Karen Hand CO#2

Karen Hand CO#2

Date/Time: November 18, 1 – 1:50 p.m.

Topic/Skill: 1A Speaking Class w/ Leslie – Topic was “Agreeing and Disagreeing”

Teacher Presentation: The warm-up consisted of students working in pairs. They each took 45 seconds to tell their partner what they did/saw/learned yesterday at the Open House. Then they switched partners and each took 45 seconds to tell their new partner what their first partner did/saw/learned yesterday at the Open House. Next, she gave them back quizzes and told them to discuss the answers they got wrong with a partner and try to correct each other. Then she went over the correct answers with the whole class. Next, she projected an opinion on the board that said “I think that summer is the best season.” She told them to talk with their partner and say whether they agree or disagree with the opinion, and to explain why. Then she presented a brief lesson with vocabulary for “agreeing” and “disagreeing.” Statements for agreeing included: “Me too,” “I agree with you,” “I like it too,” “So do I,” “That’s true,” “I agree,” “I think so too,” and “That’s exactly how I feel.” Statements for disagreeing included: “I don’t like that,” “Actually, I disagree,” “I’m afraid I don’t agree with you,” “That’s not true,” and “No, I’m not sure about that.” Then she had students practice agreeing and disagreeing while doing an activity that I describe in detail in “Student Participation” below. Finally, she had students break into 4 small groups for a discussion activity where students took turns answering 3 questions and then agreeing and disagreeing with each other’s answers.

Classroom Management: When students were working in pairs or small groups, Leslie circulated around the room to hear what each group was talking about. She would intervene if she noticed that students were not following directions or were struggling with making conversation.

Materials: computer/projector, white board/markers, slips of paper with opinions written on them

Student Participation: Leslie’s class was very interactive. She had students do pair work, small group work, and whole class work alternately throughout the entire class period. The most fun interactive activity was when she passed out slips of papers with opinions stated on them. Each student had to go around the room and read their opinion to 5 other students and listen as the other student agreed or disagreed with the opinion and gave their reasons why. Then they had to report back to the class about what their classmates has told them.

Feedback Provided: During small group work, Leslie noticed that students were each taking turns answering the question, but were not using the “agreeing” and “disagreeing” words that they were supposed to be practicing, so she stopped the class to remind them to use their “agreeing” and “disagreeing” words in response to what others in their group were saying. Leslie also made on-the-spot corrections to grammar when she heard students making mistakes during whole class work.

Lesson(s) on teaching you learned: Leslie did a great job explaining how to make your disagreement with someone more polite. She pointed out that when you say, “Actually, I disagree.”, the word “actually” makes it more polite. She also explained that when you disagree with someone, you need to explain why. Leslie also did a great job of demonstrating how to structure a speaking class in a way that has a lot of interaction and that also has a variety of different kinds of exercises.