TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook

Observation Report Form

Name of Observer

Di An

Observation #

Date

Observation
Environment*

Class

Skill/Content Level

Teacher

24th/
Oct./
2016

face-toface class

grammar
writing

grammar
writing

Amal Houck

100 level

*Include the URL if the class was online

WRITE THE OBJECTIVES ACCORDING TO THE OBSERVATION GUIDELINES:

STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE SENTENCES WITH FREQUENCY ADVERBS BY
THEMSELVES WITH NO MISTAKES.
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO PUT SEVERAL SENTENCES IN CORRECT ORDER

Notes while observing:

10.11-10.18 guidance
The teacher writes down several frequency adverbs(on the left) and incomplete sentences
(on the right)on the board:

Adverbs of frequency
always (100%)
offen (90%)
usually (80%)
sometimes (50%)
seldom (1%)
rarely (1%)
never (0%)

(1). Patricia forgets her books at home

(2). Jimmy doesnt like to watch sports
(3). Mr. Johnson explain the lesson very well
(4). Tom and John study at night
(5). Jane is late.
(6). My friend and I are interested in painting
(7). I only give special food to my dog

Last Updated: 8/19/2016 2:38 PM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
The teacher reads the sentences one by one and asks students to answer the question
about where to put the corresponding adverbs of frequency.
Every time the teacher reads one sentence, she waits students for several seconds to get a
respond from students.
If students give a wrong answer, the teacher will explain the rules again and wait for
students to give the correct answer.
And also, the teacher explains the sentences for students:
-Do you think Mr. Johnson is a good teacher? He rarely? Yes, we want the teacher
make students understand very well, so he usually explain very well.
When the teacher finds some students arent follow by her, she tells students:
-Just look at the board here, there is nothing on your work book, everything is here on
the board.
The teacher finish the exercise on the board, like this :

Adverbs of frequency
always (100%)
offten (90%)
usually (80%)
sometimes (50%)
seldom (1%)
rarely (1%)
never (0%)

(1). Patricia always forgets her books at home

(2). Jimmy often doesnt like to watch sports
(3). Mr. Johnson usually explain the lesson very well
(4). Tom and John sometimes study at night
(5). Jane is seldom late.
(6). My friend and I are rarely interested in painting
(7). I never give special food to my dog

When the teacher repeats these adverbs of frequency, the teacher points these words with
finger and knocks the board.

10.18-10.22 whole class discussion

The teacher gives students 2minutes to do the exercise then checks answers:
-Who wants to read number 4?
-why do you have never here?
-what do you think?
-Ok, number 7, raise your hands if you are already to answer the question.
The teacher keeps asking students with such questions above.

Last Updated: 8/19/2016 2:38 PM

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Observation Notebook
10.23-10.50 group work
The teacher divides students into four groups, each group has at least four members. The
teacher then gives each group some cards with some words on them, and let students to
make sentences with these words.
The teacher also tells students to help each other in their group, by saying:
-make sure your partners are understand, you need to help each other.
some students dont focus on the working, and the teacher says:
-Start working please! your cards are empty but you are talking.
When some groups finish making sentences, they ask the teacher to check answers.
They are given another handout with several sentences, if their sentences are correct.
The handout:

(1)I usually very busy in the morning

I usually pack a sandwich, fruit and my tea. Then,
I pack my lunch bag
I leave the house at 8 am,I drop off my son at school and
drive to work.
I get ready for work.Next,
First, I get up at 7:00 am. Then,
He usually has a bagel with cream cheese, fruit and orange
juice. After that,
I make breakfast for my son.
I clean my son and help him to get dressed. Finally,

The teacher lets groups of students put these sentences together into a correct order to
make a complete paragraph.
The teacher checks their answers one by one, and gives students some feedbacks and
suggestions:
- Can I see your paper? Change, not correct.
-Are you finished?

After this group work, there is another handout given to students which is the correct
paragraph of the second exercise:

Last Updated: 8/19/2016 2:38 PM

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Observation Notebook

MY MORNING ROUTINE
(1)I usually very busy in the morning. First, I get up at 7:00
am. Then,I make breakfast for my son.He usually has a bagel
with cream cheese, fruit and orange juice. After that,I get
ready for work.Next,
I pack my lunch bag.I usually pack a sandwich, fruit and my
tea. Then,I leave the house at 8 am,I drop off my son at
school and drive to work. I clean my son and help him to get
dressed. Finally,

The teacher let students read this paragraph by themselves.

While students are reading, the teacher is collecting the cards.
then the teacher gives students some homework:
-your homework is on the page53 in your work book, exercise 3 and 4, exercise 3 and
4.And one more, one more.

Last Updated: 8/19/2016 2:38 PM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
What did you learn about teaching or learning from this lesson as it relates to the
theory you have studied in your TESOL classes? Include at least one reference (with
an in-text citation) to support your response. (250-500 words)
The emphasis I focused on in this 100 level grammar writing class were strategies for the
teacher to make students to concentrate on the lesson and using different kinds of
exercises to deepen the impression of knowledge that the teacher has taught before, as
well as how these exercises related to each other and go forward one by one.
When it comes to the strategies to manage and control the classroom discipline, although
the teacher used the most simple and boring way to remind students to focus on what
teacher said, I have to say that this humdrum approach really worked. The teacher always
directly asked students to stop talking and be quiet, which is effective and efficient for the
low level students to go back to the classroom again, personally. Although I havent
found any relevant authoritative supports yet, I saw this happened. Every time the teacher
said XXX, please stop talking and focus on your exercise, the student would follow the
teacher, which got instant effects. As to such beginners of acquiring English, it is of great
importance to make students concentrate, a humdrum and direct reminding may not make
the lesson funny and interesting, however, it is useful and helpful.
Another key point from my observed class was the different kinds of drills that the
teacher used in this grammar writing class. At the beginning, the teacher did the exercises
on the board together with students, which belonged to the mechanic drills. Then the
teacher divided students into several different groups to work together on another
exercise which was a sequencing that requiring students to put several sentences into the
correct order.I think this exercise was a kind of meaningful drills. As Yu(2007)mentioned,
exercising is one of important independent activities for students to work on, it could let
students apply the knowledge they just learnt and deepen the understanding of the new
knowledge, on the other hand, the teacher could check if students understand or not while
they doing the exercises. The teacher gave students adequate exercises to consolidate the
knowledge, and these exercises were logical, because students could practice both
grammar and writing, as well as using grammar into writing, which was good.

Last Updated: 8/19/2016 2:38 PM

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Observation Notebook

Reference
Yu, W. (2007). The Basic Elements of an Effective Lesson. The Research of Educational
Development, 7(218.4.50), 41

Last Updated: 8/19/2016 2:38 PM