I think it is important to make good use of lesson time, though some of the tips Penny provided on Sunday were new...
I think it is important to make good use of lesson time, though some of the tips Penny provided on Sunday were new to me so it’s interesting to have a chance to find out how they will work with my own groups. Considering the possibility that students may be enjoying a task but not actually learning anything is also an important reminder, and something to look at when I plan my lessons. Of course, ideally learners should be enjoying what they learn.
I haven’t used hangman for years – I think I subconsciously realized that it was too often a waste of time – but the ‘recall and share’ activity seems useful – I tried it this week with my writing class and the learners were engaged and happy to work together to identify words they’d misspelt. I used the recall and share activity at the start of the class before handing the learners back their paragraphs which I’d marked over the weekend – the words I used in the activity were common errors from those assignments, so it was a chance for them to immediately correct those words in context.
I also agree with Penny’s advice on listening, especially her point that it’s important to enable learners to anticipate and predict what they will hear (because that’s what usually happens in ‘real’ situations). I have been guilty in the past of playing a recording without providing much – or any – context beforehand, and I will try to avoid doing this in the future.
I’ve also long been one of those teachers who tries to minimize TTT at all costs – probably a ‘leftover’ from Celta, as I remember being strongly criticized for speaking too much when I did that course about seven years ago. I don’t want to be one of those teachers who waffles on and on, and I do also have to be aware of my tendency to sometimes use a level of English that some of my learners won’t be able to follow, but at the same time, I’m beginning to appreciate how I, as the teacher, can be a ‘model’ of speech for the group.
I have recorded myself teaching in two classes this week, so I’ll watch those videos and reflect on my teaching style. I’ve seen a ten minute section of one of the videos already, and I think I spend too much time in one area of the classroom, and I sometimes ‘patrol’ around in a fashion that reminds me of a drill instructor inspecting the troops, so I can work on that. Being authoritative might be OK, being authoritarian probably isn’t. Watching the video also reminded me of the circles model Penny showed us at the start of the week’s session, as some of my learners were still ‘settling in’ while I was already giving instructions and setting up tasks.
One of the reasons why I signed up for this course is because I did receive some negative feedback after last term – not much of it, and the feedback was positive overall – but there were one or two comments which have made me want to reconsider my teaching approaches and try to identify bad habits and other things to look out for. I’ll try to use the videos as a means of doing this, but if anyone else has any tips I can consider, please feel free to comment.
Thanks.
I haven’t used hangman for years – I think I subconsciously realized that it was too often a waste of time – but the ‘recall and share’ activity seems useful – I tried it this week with my writing class and the learners were engaged and happy to work together to identify words they’d misspelt. I used the recall and share activity at the start of the class before handing the learners back their paragraphs which I’d marked over the weekend – the words I used in the activity were common errors from those assignments, so it was a chance for them to immediately correct those words in context.
I also agree with Penny’s advice on listening, especially her point that it’s important to enable learners to anticipate and predict what they will hear (because that’s what usually happens in ‘real’ situations). I have been guilty in the past of playing a recording without providing much – or any – context beforehand, and I will try to avoid doing this in the future.
I’ve also long been one of those teachers who tries to minimize TTT at all costs – probably a ‘leftover’ from Celta, as I remember being strongly criticized for speaking too much when I did that course about seven years ago. I don’t want to be one of those teachers who waffles on and on, and I do also have to be aware of my tendency to sometimes use a level of English that some of my learners won’t be able to follow, but at the same time, I’m beginning to appreciate how I, as the teacher, can be a ‘model’ of speech for the group.
I have recorded myself teaching in two classes this week, so I’ll watch those videos and reflect on my teaching style. I’ve seen a ten minute section of one of the videos already, and I think I spend too much time in one area of the classroom, and I sometimes ‘patrol’ around in a fashion that reminds me of a drill instructor inspecting the troops, so I can work on that. Being authoritative might be OK, being authoritarian probably isn’t. Watching the video also reminded me of the circles model Penny showed us at the start of the week’s session, as some of my learners were still ‘settling in’ while I was already giving instructions and setting up tasks.
One of the reasons why I signed up for this course is because I did receive some negative feedback after last term – not much of it, and the feedback was positive overall – but there were one or two comments which have made me want to reconsider my teaching approaches and try to identify bad habits and other things to look out for. I’ll try to use the videos as a means of doing this, but if anyone else has any tips I can consider, please feel free to comment.
Thanks.
Martin, I think video-ing yourself is brilliant, and wish more teachers did it: you notice things that otherwise you'd never think of! Also, the video picks up things that the students are doing (or not!) which you may not have noticed during the lesson.
ReplyDeleteBut remember also to look for things you did RIGHT, not just bad habits! Give yourself credit for good things! And we can learn from our own strengths, not just from correcting weaknesses.
Another thing that helps is to have a colleague come in and observe, and perhaps reciprocally: then you go in and observe your observer.
Martin Cooke - Kudos to you for your great attitude! And more kudos for recording two of your classes - "RECORDINGS DON'T LIE"
ReplyDeleteI agree with limiting teacher talk, but I'm reminded that whatever tip or approach we see or hear about, we must consider our CONTEXT and the LEVEL of the students. With lower level JHS and HS students, I got a lot of mileage out of telling stories about my life. I got good at grading my speaking level and keeping it close to Krashen's i + 1. I also still use DICTOGLOSS activities with first-year non-English majors and they are challenged and engaged. Finally, I often use my stories as a model of what I want them to do in small groups.
That same class I just mentioned do a regular warm-up each week on
"What are you thinking about these days?" using hints like:
I’m worried about
I’m looking forward to
I’m interested in
I’m looking for
I’m busy with
I’m planning to
Using online stopwatch, I count up and they try to talk for 3 minutes with a partner.
After talking with 2 different partners, they record themselves trying to tell as much of their 3-minute talk into a one-minute recording. They get the idea of fluency I've been talking with them about.
Martin - your cool post led to those ideas poring out!
thanks, Steven, great, keep them coming! As I wrote in another response, I really don't think teacher talking time needs to be minimized, it's a great source of input, as in your examples. I think it's really good idea for the teacher, in your great warm-up idea, also to contribute things based on 'I'm worried about' etc., not just elicit from students.
ReplyDeleteCan you add your ideas to the 'Share tips' discussion list?
Steven Herder Martin - thank you for your open honest useful sharing. (And Steven - for great tips) . I'm petrified of videoing myself. Penny - Peer observation..umm, maybe not..(I teach with an open door -anyone can hear everything going on in the class) but not trusting enough to expose my weaknesses (most of which I recognise) to a colleague...
ReplyDelete(I wrote a post about our field trip yesterday and my preteaching vocabulary activity using a picture of the Ontario Legislative Chamber and a gap fill activity.but I lost the post when I tried to add a photo -so adding the photo now for fun and to see if I can. (Yes, I can. That is our tour guide!)https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fP7Sw9k2iFaXgK2yuaYgAjiuGzmrzlSD4W1bLexV5OZx75aLu8-k00JPOBlU_jS-7YiqFjTC-6F4iA=s0
I'm going to copy this idea and video one of my classes soon. Eek!
ReplyDeleteWhat you said about going off on directions when students are still settled in reminds me that I'm often terrible at "reading" my students and whether they are settled in or not, ready for instructions, done with instructions and ready to go, or what. I end up doing a lot of repeating which is not efficient use of class time. At the same time, my students sometimes seem to want to linger and delay for as long as possible.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of doing the same thing that I do with my son, which is giving time limits backed up by an alarm-for my benefit and for my students. So when the bell rings, I could say, "You have 2 minutes to get settled in, while I take attendance." Or, "OK, I'm going to go over the directions. You can ask questions but we're only going to do this for 5 minutes. After that, I'll be monitoring so you can talk to me one-on-one." I wonder if that would work or not.
Also, seriously good for you for videotaping yourself. I'd be terrified of what I'd see if it were me!
Penny Ur Thanks for replying. I think my colleagues would be a little reluctant to observe my classes or have me observe theirs though, for reasons that I won't go into here. But I can try to use videotaping and self-observation (and reflection) in different ways to see if I'm consciously (and subconsciously) paying attention to things I notice when I look at myself and my learners later on.
ReplyDeleteJust a couple of tips for people who do want to videotape their lessons: first, let the students know that they will be on video and let them know the reasons why. In the second class that I videotaped, the students began to notice the camera about five minutes in, so some of them began smiling and making 'v' signs (the good ones) at the camera and there was a slight sense of distraction as people were telling each other the camera was there when they were supposed to be on task. My mistake!
ReplyDeleteBut on a more (slightly) serious note, I think that if you know the camera is there, even if you will be the only person who sees the tape, there's perhaps a touch of 'Hawthorne Effect' (AKA Observer Effect) going on, in a good way. For example, I noted that I was paying more equal attention to members of the group and was remembering the questions in my plan without needing to go through my notes.
I made a deal with my colleagues, since we have a mix of experienced and less experienced teachers in my school, to observe each other's classes. I believe that here experienced teachers can learn a lot, as well! We should start with the ''visiting teacher'' soon and I do hope I will pick up a lot of new tips. However, I don't think I'd be able to do that in my old school - it all depends on types of people you are working with and how open they are for that idea.
ReplyDeleteI think you are doing a great job and don't want to disagree but I think getting away from judgmental responses on video and teaching reviews is the way to go. It's great to watch videos but I think the more you can get to observational responses to the video the more useful you will find it. I did this wrong or right can be helpful but I have found that moving away from the emotional side and just when I did this the students did this has helped me be a better teacher. Then changing that behavior and seeing how the students changed or didn't was useful in planning what I should or had to teach next, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see what you are doing and hope I can get as good material up here. One thing you can try is say the directions and have the students write them down. Any that need help writing them down probably need help understanding the directions and you could have different levels doing different things with the same material. Just some thoughts but thanks for sharing! Best of luck!
Martin Cooke Great points. Really enjoyed your openness that will inevitably lead to growth.
ReplyDeleteIn my first six years of teaching, I was lucky to observe and be observed countless times on a regular basis and it definitely led to a lot of improvement. After changing contexts, I started to miss it but like yourself, have periodically videoed my teaching and explained to my students why. Also, it was good to do as they would go on to have their presentations videoed. Although initially terrified, over time, they grew more and more used to it and always said that they found it beneficial, too.