Observation Table:

Reasons for speaking in the classroom

Class: KG2- 1.
Number of learners: 26.
Length of lesson: 20 min.
Teacher observed Language: English.
Learning Goals: To encourage student teachers to identify and discuss
classroom interaction patterns.
Materials used: cards- video- activites

Reason for speaking Learner A Learner B Learner C

Learner repeats word / phrase
1 after teacher – whole class E A A A A A A A A
Learner repeats word / phrase
2 after teacher – group / pair A A A A A A A A A
Learner repeats word / phrase
3 after teacher – individual E A
Learner answers direct question
4 from teacher E A
Learner answers open question
5 from teacher A A
6 Learner asks teacher a question
A
Learner answers a partner in
7 Paired work activity A A A
Learner answers a group member
8 in group work activity A A
Learner answers the teacher
9 informally A A
10 Learner answers peer informally
A A
11 Other reason for speaking
A A A
12 Other reason for speaking
A A A
 Reflections on Observation Task 1: Chit Chat

Read the questions below and write your answers

What was the most common reason for speaking?

Either for asking questions, or while talking to other peers.

What was the least common reason for speaking?

When the teacher ask them questions.

Were there any boxes with no ticks?

Yes.

How much of the lesson was spent on the teacher using ‘Teacher Talk’, in your
opinion?
Less than half of the lesson
Do you feel it was an appropriate amount of talk? Why / Why not?
Yes, because children don’t really understand while the lesson is full of talking that’s
why she move fast to showing them a video making an activity, showing cards,
anything that make them see and listen to get the lesson.

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

That the teacher needs to explain then ask questions based on it and the children
need to answer.
Now consider how much Arabic was used. Do you think it was used appropriately?
Why? / Why not?
Most of the time they were using Arabic, and it was used appropriately,
because its their first language and this is a normal thing to use it a lot
while asking question, communicating with each other. And English is
just a second language to them and since it’s a government kindergarten
the focus is more on Arabic.

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?

Because when teachers start talking in front of children, even if they didn’t really
understand what the teacher is saying, by time they will be used to that kind of
talking and they will automatically understand the meaning because they will be
 adapted to hearing such things and they will eventually understand even if they
didn’t know how to reply.
Why is talk important for learners? (Think about the What and How.)
Because how to know if that student understand or not is by the way he/she talks
and communicate either with the students or the teacher. And if they have a
problem in talking it means that there are errors that need to be fixed immediately.

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?

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