TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook

Observation Report
Forms for inclusion in the Observation Notebook must be typed

Name of Observer __Boyoung Kang____

Date

Observation # _7_

Observation
Environment (include

Class Skill/Content Class

Teacher
Level/Number
URL if the class was
(Beg./Int./Adv.)
online)
04/10/2015 Online Class at
Vocabulary(Family Beginner
Debra Terry
www.learner.org
and Home)
Focus on relevant areas from the What Can Be Observed handout. Notice how the
teacher handles these areas during the class.
OBJECTIVE OF THE LESSON:
1. STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE VOCABULARY IN FRENCH BY
CREATING AN IMAGINARY FAMILY TREE.
2. STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO DECRIBE THE LOCATION OF FAMILY
MEMBERS IN DIFFERENT ROOMS OF THE HOME.
Note: In previous class, Ss learned vocabulary related to family members. Thus, this
lesson starts with review of those vocabulary by making a family tree.
Warm-up (7 min)
T informs how Ss make a imaginary family tree. Ss cut the pictures of family members
from magazines and glue them on a big blue paper. Then, Ss write vocabulary of family
members in French under each picture and complete the tree. After making up the tree, T
sees it and asks Ss how to call each family member such as grandparents, parents, a cat,
and a dog. When Ss give right answer, T praises them.
Practice 1 (3 min)
[Connecting the Family to the Home]
There are four family pictures on boards. T explains how to do this activity, in which Ss
connect sentence strips with a family picture what they refer to. One student walks in
front of the board and put the sentence strip under the correct picture. Then, T reads the
sentence repeated by Ss. T gives explanations of vocabulary such as an apartment.
Presentation (1 min)
[Naming the Rooms in a House]
T holds pictures of rooms of the house. Before letting Ss know the word, T asks first,
"What's this?" Then, T pronounces each word such as kitchen, living room and Ss repeat
Last Updated: 7/24/2015 12:38 AM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
after the T. Then, T makes short sentences putting words, the rooms of the house, for
example, "The boy is lying down in the bedroom."
Practice 2 (2 min)
[What's missing?]
All pictures of rooms of the house are put on board. T has Ss close their eyes and counts a
few seconds. While Ss are closing their eyes, T takes out one picture, and then asks Ss
"What's missing?" T points one student to answer. Then, T gets Ss to close their eyes one
again and takes two pictures out this time. Ss recognize what are missing and answer.
Practice 3 (6 min)
[Placing People in Rooms]
T shows pictures of family members and put them in the house picture which has
different rooms. T makes a sentence such as "The father is in the bathroom", while
putting father picture in the bathroom section of the house. T has Ss open their folders
which contain work sheet. Each S has a work sheet, either A or B. T asks Ss to work with
a partner who has different sheet from them. T models the activity, where A student reads
a sentence and then B student glues a family member picture on the right room.
e.g. Student A reads, "The father is in the bathroom."
Student B glues a father picture in the bathroom of the paper showing rooms of the house.
After completing the activity, T asks where are family members to some Ss, for example,
"Where is a father/mother/cat?" Ss reply by looking at their completed work sheet.
Presentation 2 (4 min)
T holds pictures of everyday activities which are a man talking on the phone or a boy
watching television. T describes these activities as "talk on the telephone" and "watches
television." Ss first look at the picture, listen to T's speaking, and repeat it. On the board,
there are sentences which Ss can change the part of them. One student choose each
family member, a place of the house, and an activity, and then makes a sentence "The
father talks on the telephone in the kitchen" by selecting the paper pieces and changing
them on the board. T reads the sentence that the student made, and other Ss repeat after
the T. This activity is done several times more.
Wrap-up(2 min)
[Combining the Family, the Rooms, and the Activities]
T gives Ss an assignment that Ss write ten sentences down whatever they want to say by
choosing one of family members, rooms of the house, and activities.

(continue on back)

Last Updated: 7/24/2015 12:38 AM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
What did you learn about teaching or learning from this lesson? Discuss your
observation focus, and the theory you have studied in your TESOL classes. Consider
the three levels of teacher reflection (surface, pedagogical, critical). (100-200 words)
For review the vocabulary that Ss learned from the previous lesson, T uses
magazine which is an authentic material. Authentic materials are resources that have been
developed specifically for native speakers. These include print, audio, and visual
materials. During the class, T uses many pictures as well to teach words. In terms of
using visualized vocabulary and a pair work, this class implies the concept of Multiple
Intelligences. According to Diane (2011), "multiple intelligences has been influential in
language teaching circles" (Gardner, 1983). Visualizing vocabulary is for visual/spatial
intelligence and a pair work is for interpersonal intelligence. Based on this theory, Ss'
vocabulary acquisition is facilitated. In respect of critical reflection, the classroom
activity, especially creating an imaginary family tree, does not isolate any Ss. T mentions
that even if Ss do not have a father, they can participate in the activity and learn the word
'father' by making a fantasy family tree.
Freeman, D. (2011). Techniques and principles in language teaching (3rd ed., p. 191).
New York, N.Y., USA: Oxford University Press.
What activities/techniques from this class do you want to remember for your own
teaching practice? Discuss specific ways in which you could apply the techniques and
methods you saw. Discuss your future teaching environment and your students needs
and goals. (100-200 words)
To make complex sentences, Ss arranged sentence strips (sentence parts written
on strips of paper) in different combinations on a board. It was impressive for me because
with such a simple material Ss can develop the structure of sentences. Even though T did
not provide fancy source for the activity, sentence strips were enough to help Ss compose
sentences. If I teach in real class in school where I should handle lots of work as well as
teaching, I might not have plenty of time to organize the lesson with abundant materials.
However, simple materials like sentence strips in this class can be beneficial for both Ts
and Ss. Additionally, I need to devise other simple ways to teach, of course, effective
ways for Ss to learn.

Last Updated: 7/24/2015 12:38 AM