English Language Classroom Observation

OBSERVATION ASSSIGNMENT: USMAN ALI

“, it is not unreasonable to collect data about what goes on (language classrooms) there as a means of adding to our knowledge of language learning and use.” (Nunan, 92:91)

Observation is an important tool for ESL professionals, it can be used for a variety of things such Trainee teachers being observed by qualified experienced teacher and peers observing each other’s teaching. This enables teachers to learn from others teaching and critique it. It can also be used to improve our understanding of the classroom environment. During the past few weeks I was afforded the opportunity by the British Council in Jeddah to observe a class.

Observation techniques

The first aspect of the language classroom I decided

However through conversation was able attain the good understanding of what the meaning of ‘reading glasses’ are. From my own observation it was one of the most difficult points to pin point when the students were negotiating meaning.S1 and S2 would check with one another the meaning of something however it would be done in Arabic with me not being fluent in the language it was difficult to pick up what was exactly said. Never the less the gist of the body movement indicated confirmation of meaning was going on. One example from the class:

Teacher: (pointing at the building of Bill and Marie foundation) “This a foundation”

S1: “This in the bottom of the building...no?”

Teacher “Yes that is one meaning… but we can also say where the rich person gives the charity from”

Here the students negotiates the meaning of the word foundation. He wanted to confirm his previous knowledge as an architectural student was true. He got confirmation by checking the meaning with the teacher.This happened rarely through the course of the lesson for a variety of reasons. These observations fit in with Tsui, (1996) who found that negotiation was limited hence preventing student language

They want to be able to use the acquire skills to be able to communicate with the native speakers of the second language. Learners of this type ma have a partner or have heritage in the second language thus the learning of the second language would enable them to become closer to their partner or heritage.

Students who fall into the second category are called instrumental learners. They want to the second language for reasons that are not within themselves they acquire the language for external factors such as being able to get a better job because they can speak the second language or they can enter a chosen college by proving their level of language