Michael Fernandez-CO#2

Date/Time: 1.13.16 @ 1100h

Topic/Skill: Reading 2B

Teacher Presentation: The focus of this class was on reading strategies. In groups of 2, students were given a 1-page informational passage to dissect. First, they read it aloud, alternating speakers every 1-2 sentences. During this first reading, they were to underline words that they did not know, and take special note of words in italics/bold. After this first reading, students should be able to answer the "5Ws" and thus have a general understanding of the content of each paragraph, and the passage as a whole. Students should look for non-written clues as well, such as pictures. The teacher conducted this summarizing exercise with the students. During the initial reading segment of class, the teacher returned quizzes/homework to the students. He did this individually, and took care to give immediate feedback to each student, and explain his written notes. The teacher asked if there were any vocabulary questions, answering these in ways appropriate to the students' skill level (Google images, simple diagrams, using familiar vocabulary). At the end of the class, the teacher briefly asked some comprehension questions.

Classroom Management:  The teacher helped with direct comprehension questions in ways that led students to answer the questions themselves-a boon to morale.

Materials: worksheet packet, Google for showing pictures of certain unknown words (firecracker)

Student Participation: Students were very eager to understand the passage, and tried to decode as much as they could by themselves. I could tell they felt empowered by the teacher's methods of leading them to the answer, and excited when they finally figured it out.

Feedback Provided: Lesson(s) on teaching you learned: Everything this teacher did was noteworthy, but I especially liked the emphasis on learning how to read. If I were to take anything away from this observation, it would be that it is more important that students at this level comprehend the general idea of a text, and not every single word. This could be a challenge for me, because when I read in French or Arabic, I have the tendency to focus on every single word, so that I can fully understand the text (bottom-up). Although I know that this thinking is erroneous, I personally do not mind doing it; however I know that exercises such as what I have just described will be disheartening to the majority of students. Because of this, I will try to use the example of this class observation to change my instinctive reading strategies, that it may carry over into my teaching.