Observation Report

OBSERVATION REPORT

Location: English Online Inc.

Mentor Teacher: Nastashya Wall

Number of Observation Hours: 15

QUESTIONS

1. LEARNER DEMOGRAPHICS

During the observation hours, the number of leaners varied from 10 to 25 in a class. The learner's demographics were relevant for lesson planning in the way that instructors needed to address the issues of learners' pronunciation, knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. The cultural background of the learners was diverse, as the learners originally were from Syria, Pakistan, Ukraine, Columbia, China, South Korea and some African countries. For this reason, some of the questions related to the specifics of their L1 (e.g. Arabic, Urdu, Ukrainian, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Korean) in terms of pronunciation and sentence structures needed to be addressed. Overall, the age of the groups were between 30 and 45. The majority of the learners were women. The focus and interests of the groups seemed to be within the topics of adaptation and integration in Canada.

2. METHODOLOGY

Two main TESL methodologies were used: Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT). It was seen in instructors focusing on communication practices, encouraging learners to share their opinion and actively participate in class activities. All tasks seemed to reflect the real-life situations and stimulated interaction in pair and group works. Instructors designed activities in the way that learners would accomplish a specific goal related to the Real World Tasks, such as introducing themselves to others, ordering pizza, booking a hotel, etc.

3. LANGUAGE SKILL-BUILDING ACTIVITIES

Instructors used various language skill-building activities to enhance all four primary language skills by using Vocabulary matching, Cloze, Demonstration, Flash Cards, Guided Reading and Writing, Making Words, Practice and Drill, Read Aloud, Peer Review, and Worksheets. The approach of one of instructors to help learners improve their listening skills through dictation practices seemed particularly effective. While working in pairs or small groups, the learners needed to discuss different pieces of information in order to complete a task. The instructional strategies were a warm-up activity with some interesting questions and visual aids, then presentation of the main topic, practice and some tasks on performance. The students worked individually, in pairs and small groups.

4. COMMUNICATIVE SKILL-USING ACTIVITIES

There were a number of communicative skill-using activities, including role-playing, pair/group work, writing a paragraph about Canadian experience, emailing to a friend, reading a dialogue with the right word/sentence stress and intonation. Overall, instructional strategies used in classes seemed to match learners' proficiency levels and learning styles. Necessary scaffolding was provided by instructors as they gave learners adequate explanation of the tasks in a simplified language, sited examples, and supported materials with visual aids.

5. ORGANIZATION OF LESSONS

The classes lasted for one hour. Usually they began with greetings, reviewing the agenda, and warm up activity (e.g. a brief review of the previous class; a short game; a discussion prompt). Then there was a language study section (or "Presentation"), accompanied by slides, videos, graphic illustrations, authentic materials, real-life examples and verbal explanation by instructors. Then there were some practical activities that included role-plays, discussions, listening or reading comprehension exercises, writing, and language games. The final stage related to the productive use of L2 ("Performance"). The learners were expected to demonstrate how they could use what they had learnt. The classes usually closed with homework assignments. The time was managed effectively.

6. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

The classes were delivered online, and run on BigBlueButton. Instructors often (yet not always) used their cameras. None of the learners' face could be seen on the screen. Instructors were skilled and professional in the use of the speaking time during classes. Their management of the students' microphones, questions and answers time was effective. Instructors used various techniques to encourage learners' cooperation and involvement.

7. INSTRUCTIONS AND CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING

Instructions given in a clear, concise way and adapted to the learners' language proficiency levels. Often, instructors repeated and clarified instructions to ensure learners' understanding of what was expected of them. Often the instructions were broke down intro smaller and easy-to-manage steps. They regularly checked the understanding by asking follow-up questions, eliciting responses using the Concept Checking Questions (CCQs), or having learners repeat the instructions in their own words.

8. ELICITATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF STUDENT RESPONSES

The responses from the learners were elicited, by using open-ended questions. This encouraged learners to provide more detailed answers. They also provided prompts/cues to help learners generate responses. For example, instructors asked, "What can you see in the picture?" They also encouraged peer interaction by inviting other learners to respond to their classmate's opinion or answer. Learners' responses were acknowledged in the way that instructors demonstrated active listening (e.g. maintaining eye contact, nodding, using gestures) with verbal affirmation, for example, saying, "Thank you for sharing," or "That's a good point".

9. FEEDBACK AND ERROR CORRECTION

The timing of feedback varied and depended on the type of the activities, the learners' proficiency levels, and the goals. There were some immediate comments and feedback to the students in simple tasks (e.g. pronunciation drills). More often, there were rather 'delayed' correction and feedback especially in the tasks where learners were encouraged to express their ideas freely, without interruptions. Instructors corrected learners in a respectful and supportive way. They focused more on meaning rather than on the form, without overwhelming the learner with too much feedback.

10. RESOURCES What technology/equipment was used?

The main resources used were: Big Blue Button, PowerPoint (also used as a handout in PDF), YouTube, and www.livelearn.ca.

TWO POSITIVE COMMENTS

I was impressed by the clear and well-organized structure of classes. From the beginning to the end, it was evident that every stage of the lessons was planned and prepared. During the lessons, the activities were scaffolded in a logical way, usually following the PPP approach.

It was nice to see how instructors treated each student with respect and care. I believe that this genuine interest in the development and growth of learners make the school special. One can easily notice how different and special it becomes for learners when instructors provide personalized feedback and authentic support to each person in a class.

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Observation Hours

With Mentor Teacher

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IELTS Class

5 hours (from 5pm to 10pm) on 18th April 2024.

4 hours (from 6pm to 10pm) on 25th April 2024.