Teaching Techniques

Essay Part
Activity 1
Strategies on Video DVD
Choose two strategies from preliminary pages of your textbook and complete the observation sheet.
Watch two of the case studies teaching examples provided on the course DVD. Choose the ones you prefer and once you watch them complete the observation sheet and answer the questions included on the page that corresponds to the description of thestrategies.
Lesson Story Observation Sheet
When watching the Lesson, copy and complete the following observation sheet in note form.
First Lesson Observation
Name of DVD case study Demonstration: | Visual Scaffolding |
Teacher’s name | Vince Workmon |
Description of setting, level oflanguage proficiency of students. | It is a regular American school with 4th grade students that have a highintermediate English level. |
What the teacher was trying toAchieve. English Language objectives | The teacher showed and image and students have to engage the new vocabulary with the image they are seeing and; also the use and meaning of the new vocabulary. |
What teaching equipment (paper,book, technology) the teacher used-and your reaction to this | The teacher used a computer with internetaccess, images that he downloaded and print them on transparency film. Then he projected them to the class.For me these material and equipment that the teacher used is a very good idea. Because instate of using just flash cards or posters this projector is easier to work with and specially the internet where we can download any image we want for our class and using the computer edit it for the sizewe want. |
Techniques and assessmentthe teacher use (e.g. grammarexplanation, pronunciation teaching, speaking organization) | The teacher used a very simple grammar (present and past simple). He asked a couple of questions to the students about two images he showed them. And he asks and tells at the same time the differences between the two pictures. |
Things you noticed about theteacher’sbehavior/manner in thelesson | The teacher felt compromised with his classroom. He prepared his material and involved the students with the pictures and the new vocabulary. |
Comment on what methodsappealed to you and how youmight incorporatethem into your teaching | I think I might incorporate this method to my classes because it catches the attention to the students and in some way make thatthe new vocabulary is going to have a “face” and make it easier to understand and to use the imagination to connect the words with an image. |
Your overall impression of thelesson | I like very much this lesson. I think I will incorporate this to my classes and depending on the level or the age of the student make the pictures (visuals) more interesting and striking. |
Reaction to post-lessonteacherinterview | The teacher seems to understand that this method is one of the bests to teach new vocabulary and he has some good ideas to incorporate images and words at the same time so the students can actually understand what they are reading instate of describing the new words with other words. |

Visual Scaffolding Questions
* How can I use this technique to improve the quality ofone of my lessons?

If for example one of my lessons is about Global Warming. And these new vocabulary I can explain it using images about it: greenhouse effect, eco-friendly, deforestation, etc. Instate of using a dictionary to translate it or to give a definition; the image will say everything that the student want to know or do not understand about the new vocabulary.

* How does usingvisual scaffolding add to vocabulary instruction?

It makes learning vocabulary more entertaining and fun for the students. And just looking at the image they can figure out many ways to use this new word and make it suitable to use in other scenarios.

* Why does Dr. Jordan suggest a method for storing visuals?

Because he is going to create more visuals or reuse some so he has to store...