TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook

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

Name of Observer____Huizi Zhao_____

Date

Observation Environment

(include URL if the class

was online)

Oct.17 classroom

Class
Skill/Content
Reading

Observation # 2_

Class
Teacher
Level/Number
(Beg./Int./Adv.)
400(int.)
Robb Hughes

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: STUDENTS WILL READ THE ADVANCED STORY;
STUDENTS WILL USE THE TARGETED PHRASAL VERBS TO WRITE COMPLETE
SENTENCES.
Notes while observing:
Background: After last class, the T gave some homework about a research of Romania,
where is Ann (main character) from. Then Ss needed to learn the vocabularies and list
the right order of outline for the story, and they came up with some questions based on
the story that they were going to ask other Ss.

T put Ss into pairs and let them compare their answers of homework.
Meanwhile, T write down look up/brought through/call up/rip out/mixed up in
on the black board.

After Ss are finished, T check answers with Ss and ask them what these phrase
means.

Ss come up with some explanations and they find out where are these phrase in
the story. Then T write down Ss ideas on the board.

(Now on the board:

Look out=see out a window
Brought up=carry to your location
Call up=call on a phone
Rip out=to remove with force

Last Updated: 11/10/2015 1:48 PM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
Mixed up in=involved)

T asks Ss to give some complete sentences with phrases on the board.

Ss start to say sentences, meanwhile T corrects them with encourage attitude.
One S asks what is rip out, T picks one paper and tears apart it, and he tells the
S that the action is rip out

When T talks about mixed up in, he uses his personal experience to explain it.
Next, he put mixed up in and mixed up together and asks class what is the
difference between the two phrases. Ss say some their understandings and T pick
some key words from Ss to agree with them. Then, T asks Ss to make a sentence of
mixed up in.

T asks Ss what happened in chapter one, and Ss are answering.

In addition, T write down main point of the story on the board and list what Ss
say. Also, he leads Ss to say the right answer with some body language and facial
expressions.

After reviewing, T gives handout with questions about the story and he asks Ss to
work in groups and discuss these questions together.

Moreover, T asks these questions by picking Ss from each groups and he asks the
class if they agree with the answer.

T asks Ss to take out a piece of paper and rip out it in order to understand and
review what is ripping out a paper

Finally, the T asks Ss to answer some questions that are why do you think Ann
watches her neighbors?/ have you ever been curious about your neighbors?
Why? Or why not?/ what does the author mean? The T tells Ss do not copy
answers from the book, but they can use the ideas from him.

Class ends.

Last Updated: 11/10/2015 1:48 PM

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)
I focused on how does the teacher teach the meaning of the words, and I noticed that the
teacher was very flexible and experienced that he was using some example to define the
situation of the word mix up in and he used body language to demonstrate what rip
out is. I think it is effective for students to understand how to use these words.
Furthermore, I think this class uses task-based approach and some principles from The
Direct Method. Because firstly the teacher gave some homework for Ss to scheme some
information before the class. Then, in class he listed target words on the board with
explanations and examples. In the case to use the target phrases fluency and accuracy, he
asked students to make sentence which is communicative practice, also he can check the
understanding of students.
References:
Lindsay, P (2000). Basic Question. In Teaching English Worldwide. (p. 3-15) Burlingame,
CA: Alta Book Center Publishers.

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)
I want to remember the way that the teacher give homework by search information about
the target passage before class. Because I think it is useful to develop students ability of
collecting news by themselves and it is also helpful to train their learning habits.
If I am going to teach oral speaking in an intermediate class, and my students want to
learn speaking strategies. My lesson plan is how to talk about a movie. I would give them
some dialogues and research to do.

Last Updated: 11/10/2015 1:48 PM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
For example, as dialogues, I would give some jargon words about movie like CGI/
Blockbuster to students to look for. Then I would ask them to have a list of ways to
describe movie. In the class, I could combine their info with mine and ask them how they
usually describe a movie.

Last Updated: 11/10/2015 1:48 PM