5-Teacher's report-5to 3ra HUM-Versión 2

INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DE CURUZÚ CUATIÁ PROFESORADO DE INGLÉS SEGUNDA VERSIÓN

Report on the teacher Colegio Gral. Manuel Belgrano

5to 3ra HUM

PROFESORA: Patricia Raimondi ALUMNA: Marcela ALMEIRA

4TO AÑO R E S I D E N C I A

D O C E N T E

2.015 Fecha: 30 de julio de 2015

INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DE CURUZÚ CUATIÁ PROFESORADO DE INGLÉS - 4TO AÑO - RESIDENCIA DOCENTE MARCELA ALMEIRA 30 DE JULIO DE 2.015

Second Version

REPORT: ON THE TEACHER Institution: Colegio Gral. Manuel Belgrano.

Course: 5to 3ra HUM Teacher observed: Prof. María Eugenia Fornaroli Topic: Revision: Physical description.

Date of observation: 2nd July (40 min.) and 27th July (80 min.)

INTRODUCION On July, 2nd and 27th, and in order to observe the group I have been assigned to for my “InResidencia” period, I attended a 40-minute lesson in charge of the teacher María Eugenia Fornaroli.

The theory quoted in this report belongs to Jeremy Harmer’s book “How to teach English”, edition 2.007.

The lessons I observed were the last one before the winter holiday, and the first one after it, so no new topic was developed. Students instead revised the topics they have learned so far.

THE CLASSROOM

“A huge number of students learn English in primary and secondary classrooms around the world. They have not chosen to do this themselves, but learn because English is on the curriculum. Depending on the country, area and the school itself, they may have the advantage of the latest classroom equipment and information technology (IT), or they may, as in many parts of the world, be sitting in rows in classrooms with a blackboard and no other teaching aid.”1

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Such is the case of Colegio Gral. Manuel Belgrano students, for it is compulsory for them to attend the English lessons. In addition, they do not have any other equipment in the classroom. However, they have the possibility to rearrange the tables, and in fact they did so during both observed lessons.

On 2nd July, students had the tables rearranged from the very beginning so that there were 4 separated stands. Each of them was at least a meter and a half away from each other. The stands had two “owners”: one was in charge of controlling and guiding the partners who came to it, and the other was responsible for the timing. On the lesson that took place on the 27th, however, they first made a revision, and then prepared an activity, this time in pairs and In this case, they did not need to stand on their places, for every pair had to move to complete the task.

During the first observed lesson, and despite the teacher’s constant monitoring and assistance, students were fully responsible of their own stand and had to take notes of their partners’ timing and successfully achieved sentences.

A detail that is worth mentioning is the fact that the teacher allowed students to use their mobiles for the timing task, finding thereby a positive use for the devise in the classroom.

TIME On July, 2nd the lesson began at 11:20. On Thursdays 5to 3ra HUM has only 40 minutes of English.

Time needs to be maximized. The teacher arrived punctually, led me into the classroom, introduced me and called the roll. By the time she finished, students had already arranged the tables as they needed to be for the activity that followed.

She instructed students to start and walked among the stands to make sure everyone was doing their part and to clarify any doubt (in case any doubt raised).

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Jeremy Harmer, How to teach English, edition 2007. Pág. 12

INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DE CURUZÚ CUATIÁ PROFESORADO DE INGLÉS - 4TO AÑO - RESIDENCIA DOCENTE MARCELA ALMEIRA 30 DE JULIO DE 2.015

Second Version

The dismissal bell rang at least 10 minutes earlier than it should. However, by that moment everyone had successfully achieved their task.

However, the reason why all the lessons taking place during the last module need to end 5 minutes earlier has to do with the school policy that states that students are responsible for the classroom’s cleanliness. Being that so, teachers must allow the last 5 minutes before 12 o’clock for students to make sure the classroom is clean, and If not, to clean it.

On July, 27th things were quite different, since on Monday students have an 80-minute lesson. There was plenty of time for revising, preparing the resources in the classroom and rearranging the tables. The lesson did end 5 minutes latter but not because the bell rang, but because of the school cleaning policy. The time was enough for everyone t successfully completing the task, however much time was wasted trying to make students understand the instructions.

RESOURCES The resources used during these particular lessons were made by the students. Either they bought their own flashcards from home, or they made them there, like in the case of the 27th July’s lesson.

In “How to teach English”, the author says “at their best, adolescent students have a great capacity for learning, enormous potential for creative thought and a passionate commitment to things which interest them,” and it was evident that the teacher found the way of motivate them so that everyone made their best when producing the resources. It is true that some were more elaborated than others, but all of them served the purpose. During the first lesson, they were like domino pieces. In fact they called the game “Domino of words”. Each piece was a rectangle of about 10 by 5 centimeters. Each rectangle has a word, phrase or part of a phrase written on it. The task to be completed by the pairs that moved from stand to stand was to form several sentences using all the pieces. None could be left out.

During the second lesson, they made poker cards. Each pair received from the teacher a sheet of paper and they had to draw the cards. Each one represented a letter of the alphabet and they had to use them to make a coded message for the others (3 words related to body parts or to physical description adjectives) Apart from the flashcards, during the first lesson the owners of the stands also had to bring a present for the pair that accomplished the “mission” in the shortest time. On the second, there was no prize.

DYNAMICS “A variety of factors can create a desire to learn. This desire to achieve some goal is the bedrock of motivation and, if it is strong enough, it provokes a decision to act.”2 During both students looked motivates, probably owed to the fact that the teacher made a contest where they competed with the other groups/pairs, and that the lesson involved games, instead of choosing to revise with regular activities on the folders. It is clear that the teacher knows her students and knows how to catch their attention and use it in their favour.

THE LESSON

“Neuro-Linguistic Programming model and the theory of Multiple Intelligences tell us (from their different standpoints) that in any one classroom we have a number of different individuals with different learning styles and preferences. Experienced teachers know this and try to ensure that different learning styles are catered for as often as is possible.”3

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Jeremy Harmer, How to teach English, edition 2007. Pág.20 Jeremy Harmer, How to teach English, edition 2007. Pág. 16

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INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DE CURUZÚ CUATIÁ PROFESORADO DE INGLÉS - 4TO AÑO - RESIDENCIA DOCENTE MARCELA ALMEIRA 30 DE JULIO DE 2.015

Second Version

As previously mentioned both were production lessons where student “revised” what they have learned about physical description, and parts of the body.

During the first one, the task was for each pair of contestants to form all the sentences prepared by the stands’ owners as quickly and accurately as possible.

While for the owners of the stands, the task was to control the time and to guide their partnerscontestants to make the right sentences.

In the end the owners of the stands had to take a look at their notes and give the prize to the pair that had won it.

During the second, however, the teacher divides students in pairs and gave them a piece of paper in which they had to draw some poker cards. It was a code, since each card represented a letter of the alphabet. In order to know which card represented which letter, they could use the book as a guide.

After they draw the coded words, they had to order them on a table. There were seven tables, one per pair. Students stood by their table until the teacher instructed them to move to another one and so the decoding game began.

THE CLASS “Instead of imposing autonomy, therefore, we need to gradually extend the students’ role in learning.” 4 Students had proved to be a quiet group that can easily complete a task within the time limits, and they showed that they can work properly without having the teacher forcing them to. They were respectful towards each other, as well as towards their teacher. Who also showed the confidence and good relationship there is between her and the class.

CONCLUSION It is true that the teacher knows the students from the previous year, and that make their relationship stronger. And as they know each other, they also know what they can do in the classroom and what they should not. As well as the teacher knows how she can motivate them, or how to get to them when needed.

“A significant feature in the intrinsic motivation of students […] will depend on their perception of what the teacher thinks of them, and how they are treated. This is evidence of good rapport.”5

Marcela Almeira.

30/07/15.

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Jeremy Harmer, How to teach English, edition 2007. Pág. 1 Jeremy Harmer, How to teach English, edition 2007. Pàg. 25

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