For my last peer observation, I was observed by Lucy, who is a CELTA qualified teacher in a language school in Brighton. The lesson was taken on the British council website At the chemist | LearnEnglish (britishcouncil.org), and the aim was to equip the learners with some listening strategies and introduce new lexis related to ‘At the chemist’
Before the observation, my observer Lucy received an email from me where I mentioned the aspects of my teaching, I would like her to focus on: Time and classroom management, Giving instructions clearly, and the accuracy of my language. Then she watched my recorded video and met with me for feedback.
Classroom management
The first aspect of my teaching she highlighted was the respect between my learners and I. They were all men of a certain age, and she was so surprised how I successfully involved them in the learning process. Some learners were lying down on their sofa, and others were facing connectivity issues; two of them were in and out, but I succeeded in creating the right environment where no one fell aside despite their personal problems. A possible explanation could be related to the fact that I spent one month teaching them, which allowed me to get to know them and have a clear-cut idea about how they want to be taught and the issues they face whenever we have class. I remember mentioning this aspect in my first reflective essay as an observer. The classroom accommodates students from different backgrounds and expectations, and I think it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure they feel a sense of belonging despite their different challenges. In his book How to teach English, Harmer (1998, p.37) encourages teachers to ’empathize with the people they are talking to by establishing a good rapport with them,’ and I work toward that. My rapport with the students has changed since I started taking this module. I am more tolerant than strict with them.
Use of online and technical aids
The second thing that impressed my observer Lucy was my ‘excellent use of tech and powerpoint’ to quote her words. I should admit that the previous post-observation conversation with Nancy pushed me to develop the technical skills needed for an effective online class. Back in my country, I used to teach face-to-face, but I had to readjust my teaching materials when I started this module. Several teachers find it difficult (Suherdi & al, 2021). It can be challenging and daunting at first, but you become more confident as you progress.
In delivering classes online, I realized that teaching online does not equate to opening your coursebook and following the sequence of activities. It requires adaptation of the content, anticipation regarding the issues they might face online, consideration of the layout, colors, the visual element of your PowerPoint, the recordings, and the classroom set up, which is most of the time new to the learners. The teacher should navigate between the screen and the learners and have to stick to the time allocated to the class at the same time. In short, I could say that about my three last assessed observations.
Time Management
However, everything was not perfect. The area the observer wants me to work on is time. I was supposed to teach for an hour, but I exceeded the time by 20 minutes. It would have been better for her to spend 8 minutes on the warm-up activity instead of 20 minutes. It took longer than usual, but I decided to spend time on this activity because it was my last class with them. It was a pleasant conversation where the learners were required to describe an image and guess the content of today’s class. I succeeded in engaging them in the negotiation of meaning, and some of their classmates even helped the weaker learners. I also provided immediate feedback regarding their mispronunciation (ache, lozenges, cough). It was worth doing. I did not feel the urge to rush them up, but Lucy made a point. I could have done better if I had chosen another image of a pharmacy, which reflects the type of pharmacy they are likely to find in their home country, for them to easily describe it and allow me to move to the next stage. This feedback regarding my time management was valuable, and I will carry it to my next class.
Power of images
Another suggestion was to use images whenever the learners seem not to understand a word. This reminds me of our class on vision and sounds, where Paul appealed our attention to how visual aids can facilitate the learning process. The visual material (images, illustrations, photographs) could make comprehension easier or more complex, and this idea reflects what happens in my class. I will consider it next time, even if I had to admit that I wanted to challenge my learners to an extent.
Instruction Checking Questions (ICQs)
Moreover, the observer recommended using the instruction checking questions (ICQs) whenever I give my learners a task. I could have used the following questions (are you going to work in pairs or individually? Are you going to read the transcript while listening or do it separately/) instead of popping in the breakout rooms and fixing their misunderstanding of the instructions? Nancy gave me the same idea, and I think I should work hard on it and implement it in my classes.
In hindsight, I can now say that teaching online is a process that requires the total commitment of the teacher and willingness to learn and use technical aids to facilitate the learning process. My three last observations helped me develop effective use of online materials (PowerPoint, jam board, an interactive whiteboard, and breakout rooms). I can admit that I feel comfortable with these tools. Having Lucy’s feedback regarding my class doubled my self-confidence, and I was thrilled when she commended me on the accuracy of my language, and how I praised my learners whenever they got something right. I was elated to have Lucy as an observer, and I thank her for her insightful and honest feedback. Below, you will find her voice recording
Reference list
Harmer, J. (1998). How to teach English. Harlow, Essex: Pearson/Longman.Suherdi, D. (2021).
EFL Teachers’ Considerations in Developing Online Teaching Materials. Journal on English Language Teaching. [online] Available at: https://www.academia.edu/73976409/EFL_Teachers_Considerations [Accessed 5 Jun. 2022].