TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook

Observation Report Form

Name of Observer

Di An

Observation # ___2_____

Date

Observation
Environment*

Class

Skill/Content Level

Teacher

5th/
oct.
2016

face-toface

oral skills
development

speaking

Karen Lindwall

IOF 1A

*Include the URL if the class was online

WRITE THE OBJECTIVES ACCORDING TO THE OBSERVATION GUIDELINES:
STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO CHOOSE AT LEAST FOUR TOPICS FOR BOTH KEEPING AND
KILLING A CONVERSATION

Notes while observing:

10.00-10.08 warm up
Teacher introduces me to the learners at the beginning of the class:
-ok, today we have a new friend here, Andy. Lets say hi to Andy!
Then learners greet me together:
-Hi Andy
Teacher chats with learners about the weekends and homework:
-How is your weekends?Did you hang out with new friends?
-what about homework? did you guys have any difficult with homework?
Teacher makes a short summary and review of the last class, about how to start a
conversation with a stranger.
-in last class we talked about how to start a conversation, okay, is there anybody can
show me how to do that?
5 learners give five responds
-by talking about the weather
-you can praise he or she

Last Updated: 8/19/2016 2:38 PM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
10.08-10.29 introduction
Firstly teacher gives a simple example about how to make a conversation continue, by
acting two persons herself, but that is a wrong demonstration:
-hi how is your day?(with a woman voice)
-Its non of your business !(with a masculine voice)
Ask learners if they should do like this, learners laugh and shake their heads, saying
no,the teacher acting interesting and funny
Teacher draw a simple chart on the board, ask students to brainstorm and give her
answers to which situation could keep a conversation, kill as well
keeping
(when?)
interesting topic
safe topic
food
travel
future
music
(how?)
what do you think
How about you
How do you feel
Tell me about your
How do you like

killing
.
(when?)
rude topic
angry
embarrassed
no time
secret
uncomfortable
.
(how?)
-important
Id rather not say
I dont feel like talking about this
Iam not in the mood to talk about that
thats a good question
Im not really sure
I have to think about that
What size shoes do your wear

Teachers voice is loud and funny, there are always the laughing in the classroom
Meanwhile, teacher reads every single answer from learners with different voice and put
it into a real living condition:
-hey, do you like our speaking teacher ?
-well, Im not really sure.
And so on.
10.29-10.46 practice
Teacher let learners open the book and makes students work in pair, one learner act
person A and another is B, A ask B questions on the book and B answer, then change.

Last Updated: 8/19/2016 2:38 PM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
In pair work, because of the odd number of the learners, there is one student dont have a
partner, so teacher have a sit beside this learner and practice the sentences learnt before
and do the conversation exercise.
Teacher stresses the rule of this part of exercise, that is if a learner doesnt understand his
or her partner, the learner should say that again or explain to them, remember no sharing
book.
During the conversation exercise, every learner is well participate in the practice.
10.47-10.50 review
Teacher let learners to think about two bad topics and one good topic in mind
Practice the vocabulary, learners read the vocabulary and the new sentences on the board
after teacher
Teacher let learners to stand up and find a new friend ,not the one sit beside, and keep on
practicing the skill of keeping a conversation.
After several minutes, teacher checks learners if they finish the practice or not, one by
one.
Class over
-see you tomorrow!

Last Updated: 8/19/2016 2:38 PM

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
What did you learn about teaching or learning from this lesson as it relates to the
theory you have studied in your TESOL classes? Include at least one reference (with
an in-text citation) to support your response. (250-500 words)

The emphasis I observed in this IOF-1A Oral Skills Development was the teaching skills
in a face-to-face class, to be more specific, was the voice and body language of a
language teacher. As we know, there is only 7% information impacts learners when
teacher talking to them, the other 93% is attributed to non-verbal communication,
teachers body language will have a deeply impression on learners.(Michael Linsin
2009).
This class focus on the oral skills, it should be an active class, because it is so closely link
to the real life. In terms to the teaching skill, the teacher can always make students
concentrate on what she was talking about, by trying to sound upbeat and speaking with
some obvious body gestures, then learners would focus on teacher again, I learnt how
effective such teaching skill works, because the respond from the learners really got
effect instantly.
Mathew had a theory that much of a classrooms success all depends on the teachers
voice.(Mathew 2008). I strongly agree with this opinion.The main feature of a successful
lesson is whether the learners were focus on teacher or not, the question is how to make
learners look at and listen to teacher without absent-minded? There are, of course,
quantity of means to attract students, such as an curious task or some interesting teaching
materials, but also there are always a best. The teacher, which is the main part of a whole
class, was the point, for teacher is the protagonist in the process of teaching, so the acting
presented by a teacher in a class is meaningful and helpful. The more a teacher use his or
her body language and lay emphasis on the adjustment of voice, the more learners will to
be absorbed in the teacher.

Linsin, M. (2009, 09). Body Language And Classroom Management. Smart Classroom
Management. Retrieved 01, 2016, from http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/
2009/09/07/body-language-and-classroom-management/
Needleman, M. (2008, 01). Classroom Management: The Teacher's Voice. Creating
lifelong learners. Retrieved 01, 2016, from http://creatinglifelonglearners.com/?p=257

Last Updated: 8/19/2016 2:38 PM