Listen

This week was exam week at my university, but fortunately I was able to get a class to"volunteer" for my video reflection.  The idea behind the this weeks teaching was to activate the student's schema on past tense verbs, as well as discuss what foods that the students like to eat and know  how to cook. I than set up a listening exercise by using the "eavesdropping" technique  that I learned in the STG Methodology class. The audio recording which I played was between a "man" and a woman named 'Rebecca".  The "man" asked Rebecca  about foods from different countries, which of those foods she liked and knows how to make.  I set up the eavesdropping scene by having 2 students play a couple at the airport.    The 'boyfriend" is hungry and asks his girlfriend to buy him some food.  After the "girlfriend" is  gone for an extended period time the, boyfriend goes looking for her, only to find that she is talking to a very handsome man. With the scene set up, I then play the tape.

 *The unit which I am currently teaching is about countries around the world their foods and hobbies, thus the airport backdrop.

After viewing the recording, I noticed quite a few things which were both good and bad.  I noticed where I improved from the methodology techniques that I learned this semester,  and I noticed on areas where I need  to improve.

The first thing that I realized is that I need to SLOW DOWN, everything seemed so rushed.  I was admittedly under a time constrain due to the fact that I had to hand out the exams after the lesson, but this is not a time for excuses.  Another thing that I noticed was that I often didn't allow students to work through problems themselves.  I would often give them the answer, or another student would help the struggling student out.  In addition,  I also  realized that I have to be MORE organized.  This was the first week in which I used an eavesdropping listening technique, so "bugs" need to be worked out, however,there were times in which I could have used the WB more effectively, or I could have spent more time rehearsing the questions AND answers I wanted the students to use via choral repetition. You may also notice that I didn't have the students ask their own questions to classmates.  However I did do that during roll call, so i didn't completely neglect that aspect of the teaching.  Finally, I am a bit concerned with the amount of Ttalk that I did.  Ttalk is an obvious problem that I need to work on, however, I believe being better organized will remedy some of this problem.

The good... I noticed that I am asking students to speak in full sentences as opposed to allowing them to give one word replies.  I also asked follow-up question, as well as chaining the questions as to ensure that the whole class was involved during the lesson.  Since I realized that these issues needed to addressed a few weeks back, I made a conscious effort to improve on them.  After watching this latest recording, I now recognize other areas in which I need to improve, and as before, I will make a conscious effort to improve on these new problems as well.