Practice in Teaching English as a Foreign Language

OBSERVATION REPORT

Week: 1 Date: 6/11/2018 Observation No: 1

Grades reported on: Α1 (beginners), A2 (beginners), B1, Β2, Γ2

Observation focus: Classroom Atmosphere

_The first week of my teaching practice was quite a surprise to me, especially in terms of the
atmosphere that prevailed in the classroom during the lessons. The relationship between the teacher
and the learners is remarkable, firstly due to the former’s confidence, readiness and experience on
the material being taught, and secondly, due to the high participation and contentment of the latter.
Motivation to be active in the classroom is evidently provided by the teacher, while the class rules
that have already been set since the beginning of the year and the consistency by which they are
imposed and kept are yet another reason pertaining to that teacher-learner relationship.
Although the class rules the teacher has set are quite specific, students often tend to forget.
The most important part of setting the class rules, though, is to remind them to the students as soon
as they break them and as many times as needed without losing patience. In the observation
sessions, not once did I see the teacher lose control when it was obvious that a student had broken a
rule. For instance, when one of the students brought food in the classroom, while the class rule
states otherwise, the teacher kindly urged her to finish her lunch during the next break or take three
minutes to eat it outside the classroom. Here, the fact that the teacher politely but confidently
intervened when a class rule was broken contributes to the aforementioned relationship of mutual
respect and the overall atmosphere, which ultimately affects the learning procedure, as well.
Another major issue to be analyzed, when it comes to the way lessons are conducted and the
effect it has on teacher and learners alike, is using the mother tongue. To make a case for it, it would
be fruitful to make a distinction between younger (especially those that make up the beginner level
classes) and older learners. So, whereas the teacher insisted on speaking in the target language at all
times, most of the younger learners seemed to feel uncomfortable when they were to speak or
comprehend speech. At the same time, older learners were challenged to express their opinions
using a more advanced vocabulary and grammar/syntax, which completely elevated the learning
experience for everyone. Needless to say, pressure to use the mother tongue was much greater in
classes of younger learners, but this is when the teacher persisted more and encouraged them to
speak in English, even if that caused some awkwardness at first. Of course, there were some cases
-especially with older learners- when she would switch to L1 just to lighten the atmosphere. So,
regarding the use of L1 and L2 in class, I observed that the teacher’s method challenges students
and, by the end of the lesson, usually succeeds in making them feel more comfortable and confident
when it’s their turn to speak.
However, if not for the teacher’s confidence and flexibility, all of the above wouldn’t have
been possible. Through years of experience, the teacher is able to realize when it is appropriate to
ease the atmosphere by using humour or having students complete a fun activity, without deviating
from the lesson plan or at least its general purpose. Clearly, students are content with the way the
lesson is conducted, since at least 90% of each class’ students participate in all discussions.
Moreover, the teacher seems to treat everyone equally and with respect, always being careful not to
insult anyone and scolding those who do, in an effort to create a friendly learning environment for
everyone in it.
Concluding, class atmosphere is an essential factor both for the educational progress of
students and their self-esteem. During the first week of my observation classes, I couldn’t help but
notice how smoothly lessons flowed and how most students wanted to express their opinion on the
various subjects broached in the classroom. Even if they lacked the necessary vocabulary or manner
to do so, the teacher would help them and encourage them to do their best, enhancing, thus, their
sense of achievement and creating a receptive atmosphere, where everyone feels accepted.