LESSON REFLECTION

INTRODUCTION
This English lesson was taught to the class NHOMRA2C on June 8th, 2023. The class is a mixed group
with CEFR levels of English ranging from A2-B1. The topic of the lesson was ‘building greater
connections.’ Overall, there were many positive aspects during the lesson. The lesson was also
observed by both my internship mentor and supervisor. Below is a detailed reflection on the lesson.

THE REFLECTION

1. What aspects of your lesson were implemented differently than you planned? Why did that
happen?
One aspect that was implemented differently than planned was the lesson ending: The activities before
took longer than anticipated, leading to a slightly rushed ending. I think I underestimated the time it
would take for students to complete the comprehension exercise and engage in discussions about the
idiomatic language. As a result, we had to skip part of the post activity and rush the lesson evaluation.

2. If you were going to teach this lesson to the same group of students, what would you do
differently? Why? What would you do the same? Why?

I would spend less time on the pre-activities. Next time, I would also use a timer for students to keep
track of the pace of the activity. However, I would keep the same approach of using a video to
introduce the topic because it would engage students. The video was authentic and captured students'
attention. The comprehension exercise also helped assess their understanding of the content.

3. What surprised you in your lesson?

The level of engagement and enthusiasm shown by the students during the lesson. They actively
participated, shared personal experiences, and were even cooperative during group tasks. Their
enthusiasm demonstrated their interest in the lesson and a willingness to apply the knowledge learnt
to write an appreciative note to someone at their work language skills learned.

4. Describe an instance or particular encounter that comes to mind. Why did you pick that instance?
What is so perplexing about that particular moment?

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One particular encounter that comes to mind is when students shared their appreciation notes for their
teachers. Most of them were appreciative for the valuable guidance and support from their teachers,
which greatly impacted their personal growth. This instance stood out because it highlighted the
real-world applicability of the lesson and reinforced the importance of building connections.

5. What connections can you make to your lesson today from your coursework, the literature, and
any previous lessons or experiences?

From previous lessons and experiences, I can connect the importance of interpersonal skills to success
in various areas of life. Whether in academics, careers, or personal relationships, strong connections
play a vital role in achieving goals and personal growth.

ANALYSIS

1. In what ways were your teaching methods effective? How do you know?

The didactic approaches used were effective facilitating their understanding of the topic. The TED talk
video for instance, served as an excellent scaffold, capturing their interest and providing practical
advice on building connections. The comprehension exercise allowed me to assess their
comprehension and the post activity helped reinforce the new knowledge learnt. Overall, the students'
positive performance is evident from the Nearpod reports too.

2. In what ways were your activities effective? How do you know?

The activities were effective in achieving the objectives of the lesson. The vocabulary exercises
(pre-listening) helped students expand their knowledge related to building connections. The
comprehension exercise (while-listening) ensured their understanding of the TED talk content. The post
activity allowed students to apply when they had learnt to their own lives, fostering a deeper
understanding and personal connection to the topic. The level of engagement and the quality of their
responses indicated the effectiveness of the activities.

3. In what ways were the instructional materials effective?

The instructional materials, particularly the TED talk video and the related vocabulary exercises, were
effective in enhancing students' learning experience. The video provided a real-world perspective on
building connections, while the vocabulary exercises helped students grasp the idiomatic language

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used in interpersonal communication. The materials complemented the lesson objectives and
facilitated students' understanding of the topic.

4. How did any special considerations of accommodations affect the lesson?

Special considerations of accommodations were taken into account by providing additional support for
students with a lower English level. Differentiated instruction was implemented throughout the lesson,
allowing catering for all students’ needs at the same time fostering inclusion. These accommodations
ensured that all students could participate and learn effectively.

5. In what ways did you access prior knowledge? Were any misconceptions revealed during this
lesson?
Prior knowledge was accessed through the warm up activity and the pre-listening. Students were able
to connect their existing knowledge and experiences to the topic by answering the three questions in
the warmup. No major misconceptions were revealed during the lesson, as the content aligned well
with their prior understanding of interpersonal connections.

6. What opportunities have you taken in this lesson to teach specific language to your students that
will be needed for their successful participation in this lesson?

Opportunities were utilised during the lesson to provide particular vocabulary linked to connecting
people. The vocabulary exercises emphasised phrases that are often used in interpersonal
conversation. By teaching students these phrases, they were given the language skills needed to
participate in discussions and understand the information in the TED talks. The explicit teaching of
idioms encouraged subsequent interactions to be more productive in terms of communication.

7. Consider the extent to which you provided opportunities for your students to practise using the
language in authentic situations. What skills/sub-skills were embedded and discussed in the lesson?

Students have the chance to practise utilising the language in real-world contexts throughout the
discussions and post-activity. By writing an appreciation note, they were able to put the advice from
the TED presentation into practice in their own lives. The talks also aided in the growth of
communication and interpersonal skills, such as empathy comprehension, active listening, and
opinion-expressing. Students were also encouraged to use critical thinking skills as they assessed the
tactics' efficacy and spoke about any potential drawbacks.

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8. Describe how you integrated technology into instruction. Did your instruction actively engage
students in using technology to build their knowledge and creatively express ideas?

Technology was integrated into the instruction through the use of NearPod and the TED talk video as a
central resource. The video actively engaged students in building their knowledge by providing them
with a visual and auditory experience. Additionally, for the activities, Nearpod was used to demonstrate
students' understanding and also ensure engagement.

9. Based on what happened in this lesson, what are the next steps? What do you plan to teach
following this class (spin-off)? Be sure to explain how you will use information from this evaluation in
future lesson planning.

The following phases would include giving students more practice chances to put the advice offered on
building better relationships into practice. Role-playing games or simply sharing personal stories about
how they are strengthening relationships with those around them might be used. The evaluation input
will be helpful in future lesson adjustments, especially in terms of more accurately anticipating the
student’s speaking levels and the time required for each role-play. The students' personal stories can
also become a practice for speaking skills.

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

1. What specific differentiated instruction strategies and assessments are used in this lesson? Be
specific.

a) Throughout the lesson, I used differentiated instruction Strategies and Assessments:

Firstly, I used visual aids like the TED talk video and associated visuals to increase comprehension and
engagement in order to accommodate diverse learning styles. Secondly, students practised their grasp
of essential phrases by working through vocabulary tasks and idiomatic phrases that were connected to
building connections. Thirdly, the video's comprehension exercise tested students' knowledge of the
subject matter and their ability to put the techniques they learned to use.

b) To support the needs of students, I implemented several strategies:

​ i) simplified language: I made sure that my explanations were precise and simplified to account
for their varying levels of language skills in the class.

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 ​ i) Use of Visuals: To make the topics easier for students to understand and relate to their own
experiences, I utilised visuals, gestures, and examples from everyday life.
​ iii) Paired Learning: During group activities, students were paired up to provide peer assistance
and language modelling.

c) Adaptation of Lesson Objectives for Students:

To cater to ESL students, I modified the lesson objectives by adjusting the exercises' difficulty to make
sure that students could complete them while still meeting the objectives of the lesson.

d) Adaptation of Lesson Procedures for ESL Students:

I gave step-by-step assistance and support throughout exercises, allowing the students to progressively
increase their comprehension and confidence. I also modified the instructional processes to match the
needs of ESL students. Additionally, I gave precise directions, checked for understanding, and offered
more clarifications as necessary.

e) Adaptation of Lesson Assessment for Students:

The comprehension exercise included multiple-choice questions that provided the students with
options to show their understanding. To ensure that students had the chance to fully express their
understanding of the comprehension exercises, extra time and help were also provided as needed.

2. Describe how you assessed how the lesson impacted student learning? What worked? What would
you change?

I watched how the students interacted with the lesson, kept track of how they responded to the
activities, and went over the tasks they had finished. Overall, students participated fully in the class,
showed understanding of the concepts, and successfully applied them to their solutions. However, I
would think about giving students additional chances to practise using idioms and offering more
detailed instructions on how to do so.

3. Identify an individual or group of students who had difficulty in today’s lesson. How do you
account for this performance? How will you help this (these) student(s) achieve the learning
objectives?

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Some students found it difficult to understand the meaning of the idiomatic words in the activities
involving colloquial language. I blame that on the lack of practice and exposure to real-world language
situations. I am going to give them more idiomatic phrase activities as a way of helping them familiarise
with the language.

4. Identify an individual or group of students who did especially well in this lesson today. How do you
account for this performance?

Two students, Jayden and Ayman, were outstandingly active in the discussions and displayed great
understanding of the in-depth listening and post activities. Their high levels of interest, proficient
language skills and perhaps the incorporation of ChatGpt accounted for their success. As I commend
them for their engagement, I will also continue to urge them to help their peers during the lesson.

5. If you were going to teach this lesson again to the same group of students, what would you do
differently? (Consider: grouping, methods, explanations, materials, evaluation, activities, scaffolding)
Why? What would you do the same? Why?

During the idiomatic language tasks, provide more specific instruction and modelling to assist students
comprehend and use the expressions. I would also shorten some activities so as to evaluate the lesson
goals at the end of the lesson because this was not done well last time.

6. Based on what happened in this lesson, what do you plan to teach next to this class? Be sure to
explain how you will use information from this evaluation in future lesson planning.

I want to offer a lesson on successful communication techniques in the workplace based on the results
of this session's evaluation. The information received from this assessment will be used by me to
modify the lesson to accommodate the needs of all students. In order to improve students'
comprehension and use of efficient communication skills in a professional context, I will also think
about including real-world workplace situations and role plays.