Observation Task 2: Reading a Story in the local UAE School

Identify the type of pre-whilst and post reading activities employed by your MST

Table 7: ‘Reading a Story in the local UAE Preschool

What the MST Does What the Children Do Comments

-The teacher showed the -the students pointed at

Pre-Reading students the shapes and the star.
Activities asked the students to -the students answered
Name the book / story. point at the star. : up in the sky.
(how to catch a star) -After that she asked - the students had
Describe how your MST gets them where do we see different answers.
children interested in the the star?
story and wanting to hear / -she asked the students
read it. how can we catch a star?

The MST had a variation The students listen and

of voice tone, she moved repeat the lines of the
around the students, she story with the teacher.
While-Reading had facial expressions and They answer the
Activities hand movement. teacher’s questions.
How your MST keeps She asked the students
children interested and questions (what do you
actively involved. think will happened
next?) as she moves along
with the story.
 -The teacher asked the -The students answered
students questions about the teacher’s questions.
the story:
What is a star? -then in the activity
Post-Reading Activities
How do we see the star? centers the students
How your MST consolidates
How can we go to the had to draw a star, sing
the storyline and explores
star? twinkle twinkle little
opportunities for developing
- the teacher sent the star, practice pictures
language, topic related and
them to the activity by ordering the story
personal, social and
centers. pages in the write
emotional issues.
-the purpose of this story sequence.
is to give a general
information about the
space and the star.
Reflections on Observation Task 2: Reading a Story in the Local UAE Preschool

1. What preparation (i.e. pre-listening activity) did the teacher give the learners
before they listened to the text?

If they had some preparation, select (a) if they did not, select (b).

a. How did the pre-listening activity help students understand?

It helped the students to get prepared to the story they will listen to

b. What pre-listening activity could the teacher have used to help

students understand the target language better?

2. Were the learners engaged in while-listening activity/activities? If they were, select (a); if
they were not, select (b).

a. What were the aims of the while-listening activity/activities?

b. What while-listening activity/activities could the teacher have used

to help learners understand better what they were listening to?
She could have used poppets as 3D characters while she was reading the story, I
believe it’s a nice way to change the routine.

3.
Did the learners have a post-listening activity/activities? If they did, select (a); if
they did not, select (b).

a. What were the aims of the post-listening activity/activities?

the aim was to give a general information about the the star, and know the star shape,
improve the student’s memory.

b. What post-listening activity/ activities might have helped the learners to

understand what they had heard better?

4. How many times did the learners listen to the text / recording?

b. Would it have increased their understanding if they had been allowed to

listen to the recording again? Explain.

c. Did the learners hear the whole text at once, or in parts?

 If so, which was the most helpful?
The students heard the whole text at once, but I believe that hearing the text in parts is most
helpful because it will give the teacher an opportunity to focus more on each word of the
story, which will improve the student’s understanding of the content.

Think about the advantages and disadvantages of using the model of pre-, while- and
post-listening activities to teach a listening lesson. Write first from the perspective of the
teacher and then from the perspective of the learners.

From the perspective of the teacher the advantage is that she will be able to make sure that
the students understood with her step by step the story lesson. but the disadvantage is that it
takes a longer time to use the model of pre-, while- and post-listening activities to teach a
listening lesson than using the traditional way.

From the student’s perspective the advantage of this model is that they are given a time to
participate, understand and express the story lesson. while the disadvantage is that it might
be boring for some students especially when it gets repeated more than twice.