INTEGRATIVE SUMMARY: CLASS OBSERVATION AND TEACHING

DEMOSTRATION 1

Firdaus Habibi

Tati D. Wardi, Ph. D.

Pragmatics

June 18th, 2019

Class Observation and Teaching Demonstrations

Class Observation and Teaching Demonstration is being one of the chapters concerned by

Noriko Ishihara (2010) in a pragmatics textbook entitled Teaching and Learning Pragmatics:

Where Language and Culture Meet. In this chapter, the discussion points to the observations

related to the methods used by the teachers in teaching L2 pragmatics in the classroom activities.

Furthermore, to facilitate the teacher observer in identifying the performance of teaching

pragmatics, some listed points have been administrated. For instances, the general and specific

objectives, the teacher’s method in stimulating the students, the level of the students’ ability in

understanding L2 pragmatics, the students’ motivation, the variation of pragmatics used in the

classroom, and others. What is more, the observations are aimed to assess and evaluate whether

the L2 teacher provides appropriate strategies in teaching pragmatics. Importantly, Ishihara

(2010) supports the observation through two examples of teaching demonstration of pragmatics

subject. As the result, through the observation the teachers may enhance their performances in

teaching and learning process of L2 pragmatics.

In light of, Ishihara (2010) seems to suggest eleven main items to be observed when the

teacher conducts an observation related to the pragmatics subject. The first item to be focused is

about the objectives of teaching L2 pragmatics which can be divided into overall target and

specific target in learning pragmatics. Another step is about how the teacher stimulates the L2

learners to understand the use of pragmatics in order to achieve the learning objectives. Also, it is
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related to the effective pragmatics exercises that can be implemented in the classroom activities.

The next step to be noticed is the available opportunities in the class to reach the target of

pragmatics subjects. The fourth step of the observation is about the variety of pragmatics features

and pragmatics norms used in the classroom. The next point seemed to remember is related to

the process of the learners’ first language and culture can become the sources in learning

pragmatics. Notably, the author also emphasizes the point on the general proficiency level, the

cultural knowledge, and how general proficiency level and cultural knowledge can be elaborated.

Furthermore, Ishihara (2010) stated that the students’ motivation, students’ interests, and some

influenced factors also should be the important points in the observation guideline. Next, the

eighth items that should be identified is about how the teachers assess the students’ pragmatics in

both formal and informal methods and the total assessments that have been carried out. In

addition, the observer also should pay attention to the item of investigating the teachers’

awareness about the pragmatics lesson and how they transfer their knowledge to the learners in

teaching pragmatics. What is more, the observer should investigate the teachers’ methods in

modifying the lesson through the students’ need and institutional context. Lastly, the observer

may reflect the teaching process after the observation.

After discussing about the observation in teaching L2 pragmatics, Ishihara (2010) also

central the discussion by giving an illustration about how to teach L2 pragmatics for ESL

learners. In the first illustration, a specific topic has been addressed which only focuses on giving

and responding to the compliments. Furthermore, Ishihara (2010) completes the illustration

through the teaching guideline, including learners and the context, the objectives, the

approximation of the period and material needed, the procedures during teaching and learning

process, and the methods to assess the students’ pragmatics performances.

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Based on the teaching demonstration, it seems to indicate that the material is intended to the

US university ESL learners who possess in a high-intermediate level. Also, it is specifically

focused on the speaking ability of the international learners who have different first languages

and cultures. Furthermore, this teaching activity is aimed to enhance the learners’

communication skill in the daily life and also for the academic and business necessity.

Importantly, giving and responding compliments is chosen as the material because it can be a

solution to take care of the relationship between each other, increase the learners’ confident, and

develop the learning environments. What is more, Ishihara (2010) divided the objectives of

teaching pragmatics into three parts, which are to identify the differences of behavior norms in

giving and responding the compliments, assess the compliments and the learners’ responses to

each other, and lastly express the compliments by utilizing various adjectives, appropriate

grammar, and different topics. Additionally, the teacher conducts the teaching demonstration in

five classes and each of them is required for about 50 minutes.

In the implementation of giving and responding compliments, the teacher seems to suggest

to introduce the pragmatic aspects through the context which can educate the learners to use the

pragmatic particularly about giving and responding the compliment appropriately. In addition,

the teacher gives an example about how to practice the compliment in the correct way. What is

more, the teacher also provides worksheets in the form of questions to assess the students

understanding inn using pragmatics especially in giving and responding compliments. For

instances, “How often do you give, receive, or overhear compliments in English compared to in

the first language? What do people say in giving and responding to compliments in English?

What do people say in giving and responding compliments in your L1 community? What do

people compliment others on? and Who is giving and responding to the following compliment?”
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After implementing various expressions of giving and responding compliments in the

classroom, the teacher asks the students to find out more expressions of compliments in the real

community situation. To obtain the data, the students may record the compliments and then

analyze them based on the worksheets given at the class. On the other hand, the students also can

collect their compliments to each other through recording the interactions. Then, they can

analyze the compliments by considering some points, such as the grammatical structure and

adjective aspect, the appropriateness of the compliments based on the situations and the responds

of the compliments expressed to other people.

In addition, to comprehend the readers’ understanding about teaching L2 pragmatics

Ishihara (2010) add the information through the simulation in the second demonstration.

Comparing to the first demonstration, the teaching practice is emphasized on teaching requesting

for Japanese students who are not studying in English major. Also, it is intended to the students

who have learnt English at least six years before entering the university, but they are still lack

ability to speak English. Furthermore, this teaching process will focus on enhancing the students’

proficiency, including in TOIEC, TOEFL, IELTS even in the oral communication skill. In order

to facilitate the students during teaching requesting, the teacher utilized a plenty of visual tools

and also bilingual languages both Japanese and English to help the students in understanding the

instruction. What is more, the learning objectives are classified into five parts, which are to

investigate the different norms to request, assess the use of request, express other request

expression in different contexts, analyze the interactions, and know their intention to the

pragmatic use. Furthermore, teaching and learning of requesting will take 50 minutes for 15

weeks of meetings.
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All things considered it seems to suggest that this article is useful for the educators

especially in teaching pragmatics because it explains clearly how to observe the teaching process

of pragmatics. Also, it provides comprehensive examples and steps how to teach pragmatics in

ESL and EFL context, so the reader can differ both of them. Based on the explanation in this

chapter, I do really agree to Ishihara statement that giving compliment can increase the students

motivation and social engagement between teacher and students and students to the students.

Therefore, I am interested in implementing various expression of compliments in teaching and

learning process.