Language Resident/Assistant Name: Mayerly Gómez S.
Day and Date: 04-15-2024
Language and Level: Spanish Intermediate class (3 students)
Class theme/topics discussed: Problem solving.
Goal of the class:
-To discuss and share opinions to solve problems related to different scenarios.
How did you structure the class?
*Music in the background*
– Greet the students and ask them to tell how they are feeling today. The students work in couples. They are given a sheet with different problematic situations. They have to choose one and discuss about possible solutions to this problem. After discussing as a couple, the students share their situation with the rest of the class and the possible solutions they discussed. The other couple of the class has to say if they agree or not with the possible solutions and propose other ideas (20min).
– With a different partner, the students are given some cards with situations where they have to propose different solutions. They discuss ideas only with their partner this time (20min).
– Then, the students are given a piece of paper where they have to write a problem for the other couple to solve. Both couples share out loud the possible solutions for the problem they were given (15min).
– Space for general questions, closing, and remind important dates and events (last day of language tables, international study break and OLC about projects (5min).
What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)
– Speaker
– Printed sheet with situations to solve
– Printed sheet with cards about different problems
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
Today’s class I faced a familiar challenge: maintaining engagement and conversation among students who struggle to generate ideas or lack vocabulary to express themselves. I found myself actively participating to keep the discussion flowing, asking probing questions and encouraging interaction between students. For this group is difficult to keep conversations going without any guidance. Most of the time, I let them talk, and when I see they get stuck with a word, I jump in to provide support. If they all remain silent, I introduce a relevant question to encourage students to continue the discussion.
I was surprised when a similar comment that arose during mid-semester feedback resurfaced. During class, a student expressed a desire for more focus on “real-life situations.” I asked her to explain what she meant so I could better understand and address her concerns. However, she struggled to articulate her idea in more detail. In response, I explained my approach of using cards and varied activities with the objective of immersing students in different scenarios, challenging them to use the language authentically and hopefully, making efforts to use all the language they know to the best of their ability. I emphasized the importance of being prepared to communicate effectively in any conceivable situation they might encounter in the target language. This interaction highlighted the importance of clarifying the objectives of the activities and reinforced my pedagogical approach, which aims to challenge students to use language authentically in diverse contexts.
How could this class be improved/modified?
To help students feel confident about speaking up, I could implement activities to learn new words together and give extra help when they need it. Doing fun activities, like roleplays, can also help them practice using the language. It is important to give students enough encouragement and help to build up their confidence to use the language in a communicative and effective way.
If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.
