Johan Wicomb

20639084

Mr.Human

PGPL40

 History Lesson 1 -24 March 2021-Songhai Empire

Introduction

I found this class was interesting. The teacher came to the class on time, and then started the lesson by
greeting the students to settle up the class. When the teacher greeted the students, the suddenly quite,
even though there were some students were still talking with their classmates.

Body

The teacher asked the students to take out their handbooks, and turn to the section dealing with the
Songhai: an African Empire in the 15th and 16 th centuries (around 1340 to 1591). The teacher handed
out papers with information on and started engaging with the learners about the topics he will cover
during the period, as follows:

• the Songhai Empire under Sonni Ali: governmentnand society;

• travel and trade in Songhai at the height of its power (Arab, Italian and Jewish merchants at
Timbuktu);

• learning and culture; and

• fall of the Empire: Moroccan invasion of 1591

Conclusion

Personally, I like the way the teacher introduced what they were going to do in the class. He wrote on
the board, because he didn’t have any technological aids to his disposal. He gave clear instructional
objective at the time. He started asking learners questions about their understanding of the Songhai.
Interestingly, he did that in not very serious face expression so the students still felt comfortable but
surely they were embarrassed and regretted.
• History Lesson 2 -31 March 2021-China

Introduction

The teachers lesson was well organised and thoughtfully planned. Subject knowledge of far east histroy
is excellent and high quality explanations that are used by teacher.In this lesson there was a good
balance of teacher talk and opportunities for learners to work in pairs and discuss the importance of
China in relation to their knowledge about Chinese history.

Body

The teacher discussed Chinese history, he didn’t make use of any powerpoint or overhead projector and
wrote all the notes on the board and asked the learners to write it over in their books. He discussed the
following with the students and gave them time to reflect on the importance of China in their daily lives
before he started.

India (Mughal) (1526 to 1858):

• the Mughal Empire: government and society;

• trade in the Indian Ocean and Islamic world;

• astronomy and technology (seamless celestial

globe);

• architecture in the 16th and 17th centuries: the Taj

Mahal; and

• Britain and the end of the Mughal Empire.

Conclusion

I think he gave to long time for the students to work, and I noticed that it wasn’t too effective, since
some students sometime just talk about another things, even they spoke using their first language with
their friends from the same cultural background. Some students were playing with their phones.

 History Lesson 3 -2 April 2021- The Dutch East Indian Company

Introduction

The teacher was discussing the impact of slave trading on societies He iterated the results of slave
trading impacted society at the Cape. Mr. Human also made use of notes that he copied for the learners
to use as reference. The point of the lesson was to introduce learners to answer essay question in the
April control tests.

Body

He discussed the main points of essay writing in detail he used the following examples as follows

Each paragraph should include a point that sustains the major point (line of argument) that was made in
the introduction. Explain in more detail what the main point is about and how it relates to the question
(line of argument).

Example: Select content that is relevant to the line of argument.

Relevant examples should be given to sustain it.

Ensure that the line of argument is sustained throughout the essay and is written coherently.

Conclusion

Besides explaining how to answer essay questions, he also wrote some materials and explanation about
the lesson on the board and even provided the students with handouts, instead of just explained the
lesson orally. This was actually a good example of applying multiple techniques in the process of
teaching and learning of history.

• History Lesson 4 -7 April 2021- America: Spanish conquest

Introduction

I came to the class a few minutes earlier, and took the seat in the back of the class. Almost all learners
were also in the class, and some of them were talking with their classmates. Exactly at 9:30, the teacher
came to the class, and greeted his students. He asked them to take out their workbooks and textbook
and turn to the section about the American Spanish conquest.

Body

He started by revisiting the issue of essay writing in the control tests. He again discussed the main points
of essay writing in detail he used the following examples as follows. Each paragraph should include a
point that sustains the major point (line of argument) that was made in the introduction. Explain in more
detail what the main point is about and how it relates to the question (line of argument). He then went
on discussing the Spanish conquest and the processes of conquest and colonialism.
• how colonisation led to the practice of slavery;

• the impact of slave trading on societies; and

• the consequences on the indigenous societies and in the world

He then touched on the subject of how essays will be marked in the controlled test and exams.

Conclusion

First, the teacher had the learners to analyze their own essay writing of the previous lesson about the
Dutch East India Company, and correct the mistakes or errors they made. He gave chances to the
student to ask him or even think critically about their writing. Second, he asked the student to work in
peers and collaborate with other learners, which give students opportunity to assess and think critically
about their classmates essay writing. Then he also asked the learners to discuss about the review they
have made for their classmates, even though only for a short time, but I think because that was not the
focus of the lesson, so it was fine.

 History Lesson 4 -8 April 2021- Heritage Project

Introduction

This lesson was very interesting for me as this was not lesson like the previous lessons. The teacher
talked about heritage in general. Almost all learners in the class participated in the discussion Mr.
Human asked the how does the celebration of the holiday bring unity and close the gaps of the past? He
then asked them to explain how the celebration of the day enforces the application of the constitution
of South Africa. He also made use of pictures in books that he did not do in the previous lesson he used
visual sources within the discussion to reinforce and explain the written information.

Body

The teacher then showed them how to write a history research essay. He asked them to write about a
topic related to heritage in South Africa.

He showed explained to them the following pointers on the overhead projector:

 The learners should have THREE weeks to gather evidence and contextualise it to the research
topic.
 The learners’ response should be in the form of an essay with introduction, body and
conclusion.
 3. No subheadings, point form and cut and paste in the content.
  Avoid putting visual sources on separate and isolated page. Visual sources should be given
captions that relate to the discussion in the research discussion.
 The length of Heritage assignment should be about SEVEN (7) pages long:

Cover page

Table of contents page

3 to 4 pages of both writing

And they can use visual aids like pictures in their essay, but the pictures must be relevant to the topic
they are writing about.

Conclusion

I noticed that again the teacher was very clear on the essay instruction. But since it was almost the end
of class time, the learners did really pay attention to his explanation. They seemed wanted to finish the
class quickly.