Class Observation

BASIC INFORMATION

Observer Name: Marina Cervera Teruel Date: 11/25/2019

Class Level: 101 Language: Spanish

Number of students: 20

1. GENERAL PEDAGOGY

Goals for the class: What were the specific goals for the class? Were the objectives for the
class clear and concrete?

There was one goal for the class and it was very clear: to learn the use of reflexive verbs. Stu-
dents learned reflexive pronouns and verbs.

Learning outcomes: What did students learn when they got out of class?

The students learned how to describe their daily routine through the use of reflexive verbs. They
also learned how to express their emotions using specific reflexive constructions.

Sequencing of activities: How were activities sequenced (from content to form, form to content,
simple to complex)? What activities were effective, engaging, etc.?

Activities were sequenced from form to content. First of all, students learned reflexive pronouns
and its grammar use. Then, they learned the meaning of some reflexive verbs. Then, they saw the
difference between reflexive forms (eg. Yo me lavo) and non-reflexive forms (eg. Yo lavo el
coche). Then, they practiced grammar conjugating verbs in the reflexive form. Then, in pairs,
they answered different questions from the book using reflexive constructions.

At the beginning, it was simple. First, students learned reflexive verbs. Then, they compared
them to non-reflexive verbs. This comparison asked them to be more critical. Activities were also
simpler at first: students practised reflexive verbs through grammar, writing the answers. Then,
they were asked to practise that through speaking which was more complex. They did not have
time to think and they had to construct sentences based on their knowledge and personal experi-
ence. The most effective activities were the ones in which students worked in groups. When they
conjugated the verbs, they discussed the answers and helped each other. In the oral activity, they
were engaged, but sometimes they answered in English. They did not know how to say certain
words.

2. LANGUAGE TEACHING APPROACH

Teaching Approach: Did the instructor teach communicatively and through task-based activi-
ties? What techniques did the teacher use during activities and for giving feedback (e.g., negotia-
tion of meaning, TPR, use of authentic materials, use of real-world tasks, recasts, comprehension
checks, clarification requests, overt error correction, etc.)

In this lesson, the teacher did not teach communicatively. It was a grammar-based class. Students
performed written and oral tasks based on the new grammar they had learned. To give feedback
on pronunciation, the instructor used recast. He repeated the word “lavar” which one student
mispronounced as “llavar”. Throughout the grammar explanation, he also used comprehension
checks such as “¿Sí?” or“¿Claro?”. In one occasion, he used overt correction. One student said
“yo peino”, trying to say he brushed his own hair. The instructor used this error to revise the dif-
ference between the reflexive and non-reflexive form of the verb “peinar”. He provided the fol-
lowing example: “Yo me peino” vs “yo peino la muñeca”

Use of target language: How is the target language used in the classroom vs. the native lan-
guage (for communication, for questions, for interaction, for explanations, etc.)? When is the
target language used (teacher-to-student, student-to-teacher, student-to-student)?

In general, the instructor gave the explanations in Spanish. Students could follow the explana-
tions because the descriptions on the powerpoint were written in English. The instructor made
small comments in English. If a student had a question, s/he asked in English. The instructor an-
swered to those explanations also in English.

The target language was used when the teacher asked students questions about vocabulary (eg.
¿qué significa “levantarse”?) or personal questions using the new vocabulary (eg. ¿Usas desper-
tador para levantarte?, ¿Qué haces cuando te sientes triste?). Students answered always in Eng-
lish. Students spoke Spanish only when they answered questions from the book, that is to say,
when they had a written model.

Explanations: How are explanations presented to students (visuals, lecture, group work, etc.)?

The instructor explained grammar using a powerpoint. The explanation was a combination of
lecture and visuals.
In one occasion, the teacher combined explanation with examples. For instance, in the oral activ-
ity, the teacher specified which sentences could be difficult to answer. He provided a sample an-
swer students could rely on: (eg. “¿Qué haces cuando te sientes triste? Cuando me siento triste,
veo una película, cuando me siento triste como dulces…)

3. CLASSROOM DYNAMICS

Focus of the class: How was each part of the class structured (teacher-centered, student-cen-
tered, activity centered)?

At the beginning, the class followed a teacher-centered dynamic. The teacher gave the grammar
explanation to students (15 min.). Then, the class followed an activity-entered dynamic. Students
completed a grammar task with the knowledge they had acquired on reflexive verbs. Finally, the
last 15 minutes of the class were more student-centered. Students asked questions to each other
in Spanish. The questions were based on their personal experience: (eg. ¿A qué hora te levantas
durante la semana? ¿Te enojas frecuentemente con tus amigos?).

Teacher: What was the main role of the teacher (facilitator, lecturer, etc.)?

The teacher acted as a lecturer at the beginning. Then, during the activities, he acted as a facilita-
tor. During the grammar and the oral task, he moved around the class listening to them and an-
swering questions on the language. On one occasion, a student had question on vocabulary. In
the sentence “¿Usas despertador para levantarte?” The student asked the meaning of “desperta-
dor”. The teacher said that “despertar” meant “to wake up”, and “despertador”, “alarm clock”.
The teacher asked the question “¿Usas despertador para levantarte?” to the student. The student
answered “no uso despertador”. The teacher asked, then, “¿cómo te levantas?”. The student an-
swered in English saying that she just woke up. The teacher said “¿En español?,the student:
“Ah, me levanto”.

Students: What opportunities were given to students to engage in a variety of learning

activities and communication structures? Specifically, discuss which communication modes were
addressed (interpretive, interpersonal, presentational), how, and if cultural understanding was
involved.

The class was very varied, the instructor used different communication structures. He used a pre-
sentational structure when he explained the grammar. Through the visuals, he explained the
grammar theory and asked students to read. Then, this presentation turned more interactive. The
instructor showed a list of verbs in Spanish. Students did not have a translation in English. The
instructor asked them to guess the meaning of them. On their books, they had some images relat-
ed to these verbs. At this stage, the presentation turned more interpretive. Finally, the lesson
added an interpersonal approach: the students asked questions to each other using the new lan-
guage.

Group work: How was the group work structured (specific roles for students, reporting to the
class, etc.)?

After the grammar explanation, the instructor asked students to complete a grammar activity in
pairs or groups. He did not specify the groups, because it was up to the students to complete the
activity in groups or on their own.

Then, the students did the oral activity. In this case, the instructor specified with whom students
were going to work. After the task, the teacher asked some of this questions to the class so that
students could share their answers with the rest of their classmates.

4. ATMOSPHERE

How would you describe the atmosphere in the class (academic, relaxed, tight, etc.)?

In general, there was a relaxed atmosphere in the classroom. During the grammar explanations,
students asked questions and participated. When they did the grammar activities, they worked in
pairs/groups. However, group work was not obligatory, and some of them worked on their own.

5. FINAL IMPRESSIONS

What aspects of the class you observed impressed you the most?

One of the most important things that I saw was that the instructor gave them the possibility to
work as they preferred, in groups or on their own. Unlike oral tasks, grammar activities do not
require group work. In that case, it was a grammar activity so group work was not obligatory. I
think that this releases stress to those students that have trouble with the language and need help
from their classmates. At the same time, it respects introverted students that prefer working on
their own.

I also found something interesting in the oral activity. The teacher did not only help students with
vocabulary and language. He fostered communication. For instance, when the student asked him
on the meaning of “alarm clock”, he seized the opportunity to ask her questions on the topic and
make sure she answered properly in Spanish. Another good thing he did in the speaking was pro-
viding sample answers to give the students some ideas: “Cuando me siento triste, veo una pelícu-
la, cuando me siento triste como dulces…”.