TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook

Observation Report
Forms for inclusion in the Observation Notebook must be typed

Name of Observer Mami Abe

Date

Observation Environment

2/9/201
5

UCR Extension

(include URL if the

class was online)

Observation # 2

Class
Skill/Content
Reading/Writing

Class
Teacher
Level/Number
(Beg./Int./Adv.)
400
Arlene Yalcin

Focus on relevant areas from the What Can Be Observed handout. Notice how the
teacher handles these areas during the class.
OBJECTIVE OF THE LESSON:
Students will identify synonyms in paraphrases.
Students will list up synonyms.
Students will paraphrase sentences using synonyms.
Notes while observing:

Last Updated: 8/12/2015 21:09 a8/p8

Warm Up: The teacher reviewed the last class shortly and introduced new topic, summary
and synonyms.
Presentation: First of all, the teacher explained the meaning and importance of synonyms
and asked the students to give synonyms of fun, hard, quiet, and normal. The teacher
encouraged the students to say many ideas by giving hints.
Practice: The teacher passed a handout and asked the students to find synonyms in
paraphrases and circle them. The students did the activity individually. After the students
finished finding synonyms, the teacher asked the students to compare their answers in
pairs and checked the answers in the whole class. Then, the teacher asked the students to
paraphrase sentences in the text using synonyms.
Production: The teacher asked the students to make pairs and discuss the meaning of
synonyms and the purpose of using them, and then, she gave the students the second
handouts and asked them to write two synonyms for each word in bold in sentences in the
handout. The students worked individually, and compared their list of synonyms in
groups of three.
Wrap Up: The teacher gave the students reinforcements on their group work and assigned
homework.
What did you learn about teaching or learning from this lesson? Discuss your
observation focus, and the theory you have studied in your TESOL classes. Consider
the three levels of teacher reflection (surface, pedagogical, critical). (100-200 words)
Although the class was reading and writing one, the whole class was studentcentered and communicative. The teacher made a lot of opportunities for the students to
talk. For example, she asked the students to compare their answers before checking them
in the class. Given such opportunities, students could integrate their skills of reading,
writing, speaking, and listening. Moreover, she kept asking questions so that students can
give their ideas, which made the process of learning more memorable. When introducing
the idea of synonyms, the teacher asked the students to give ideas. In addition, the teacher
put many activities in one class, so students did not get bored. The students were always
busy doing exercises or discussing, so the class time passed quickly. The teacher
managed the class as a facilitator.
As for the three levels of teacher reflection, the teacher used the class time
effectively; Presentation, Practice, and Product were done within the class. She was
organized well, so that the activities in the class were connected to improve the students
skills, and she gave each student opportunities to talk and comments on their work.

What activities/techniques from this class do you want to remember for your own
teaching practice? Discuss specific ways in which you could apply the techniques and

methods you saw. Discuss your future teaching environment and your students needs
and goals. (100-200 words)
For my own teaching practice, I would like to use the teachers technique of
giving a lot of reinforcements from this class. During the class, the teacher gave the
students many and various kinds of reinforcements such as The class is beautiful, Very
nice job, and Im so impressed. Although these words might sound exaggerated, the
teacher seemed to say them from the bottom of her heart, so they did not sound unnatural.
Given such reinforcements, the students seemed to try to put much more efforts in their
work. Also, I would like to remember to keep asking questions to students. As the teacher
did in the class, I would like to manage a class as a facilitator so that students can have
enough opportunities to talk and teach each other.

A consideration on how the handouts were used in the class.

During the class, the teacher used two handouts. The first one is mechanical
exercise, and the second one is meaningful exercise. I see that these handouts were used
as scaffolding. The first one has some help, but the second one has little help, so I think
that the teacher tried to make the students become independent gradually. Both handouts
were made by the teacher, so there is no redundant area in the handouts for the topic, and
the organization was clear to look at.