Stage 2 Reflections

In my stage 0 blog I outlined my main teaching aim;  to develop a more learner-centred approach to teaching. From this basic aim I focused in on a number of projects that would achieve this aim,  such as the learner diary project or using reflection with my students. Overall, I feel that the learner diary project has been hugely successful with the students during the term.  I have written in more detail about how I have used the learner diary in my onestopenglish diary, which I will post here.

However, it can be difficult to accommodate both learner’s aims and coursebook material together in class; this is a conflicting reality of a coursebook-led language course. I felt that my second observed lesson was overburdened with too many ideas and pieces of material. This came as a result of both using the course and trying to integrate learner needs and preferences.

The topic of the lesson from the coursebook was hypothetical possibilities with if. The textbook I was using with the class developed this topic and gave examples from a reading about inter-planetary travel. I found this reading to be a highly artificial way to introduce the topic and decided to use different material. 

This is a typical example of the conflicting pressures of coursebook teaching. Should you always cover the material? Or do it in a different way? Or how about deciding to ‘scrap the book’ altogether, following the dogme approach of Thornbury and Meddings. Obviously all of these options result in further difficulties. The teacher must do a balancing act, attempting to satisfy both the ‘course’ and the students.

Coming out the lesson, I felt the main problems experienced were as follows:

-          I had been unclear on my aim because of the attempt to both use the coursebook and to adapt the lesson for the learners.

-          I had experienced problems with technology which had upset the timing and delivery of the class.

-          My concept questions and presentation of the language needed to be better developed. I felt that I had probably spent too much time attempting to adapt material and create the IWB presentation. This is turn had led to a lack of time to focus on how I was presenting the language.

-          The stages of the lesson needed to be more clearly organised. I agreed with my tutor’s opinion that I should have included stage aims in my lesson plan to ensure clear progression of ideas in the class.

On the bright side, the students had remained attentive and interested throughout the lesson. They discussed the different imaginary dilemmas well and came up with interesting contributions which used the target language.  So, while I was unhappy with the class, the students seemed to be satisfied with the learning.

The main lesson I will take from the observed lesson is to try and simplify my ideas and aims for a class before getting too tangled up in the material. Something that this is easier said than done.