Vian's Experience and Reflection

I must begin saying that when it was said to me it was necessary to record a class I was panic-stricken because I did not have an available camera and there was nobody who could record me. Later I requested somebody from a video studio went to record me. Initially, I supposed it would be easy, so I started looking for the necessary information.

In my mind, I was imagining the steps that it would take, the materials, the time, the grouping arrangements, how I would integrate the four skills, how much time I would design to each skill, how I would link each other and of course that objectives would have each of them. In my mind, I saw the utility of the lesson plan because everything was well planned according to my Ss needs, the size of the group, my Ss cognitive styles and learning, their age and their interests.

When I already had my lesson plan ready, the tape recorder, the CD and the realia that it was going to be used, the person who supposed was going to record me did not have the disposition to do it because another commitment was crossed at the established hour, so he suggested me to do my class with another group and in an hour he could record me. So, immediately I thought about one of my friends and I asked her group. I thought I was going to be easy because of the group was reduced and Ss were almost of the same age.

Nevertheless, there were two significant differences: One, the hour: These "new" pupils study in the evening from 6 to 7 pm. Second, I did not have any idea about their knowledge nor how much grammar they knew, I mean, I unknown their grammar level. The only thing I knew was a reduced group and my partner was going to help me to realize my practice.

I have to say that there were some things I surprised like for example that the classroom the principal had designated to me for the practice did not have whiteboard to make possible the writing activity, correct the reading passage or write the correct answers in the case of the listening passage, so I had to improvise with a few publicity leaflets because there was not even a flip chart to write down or drawn.

Talking about the activities, well, they all had a specific time and the degree of difficulty chosen for my group was the ideal one, but for my "new" students everything was turning out to be easy. They were answering very rapidly all things I was asking them, the exercises seemed to be too obvious, and the time designated for the activity seemed not to exist. The class finished in 20 minutes when actually it had to last around the 50’. I understood the class was not the appropriate for the level neither for those so smart students.

When the class ended, I sat down and began to see the importance not only of the planning itself but observing our pupils and planning according to their needs. I clearly understood the meaning of checking how really they learn. I learned how truth is that some Ss take more time than others to learn a new topic. But especially that we must take the decisions in agreement to what we observe from a beginning with the group that principals assign us.

Next day, when I asked for help from other friends, and I could record my class with my real group, I liked to be focused on who consider grammar as a difficult item to learn. So I gave a bit more personalized attention to them.

I could also notice that give them grammar for five or ten minutes was not enough but it had to do with integrating the four skills at the same class and with the same concept was being introduced. This way, if there was a doubt in the first ability, in the second skill that doubt could disappear. So, the Ss would not carry that doubt at the end of the class because I was giving many opportunities to practice and producing in order to get the communicative goal.

Therefore, I reinforced the thought about our planning and our way to teach depended a lot on understand our Ss and make immediate decisions if the plan is not working as we wanted or planned.

I noticed the importance of presenting the information to Ss, of making practice and make them produce sentences. I saw that when a pupil was wrong but laughing at the same time; he was realizing his mistake and he was correcting by himself. I also experienced that to teach grammar not only consisted in the fact that he memorized or knew the rule but he saw its usefulness in order to play, laugh and be able to describe his actions in spontaneous and natural form, when using the present continuous tense.

I also observed that the interactions Tt-Ss, Ss-Ss are fundamental for the development of the class but especially when motivating them is the essential in the teaching learning process. Likewise, I noticed that my Ss were not feeling frustrated if laughing was present when making mistakes.

I realized the importance that the environment has. I understood that it should be the propitious one in order to make knowledge and conversation flow. I understood that only experimenting with activities which are interesting make possible they try to speak.

Besides, if the explanations we give them turn out to be clear, efficient, living, interesting, useful, and productive but especially putting in a real context make the pupils will be able to speak which is the main objective of the pedagogical grammar and communicative approach.

VIANEY FRANCO