Vietnam
SEA-Teacher Batch 10
Pedagogical Content
Observation of Teacher Carmela's Class
My first-ever observation was with Class 7G. I was first stunned by how small the class size was compared to a regular class in the Philippines. I believe this factor made it more conducive to the student's learning. Additionally, the teaching style I mainly observed was scaffolding. I also noticed that the teacher build the lesson in connection to the learner's previous knowledge and real-life examples which made the class fun and interactive. There was a moment in class when Teacher Carmela asked a student for an English song, which she then played to the class so that they could add a new song with new vocabulary.
Technology-Driven
In all the classes I observed (which would be three classes), I saw an integration of technological aids such as television, PowerPoint presentations, and other online software. This made it more presentable and easier to read for students even if they're seated all the way to the back. There are also a lot of benefits to technology use such as gamified activities and interactive projects.
Class Activity in Class 7G
Teacher Carmela paired each student and tasked them to answer a list of questions posted on the television. The questions were for the upcoming IELTS speaking test (if I remember correctly). Beforehand, Teacher Carmela modeled how to answer the questions to act as a guide for the students' answers. I believe this is an integral part of their English learning journey – to be able to produce the language through speaking activities. As observers, we were allowed to go around the room and check on the students' discussions. I think they focus on a lot of collaborative work in order to practice the production of the language. ​
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Standardized Student Workbook
The lessons in Future Integrated School were utilizing the lessons inside the Cambridge student book. This made it possible for a standardized approach to the learning materials the students will use. Innovation comes in how the teacher decides to tackle the lesson within the book and apply it to real-life scenarios. This also involves connecting real-life examples in order to concretize the lesson.​​​​​​​
LEARNING MATERIALS & INNOVATION
TEACHING METHODS
SOURCES OF LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY
Eclectic Approach
Traditional and technological approaches were both used in Future Integrated School. As you can see in the video on the right, the Cambridge workbook had an audio for a listening activity. This added a holistic approach to teaching English. The topics from the book were real-life examples, which made it easy for students to connect their learning to their personal lives. Real world examples were the main sources of learning for the students. As such, technology plays a central role in their education system.
AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT
Real-life English
While observing Teacher Marcelo's class, I noticed that student assessment is almost immediate through recitation and workbook answering. After students were given time to answer an activity, their assessment is done through immediate checking. The lesson continued with the Socratic method or question and answer whilst connecting the lesson to the students' family life. This enabled the students to use the language actively and productively in connection to their personal lives. In this case, the lesson was about house chores; the students were able to understand the lesson because it was something familiar to them.