For this observation, I observed an online combined topics class. The topics covered in this class were intermediate grammar, pre-intermediate reading, basic oral communication, intermediate oral communication and intermediate reading and study skills. In addition to the mixed topics this class also has a mixture of low beginner, beginner and intermediate students. The students in this class are adult learners from a variety of cultural and social backgrounds. This observation showed me the importance of being adaptable in the classroom and using level appropriate language during instructions.
The teachers original plan for this class was to go over the answers for the homework she had assigned the previous day. The homework was from a book, that all the students were supposed to order online. After a few minutes of asking questions about the homework it became apparent that none of the students had completed the homework. This led to the teacher asking if the students had received the textbook yet and most had not. The teacher quickly altered her plans for the day. Instead of reviewing the homework she provided students with short excerpts from the book to work with. This series of events showed the importance of being adaptable. Sometimes, nothing goes as planned and the teacher still must facilitate learning. I think this also shows how important it is to have a breadth of professional knowledge, so that a new plan for the lesson can be devised quickly.
The mixture of levels in this class allowed me to observe the language the teacher used with each level. When communicating with the low beginner students, the teacher used short concise sentences and emphasized key words. When working with intermediate students the teacher used longer sentences, didn’t provide as much emphasis on key words and used more complex verb tenses. This showed me that it is important to tailor everything in class to the level of your students, including feedback and instructions.