In the microteaching, our group have decided to focus on writing.

The targeted pupils for

the learning will be low ability pupils from year two. They will be pupils who are weak or
can hardly comprehend instructions in English. Therefore, the objective of the lesson
only focuses on how to construct simple sentences with guidance. This is because
pupils in the class are weak in English learning and they might not be able to catch up if
the learning outcomes cover too much of aspects at the same time.

We decided that most activities will be accompanied with learning aids such as pictures
with clues and video clip to scaffold the students in their writing. For example, during the
presentation and practise stages, we presented the fruits on manila cards with clues
given on it. For the set induction, we used video clip about fruits in the set induction.The
purpose of showing the video to the pupils is to trigger students’ interest about the topic
they are learning (Heather, Kirkorian, Ellen, Wartella & Daniel ,2008). It is also hopes
that the video will help to support the weaker pupils to learn better and also guide them
with some local fruits in Malaysia. Most important, video clip will help to assist weaker
pupils to answer teachers’ question about what is their favorite fruits shown from the
video.

Questioning technique about ‘what is your favorite fruit’ is being used after the video to
tap into pupils’ prior knowledge from what they have seen from the video. Questioning is
most effective when it allows pupils to become fully involved in the learning process
(Lightbown and Spada, 1999). This is also to get them to recall on what fruits they like to
eat and also to get their attention on the topic being taught. Other than that, it is also to
get pupils to be ready with the upcoming learning.

Pictures together with clues about the description are provided to assist pupils with the
adjectives. It is also to get weaker pupils to be ready with the upcoming learning and
have better understanding about the descriptions and adjectives used. In the upcoming
learning, it will aid the pupils on how to construct simple sentences.Visual learning
enhances learning since interactive effects are used to reinforce the content being
learned (Lightbown and Spada, 1999). It also helps to motivate pupils to learn at the
same time and have better understanding about the adjectives from what they seen from
the pictures presented in front.
In the lesson, repetition of the main content is focused in the lesson from the beginning
of the lesson until the production stages of the lesson. The pupils are taught how to
construct simple sentences about watermelon from the teachers at the practice stage.
Pupils are taught to follow how to construct the same structure from what they have
learnt from the presentation stage with different writing activities. This is to help weaker
pupils to learn better as they get to see how the simple sentences are being formed. As
suggested by Skinner (1953) cited in Nesamalar Chitravelu, SarathaSitahmparam and
Choon (2005), he emphasizes on repetition of language learning. Skinner states that
repetition of language learning helps create habit of formation when writing simple
sentences, pupils in the class are drilled repetitively over and over again until they are
able to use the same structural patterns and are able to use the language in their writing.

For the practice stage, pupils will work together in a group to construct sentences they
have learnt from the teachers .Krashen (1981), L2 learner will face difficulty in acquiring
writing skills if they do not take the initiatives to practice the language, they will not be
able to improve their language. This will not aid their learning in L2. During the practice
part, the group work process is to give pupils the opportunity to collaborate with others
and practice on how to form simple sentences. It also helps the teachers to monitor the
pupils’ progress about how simple sentences are formed before the teachers proceed to
the production stage. This is to give pupils the chance to learn from other people
mistakes which will help to enhance their language learning. So that next time they will
be more aware about their mistakes.

I was assigned to teach the set induction and closure for the microteaching. For the set
induction, I will always make sure that all the pupils are answering me in the full
sentences when I asked them questions about ‘what is their favourite fruit’. For example,
pupils always reply in one word such as Banana, or Orange. I will demonstrate the full
sentences such as ‘my favourite fruit is Banana’ and ask them to repeat the same
sentence as me. This is to guide or train pupils how to speak in simple sentence so that
they will have some ideas how to write simple sentences in the later stage. It also
teaches pupils how to answer in a proper way.

While for the closure part, I teach pupils how to sing. After the hectic lesson how to
construct simple sentences, I have adapted some adjectives from the fruits and create
the lyric to teach pupils how to sing. Even though I am nervous during the singing part
because I was not really confident with my singing skills, overall I managed to overcome
it, our friends’ active participation and eagerness eased the nervousness I felt.

During the teaching, we always make sure that our voices can be heard clearly in the
whole class. If pupils in the classroom especially those sitting at the back cannot hear
us, they will face difficulty in listening and understanding our lesson. Pupils might feel
restless in the lesson (Anderson, 1942 cited in Jeffers, Jeanette & Gretchen, 1993).
Furthermore, we always remind ourselves to give appraisal to pupils who are able to
give the correct answers. Prompting is used to assist pupils who are unable to give
correct answer and also help them until they can get the correct answer. This is to help
them think about the correct answer instead of selecting other pupils to answer.

From the feedback given, ‘sentences are too difficult for below average pupils’. In the
simple sentences that we are teaching, we are unaware of the inconsistency of the
sentences structure might affect the low level students. We also realised that the simple
sentences that we are teaching will be too hard for the lower lever students to
understandand it might confuse the pupils. As suggested by Nesamalar Chitravelu,
SarathaSitahmparam and Choon (2005)), inconsistency of sentences structure will
confuse and it will not assist the learners in acquiring the language at the beginning
stage. In the future planning, I am aware that I should keep the sentence structures the
same throughout the lesson to assist low ability learners. When the pupils have acquired
the basic simple sentences then only we will proceed to different varieties of simple
sentences.

Feedback about the presentation part ‘Present more examples of how to construct
simple sentences for the pupils’. Before the microteaching, our group have discussed
this and we are aware that pupils might face difficulty in constructing the sentences if
they do not know the adjectives. So we decided to go through the adjectives for each
fruit before we proceed to the group work where pupils need to construct the sentences
together using the examples taught in the presentation stage. We thought pupils will be
able to construct the sentences by modelling the examples given by the teachers on the
board. However from the feedback ‘do you think people know how to construct the
sentences with only one example shown?’ From the feedback, we are aware that the
pupils might just copy and substitute the adjectives given from the example given without
understanding the full function of how to construct simple sentences. The lesson will not
be meaningful to the pupils if they do this. For the future planning, we will provide more
examples at the presentation part on how to construct simple sentences and we will
involve the pupils in the practice part by asking pupils to construct the sentences
together as a whole class. So during the practise part, no examples will be shown to the
pupils on the board and they have to construct the sentences in the group.

From the feedback given ‘use different markers or colour to distinguish students error’.
During our discussion, we are aware of ‘immediate feedback’ given to the pupils. In our
discussion, we thought about giving feedback verbally such as asking students to repeat
the correct sentences as a whole class. This is because according to Truscott (1996), he
argued that grammar correction in students’ writing classes should be abandoned due to
its harmful effects on the students learning. Students are likely to feel demotivated when
they see many red markings in their writing and this would reduce their self esteem to
acquire the language.

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