Teaching Speaking Day 2

This was the same course as the first day, but because it is a less formal speaking class, some students have left to return to their home countries, and some new students have joined the class midway through the term.

Also, because some classes have more students and some have fewer, there was a room change to a different building that I was not aware of until just before the class started. Thus I was not able to check if my computer was compatible with the projection equipment, and I found on arriving that I could not connect to the projector due to a difficulty with the cable. I had my files on a USB drive, and was eventually able to connect with my sponsor teacher's computer. The teacher is going to inform tech support of the problem with the cable, and I will also bring my own alternate cable if they are not able to repair it.



Because of the above circumstances, I was not able to complete all of my lesson plan. I left out the filler activity of reading the case study and subsequent discussion. There was also not enough time to do the focused practice at the end of the plan. I will review the vocabulary from this section, as well as assign the crossword during the next class.

The remainder of the lesson went well, except that the students were reluctant to volunteer during whole class discussions. I eventually called on some students individually to answer some of these questions. The students work well in pairs or groups of three, and all actively participated in the model dialogues. I was very pleased with their work in writing and then performing their own dialogues according to suggested situations in the textbook.

Students were reluctant at first to get out of their seats to write on the board for the store and item categorizing activity, but once one student got up and started writing, then the others all followed. They seemed surprised that they were to write on the whiteboard at the front of the room.

The final activity was a six-question multiple choice customs quiz. Students tended to work through it on their own first, but then started working together as I circulated and asked and answered a few questions.

Lesson Plan #2: Dating and Shopping
Instructions for Student Activities April 2
Store Types, Names, Items Table (2nd activity)

Self-Evaluation:

My strengths include the following:

1. I used a personal story about dating to make a connection with the students.
2. I called on students by name when no one volunteered an answer. I called the returning students first, then some of the new students.
3. I was prepared to use an alternate method when the computer connection didn't work.
4. I did not get discouraged by unforeseen circumstances, and was able to carry on with the lesson

My weaknesses were as follows:

1. I spent more time than I should have trying to solve the computer problem. I should have moved on to the alternate method sooner to save class time.
2. I should have switched to calling on individual students sooner than I did when students were reluctant to volunteer.
3. I did not notice that some students were using their L1. (The sponsor teacher noticed them.)
4. I gave a shy student an alternate assignment without giving them the choice to participate in a group.

Resources:
Genzel, Rhona B, & Cummings, Martha Graves, (2010). Culturally Speaking, 3^rd Edition. Boston: Heinle, Cengage Learning.

The Course Outline, Instructor's Guide and the Curriculum for the course were provided by the school, but cannot be cited due to privacy requirements.

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