1. REFLECTION
As regards my observations at Mariano Moreno School (180), I can assure I have
learnt a lot from my mentor teacher, Joana Herrán, who knows very well the techniques to
be used in a classroom. Firstly, she focuses on motivation all the time congratulating
students when they are right, and if they are not, she recasts what students said, so they can
correct themselves their mistakes. We, as observers, believe that special attention should be
payed to those students who are less motivated, helping them to solve activities, having
individual contact with the child(i.e. spending time with a specific student) and giving them
motivational feedbacks.
Secondly, Joana considers that participation is really important in the English
classroom. To make every student participate, she calls them by their names, she asks
questions that expect an answer, so the whole classroom keeps active and lively. Students
respond in a positive way giving answers in English or using a mixture of L1 and L2 if they
do not know a word.
Thirdly, what called my attention is that after an activity, the students and the teacher
correct altogether what they have done on the board. I consider it very useful for students,
specially for those who are not fast-learners. Doing this, children can check their answers
and clear up doubts. They also revise the result and understand the activity in a certain
context.
Our last observation was a participatory one. My pedagogical partner and I designed
a House Project for children to work with. Students really enjoyed doing the project because
they had the possibility to use their imagination and be creative, they worked in groups (they
love it), children also shared their opinions and interests, they worked on their own and of
course, they shown off the final production to their peers using a new structure they did not
know: This is …….There is ……There are….
This activity was very useful because students integrated language skills (listening and
speaking).
Then, the house was left by Joana in the corridors of the school, so everybody can
appreciate the project students did.
