Class Observation Form

Class Discussion/Speaking
Faculty Member Observed: Ms. Joanne Dawson Observer: Ms. Basma Abdulla
Class Observed: Foundations Level 1 Date and Time of Class: 8:30 10:10, 5th November, 2014

To be completed by the faculty member being observed:

1) The goal or outcome for students during this class session is:
Vocabulary practice; research and discussion (speaking skills); listening activity with a focus on
vocabulary, questions, and grammar (pronouns).
2) Describe what happened in this class session. The teacher wrote the objectives on the
board. She did a quick review about last lesson.
Then she introduced the new lesson using visuals related to the topic. Students looked at
images and had to brainstorm words to describe the images.
Students were then given colored number cards. The first activity required students to find
others who had the same color cards and sit with them. Each group had a topic and discussion
guidelines. Students had to practice speaking using those guidelines,
Students were given time warnings every once in a while.
The end of discussion was done through asking to re-affirm what they learned, and modeling
good/bad speaking behavior. There was constant reminders to try to speak only in English.
After group discussions they had partner discussions. Students had to look at a number at the
back of their cards and find a partner with the same number. They then had to ask and answer
questions, trying to practice how to discuss.
The teaching method was a class discussion, modeled by teacher and practiced by students.
Then the teacher introduced the discussion methods conducted via groups. Finally, students
had to do partner work through an interview-like discussion to practice speaking skills.
These methods and activities were effective in achieving the goals of the lesson since students
got to practice using vocabulary words in a speaking lesson. The learning outcome was
accomplished since students managed to correctly use pronouns and engage in a speaking
activity.

3) What worked particularly well during this class session?

What worked particularly well in this classroom was the group-partners approach throughout
the entire lessons. There was a quick briefing session with the teacher, then modeling correct
behavior via teacher and a student, then group work, then partner work.
Classroom management was well done since the activities were very clearly orchestrated and
designed to match students needs and abilities.
I think that something Joanne could share with others is the grouping idea having numbered
cards that are color coded, where first students sit together with other members who have the
same colored card in one group, and then for partner work students had to find a partner who
had the same number printed on the back of their card. That was a completely efficient way of
using the same card to contain two activities.

4) How did the physical surroundings or environment of the class session affect the
learning experience, if at all? Grouping students allowed them to easily complete tasks,
and easily find partners to sit next to. The dynamics of the classroom had completely changed
than when they had rows of seats and tables. I feel like surrounding encouraged the students
to work together in a group and as partners, as they were facing each other in a circle and had
to participate in the sessions together without having to move around too much.
5) Other comments or observations:
I really enjoyed the way she grouped students using the colored number cards. I like that for
this activity she did not lose too much time with technology, and they started right at the
activity. One thing I discussed with my mentor and colleagues is how I can use technology only
when it enhances the activity, as sometimes problems with equipment takes away from the
value of the activity if it is time consuming or defeats the purpose of the activity. In this case I
saw a class do perfectly well and achieve all the outcomes with minimal use of technology, and
it was very efficient and fast.