Lesson 3

Lesson procedure presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pfNZLSvFwB_5D2XVJGFXBgrPB2MhI3E0/view?usp=sharing

Objectives : As the correct usage of numbers is of utmost importance in the work of engineers, the main objective of the lesson is to drill usage and pronunciation of numbers, characters and formulae. By the end of the lesson students will have gained competence in producing numbers orally by completing numerous oral exercises in pairs and groups. The students will have also practised making and describing the graphs in English, presenting them in front of the class.

PLANNING AND PREPARATION FOR THE CLASS

It took a significant amount of time to prepare for this class. The major factor contributing to this was my inexperience in teaching engineers how to read out numerals and math formulae. I had to go carefully through theory and combine the information from many sources to glue the components of the lesson. Consulting with the guiding teachers really helped as they suggested the most important things I needed to focus on in the lesson, the points that are of the most challenge to the Finnish students. The collaboration with the guiding teachers proved how important the work community is in teaching and that you can always ask for hints and advice from the professionals who have more experience teaching in a particular context than you do.

Most of the activities in the class were designed to be oral as the main objective was to guide students to pronounce, not write or read about the numerals. I decided to start the lesson with a video of US auction chanting as a funny and a light-hearted way to introduce the topic and warm students up to using English. The warm-up was followed by theory I gave to students to go through and then the practical oral exercises. Apart from the very technical drill exercises on numeral pronunciation I included more engaging tasks to vary the lesson flow in order for students not to lose their motivation and focus throughout the lesson just doing dry drills. These were interactive activities such as opinion poll, making and presenting a chart, number quiz with world facts, dominoes. Saying time in English exercises had a personalised design and were highly communicative.  The lesson plan was strong, and it was designed to meet the main objectives.

HOW DID I FEEL BEFORE CLASS?

Nervous as it was the first time teaching a tricky for my 100 % humanitarian brain topic of numerals, equations and formulae. I had to thoroughly prepare myself on the topic, learn certain language points, it was far beyond preparing the lesson methodologically.

HOW DO I FEEL AFTER THE CLASS?

I felt pleased as the main objectives of the class were met and the students seemed to follow the class engaged and motivated. I was a bit disappointed as the class started half an hour behind schedule since the students had an exam in the previous class, so I couldn’t do all the things I wanted us to do during the class. However, I managed to go through the focus tasks and met the lesson objectives.

WHAT WENT WELL IN CLASS? WHAT WORKED?

All activities worked well in class and kept students motivated and engaged. The poll activity was particularly lively.

WHAT DIDN’T GO SO WELL? WHAT WOULD I CHANGE?

Due to the time being cut I did not manage to include in the lesson more engaging activities and had to go mostly through the language drill activities to meet the objectives. Also at some point the instructions were not so clear to the students, I had to adjust the instructions to eliminate the confusion.  

MY STRENGTHS

• Visual help (written instructions)
• Clear objectives and focus on meeting them, strong lesson plan
• Interactive activities
• Confident monitoring and timely error correction
• Personal guiding through the challenging bits
• Rapport

POINTS FOR IMPROVEMENT

• More explicit instructions
• Managing different types of students

GUIDING TEACHERS’ FEEDBACK
Apart from my guiding teacher my tutor was also there observing my lesson. Both gave me rather positive feedback and praised on the shape and delivery of the lesson.