Assignment - ORLC

SUBJECT RESIT:

OBSERVATION & RESEARCH IN THE LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

Name and surname(s):

Angela Maria Arroyave Hernandez

Login:
COFPMTFL1131170

Group:
2005-10

Date:
March 26th, 2017

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ASSINGMENT:

Read the six case studies in the pdf document, each of which investigates a
different topic: literature, grammar, oral English, teaching techniques, language
learning, writing. When you have finished reading, follow the instructions below. (From
Wallace 1998: 166-169). Of the six case studies outlined above, which topic would be
of most interest/relevance for a group of students with which you are familiar? Think
about how you would need to adapt the case study for your target group's needs by
considering the following questions:

1. Clearly outline the population for your adapted case study.

2. How would you adapt the structure of the case study to fit in with
your target group and teaching context?
3. What sort of data would you generate and how would you
generate it?
4. How would you analyse the data?

INDEX

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1. INTRODUCTION..........................................4
2. POPULATION............................................5
3. ADAPTING CASE STUDY...................................5
4. COLLECTING THE DATA...................................6
5. ANALISYNG THE DATA....................................7
6. CONCLUSION............................................7
7. REFERENCES............................................9
8. APENDICES............................................10

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1. INTRODUCTION

If a child cannot learn in the way what we teach…We must teach in a way the
child can learn.
Ignacio Estrada

Action research could represent an intimidate process in our daily practice, of

course it depends from our attitude as teachers, therefore it is our duty to question the
teaching that we offer into the classes, and work towards a common goal in education:
“The improvement of the quality in the training”. As Hadley quotes: “Instead of being a
reactive teacher who fumbles in the darkness, groping for "something that will work" in
class for that day, one can become a pro-active teacher through the thoughtful use of
action research. Based upon the data gained from his research and that of others, a
teacher can seize the moment, moving forward with purpose and clarity about what
should be done in his classroom”.

The best part is that Action research can be carried out by teachers who do not
have special preparation in psychometric research methods, we must not be experts
and as elementary teachers, we can gain valuable findings that display us occasions
for refining our practice in the classroom.

Considering that one of the essential purposes of classroom observation

research is describing the present position of the instructional applies and identify
instructional problems, this work is carried out having in account the guidance from the
material and the provenance of the case study. The case adapted about creative
writing and learning language is very stimulating and suitable for the working context, it
leads supporting our job as teachers and therefore advance the educational practice in
the students, and furthermore when the teaching and the learning of a foreign language
is being analyzed, since many relevant factors interlaced in the education process,
hence it causes a stronger impression about the teacher and the learners.

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The feedback from the classroom observation offers multiple benefits that make
teachers aware of how our classroom functions and thus bring the changes we desire,
in this case, analyzing language learning through the writing creative, since it helps
students boost their self-confidence, such as Ransdell says: “It allows them to take
control their new language by governing its new constructions”. Of course, writing is a
difficult and demanding process but it is well worth the effort, learning to write well,
helps the learners achieve success in school life as well as in their professional life, in
the end to develop writing processes reinforce numerous skills and allow the students
to express themselves effectively.

2. POPULATION

This action research will be carried with the students form 3rd grade in a public
elementary school localized in a village in Pereira (Colombia). The children walk 15
minutes to school daily, most of the families work in farm duties or domestic chores.
The class is comprised by 20 students from 8 to 11 years of age. Most of them
are children with little available resources and uncommitted parents, the students do
not have many chances to be exposed in a foreign language, this results from the fact
that public schools restrict the timetable of English classes in elementary school; The
students have difficulties for producing well writings, which shows lack of coherence
and vocabulary, they do not enjoy to write, they feel terrified when a white paper is in
their hands, at true they have difficulties for creating new writings, even in their own
language. It can be dismissed writing is considered one of the most difficult language
skills to be acquired but also taught; Nonetheless is worthy of note that children are
eager for learning, they enjoy going to school and they feel very responsive when they
have English classes, and most of teachers are the same.

3. ADAPTING CASE STUDY

Case 5 RANSDEL, DR 1993: CREATING WRITING IS GREEK TO ME:

CONTINUING education of a language teacher. In elt journal 47/1 pp. 40-46

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Population: one student learning elementary Greek (The student is the writer
herself otherwise a teacher of EFL)
Description: Attending a beginner class taught the writer “more than I have
learned in several years of attending conferences and sitting through journals articles”,
specifically., she learns the motivating value of creative writing, which she successfully
transfers to her own EFL teaching.

This case study is a rewarding experience, since it addresses the field of a new
language learning as well as the field of the creative writing like a strategy for improving
and enjoying it. The target population would be benefited greatly from this research and
the teacher would enhance considerably his/her practices. The case 5 can be adapted
to the context in which this assignment would be carried out, although the case study is
talking about just one single person and this person is the teacher, it does not
represent a problem, since the analysed population is beginner in the process, English
means Greek for them too, and of course writing creative in English is even more so for
them. Best of all, the benefits acquired through creative writing had been revealed
through multiple bibliographical material that would support this Action research. The
research would benefit the students, whom would feel more empowered and motivated
for elaborating their own productions; in turn teacher would be more patient and
encouraging; Trough creative writing assignments, students have the chance to share
personal aspects of their lives with other members of the class; Bassano and
Christison (cited by Ransdell, p.17) explain: “students want to become enthusiastically
and authentically involved…they need to become themselves in their new language”.

For the target population in this research the question formulated would be:
How would improve the learning, implementing writing creative in classroom?

4. COLLECTING THE DATA

The methods employed in the research could be both qualitative and

quantitative, for assembly and analysing data from the classroom, employing this
methodological technic is known as methodological triangulation, as Nunan & Carter.
(Cited by Prasongsook) states: “The technic contributes value by corroborating
information, thus allowing the researcher to be more confident of the result obtained”.

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The date would be collected throughout structured observation sheet which will
be undertaken by audio-video recording, teacher-pupil logbook (See Appendix A, B
and C).

As the research would be carried out with children an overage age of about nine
years of age, it could be used simplified questionnaires with open and closed
questions, the questionnaires would include questions visually aided with drawings.
(See Appendix D)
And some semi-structured interview: Since it leads to define the questions
beforehand. The main goal of the interview will be to know about the difficulties that
children who belong to the target population, feel about learning and writing in English.
(See Appendix E), finally implementing pre- test and post-test (See Appendix F), which
offer a source for comparing the results, and It would be certainly handy to use a rubric
for checking writing by themselves (See Appendix G).

5. ANALISYNG THE DATA

The analysis of data provides the support to reflect on what happens with our
class and the problematic we would want to explore. Next a detailed reading about the
data collection, it will be organized for summarization and tabulation, this process is
about qualitative data, some of which are the observations, questionnaires, interviews
and diaries. Referring to a quantitative data, it could be used colourful graphs or tables
which show the information statistically, Charts and graphs are frequently the best way
to establish inclinations in data and make contrasts between different groups. Different
types of graphs are required to most efficiently and effectively present different types of
findings.

6. CONCLUSION

Transform the way we teach, reinvigorate teachers, since there is no greater

satisfaction than making a positive impact on student learning. As Madrid states:

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“Learn about the way we teach is a great deal”; just with an observation or a recording
equipment, it will be achieved teachers incorporate new strategies into their teaching”.
the creative writing, since both the teaching and the learning progress
substantially, then this enhances the behavior, the relationship in the classroom and
boots the self-confidence in the learners because they can control their productions,
the researches have shown oral language has a short life, as White utters: (Cited by
Ransdell) “writing, on the other hand, is displaced in time”.

This concise adaptation of a case of study have let to get a remarkable

understanding of how an Action research in the classroom could influence in the
teacher, the learners, the colleagues and even the parents; finally, it cannot be
forgotten that students most of the time just interact with english in the classroom, it is
vital that we do the best for considering how language learning happens, and the way
we instruct in a second language plays a very high percentage of success.

Delving in the topic, readings about this kind of research, reveal that stories
have very powerful effect on students and can be used for numerous teaching
strategies. In order to help students, enhance their learning teacher have to enhance
their teaching strategies and this can be achieved by continuous professional
development, self-motivation, reflection on the teaching methodologies, it have been
also found that students feel ownership of their work if they are allowed to think outside
the box and develop their ideas. Moreover, it had been found that the process
approach is more fruitful than the product approach.

For doing a real profession our job as teachers it is mandatory to abide by

Wallace said: “a basis of scientific knowledge; a period of rigorous study which formally
assessed; a sense of public service; high standards of professional conduct; and the
ability to perform some specific demanding and socially useful task in a demonstrably
competent manner”.

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7. REFERENCES

British council. Reflective teaching: Exploring our own classroom practice. Retrieved
from: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/reflective-teaching-exploring-
our-own-classroom-practice

Hadley, G. Action Research: Something for Everyone. Retrieved from:

http://www.nuis.ac.jp/~hadley/publication/jaltar/JALTAR.htm

Madrid, D (n.d) Observation and research in the language classroom. The nature and
scope of research. Spain: Fundacion Universitaria Iberoamericana FUNIBER

Prasongsook,S, 2010. Teaching and learning English at the grade 3 level of primary
school in Thailand: Evaluating the effectiveness of three teaching methods.
Retrieved from: http://www.canberra.edu.au/researchrepository/file/af3ad886-
3111-223a-3049-a6cb1ef22850/1/full_text.pdf

Ransdel, D. writing Creative. University of Arizona. Retrieved from:

http://ransdell.faculty.arizona.edu/creative_writing

Student writing attitude survey. Retrieved from:

http://bilingualteacherresource.yolasite.com/resources/AttitudeSurveyPortraitEn
glish.pdf

Wallace, M. (1991). Training Foreign Language Teachers. Cambridge University Press.

Cambridge

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8. APENDICES

APPENDIX A

OBSERVATION SHEET FOR TEACHER

Source: Teaching and learning English at the grade 3 level of primary school in Thailand:
Evaluating the effectiveness of three teaching method. (pg. 85) Retrieved from:
http://www.canberra.edu.au/researchrepository/file/af3ad886-3111-223a-3049-
a6cb1ef22850/1/full_text.pdf

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APPENDIX B

OBSERVATION SHEET FOR STUDENTS

Source: Teaching and learning English at the grade 3 level of primary school in Thailand:
Evaluating the effectiveness of three teaching method. (pg. 85) Retrieved from:
http://www.canberra.edu.au/researchrepository/file/af3ad886-3111-223a-3049-
a6cb1ef22850/1/full_text.pdf

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APPENDIX C

Instructions for analysing Audio record

CENTRO EDUCATIVO ESPERANZA GALICIA

Audio recordings can be useful for considering aspects of teacher talk. 

 How much do you talk?

 What about?
 Are instructions and explanations clear?
 How much time do you allocate to student talk?
 How do you respond to student talk?

Instructions for analyzing Video records

Video recordings can be useful in showing you aspects of your own behavior. 

 Where do you stand?

 Who do you speak to?
 How do you come across to the students?

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APPENDIX D

QUESTIONARIE FOR TEACHER (Interview by Audio recording)

1. Can you introduce the background of your education and learning and teaching
English?
2. What are obstacles for teaching English in your school?
3. What support do you need in teaching English?
4. What systems are applying in your classroom, in order to enable the writing?

QUESTIONAIRE FOR STUDENTS (Interview by Audio recording)

1. How old are you?

2. When did you start with English classes in the school?
3. How do you feel about learning English in the previous years?
4. What do you enjoy doing more in your English classes?

APPENDIX E

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Source: Student Writing Attitude survey. Bilingual teacher resource. Retrieved from:
http://bilingualteacherresource.yolasite.com/resources/AttitudeSurveyPortraitEnglish.pdf

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APPENDIX F

CENTRO EDUCATIVO ESPERANZA GALICIA

Name: ____________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________

WRITE 4 WORDS FROM THE WORD WALL

____________________ _____________________

_____________________ ______________________

USE TWO OF TE WORDS IN A SENTENCE

_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
____________________________________.

ILUSTRATE YOUR SENTENCE

APPENDIX G

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Rubrics for checking Writing

Retrieved from: https://es.pinterest.com/pin/319474167301124970/

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Education is becoming globalized alongside the economy

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