4163 Cambridge International Award in Teaching and Learning

Assessment task 1: Evidence of reflection

Use this template to help you write your reflection before getting formative feedback. You can
then change your draft based on the feedback. When you are ready to submit your portfolio,
copy the text into the ePortfolio template provided. You should use continuous prose without
subheadings.

1. Identify and explain the key features that you think make an effective lesson by reflecting on
the experienced practitioner’s lesson and subsequent discussion with your mentor.

I believe that the teacher’s pedagogical content knowledge gave a strong impact on the
learning atmosphere and the students’ result. As students progressed in the discussion, the
teacher facilitated them in groups, scaffolding the depth of the discussion from basic
brainstorming keywords into a more elaborate sentences. This is one of the key features of an
effective lesson, because according to an expert in education, Nancy Balaban (1995, p. 52),
scaffolding gives a foundation to the way the teacher guides the students’ learning via focused
questions and positive interactions. The teacher chose this approach to avoid common
mistakes in concepts and answers, such as confusing the process of losing or gaining
electrons, reducing or oxidizing agents. This would systematically build a strong foundation for
the chapter. A clear instruction motivated the students in groups to explore more on
challenging questions. The students were not afraid of making mistakes, because they were
comfortable in groups and their peers could give a feedback to other groups, providing a
supporting environment. Each group was asked to start with the same questions (closed
questions), then randomly asked a group to present the answer. Collaboration was
deliberately targeted. Sometimes, the teacher gave provoking questions to a group to engage
the students, which would make them think on an open-ended question. At the end of the
assessment, the teacher gave a time to do an individual reflection by writing on their
notebooks. This is a good culture in the class, because according to Richards, Jack and
Lockhart (1994, p. 4) the critical reflection provides an ongoing process and a routine part of
teaching. This is the reason why notebooks were later submitted and the teacher could keep
track on the students’ learning journey. The learning objectives were revisited at the end of the
assessment to remind the students how success look like in the lesson.

2. Evaluate the impact the new learning and experiences in the Explore tasks and the Engage
stage will have on your practice as you prepare to return to school.
John Hattie and Yates (2013, p. 25) states that students are highly selective in what they are
paying attention to. The excellent class discussion has an effect size of 0.82. If I use this in my
lesson effectively, I might accelerate their learning. This motivates me to become a mentor in
class rather than a single expert in class. In the future, my class will have more active learning
through discussion and collaboration. I can facilitate the students to share a lesson to their
peers. This will create a supporting environment and an engaging learning process.

Word limit: 400 words Word count: 405

Cambridge International Award in Teaching and Learning

References:
Please make sure you have followed academic conventions and referenced your work correctly.
We advise you to use the Harvard reference system.

Balaban, N., 1995. Seeing the child, knowing the person. To become a teacher, pp.49-57.
Hattie, J. and Yates, G.C., 2013. Visible learning and the science of how we learn. Routledge.
Richards, J.C., Jack, C. and Lockhart, C., 1994. Reflective teaching in second language classrooms.
Cambridge university press.

2 4164 Evidence of Learning and Reflection for assessment in 2017