TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook

Observation Report
Forms for inclusion in the Observation Notebook must be typed

Name of Observer___Ye Ran___ Observation # Pronunciation

Date

Observation
Environment (include

URL if the class was

online)

01/27/2015 R446

Class
Skill/Content
Pronunciation

Class
Teacher
Level/Number
(Beg./Int./Adv.)
Intermediate
Deborah J.
Peterson

Focus on relevant areasfrom the What Can Be Observed handout. Notice how the
teacher handles these areas during the class.
OBJECTIVE OF THE LESSON:
SS will review the differences between the lax vowel /i/ and the tense vowel /iy/.
SS will practice the pronunciation of some phrases and sentences which contain vowels
/i/ and /iy/ by doing speaking exercise.
SS will distinguish the lax vowel /i/ and the tense vowel /iy/ through listening exercises.
c

Notes while observing

1. At 9:10 am, T begins the class by reviewing what Ss learnt last time. T makes a
contrast between the lax vowel /i/ and the tense vowel /iy/. To create the /iy/ vowel
sound, people must pull their lips back into a smiling position. However, when saying
the [] vowel sound, our mouth is more relaxed (not stretched into a smile) and is in a
neutral positionnot too open, but not closed. To exemplify, T gives specific words
like quit and bleak and pronounces the words perfectly so that Ss could tell how
to articulate the two vowels.
2. After the presentation, Ss are supposed to present their homework that is to
pronounce phrases and short sentences with high front vowels /i/ and /iy/.(handout 1).
T arranges a one- on-one correction process so that she could check if everyones
pronunciation is right. Once some students make mistakes, T, as a model, will
pronounce the words in a correct way and let Ss repeat it.

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
3. While emphasizing the stress and intonation of those forgoing phrases and sentences,
T also check if Ss use Reduction, Linking, and Contraction correctly, because Ss have
learnt some background knowledge about Reduction, Linking, and contraction a few
weeks ago.
4. Ss do the Speaking exercise (handout2) with their partners. First of all, Ss follow the
T to practice the words in the box one by one. Then, Ss need to make some short
dialogues based on the picture below and those words in the box. When Ss making
conversations with each other, T, as a monitor, walks around and answers Ss
questions. After ten minutes, each group will do the role play.
5. After the role play, T asks student stand up and plays records of vocabulary words
which contain /i/ vowel or /iy/ vowel. Ss are required to raise their hands when
hearing the words with /i/ vowel and put up their hands when hearing the words with
/iy/vowel. Every four words have one scrambled word that the vowel is different from
other three words. For instance, is, head, give, with or cheap, spill, win and hit.
(continue on back)
What did you learn about teaching or learning from this lesson?Discuss your
observation focus, and the theory you have studied in your TESOL classes. Consider
the three levels of teacher reflection (surface, pedagogical, critical). (100-200 words)
What I learnt from the class is that using body language helps students to quickly get to
the point. As a case in point, T tapped a desk to help students find the stress of phrases
and sentences. Moreover, T waved her arms up and down to indicate the change of
intonation. T also designed a game which requires students to stand up and move their
body. This process combined Ss verbal intelligence and body intelligence. According to
psychologist Howard Gardner (1983), individuals have at least eight distinct
intelligences that can be developed over a life time. (p.191) T motivated Ss abilities of
listening and pronouncing by using body language when interacting with Ss. It gives Ss
an idea that they can apply various techniques to memorize new things and do a deeper
analysis.
Anderson, M & Larsen-freeman, D. (2011). Techniques & principles in Language
Teaching. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook
What activities/techniques from this class do you want to remember for your own
teaching practice?Discuss specific ways in which you could apply the techniques and
methods you saw. Discuss your future teaching environment and your students needs
and goals. (100-200 words)
One method I want to use in my own teaching practice is to do one-on-one correction for
Ss pronunciation mistakes. Ss have different weaknesses of pronouncing a certain
sounds. In the future, I will do a quick correction of their pronunciation one by one in
class if the students number is less than 20. After class, I would like to do a class
reflection that concludes students specific mistakes. Then I will produce another
pronunciation lesson plan based on the reflection. Thus, my students will have a few
opportunities to realize their own mistakes and correct them by different activities.