Teaching practicum II 2016
Students: Hernรกn Paulitti, Rodrigo Santillรกn Teacher: Gabriela Dominguez
OBSERVATIONS The course which was observed through six classes was 3er grade. It was a private primary school and the students had English as a second language. The activities we observed during the six lessons were suitable for the age and the knowledge of the students. The teacher encouraged them to make use of their previous knowledge. Some kinds of activities were repeated such as reading and drawing. Speaking activities were developed and oral skills were evaluated. The children also followed certain routines when entering to the classroom, for instance, they chose the coloured folder which they needed to work with during the class. In addition to this, the teacher spoke in English through the whole lesson even though there were times in which she had to clarify things in Spanish. As regard classroom’s codes, when asking for silence the teacher rose her hand and counted. The students used to repeat this procedure until they made silence.
TOPICS TAUGHT DURING OBSERVATIONS During the six lessons observed, these were some of the themes and topics: Have got/ has got The time Prepositions ACTIVITIES OBSERVED Read and draw Reading aloud Saying the time Using prepositions (orally)
PLANNING Introduction We decided to work on the principles of constructivism because it is one of the most suitable methods that differs from the traditional one due to the fact that it is focused on the student’s needs, experiences, prior knowledge and beliefs. We contextualized every task according to their English level. That’s why we created different teaching strategies. Our plans were based on their lives’ experiences. We did not teach grammar directly, but indirectly, that is to say through games or role plays. We also presented our topics through visual and hands-on experiences.
Unit plan Student teachers’ names: Hernan Paulitti Rodrigo Santillan Institution: Carlos Maschwitz Course: 3rd grade Periods planned: 6 Timetable: Tuesdays from 8.30 to 10 Technique: Communicative approach Submission date: Thursday 9th June Presentation date: …………………………………………………………………………………………… ……… Theme: Gadgets Linguistic exponents: Nouns (bike, mp3, camera….) Comparatives (bigger, smaller) Superlatives (the cheapest, the most expensive) Previous Knowledge: Simple Present tense; Wh- questions; verb Have got-Has got and their negative form. General Objectives: By the end of this unit, students will:
Gain specific vocabulary related to GADGETS. Develop their oral skill by students’ interaction Put into practice the use of the comparative form
General description of activities to be used: Listening, speaking and reading activities all of which will be develop by students through the whole unit. Warm-ups Role play. Students will develop their creativity and imagination. Answer questions by using specific information. Final task: We will create an imaginary shop in which students will put into practice their skills and all the content learnt before such as: comparatives and superlatives;
Nouns; Roman numbers; WH-questions; vocabulary related to gadgets; Verb Have gotHas got and their negative form. This shop will have all the gadgets learned during the lessons. We will divide the classrooom into two groups. The members of the first group will be owners of different shops, while the members of the second group will be clients willing to buy some gadgets. First of all, the shop owners will buy us some gadgets, in order to re-sell them in their shops, they will have to explain the clients what are they used for. Fake money (tickets) will also enter the game, roman numbers define the amount of money of each ticket. Finally, we will ask the clients why they have decided to buy that gadget. So they may answer, “it is the cheapest” “it is bigger than the mobile phone” “it is cheaper than the laptop”.
Class plan #1
Student`s teacher name: Hernan Paulitti Student`s teacher name: Rodrigo Santillan Institution: Colegio Carlos Maschwitz Cooperating teacher: Marina Course: 3rd grade Periods planned: 2 Submission date: 7th June Class date: August Specific theme: GADGETS Linguistic exponents: Comparative form and vocabulary related to gadgets. Re-cycled items: Nouns-Adjectives-Numbers-WH-questions Specific objectives: By the end of this class, we expect students to gain new vocabulary related to gadgets and to describe each of them by using the comparative form. Macroskills: Listening and Speaking
Opening task (warm-up):
First, We will show the children some images about gadgets so as to introduce the theme. After that, we will ask them what kind of pictures they can see. For instance: Student “It is a notebook” “It is a tablet”. Finally, the teacher will try to make students guess that they are talking about “gadgets”.
Bring to the
classroom gadgets such as: a game console, a cd-player and a mobile phone. After showing these gadgets we will ask them ”Do you know what is this? “Do you have one at home?” What is your favourite gadget? ,”What can you do with them? Main developmental task #1:
Students will listen to the audio and answer 4 questions from their student`s book. They will have to listen for specific information. After 10 minutes we will check together the answers.
Main developmental task 2: After listening to the conversation between a shop assistant and Jane. Sts will have to complete a small chart in which they will write information about each gadget such as: price and size.
Main developmental task 3:
In this activities, students will have to deal with the comparative form which have been already explained so far. In exercise number 1 they will have to find the differences in each motorbike not only in price but also in size. In exercise number 2 sts will complete the blanks with the information given about mobile phones. Finally,in exercise number 3, the will compare two dogs by using the comparative form on their own.
Closure task: The students will have to choose and buy one of the gadgets presented below and explain why they would prefer that gadget. For instance: student “I choose the mobile phone.” After that the teacher will ask. “Why?” student: “I like videogames” “I like photos” etc... This exercise will make students share their opinions with their classmates.
Class plan #2 Student`s teacher name: Hernan Paulitti Student`s teacher name: Rodrigo Santillan Institution: Colegio Carlos Maschwitz Cooperating teacher: Marina Course: 3rd grade Periods planned: 2 Submission date: 23th June Class date: August Specific theme: GADGETS Linguistic exponents: Comparative form and vocabulary related to gadgets. Re-cycled items: Nouns-Adjectives-Numbers-WH-questions Specific objectives: By the end of this class, we expect students to gain new vocabulary related to gadgets and to describe each of them by using the comparative form.
Macroskills: Speaking and listening.
Opening task (warm up): •
Bring to the classroom big pictures of different gadgets cut in 3 or 4 parts (as a puzzle) and stick them in different parts of the classroom. Students will have to match the different parts to form the pictures. In that moment the teacher will ask them some questions such as “what is this?” “where can we find it?” “do you have any at home?”
Main developmental task #1: •
The teacher will bring to the classroom real gadgets and some cards with prices to stick them behind or under the gadgets. Students will be asked to discuss which gadget is more expensive, which is cheaper, etc (without knowing their prices). After that, the teacher will show them the price of each gadget and ask some questions.
Main developmental task #2: •
Students will listen to a song full of comparatives about two kids and their bikes, and they will have to write the name of each kid in the correct place. The teacher will make some questions so that students can justify their choices.
•
After listening to the song, the teacher will ask a student to read a sentence from the song (one containing the comparative form) for instance “My bike is bigger and faster than yours”. After reading it, the students will have to find the meaning of each word, while the teacher will make questions such as “what is the meaning of big?” “so what does bigger mean?”. Two sentences will be analyzed in this way and then students will be asked “so how do we use the comparative form?” and they will have to find two more examples in the song.
Closure task: •
As a conclusion to the lesson (and after listening to the song which is full of comparatives), students will have to find the differences between some images and compare them using the comparative form in a short conversation.
Additional closure task (just in case):
•
The teacher will bring some pictures of famous places/people in order to make students compare them. This activity will be performed orally. The teacher will show students both images (Messi and Ronaldo for instance) and will write in the board some words such as “tall” and “small” in order to guide the students. After this, the students will raise their hands and will say a sentence, for example “Messi is smaller” “Ronaldo is taller” “Messi is smaller than Ronaldo”.
•
As a challenge, the teacher can ask students to compare them using a different adjective.
Class plan #3 Student`s teacher name: Hernan Paulitti Student`s teacher name: Rodrigo Santillan Institution: Colegio Carlos Maschwitz Cooperating teacher: Marina Course: 3rd grade Periods planned: 2 Submission date: 23th June Class date: August Specific theme: GADGETS Linguistic exponents: Comparative form , superlative form + vocabulary related to gadgets. Re-cycled items: Nouns-Adjectives-Numbers-WH-questions Specific objectives: By the end of this class, we expect students to gain new vocabulary related to gadgets and to describe and compare each of them using the comparative and superlative form. Macroskills: Speaking and listening.
Opening task (warm up): •
As a warm up, students will listen to some sentences containing the superlative form. The aim of this activity is to introduce the superlative form. As they listen, they will repeat each sentence. The teacher will make sure they know the meaning of each sentence and the meaning of each adjective in superlative.
Main developmental task #1: Students will watch a video containing the superlative form and the teacher will guide them to understand the idea. After watching the video, the teacher will ask students first to compare some gadgets and then to use the superlative form. (pass the ball) Pass the ball: The teacher will bring some gadgets and a little ball to the classroom. He will start by comparing two of the gadgets, after this, he will pass the little ball to a student asking him/her to compare other two gadgets. Then, she/he will pass the ball to another classmate following the same procedure. After comparing the teacher will ask some questions using the adjectives seen in the video, “which gadget is the heaviest?”, for instance, and he will write in the blackboard “the notebook is the heaviest gadget”. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCLrYbmPvis
Main developmental task #2: •
After knowing the basic information about the superlative form, students will have to match some images with their description. In order to do this, they need to understand some patterns of the superlative form. The teacher will help with some examples.
Main developmental task #3:
•
Students will complete some sentences containing the superlative form. In order to complete these sentences, they will need to understand superlatives. After this, they will share their sentences with the rest of the class.
Closure task: •
As a conclusion to the lesson, students will listen to a song containing both, the comparative and the superlative form. The aim of this activity is to reinforce what they have learned about comparatives and superlatives. As they listen, they will complete the lyrics of the song, which are full of comparatives and superlatives.
Song: My Love – Petula Clark Lyrics: http://www.esl-lounge.com/songs/songmylove2.php
Class plan #4 Student`s teacher name: Hernan Paulitti Student`s teacher name: Rodrigo Santillan Institution: Colegio Carlos Maschwitz Cooperating teacher: Marina Course: 3rd grade Periods planned: 2 Submission date: 7th July Class date: August Specific theme: GADGETS Linguistic exponents: Comparative form, superlative form and vocabulary related to adventure gadgets. Re-cycled items: Nouns-Adjectives-Numbers-WH-questions Specific objectives: By the end of this class, we expect students to gain new vocabulary related to gadgets (adventure gadgets) and to describe each of them by using the comparative and superlative form. Macroskills: Speaking, Listening, Use of English, Writing
Opening task (warm up): •
The teacher will take objects and posters in order to make the environment of the classroom look like a jungle. The teacher will bring to the classroom big pictures of different gadgets related to adventure (jacket, torch, watch, camera, fan, compass, glasses). Do you like adventure? Do you know some of these gadgets? The teacher will name them and ask some questions.. This is a camera, what is it used for? Do you have a camera at home? Students will repeat each of the gadgets and answer to the questions. The teacher will ask and help students to write the names of each gadget (below each image) in the blackboard in order to start the next activity.
Main developmental task #1:
The teacher will ask students to open their books and to look at some gadgets there. Then, students will have to close the books and say which gadgets they have seen without looking at them.
After this, students will listen to an audio, and they will tick the gadgets they hear.
The listening will be played again, and students will have to find and write the price of each gadget.
Main developmental task #2:
The teacher will take students to the jungle (metaphorically speaking). Students will have to imagine that they are in a lost island. They are alone and they need to survive there for a week. The students will be able to choose just ONE gadget to survive with. As they select one of the gadgets, they will have to justify their choses. “The jacket. To be warm.” “The compass. To know where I am.”, for instance. The teacher will ask students to compare the gadgets in order to choose one (using the comparative form). Then the teacher will ask “So which is the most useful gadget? Why?” and the students will have to use the superlative to answer.
Closure task: 
The teacher will show the students a chart with his (the teacher’s) favourite gadgets. This chart will have some info such as name of the gadget, when he got it, how it looks like and other facts. The teacher will read it carefully to ensure understanding and then, students will be asked to create their own chart including at least 3 gadgets they have at home.

After completing the charts, students will share them with the rest of their classmates and then they will choose one of the gadgets they included in the chart (their
favourite one) to write about it.
Class plan #5 Student`s teacher name: Rodrigo Santillan Student`s teacher name: Hernan Paulitti Institution: Colegio Carlos Maschwitz Cooperating teacher: Marina Course: 3rd grade Periods planned: 2 Submission date: 7th july Class date: August Specific theme: Roman Numerals Linguistic exponents: Roman Numerals- Gadgets- Comparatives and Superlatives. Re-cycled items: Nouns-Adjectives-Numbers-WH-questions- The time Specific objectives: By the end of this class, we expect students to learn roman numbers from 1 to 30 and to combine them in many ways. Macroskills: Listening ,speaking and writing
Opening task (warm-up):
First, the teacher will explain the students that in the past, numbers were quite different and people used to have their own system called “Roman Numerals”. So he will tell them that they used them to buy food, to buy vegetables, to know the time…etc. After the explanation we will bring a short video that shows a clear explanation of Roman Numerals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdAAuH-iVTs
Main developmental task #1:
After the video we will explain students that they can combine the roman numerals so as to get a new number. So the teacher will give them a further explanation. For instance: “We already know that I means 1” What happen if we add I more?” What number do we get? another example “Now if V means 5” “What happen if we add another V ? “What number do we get?” So the teacher will ask students to open their books and in the following exercise they will have to find which number represents each roman numerals following the explanation given before.
Main developmental task #2:
In the following exercise students will have to recognize which objects and numbers are different in each group. After doing this activity, students will develop it orally. For instance, the teacher: “ In number one, we have different objects. Can you tell me which one is different from the rest? Why? They might answer. “the bike” “it is not a technological gadget”
Main developmental task
#3:
In this activity students will develop their writing skills by using their previous knowledge. In this activity, they will have to paint some bricks to make a sentence. In addition to this, they will have to think about the missing word in some bricks, this would include “more” or “than” for the comparative form.
Closure activity:
Finally, students will have to put into practice what they have learned so far (the time as previous knowledge) by finding the time using the Roman Numerals.
Class plan #6 Student`s teacher name: Rodrigo Santillan Student`s teacher name: Hernan Paulitti Institution: Colegio Carlos Maschwitz Cooperating teacher: Marina Course: 3rd grade Periods planned: 2 Submission date: 21st july Class date: August Specific theme: GADGETS Linguistic exponents: Comparative and superlative form, vocabulary related to gadgets and roman numerals Re-cycled items: Nouns-Adjectives-Numbers-WH-questions
Specific objectives: By the end of this class, we expect students to put into practice all the vocabulary they have learnt so far about gadgets, the comparative and superlative forms and Numeral Numbers. Macroskills: Listening and Speaking
Warm-up: We will create an imaginary shop. This shop will have all the gadgets learnt during the lessons. We will divide the classroom into two groups. The members of the first group will be owners of different shops, while the members of the second group will be clients willing to buy some gadgets. Main developmental task #1: First of all, the shop owners will buy us some gadgets, in order to re-sell them in their shops. For instance: student: “Have you got a mobile phone?” teacher: “yes, I have got a mobile phone” student: “How much is it?” teacher: “It costs $20”
Main developmental task #2: Students will have to compare between two gadgets and explain the clients what are they used for. Fake money (tickets) will also enter the game, roman numerals will define the amount of money of each ticket. owner: This Mobile phone is cheaper than the game console and you use it for making calls client: How much is it? owner: It costs $20 client: ok (using the fake money with the roman numeral printed on the ticket) Final task: Finally, we will ask the clients why they have decided to buy that gadget. So they may answer, “it is the cheapest” “it is bigger than the mobile phone” “it is cheaper than the laptop”.
Final report: From our point of view, Constructivism was an effective method that allowed students to make use of their potential in class. Every time we presented our activities through visual images and games they really enjoyed them. We appreciated how they communicate among them and how comfortable the felt with the lessons given. Besides, we learnt how to plan different kinds of task according to the children`s needs.
Sharing materials and opinions with our classmates and our teacher was also something essential because we worked in a cooperative way and we tried to find solutions to our doubts about the planning and the learning process in class. The feedback delivered by the teacher helped us to improve our teaching due to the fact that we appreciated things that we did not realize when delivering our lessons. Even though we had some mistakes through the planning process we learnt the importance of it. Above all, we really appreciated our teacher`s predisposition and working with children and their head teacher was invaluable and we did not only learnt how to put into practice the theory but we were glad to know that they enjoyed our lessons and it was reflected through their smiles.