TESOL Certificate Programs

Observation Notebook

Observation Report Form

Name of Observer_ _Jiawei Liu____ Observation # ___4____

Date Observation Class Skill/Content Level Teacher

Environment*
Feb 3 Face To Grammar Noun Clause 500 Lisa Zufferey
Face

*Include the URL if the class was online

WRITE THE OBJECTIVES ACCORDING TO THE OBSERVATION GUIDELINES:

1. Students will be able to identify the direct object noun clause, the subject noun clause
and the object of preposition noun clause.
2. Students will be able to produce sentences with the noun clause.

Notes while observing:

09:58 T writes todays topic on the top of the board.

Noun Clauses from Wh-/information questions
10:00 Class begins.
T checks Ss attendance with calling their names.
T asks Ss to take out the the handout which was distributed yesterday and shows it
around the class to make sure everyone has one.
After all the Ss take out the hanout, T explains that there are different types of noun
clauses that Ss can use.
10:05 T transcribes two questions from the handout to the board.

When did Steve Jobs introduce the Mac?

What was Steve Jobs first computer called?

The first question that T focuses on is When did Steve Jobs introduce the Mac?
T asks, Do you know when?
Ss shake their head and answer No.
According to Sss reaction, T guides, No guesses? Nobody studied computer
history?
Ss still shake their head.
10:10 T answers the question by herself, I looked it up. Its on January 24th, 1984.

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Observation Notebook
T inspires Sss interests through sharing her experience, I remember this day,
because its my daughters birthday. But she wasnt born in 1984. She is not 33, but she
is 23.
Ss laugh.
T says, So I discovered and points at the first question to elicit Ss to finish a noun
clause.
10:15 T writes the correct answer on the board (Example 1).

I discovered when SJ introduced the Mac.

T underlines the noun clause and analyses the structure of the sentence on the
board. We have a Wh- question coming after a subject and a verb. So from our list of
three noun clauses, which one is it?

S. V.
I discovered when SJ introduced the Mac.

Some of Ss talk with their neighbors in a low voice.

T gives some hints to Ss, Do you think its a direct object? Or a subject? Or an
object of preposition?
A S answers, Direct object.
T gives the positive feed back, Good!
T continues to analyze the sentence on the board, A direct object comes after a
verb.

S. V. + D.O.
I discovered when SJ introduced the Mac.

10:20 T turns to the second question, Alright, here is another sentence. What was Steve
Jobs first computer called?
Ss keep silent.
T asks again, Do you have any idea? Its not Mac. No guesses?
Ss still shake their heads.
T sits down in front of the computer and says, Ill show you!
Ss raise their head and look at the screen.
T adjusts the screen, Can you see the name? L-I-S-A. Lisa!
Ss laugh and the class atmosphere starts to be active.
T shows her surprise, Oh, my gosh! Thats me! Wow! Do you think I forget the
name? No, I dont forget my name. So I want to check out more information about it.
Can you guess how much the Lisa computer cost in 1983?
One of Ss doesnt catch up the question and asks for repetition.
T repeats the question again.
Ss guess, $6,000? $10,000?
T nods and answers, Almost $10,000 in 1983! So today, that will be about
$23,000 for one computer.
Ss are surprised about the high price.

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Observation Notebook
10:25 T leads the Sss attention back to the grammar. We can also use them to talk about
our grammar.
T writes down another example of the direct object on the board (Example 2).

How much did Steve Jobs Lisa cost?

I found out how much SJs Lisa cost.

T explains the word and analyses the structure of the sentence, marking the
important point on the board. Find out is a verb. Out looks like a preposition, but
find out together makes one verb-a phrasal verb. Find out means discover some
information, so find and find out have different meaning. Thats why its a phrasal
verb, no preposition.

How much did Steve Jobs Lisa cost?

I found out how much SJs Lisa cost.
V. (Phrasal Verb) D.O.

According to Example 1&2, T elicites the rule from these examples. (Be sure to
omit helping verb do, does, or did in a noun clause.)
10:30 T makes a comprehension check and examines Sss the former knowledge that St
learned about the simple past. I take out did, but I didnt change this verb(cost). Why
not?
A S answers, Cost, cost, cost. They are the same.
T gives the positive feedback and explains, Yeah! Cost, cost, cost. Sometimes we
change the verb, if it is a verb that will be come ed, for example. But sometimes we
dont.
10:35 T presents Ss with a new example and writes it on the board (Example 3).

How much it cost is crazy.

T asks, How much it cost is crazy. Do you agree?

Ss nod and answer, Yes!
T divides the sentence into two parts (Something is crazy. & How much it cost?) to
analyses the structure of the sentence on the board. Something is crazy, I can also say
it.

How much it cost is crazy.

(It) singular

T compares this sentence with the former example (The direct object noun clause)
and asks, Do you remember which form this is? That one is the direct object. How about
this one?
S answers, Subject.
T nods and analyses the structure of the sentence on the board.

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Observation Notebook
Subject Noun Clause
How much it cost is crazy.
(singular) It (singular)
main verb

T writes another example on the board (Example 4) and highlights every word part.

Subject Noun Clause

Why they left is unknown.
(singular) It (singular)
main verb

According to Example 3&4, T figures out the rule from the example. (When the
noun clause is a subject, use a singular main verb.)
10:40 T gives a new example and writes it on the board (Example 5).

Why did the Lisa cost so much?

Im curious about why the Lisa cost so much.

T gives the direction to Ss about this type of noun clauses. Here we have the word
about. This noun clause comes after the preposition about, so this one we call object
of preposition.

Im curious about why the Lisa cost so much.

(preposition) object of a preposition

T summarizes that there are three types of noun clauses. (Direct Object; Subject;
Object of Prep.)
10:45 T asks Ss to look at the information in the handout and reads, When who or what
is the subject, do not change the word order.
Ss look puzzled.
T explains this point with an example (Example 6).

Who invented the mouse?

No one really knows who invented the mouse.

T asks Ss to find out the difference between the question and the noun clause.
Ss answer in chorus, No difference.
T nods and repeats the rule again. So When the question word is the subject: who
or what, no change.
T writes another example (Example 7) one the board and analyses their structure.

S. V.
Who is absent?
S. V.
I wonder who is absent.

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Observation Notebook

10:50 To make sure slower Ss can also catch up with, T gives an another oral example
and repeat the rule a third time. Same with what. What happened last night? Can you
tell me what happened last night? No change. So what or who as a subject, do not change
anything from the question to the noun clause. Understand?
Ss respond in chorus, Yes.
T gives the positive feedback, Excellent!
10:52 T asks Ss to do some exercise (about the noun clause) in the textbook. (Fill in the
blanks according to the tape)
10:55 T checks answers.
10:58 T gives Ss homework.
Class ends.

What did you learn about teaching or learning from this lesson as it relates to the
theory you have studied in your TESOL classes? Include at least one reference (with
an in-text citation) to support your response. (250-500 words)

In this observation, I focused on the procedures and techniques for teaching grammar.
This is a 500-Level Grammar class, which is for low advanced students. The students in
this class were from different countries, such as Korea, Japan, China and Saudi Arabia. I
wanted to see how the teacher helped the students master the noun clause.

In terms of the technique for teaching grammar, Lisa combined the inductive approach
with the deductive approach to teach the grammar. According to Harmer (1999), in an
inductive approach, students are presented with examples, rather than rules, then they
figure out the generalization from the examples (p.49). It is evident that the rules
discovered by self are likely to be more memorable and impressive. In Lisas class, she
gave students Example 1&2 to help them derive the understanding of the rule (omit
helping verb do, does, or did in a noun clause). I learned that it is worthwhile to spend
some time in inducing students to generalize some rules by themselves. Furthermore,
grammar was also taught deductively in her class. At 10:45, Lisa presented a rule (When
who or what is the subject, do not change the word order), which was followed by
Example 6&7. She explained how the rule can be applied through the two examples, so
that students mastered the rule quickly. In fact, it seems possible that some rules can be
explained more digestibly than induced from multiple examples.

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Observation Notebook
In addition, I compared the recipe for teaching grammar with Lisas classroom
procedures. Although not following the recipe strictly, her class involved some steps. She
did the presentation of pattern in context and mechanical drills. Before the end of class,
she spent 2 minutes in asking students to do a mechanical drill in the textbook, in which
students did not need to read the sentence. I found that there are some meaningful drills
and communicative drills in students homework. I learned that it was a good way to
follow the recipe in teaching grammar or choose some steps from the recipe. The recipe
had a positive impact on creating an efficient and quality teaching environment.

Harmer, Jeremy. (1999). How to Teach Grammar. Charlbury: Pearson Education Limited.

Last Updated: 3/16/2017 12:48 PM