Time for yet another self-reflection.
This video is from early May.
Starting off I should point out that unlike a previous lesson and video the time for activating their schema, introducing the vocabulary and asking some CCQs about the vocab is much shorter. I timed it as over 9 minutes. Probably still too long but much better than the 17 minutes from the Vices Bingo lesson.
One small note: I should move the lectern out of the view of the smartphone before I start recording..ha..ha.
Using invitations to reply I activated their schema about synonyms for permission (the lesson title) and denying. However, at times in the past I have been good at waiting for answers but in this lesson I noticed that I was too quick to give the answers myself (self answering). Whoops!
I should have done much better at introducing the topic like I did when I had the lesson on lying. To be honest: the first two minutes comes off as awkward.
However, I quickly recovered and got the class going again when someone sneezed. I incorporated the sneeze into my teacher talk (TT) about the the topic and I got the class laughing. People can also see that I got some tissues for the student that sneezed (2:30). As I have mentioned numerous times classroom atmosphere is very important to me.
At 4 minutes I incorporate the students into the discussion of the target language by using realia. I take items from the students and ask if i have their permission (May I/could I/can I..) and I expect them to use the target language in their replies (Go right ahead/Be my guest/It is not possible, etc.).
I am not sure why I introduced another vocabulary item at this point (hoarder) as the students already have over 10 items from the permission lesson. The lessons I am making these days are going to have 5-9 vocabulary. Not 15! Not over 25! No more than nine.
For the activity where they write their ten dreams I will not read all ten of my examples in the future. It took too long (2-3 minutes) as I introduced yet again more vocabulary. Even if I reduce the lesson's vocabulary I still have a tendency to bring in more new words. Bad Kevan!
The one good thing is that I did well in eliciting answers from the students that lead to them understanding Mr. Mom.
At just over ten minutes (10:30) I finally give the students time to make ten dreams or wishes.
At this point I begin monitoring. I should point out that I rarely, if almost ever, sit at my desk while students work. I am always working around and looking at their written work or listening to their answers. I interact with the students quite well as I give feedback or ask questions of every single student (there are ten students in the class). While at times I help with grammar (articles for one student) my problem is I talk too much giving feedback in the form or opinions or advice. I should instead focus on questions to help them make corrections (or using scaffolding), and questions of clarification or information. This would move the focus of the feedback or talking away from me and onto them. For example: at 15:30 I tell one student who wrote something about Kyeongju that they should take the train there from the north. At 19 minutes I start comparing Canada and Korea with a student as well as old people in both countries.
I should have also given a time limit on writing their dreams. It went from minute 10-11 to minute 26. Too long as I feel now that 8-10 minutes would have been sufficient. My chit chatting with students most likely prolongs this portion of the lesson. Chatty Kevan indeed!
Looking back at my TT in Canada and at Suncheon University I am dismayed that I talk so much now. I had much less TT at Suncheon University because many students were low, and the classes were too big to chat with everyone. I would often chat with my students more outside of the class if they were interested in engaging me in discourse. In regards to Canada the students were younger so our conversations were brief and they did not have time to chit-chat in between classes. At my current job the students are older and speak better English so I am apt to chat more (more TT). During class time, as this video shows, I really need to go back to my old ways. Not so chatty Kevan!
Before I started the last activity I did quick verbal directions and then I modeled the activity.
Much better than in the past where I would verbally read 5-10 directions then model the actvity with one or two students.
For the modeling I had every student do one wish with me whereby they get a response denying or granting permission. Next time I will just do 2 at most and throw them into groups sooner. I should take the focus away from me.
Lastly, like a good Canadian I cannot get away from using "Please" and "Thank you". It might seem very formal but it is how Canadians were brought up in my generation. It is very hard to get away from it. Thank you for reading my blog. Please have a good day or evening.
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