The Example of Observation Report Rusnadi Ali Kasan

Journal Field Notes

Location: English Department of IAIN Antasari/Writing Class

Date: 11/01/12 Time: 1:00-1:50pm The 3rd of 32 Class Sessions

Purpose – Observe teacher’s method, Activity and students’ collaboration, teacher-

students’ interaction, and teacher’s assessment.
 your first draft own first draft.
writing”. Interestingly, he
Setting: He asked the Observer’s did that in not very
students to take Comments: serious face
I came to the class out their first expression and he
5 minutes earlier, draft writing, but I found this class was not mad, so
and took the seat some students did was interesting. the students still
in the back of the not bring it. The The teacher came felt comfortable but
class. Almost all class was a little to the class on surely they were
students were also bit noisy and time, and then embarrassed and
in the class, and some students started the lesson regretted.
some of them were talking, by greeting the
were talking with complaining and students to settle
their classmates. regretting that up the class. When
Exactly at 1:00 pm, they did bring or the teacher
the teacher came forgot to bring greeted the
to the class, put their first draft at students, the
It was a little bit
his stuffs, and that day. “Who suddenly quite, funny, when the
greeted his didn’t bring the even though there student asked me
students. first draft, come were some to come to the
T: Hi, and stand in front students were still front, since he
everybo of the class. Guys, talking with their found me didn’t
dy, how I told you last classmates. bring the first draft
is it Tuesday, right?. writing. He didn’t
going? Okay, now really know who
Everythi please, show me his friends are. It is
ng your first draft!”. understandable,
good? Personally, I like since they had just
Ss: Hello sir, yes, A student looked at the way the met three times in
we’re good. me and asked me to teacher introduced this class.
go to the front of what they were
The teacher then the class. But I going to do in the
told the students explained him that class. He gave
about what I’m not a student in clear instructional
they’re going to this class, but only objective at the
do during the an observer and time. The way he
lesson at that day. doing my class punished the
He explained that assignment. He students who
they were going then understood, didn’t bring their
to review the first and nodding his first draft was also
draft of students’ head. The teacher very good, and it
writing they did then went around seemed that the
in the previous the class to students didn’t feel
meeting. that they were
“Guys, listen, today being punished.
we’re going to He also double-
review your first checked and had
draft writing you students to show
did on Tuesday, him their first draft
and please take out to make sure every
student has their
The Example of Observation Report Rusnadi Ali Kasan
double-check and make sure that the
students had their first draft writing
with them. “Good, now you, go to the
library, and print out your first draft!”

While waiting for them, the teacher asked I think the teacher didn’t want to lose his
the rest students to see and analyze their time, so his asked the rest of the students to
writing based on the checklist they have in start reviewing their writing, while waiting
the course book. He also wrote down these for some other students printing out their
things on the whiteboard: essay. He had a clear instruction and
 Subject & verb direction on what the students had to do.
 Capital letter at the beginning He also wrote on the board, yet explained
of sentence what he wanted the students do at the time.
 ?, !, at the end
 Complete sentence
 Everything else connected to
the sentence.
“Now see and check your writing, please
refer to the checklist on your book about
the description essay. Pay close attention to
these things on the board; subject & verb,
capital letter, punctuations like full stop,
comma, question mark, etc., the sentence
complete or not”.
A student asked the teacher, “which one is
correct, my friend and me, or me and my
friend?”. The teacher then explained that it
should be “My friend and I, because they
are functioned as subject of the sentence”.
Some students also asked him about their
problems they had in their essay writing.
The teacher explained to them individually.
He then wrote some sentences/phrases on
the board:
The interaction between the students and the
teacher was very good. I tried to catch what
students asked about, but they frequently
asked individually to the teacher and in lower
voice. The teacher sometime explained to the
class, and sometime explained the problem
students had individually, because they have
different problems. But to general problems,
the teacher explained them to the class and
even wrote them down on the board, and
 Thesis statement (Topic + focus + main called students’ attention on his explanation.
points)
 Introduction
 Content, paragraphs - Topic sentence
 Conclusion
“Guys, please note those things on the
board”. He explained that an essay should
have a thesis statement, and it should have
topic, must focus, and consist of main points
you want to write. An essay should have
introduction, content, and conclusion.
The Example of Observation Report Rusnadi Ali Kasan
 statement? Does it Monday: Due time,
include the topic, submit on
After about 20 focus, and main Blackboard This is
minutes passed, points? How the interesting that
the teacher then essay is organized? the teacher tried
shared and Does the to collaborate the
distributed a introduction follow students by
feedback form to one of the type we asking them to
the student and discussed in the work with their
also gave me one. class. Does each classmates. He
He explained to paragraph support also asked them
the students that the thesis of the to have peers
he wanted them to essay? Is it unified? assessment.
work in pairs. Are the paragraphs
“Okay, now well developed? Is
everybody has got the essay well
the feedback form, developed? How
right? I want you could the writer
to work with your improve this essay?
friend and And etc. The teacher I think this was not
exchange your reminded the good, since the
essay. Try to assess students to be teacher did not try to
and give feedback honest and critical check his students
on your friend’s while assessing their whether they were
essay. friend’s writing. seriously did the task
“Please, be honest or not. I also think
The students and critical guys, that the class has a
worked with their tell or ask your rule on using the
friends, but not all friend and clarify phone in the class,
of them were everything you but he didn’t control
seriously did the don’t understand. and notice this
task their teacher problem.
give. Some of The teacher gave
them were texting almost about 20
on their phone, or minutes for the The teacher had clear
even open their students to work instruction and
facebook on the on this task. While direction on what he
phone. The the students were wanted the students
teacher didn’t working, he wrote to do in the class, but
notice this, since the note below: unfortunately he
he just stood up in Monday: New didn’t follow up with
front of the class, type/style of essay the action. He should
and sometimes (Topic + pre- actually went around
drank his coffee. writing the class to check or
Tuesday: 1st draft (in help the students,
The feedback’s lab), finishing draft perhaps they need
form consisted of Thursday: Special help or at least to
some questions topic/peer review check whether they
related to the Friday: Final draft, did the task seriously
essay, such as, finishing final draft or not.
what is the thesis
I think he gave to
long time for the
students to work,
and I noticed that
it wasn’t too
effective, since
some students
sometime just talk
about another
things, even they
spoke using their
first language with
their friends from
the same cultural
background. Some
students were
playing with their
phones.
The Example of Observation Report Rusnadi Ali Kasan
A student came to the teacher and asked
him some questions. The teacher
explained to her, and seemed that she
understood. The teacher then told to the
class, “Guys, if you can’t find thesis
statement or topic sentence or others, then
the essay isn’t good. Be honest, tell your
friend and ask him/her”.
I noticed that even though the teacher just
stood up in front of the class, but the
interaction between him and the students was
very good. He was willing to answer every
single question and problem the students
have.
The teacher reminded the students that they
had only five minutes more to finish their
review. And after the time was finished, he
asked them to discuss and questioning their
friends on the review they mad. “Guy, now
please turn your friend essay back t your
friend, and discuss your review with him/her
and ask questions if you don’t understand”.
I like the section when the teacher asked the
student to discuss their review on their friend
writing. However, he gave them too short
time for this, and it seemed that they didn’t
really discuss it. I noticed that only some
students did it well.

After about 5 minutes, the teacher then told I noticed that again the teacher was very clear
the students: “Okay guys, that’s enough for on the instruction and direction. But since it
today and we have only 5 minutes left, now was almost the end of class time, the students
look at the whiteboard, just to remind you did really pay attention to his explanation.
about what this class will be in every week. They seemed wanted to finish the class
And a quick explanation.” He then quickly.
explained what he wrote on the board about
the planning of what they will do every
week. Monday, we will have new type or
style of writing. We will talk about new topic
and doing pre-writing. Tuesday, we will
work in the laboratory and write the first
draft of writing, and etc. He continued
explaining those things to the students.
Any questions? Comments? Complains? The
teacher tried to call his students attention.
But nobody asked. He then reminded the
students that they had to submit their final
draft of this writing on Monday. “Guy, don’t
forget, you have to submit your final draft
this Monday, and submit it in the blackboard.
See you tomorrow. He then closed the lesson.
They way the teacher encouraged and
reminded his students were very interesting,
even though it was in the end of the lesson.
But that helped the students and reminded
them about their assignment.
After the class, I saw I like this, since the
some students came teacher still provided
to the teacher and his time for the
asked questions. But students to ask
I soon left the class. questions, related to
But say good bye and the materials/lessons
thanks the teacher. they are not clear yet.
The Example of Observation Report Rusnadi Ali Kasan

Observation Reaction/Analysis to ESL Writing Class (Level 5)

This observation was conducted at ESL Writing Class level 5, at the Institute

International Studies (IIS) of Murray State University. The class consisted of 15 students,

came from different national background. They are mostly from China, Saudi Arabia, and

some other Asian Countries, like Japan, Vietnam, and Korea. I noticed a Latino student who

perhaps came from Central America. The class was quite small, so for 15 students it was hard

for students to move freely in the class. The class was arranged in traditional arrangement

where the students were sitting in rows.

I was quite interested in how to teach writing class in ESL setting, since I had experienced

in teaching some writing classes in my country before studying here at the university. I want to

know how the teachers teach a writing class in ESL context, what the contents are, and how the

writing or the essay of the students assessed. Specifically this observation will focus to the method

of teaching, the class activity and students’ collaboration, teacher-students’ interaction, and

teacher’s assessment. Therefore, this observation was focused on those four aspects I mentioned

before, and will be explained as the following.

In this lesson, the teacher wanted his student to review their first draft essay which

they have written in the previous meeting. To reach his goal, I think the teacher employed

communicative approach, and applied some method such as task-based learning,

communicative language teaching method, and multiple intelligence techniques. These was

clearly seen, when he asked the students to take out their first draft writing and showed

him the essay which I believe that this was based on task-based learning. He also asked the

students to analyze their own essay, and then work in peer and collaborate with other

students. The use of this pair works and collaboration of the students showed us that the
The Example of Observation Report Rusnadi Ali Kasan

teacher implemented the CLT in his teaching and learning process. Besides, he also wrote

some materials and explanation about the lesson on the board and even provided the

students with handouts, instead of just explained the lesson orally. This was actually a good

example of applying multiple intelligence techniques in the process of teaching and learning

English as a second language, especially in the ESL writing class.

The teacher used different strategies in this class, and they were obviously from the

activities they did in the classroom. First, the teacher had the students to analyze their own

essay writing, and correct the mistakes or errors they made. He gave chances to the student

to ask him or even think critically about their writing. Second, he asked the student to work

in peers and collaborate with other students, which give students opportunity to assess and

think critically about their friend’s essay writing. Then he also asked the students to discuss

about the review they have made for their friend, even though only for a short time, but I

think because that was not the focus of the lesson, so it was fine.

Concerning to the students’ collaboration, I believe that the teacher tried to

collaborate the students, but the students themselves have little attention to the lesson they

have, and therefore when they are asked to work with their classmates, some of them did

another things, instead of really did the task their teacher gave. However, many of students

really did the task from the teacher. I noticed that they questioned their friends, even asking

their teacher about the problems they had and their friend had in their writing. They also

wrote down their assessment toward their friend’s essay in the peer assessment form the

teacher gave to them. This was an indication, that the collaboration of the students in that

class was good and run well.

Next, about the teacher-students interaction, from the observation, I noticed that the

interaction between them was very good. Teacher was not really strict in the class, and he did
The Example of Observation Report Rusnadi Ali Kasan

not really punish the students when they forgot to bring their first draft. He was also really

helpful and tried to explain everything to the students. He pleased every student to ask as

many as questions and answered them. Therefore, I also saw that the students were really

enthusiastic to ask many question addressed to him immediately, even individually. He

assisted the students with their problems they had. And this really showed me, that the

interaction between them was really good. However, when student were assessing and

collaborate together analyzing their friend’s essay writing, the teacher should not actually just

stayed in front of the class. Since for me, I would go around the class and assist my students

more on the problems they have, and then I would be able to control them whether they

really serious doing the task or not. In this observation, I did not notice that, and therefore, I

found out that some students were not really serious doing the task, instead they played with

their phone, or talked other topic than assessing their friend’s writing.

Finally, the teacher’s assessment on the students’ work or writing. I understand that the

teacher applied some assessment techniques in his teaching process. It seemed that he applied

formal and non formal assessment. He did really check that the students finished their first

draft writing. Then, he wanted them to finish their final draft in the next meeting.

While in the classroom, he assess the students’ progress on their writing by giving the peer

assessment feedback, which indirectly would help him in assessing student’s writing or work.

He sometimes, questioned students too while the students asked him questions, which I

thinks he wanted to know whether his students understand the concepts or materials

being learned. In this observation, I noticed that the teacher really wanted to keep the

students progress, from one step to another step, and that was why he wrote down the

activity they will have a long a week during this term period.
The Example of Observation Report Rusnadi Ali Kasan

In conclusion, this class was very effective and interactive even it was a writing class.

The methods of teaching were effectively employed by teacher, even he applied some

techniques and strategies which help the students understand easily the lesson being taught.

Students were actively involved and participated in the class activities. They felt very

comfortable to ask many questions to the teacher because they have a very good

relationship. They keep build it up and maintain it up during the process of the lesson. The

teacher’s assessment was done during the process of teaching and learning and it is

continually done, in the form of formal and non formal one.