearing something that he said, and he said sounds like youre trying to get away
from something. [teacher slowly moving arms back and forth, as if running] But let me just see, let
me see; I I could be wrong, I don't know,... What do you think, Angelina?

5'00"
Angelina: Like you be struggling on your math; somebody can help you,...

Teacher:

What would it mean; [pointing towards Angelina] thats that's an interesting one, in fact, I love
how she think. Class, I like how shes thinking,...

Students:

[together, loudly] We think youre great.

Teacher:

It is great! [claps once] You know why, because they said that youre struggling like youre moving
[pointing, then swaying arms and body back and forth, then with spread fingers moving hands up
and down], somebodys holding onto your bodies, right? [one boy raises hand]

Some students: Yes,

Teacher:

She said that youre struggling with your math; can math hold onto your body? [moving fists up and
down]

Students:

No! [drawn out]

Teacher:

Math cant hold onto your body, but how could you be struggling in math? [bending and pointing at
Angelina] What would that mean, Angelina; [backs up] I like where youre going with this, I think
its right here' [alternately pointing at her head and at Angelina] I think you got it. What does it
mean to struggle in math?

Angelina: It means like, if you... stuck on something, if you really dont know what the answer, [taps finger on
desk, then scratches leg] you can get, get help from somebody.
Teacher:

[breaking in before Angelina fully finishes] Would you mind saying that a little bit louder with
conviction first, because everybody in here needs to hear you. [to class] Listening ears on! Thinking
caps back on (?? you?). Twist them on tight,... [teacher and students moving hands around head as if
doing the actions] I need to hear it. [bending toward Angelina and making a come on motion with
one hand] Come on, a little bit louder with conviction.

Angelina: If you struggle something on the math and you dont know the answer, you, you need to get some
help from somebody.
6'07"
Teacher:

If youre stuck on something like your math, it might mean that you dont know the answer and
youll need to get help from somebody. You might have a private tutoring session,... [student says
something] Miss Wiggins had a rock star time,... and we sit and we talk about the things that are
really really difficult for us,... and we work on them, right? So. [pointing] I like that one, because to
struggle doesnt mean that you just struggle with something physically right? [holds her arms]
Something holding onto you; you can struggle with something in your brains too, right? [tapping
fingers on both sides of head] Miss Wiggins has a really hard time, really hard time remembering
certain things from math. When she was in high school it was so hard for me, it was so hard for
me,... Even when I got to college, it was hard. But I had to be a true scholar, and I had to work
hard,... and I had to ask for help when I was struggling, right? [making hand movements and
bending toward Angelina] Lets go onto the next one. Are we all scholars in here?

07'02"
Students:

[together] Yeah,...

Teacher:

Lets go onto the next one. [4 seconds pause] I need a volunteer to help me sound out that word.
Miss Wiggins has a hard time (remembering?) these words.... Uh, go ahead, Amari, help me out a
little bit please.

Amari:

Trac...tion.

Teacher:

I'm sorry: a little bit louder?

Amari:

Traction.

Teacher:

Class, can you say it?

Students:

[together] Traction!

Teacher:

Traction! Who thinks they have an idea what traction might be? Traction. [one student raises his
hand] Kingston.

Kingston: Might mean youre running,...

Teacher:

(??) Fantastic; high five. Like when youre running; let me tell you why. Hes onto something good;
hes not there yet; who else can help him? [some students raise hands] Hes got a big clue; Miss
Wiggins likes that clue that he gave you, something to do with running, but (wholl?) explain it a
little bit further? [points at one student] What do you think traction is?

Boy in back: [suddenly raising hand] Ooo!

Boy pointed at: I think... traction (is?) means you... can run... fast... and you dont stop.
8'07"
Teacher:

When you can run fast and you don't stop. [slowly walking] Now thats a funny thing because
traction doesn't necessarily have to do with running. [a few students raising hands] But it does have
something to do... with what you probably need to run really fast,... [points at another student] What
do you think traction is; I'll give you a big clue. You have... when your mommies and daddies buy
tires for their cars, they want to make sure the tires have good traction.

Many students: [raising hands] Oh!

Teacher:

Yes! [to one student]

Boy:

Good (at?)... good on driving.

Teacher:

Good driving? [one hand to mouth] (Not quite?)... Let's think about it a little bit; (Oren? ??) you
think you have a clue?

Girl:

I think traction means when... (??) when youre trying to drive a car (??) you can make it, like, go
faster.

8'56"
Teacher:

When you're trying to drive your car right, you can make it go faster. [some students raising hands]
Two big clues: we said something that you need to go running and something you need to drive your
car right. Now let's think about this. (To?) help you out. [moving around a bit] If Miss Wiggins has
good traction... on the floor, [students raising hands and saying oh!] or my car has good traction on
the road, my cars not gonna slip off the road,... Miss Wiggins isnt gonna slip and fall,... and if Im
running, I can really fast [claps hands once] if the traction on my sneakers... [student says oh!] is

really good. [students raising hands] What does that mean, cause if not, I will just slip and fall.
What do you think traction is? [points] Christian?
Christian: [faint] (??)
Teacher:

Uh! Answer! Louder and prouder with conviction, please!

Kristen:

[confidently] Like a grip or something.

Teacher:

Like a grip or something! Excellent job! [Walks to Christian and gives him a high five] Traction
Give a round of applause; go ahead. [students clap] He's on top of it; hes on top of it; I like how
hes thinking,...

Students:

[together] We think it(s?) great!

Teacher:

Excellent job!

Video ends at 10'00"