lunes, 13 de agosto de 2012

THIRD PRACTICE WITH INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH I

Unfortunately, my third practice with this group didn´t go so well. This time I was supposed to review countable and uncountable nouns and teach the use of "so and such as". I began the class with a warm up in which the students were divided into two groups; one group had to write as many countable nouns as they could, and the other group had to write uncountable nouns. At the end, the group with more nouns was the winner. After that, I gave the grammar explanation. The problem was with exercise I asked them to do; the exercise was in the lesson plan the tutor teacher gave me, but I guess it was too hard for them because almost any of them was able to do it. When I got closer to monitor their work, I could notice that everybody had written anything, so I had to tell each of them how to solve it. It took me a lot of time, and at the end, it was the only one activity I did, so it affected my grade, but I felt that it wouldn´t be right to continue with the class if they hadn´t understood well. At least at the end they had clearer the use of countable and uncountable nouns although I couldn´t move on with the other topic and other activities I had prepared. It made me feel kind of frustrated.

5 comentarios:

  1. Hi Lily, I think that that topic is very complex because you have to address many things such asfoods, abstract nouns; you have to teach them A FEW, FEW, LITTLE, A LITTLE. All of this, causes them confusion and they find it hard to solve problems. I think it takes time, and also we have to compare the exercise with what we have taught them already; if it is enough, go ahead, but if it is more complex than the explanation, we better have them do an easier exercise.

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  2. Hi Lily! I am sorry to read about this situation you faced. Let me tell you that those situations happen in daily life and I agree with you that sometimes the lesson plans are prepared in such way that the very first very controlled practice is hard for the students to solve. Now that you faced that, you know that you have to change the first activity if it is difficult, and develop it when the students are more familiar with the topic

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  3. Hi Lily. I am sorry for what you faced in this class. I know how hard it is hard to teach this topics becasue I had to teach it too. let me tell you that even though you just developed one activity, it is not bad because you explained and gave clearer ideas on the topic and students could understand you more than the teacher.and it is nice because students do not go forward with doubts!!

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    Respuestas
    1. thank you so much guys, you´ve given me such great ideas. honestly, in that moment I felt overwhelmed and nothing came to my mind to solve the situation. Now that you mentioned it, it would´ve been so much easier if I had changed the activity for an easier one, but in that moment I couldn´t think of anything. It is great to get ideas from others, so I appreaciate a lot that you share your knowledge with me; it helps me a lot.

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  4. That surely was an unexpected turn of events. That happened last semester to me, when I would have to explain almost one by one a topic to students, although it was in basic, but I still believe you made the right call, hope you have better luck next time.

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