Guidelines for Assignment 4: Lessons from the classroom

The following document is a set of guidelines for Assignment 4. It should be read in conjunction
with the Assignment 4 Rubric as the guidelines will refer to different sections of the rubric. This
document is designed to help you prepare for the assignment, but if you have further questions,
contact your Online Course Tutor. There will also be an Assignment Forum where you can post
questions and comments.

Section 1: Teaching strengths

There is a range of ways you can identify your teaching strengths. You could use observation
feedback forms, self-evaluation forms and comments from tutorials. It would also be a good idea
to refer to the Stage 2 and Stage 3 assessment criteria in the CELTA 5. Using your notes, you can
then describe each of these areas in prose. For example:

Establishing good rapport with learners: From the first teaching practice the students seemed to
respond well to my manner and the way I conducted the class. They paid attention to what I was
saying, replied to my questions and felt comfortable enough to ask me questions when they
needed help. My tutor commented that my friendly approach helped to build rapport with the
class.

Section 2: Areas for improvement

Now look back through your portfolio at your feedback and self-evaluation forms and identify at
least three areas which still need improvement. You also need to consider how you intend to
make progress in these areas. When preparing for the assignment, you may like to make notes on
particular teaching areas. You could record them in a table like the one below.

Area for improvement How to make progress

1. During the language focus stage my board Do a board plan before the lesson which
work is often disorganised and messy so that includes a clear model sentence and different
it is difficult for the students to read. colours for meaning, form and pronunciation
features.

2. My tutors have often told me that I tend to Ask students questions to keep them involved
lecture students about grammar rules. throughout language presentations and
encourage them to work out grammar rules for
themselves.

3. My tutors have said that I do not help Include more drilling in my lessons, making
students with the pronunciation of new sure I model before asking students to repeat
language. words or chunks of language.

Using your notes, you should then describe each of these areas in prose:

Giving clear instructions: During my third lesson I realised when I was monitoring that many of the
students had not understood what I wanted them to do for the reading task because I rushed the
instructions, did a quick example myself without fully involving the students, and didnt ask them
questions to check they understood what to do. In fact, adding clarity to my instructions has been
one of my main action points throughout the course. In the future, I need to make sure I do a
clear example or demo with the whole class and ask questions to check students understand what
the task involves.
Section 3: Observations

For this section, look back at the notes you made during your live observations and the filmed
lessons you watched in the Observation Room. You should also include examples of skills and
techniques which your colleagues used in teaching practice. Using your notes, you can then
describe these skills and techniques, saying how you plan to use them in your own teaching:

I saw Allan teaching an advanced class in which the students had a debate about animal testing.
He wrote new lexis in a column down one side of the board, which he divided off with a straight
line, and used the rest of the board to record answers to the reading tasks. He also used a section
of the board for delayed error correction and for interesting language that he noted down while he
was monitoring. I would like to organise my board in the same way, with a lexis column and
different sections for answers and error correction.

Further development

You may have already thought about how to continue your development after the course, perhaps
by subscribing to an online teaching site. Here are some other ideas about how to increase your
ELT knowledge and skills:

Use methodology
books to research a
particular
approach, e.g.
Task-based
learning
Continue to
Read ELT journals,
develop your own
e.g. English
language
Teaching
awareness using
Professional
grammar books

Further
development
Evaluate your own
Organise peer
teaching by filming
observations or
and recording your
watch more filmed
lessons or keeping
lessons
a journal

Attend workshops,
conferences and
Attend a training
teaching
course
development
sessions

After making notes on some of these areas, describe them in prose:

I need to continue to work on my language analysis skills using grammar books such as How
English Works by M. Swan and Grammar for English Teachers by M. Parrott, because that is an
area I have found difficult during the course. I would also like to watch some more filmed lessons
to pick up tips on how to analyse language in class.
Assignment checklist

It is sometimes necessary to resubmit assignments, often because parts of the task have not been
answered or the criteria have not been met. In fact, re-doing the assignment can be a useful part
of the learning process. However, some common mistakes can easily be avoided, and the list
below shows the main reasons why candidates have to resubmit Assignment 4:

there are not enough examples of teaching strengths and areas for improvement. Include
at least three examples of each
the self-appraisal is not very realistic. Remember that excessive negativity is not evidence
of self-evaluation
there are no examples of teaching skills from observations of peers and experienced
teachers which candidates would like to incorporate into their own teaching
there are no examples of appropriate resources which could be used to help with
professional development, for example, reading journals or attending conferences.