Assignment 1: Part 1
Reflections on teaching and learning
1. Description
Week 1 Day 2: I led a 30 minute reading and speaking based lesson entitled ‘First Impressions’
in which the students read and discussed about the importance of the subject.
• As a warmer the class discussed the subject by analysing a photograph projected on the
board. This started well with natural interaction between myself and the students and
helped put my nerves at ease.
• I was very conscious of time and found it difficult to determine how long each task or
exercise would take and stopped the discussion earlier than necessary.
• During the gist reading exercise I should have written new words on the board instead of
just explain the meaning verbally.
• Whilst monitoring exercises I was able to focus on a few students but was not able to give
time to enough students.
• I lacked confidence in correcting student grammar and pronunciation issues when they were
speaking to me.
Week 1 Day 3: I led a 30 minute long grammar and writing class for the students to review the
past tenses.
• I was aware of my own shortcomings in my knowledge of the subject and this made me
more nervous beforehand. Extra preparation time could have helped this.
• When doing feedback after exercises I struggled to quieten the class and felt that I needed
to be firmer with the students to make sure they were all listening,
• Although I used the board it could have been laid out more logically and utilised more to
explain points that some students struggled with.
• Timing remained an issue and I felt like I was rushing particularly towards the end of the
class. Experience and better planning could help this.
Week 1 Day 5: I led a 30 minute reading and vocabulary focused class on the subject of
adventure holidays.
• I used my own personal anecdotes which helped to engage the students.
• I was not able to fully convey the meaning of a word during...