This class consists of around 8 adult learners.
The classroom size was small and allowed the teacher to listen to multiple conversations at once. I enjoyed the set up in the class, in a horseshoe shape that is more suitable to a group discussion than the standard format of the desks facing the teacher.
I found her choice of activity interesting. As a native English speaker, I would think the question “What are they talking or thinking about?” Is very open-ended. It also can change between cultures. For me, they could be thinking or talking about anything because in my culture, seniority in the workplace is usually quite relaxed, with the preferred boss-employee relationship being one that is friendly in nature. However, if a student were to come from a culture unlike mine, they would think the men in the photo would be strictly speaking about work.
The teacher’s introduction to vocabulary was good. She allowed the students to come up with the answer before giving it to them. This is something I struggle with, as my initial reaction is to give the answer and explain why. This teacher’s method is just one way to encourage more participation from the students. This is something I will try to do in my teaching.
The teacher has a great TPR. She was consistent throughout her entire lesson. She also used a lot of visual aids throughout the lesson. These help the students understand at a greater depth.
The main thing I would do differently is make the class more student centred. The format for the explanation and grammar lesson was still the standard teacher lecturing and students listening. While she requested student participation, she guided them through the examples and didn’t give them a lot of room to make mistakes. However, in general I really liked the lesson and the teacher’s enthusiasm throughout the lesson.
