Observation Table:

Reasons for speaking in the classroom

Class: KG 2
Number of learners: 25
Length of lesson: 30 minutes
Teacher observed Language: English ______
Learning Goals: recognizing letter F
Materials used: letters cards – data show – video – white board.

Reason for speaking Learner A Learner B Learner C

Learner repeats word / phrase E- E -E E-E–E E-E
1 after teacher – whole class
Learner repeats word / phrase E-E-E E-E-E E-E
2 after teacher – group / pair
Learner repeats word / phrase E-E-E E-E-E E
3 after teacher – individual
Learner answers direct question E-E E-E E
4 from teacher
Learner answers open question E-A E-E E-E
5 from teacher
6 Learner asks teacher a question A A-A E

Learner answers a partner in A-A A-A A-A

7 Paired work activity
Learner answers a group member A-A-A A-A-A A-A-A
8 in group work activity
Learner answers the teacher E-E E-A E
9 informally
10 Learner answers peer informally A-A-A A-A-A A-A

11 Other reason for speaking A-A-A A-A A-A

12 Other reason for speaking

 Reflections on Observation Task 1: Chit Chat

Read the questions below and write your answers

What was the most common reason for speaking?

Questions - discussing while they’re doing the activity.

What was the least common reason for speaking?

Asking questions before doing the activities or on the carpet.

Were there any boxes with no ticks?

NO
How much of the lesson was spent on the teacher using ‘Teacher Talk’, in your opinion?
50%
Do you feel it was an appropriate amount of talk? Why / Why not?
Yes, because children will learn and understand more when the teacher repeats the lesson
or the letter more than once. She also gives them chance to ask questions and talk.

What do you think is an appropriate sequence of interaction patterns?

The teacher will teach them while they are in the circle time, she will show them a video
and the letters cards, if they know the letter they will answer immediately if they don’t. she
will give them some hints and ask them questions. later they will move to the corners and
the teacher will sit with one group every time to assess their knowledge and to make sure
that they understand well or not.

Now consider how much Arabic was used. Do you think it was used appropriately?
Why? / Why not?
Yes, because most of their time they speak Arabic also at home, when they have English
lesson they also speak Arabic, but the teacher reminds them to use English language instead
of Arabic, then they try to talk using English language.

Reflection for Bonus Points

You do not have to do this activity. However, if you want a higher grade, you must do it. If
you are interested in thinking about this subject more, consider the following reflection.

Choose one of the following questions (A, B, or C) and write your answer:

A. Why is talk important for teachers?

Talking is very important for students because they will learn more while the teacher is
talking and explaining the lesson and the instructions of the activities, if the teacher didn’t
explain it for them, they will not know how to do them.
 Why is talk important for learners? (Think about the What and How.)

Students have to talk in the classroom, they should share their ideas and answering
teacher’s questions, if they start talking with teacher the teacher will know if they
understood the lesson well or not, also by taking students will develop their speaking skills.

B. Why is it important to think about using English for varied purposes in the classroom?
For example, not just for giving an example, but also for correcting, for praising, for
everyday uses, like asking for help, or asking to borrow something?

Because using English language repeatedly will help children acquire new vocabulary and
start use it and they will know how to use it in the classroom.

C. What role do you think Arabic should play in the English classroom?

In case some students didn’t know what, the teacher said, she has to say it in Arabic that
will help the students to know the meaning and understand what the teacher said.
For example, when the teacher thought them about animals and their names in English if
some students didn’t understand crocodile the teacher has to say it name in Arabic.