Observation Task 2: Reading a Story in the local

UAE School
Identify the type of pre-whilst and post reading activities employed by
your MST
Table 7: Reading a Story in the local UAE Preschool
What the MST
What the
Does
Children Do
Pre-Reading
Activities
Name the book /
story.:
Incy wincy spider
Describe how your
MST gets children
interested in the story
and wanting to hear /
read it.

While-Reading
Activities
How your MST keeps
children interested and
actively involved.

She was used

instruction by saying
for them, listen to
the teacher or set
probably. She also
gave them a hint
about the story. After
that she shows them
a small board that
she created, the
board has a water
spot, the sun, and
spider.
She didnt read a
story; she sings the
song as shes telling
a story. The teacher
was changing her
voice according to
the characters; she
made the water
voice and the spider
voice.
Teacher Eman was
doing the action to
them, so the children
feel that theyre in
the story.
While shes reading
she stop and ask
them a question to
see if they
understanding the
story.

Comments

They were focused

on the teacher and
want to know the
story. They liked
the spider and the
board. Students
start guessing what
is the story.

I liked that she

gets children
interested in the
story by giving
them hint about
the story and
show them the
board. I also
liked that she
gave them an
instructor.

The most thing that

they like that it was
a song, so they
sing with the
teacher if they can
or know this song
before. When the
teacher was asking
them, they
answered her
question

Doing the story

as a song is a
good idea. I
really liked it
because I think
that students get
involved more
than listening to
the real story.
Children love
music.
Also when she
asks them
questions while
shes reading, by
doing this she
will know if
theyre with her
or not

Post-Reading
Activities
How your MST
consolidates the
storyline and explores
opportunities for
developing language,
topic related and
personal, social and
emotional issues.

After finishing the

story the teacher
asks students to tell
her what happened.
Then she retells the
story or the song by
showing them the
real song. When they
finish she let them
draw what they saw
in the story.

They answered the

teacher question
and when she
retells the song
they all sing with
her.
They draw what
they saw in the
story, some of
them draw spider
with water. Other
students draw sun
and spider.

I think that when they

will draw the teacher
will see if they
understand or not,
also, they will express
their idea.
But retell the story
will show the teacher
if her students
understand or can
remember the main
vocabulary.

Reflections on Observation Task 2: Reading a Story in

the Local UAE Preschool
1. What preparation (i.e. pre-listening activity) did the teacher
give the learners before they listened to the text?
She read the cover page for them and she show them the
cover page. Then she asks them some question such us,
what can you see? And some other questions.
If they had some preparation, select (a) if they did not, select
(b).
a. How did the pre-listening activity help students understand?
They will feel interested and curious to know the story, so they will start
listening to her.
b. What pre-listening activity could the teacher have used to help
students understand the target language better?
2. Were the learners engaged in while-listening activity/activities? If they
were, select (a); if they were not, select (b).
a. What were the aims of the while-listening activity/activities?

Make students recognize the direction such us, climb up, down.

b. What while-listening activity/activities could the teacher have

used to help learners understand better what they were listening to?
3. Did the learners have a post-listening activity/activities? If
they did, select (a); if they did not, select (b).
a. What were the aims of the post-listening activity/activities?
She let them draw what they saw in the story and retell the story for them to
make sure that they understand.
b. What post-listening activity/ activities might have helped the learners to
understand what they had heard well?
4. How many times did the learners listen to the text / recording?
Two times
a. Would it have increased their understanding if they had been allowed
to listen to the recording again? Explain.
- Yes, when the teacher will retell the story by putting
video or say it again after she read it once, students will
know the story more and they may say the story with

her again , also they will understand it well when she

retell it.
b. Did the learners hear the whole text at once, or in parts?
At once, but when she feels that she need to stop her and ask them she stop.
c. If so, which was the most helpful?
- At once is better, but pausing will be good for students because the teacher
will know if they understand or not, by giving them questions.
Think about the advantages and disadvantages of using the model of
pre-, while- and post-listening activities to teach a listening lesson.
Write first from the perspective of the teacher and then from the
perspective of the learners.
Advantages from the perspective of the teacher:
- When the teacher will use hints and let them guessing,
students will be quit and they will listen to her to know the
story. While shes telling the story she will ask them some
questions to know if they understand and listen to her or not,
also doing actions and changing the voice will make them feel
that theyre in the story and they will listen to her because of
changing her voice pitch. When they will draw and answering
the question that she gives them, she will know if they
understand or was paying attention or not.
- Disadvantages:
It may take the teacher time to work on this and to do her
lesson plan. Also, she will need to prepare well to this story and
to organize her time.
Advantages from the perspective of students:
- Students will feel interested and they will love the story and
how the teacher applies it. They will understand more when the
teacher asks them a question and retell the story. Also when she
will give them the activity which is drawing they will love it
and they will express they idea about the story, also they will
use their brain to remember what happened in the story.
- Disadvantages: there are some students that already know
the story or have a high ability to understand it quickly, so they
may feel bored and no interesting at all because some of them
were in privet school, so they already know it.
Other students can't understand quickly so they feel that theyre
under pressure and they will feel bored.