EPC 2403 Teaching Practicum 2a

Task 5

‘Observing a Teacher
during a Listening
Lesson’
 EPC 2403 Teaching Practicum 2a

Observation Task 5:

Observing a teacher during a Listening Lesson

References:

Brewster, J. and Ellis, G. (2004) The Primary English Teacher’s Guide. Essex: Pearson. (pp. 102-104).

Brewster, J. (1999). Listening and the Young Learner in Brumfit, C., Moon, J. and Tongue, R. Teaching
English to Children. From Practice to Principle. London: Longman

Objective

To consider EFL learners’ success in listening and to reflect upon ways of improving their listening
skills.

Procedure

 You will need a copy of the Observation Table: Teaching Listening to observe and make
notes during 2 listening lessons.

Before the Observation

 Refer to both readings above and outline what the stages in a listening lesson. Consider
carefully what suggestions are made in order to deliver a lesson effectively – e.g how many
stages are there? How many times should students listen etc.

 Arrange to observe a lesson that focus on listening.

During the Observation

Complete the Table: Teaching Listening. Make notes in the appropriate column on:

Pre Listening
 What did the teacher do prior to the listening task to prepare students – how did she engage and
prepare students for learning?
 The time spent on preparing learners to listen

During listening
 The learners' purpose in listening: was it stated by the teacher?
 The type, topic and length of listening text
 The number of times learners listened to the same text or part of the text
 EPC 2403 Teaching Practicum 2a

Post Listening
 Did the teacher check answers?
 Was there a follow up activity?
 What materials were used?

Example of a completed row of the Observation Table for Listening

No. of
Purpose stated
Pre-listening Time spent Activity times text
(Y/N)
heard

T showed picture of father and

daughter and elicited what they
No Students answering
might be talking about. T gave
questions about a
true/false questions out before 5 mins 0
picture
tape was started.
Yes
Teacher introduced some
(to understand
vocabulary
the new words
in the text)
No. of
Purpose stated
While listening Time spent Activity times text
(Y/N)
heard
Students completed a
task in the book while
Yes they listened.
Students listening to a short
(to listen an They had to read the
conversation between a father
6 minutes decide if the sentence in the book 2
and daughter about her birthday
written and decide if the
party
statements answer was true or
were true or false
false)
 EPC 2403 Teaching Practicum 2a

After the Observation

1 What preparation (i.e. pre-listening activity) did the teacher give the learners
before they listened to the text?

If they had some preparation, select (a) if they did not, select (b).

a. How did the pre-listening activity aid student understanding?

b. What pre-listening activity might have been done to help them understand the target
language better?

2 Were the learners engaged in while-listening activity/activities?

If they were, select (a); if not, select (b).
a. What were the aims of the while-listening activity/activities?

b. What while-listening activity/activities might have helped the learners more to

understand what they were listening to?

3. Did the learners have a post-listening activity/activities?

If they did, select (a); if not, select (b).

a. What were the aims of the post-listening activity/activities?

b. What post-listening activity/ activities might have helped the learners more to
understand what they had heard?

4. How many times did the learners listen to the text / recording?
a. Would it have increased their understanding if they had been allowed to listen to the
text/recording again? Explain.

b. Did the learners hear the whole text at once, or in parts?

If so, which was the most helpful?

Reflection
Think about the advantages and disadvantages of using the model of pre-, while- and post-listening
activities to teach a listening lesson. Write first from the perspective of the teacher and then from
the perspective of the learners.
 EPC 2403 Teaching Practicum 2a

Observation Table: Teaching Listening Lesson: English Telling a Story “Where’s My Teddy?”

Section: KG2/5 Number of learners: 29 Date: 21 October 2018

Length of lesson: 55 Minutes Name of teacher observed: Noor AlSuwaidi

Language Learning Goals:

 I read a new story “Where’s My Teddy?” to the students, while most of the students
doesn’t understand the English language, I translated it for them. I read it in English
language first, then I translated it in Arabic language, page by page for them to
understand the story. I also focused on the vocabulary words, to improve their English
and help them in learning new words and I asked them to repeat the words behind me.
 My aim was to teach the students the English language. I read for the students a story in
English language to develop the language for them, although most of the students do not
understand English, I kept translating it for them in Arabic so they could understand the
words in English and learn new words.
 The students will learn to understand the story by listening and watching the pictures, and
then they’ll be able to tell what they saw and learned.
 I’ll read the story for the students with sound effects first and I’ll give the students several
activities on it at the end.
 The students will have to answer me with a full sentence for example: “yes I do
understand”, “no I don’t understand”.
 The students will ask me to re explain it when they don’t understand; the students will
say: “may you explain it again please?”
 If the students don’t know something, they’ll ask the teacher: “what’s this miss?”

Materials (resources) used:

 “Where’s My Teddy?” book story
 The bear footprints and sound
 “Once Upon a Time” box with real objects of the characters in the story
 Flashcards (memory cards game)
 Worksheets activities (maze, puzzle, circling)

Purpose (Objectives):

Students will be able to…

 Understand the story
 List the things which were in the story
 Develop their listening skills
 Solve the worksheets
 Recognize the characters
 EPC 2403 Teaching Practicum 2a
Time
spent on Was purpose stated
Pre-listening
preparati (Y/N)
on
I pointed at the footprints on To engage the students
the floor and asked the
students which animal has To make them
those footprints? recognize the
footprints of the bear.
I played the sound of the bear 5 minutes
loudly and asked the students
what animal makes this sound To make them
then I asked them to imitate it. recognize the sound
the bear makes.
I showed the students the story
book and asked them what do To expand their
they see from the front book imagination and
picture and what do they think knowledge.
the story is about?
I distributed a smiley and a
sad face to each student and I To express their
explained to them that if they feelings and
don’t understand something understanding.
they should raise the sad face
up and if they understand they
should raise the smiley face
up.
Time
spent on Was purpose stated
While listening
preparati (Y/N)
on
I started reading the story for To keep them attracted
the students with sound and focused.
effects.
I read it in English, and I To improve their
translated it in Arabic page by 15
English and help them
page for them to understand minutes
in learning new words.
the story. I also focused on the To scaffold students to
vocabulary words, and asked understand the story.
them to repeat the words
behind me.
No. of
times
Activity
text was
heard
The students tried to guess what
animal has those footprints.
The students kept guessing what
animal makes this sound and 2
tried imitating it.
The students tried to guess what
the story is talking about from
the front picture of the story
book.
The students listened to me
giving instructions about the
smiley and sad face to know why
and when to use them.
No. of
times
Activity text was
heard
The students sat down around me
and listened carefully while I’m
reading the story.
The students were focused and 2
into the story while I’m reading
it, they didn’t feel bored. The
students repeated the vocabulary
words behind me.
 EPC 2403 Teaching Practicum 2a
I used the “Once Upon a To attract their
Time” box, while reading the attention.
story and inside it I had the
characters of the story, I To make my story
brought out a character out of more interesting and
the box each time a new exciting.
character appeared in the
story.
Time
spent on Was purpose stated
Post listening
preparati (Y/N)
on
I displayed the cards on the
board flipped upside down for To make them focus,
the memory cards game. concentrate and
memorize the cards.
25
minutes
There was a “maze”
worksheet, I explained to the To make them think of
students that they should solve which one is the right
the maze worksheet by taking path and match the boy
the boy “Freddy” to its teddy to its teddy bear.
bear. To make sure the
student understand that
the boy is looking for
its bear.
I explained to the students that
they’ll have 4 pieces puzzle
that makes a picture of a boy To practice more
holding his teddy bear and independently.
they’ll have to fix the right
pieces together to make the To share the things
right picture and glue it on a they’ll use such as
white paper, then they may colours and glue.
color it.
To check the
understanding.
I explained to the students that
they’ll have a worksheet with To make sure they can
three parts which are be independent in
The students were excited to
know what’s in the box and kept
guessing what could be in the
box.
No. of
times
Activity text was
heard
The students played the memory
cards game on the board. The
students sat politely and raised
their hands to play in turns and
when the teacher chose a student,
the student went to the board and
flipped two cards, when they
were alike he/she kept the cards 1
flipped, when they weren’t they
flipped the cards back to allow
their friends to play again.
The students looked for the right
way to take the boy to its teddy
bear. The students solved the
worksheet by making a line in
the right way to take the boy
“Freddy” to its teddy bear.
The students fixed the right
pieces of the puzzle together
first, then they glued it on a
white paper and coloured the
picture.

characters, setting and the
weather in the story. Each
section will have several
pictures in it and the students
should circle the things which
were in the story only.
Wrap Up (Closing)
I showed the students
flashcards of the characters in
the story and asked the
students to say what do they
see and say anything about the
character in the story.
I asked the students if they
understood the story and
whether they like it or not.
EPC 2403 Teaching Practicum 2a
solving the worksheet
by their own. The students were able to
distinguish the things which
To make sure that the were in the story and circled
students are able to them.
identify the things
which were in the
story.
To identify the
characters in the story.
Time Was purpose stated
spent on (Y/N) Activity No. of
preparati times
on text was
heard
To check the The students sat quietly and
understanding. looked at the flashcards, they
raised their hand to answer the
To wrap up the lesson teacher of what do they see and
and exit quietly. say what do they remember
about the character in the story.
5 minutes 1
The students who understood,
raised the smiley face up and
To express their who didn’t, raised the sad face
feelings and up, then they raised the smiley
understanding and for face if they liked the story and a
the teacher to know sad face if they didn’t like it.
how they feel.
 EPC 2403 Teaching Practicum 2a

Reflection

Discuss one aspect that YOU feel you did very well. Try to analyze why you think it worked well about the
successful strategy/ resource/activity/management style etc.

When I was reading the story, everyone was sitting in a circle on the mat around me, they were all
integrated and focused with me. Especially when I introduced the story by asking them which animal
has those footprints and by playing for them the sound of the bear. Also, while I was reading for them
the story, I used the “Once Upon a Time” box to show them the characters.

I knew all the students by their names, well-modulated voice / appropriate and suitable tone and
intonation, I had an engaging starter, I have presented the LO and I have provided several activities.
Very good story telling technique; students had so much fun. I have demonstrated the ability to
animate, also I asked HOTS and meaningful questions to students during activity time.

I believe it was successful because everyone was sitting quietly and listening to me till I finished
reading the story, I was able to engage them and attract their attention till I finished reading the story.

Resources:
- “Where’s My Teddy?” book story
- The bear footprints and sound
- “Once Upon a Time” box with real objects of the characters in the story
- Flashcards (memory cards game)
- Worksheets activities (maze, puzzle, circling)
Discuss an aspect identified by YOU that requires attention. Discuss what the problem was, why it occurred
and what action you intend to take to be more successful in the next lesson.

When I started giving them instructions about the activities they’ll be doing, they started to lose
interest, focus and attention, because of the mistake I did which was that I spent a long time for the
discussion.

Before I proceed to the next page of the book, I’ll ask questions focusing on asking them of the next
possible scenes.
I’ll ask them questions such as:
 What do you think is the size of the bear?
 How will you react if you are the big bear?
 How big do you think is this bear? (Show/describe on the air)
 How do we sleep?
As these questions will keep the students engaged during the storytelling.

I would like to change the fact of having a group to finish the activities and the others playing in the
corners. I’ll try to make them all finish their activities on the mat at the same time.

Personal Focus for next Lesson:

Control the class
Share less objectives
Spend less time on the discussion part
 EPC 2403 Teaching Practicum 2a

Manage the way I give them activities

Keep them quiet
Manage the student’s behavior
Train them on the bell ringing and the traffic lights poster

Advantages of pre-, while- and post-listening activities:

 The teacher will be prepared for everything she’s going to say and do.
 It’ll help her in managing her time and knowing what to do next in order, step by step.
 The teacher will have everything ready.
 It helps in reminding her the importance of repeating and the words she has to focus on, the
keywords in the story.
 Have activities depending on the story.
 The students will get engaged, kids enjoy story telling!

Disadvantages of pre-, while- and post-listening activities:

 The consuming of time, some parts needs longer time than the duration of the lesson.
 The teacher might be moving to the next step for example she’ll be moving from while to post
but the child might be still in while.
 The teacher will face some challenges trying to adjust and finish.