The document is a reflection from a student, Silvia Bruno, on her teaching practicum experience at a private primary school. In her practicum, she observed classes, assisted the teacher, and taught lessons of her own. In her first lesson, she struggled to manage student behavior but learned from the experience. Going forward, she plans to focus on preparing lessons that engage students, foster participation, and incorporate effective classroom management strategies like learning students' names. She also wants to continue developing skills like using transitions between activities and planning interdisciplinary lessons.

1. Instituto de Formación Docente Continua
Lenguas VIVAS BARILOCHE (A-052)
Profesorado de Inglés – Opción pedagógica a distancia
(Plan 2015)
PRACTICA II
FINAL REFLECTION
Tutor: Aurelia Velázquez
Alumna: Silvia Bruno
Fecha de entrega: 26 de noviembre de 2019
What did I do?
I did my practicum in a private primary school: The Martin Rivadavia Institute. The
school opened its doors and allowed me to get into a classroom to observe, assist
and teach fifth grade children. The students had an intermediate level of English,
spoke in English as much as they could, and managed to communicate in the target
language very well.
Throughout my practicum, I learned a lot. Each stage (Observation, assistantship
and teaching stage) was essential in order for me to raise my awareness of the
importance of being well prepared and also being able to put the theory into practice.
Con formato: Inglés (Estados Unidos)

2. In the observation stage, I paid special attention to the student-student, student-
teacher, and teacher-student relationships as well as the teaching strategies the
teacher uses to deliver her lessons and foster students’ learning. Regarding the
relationships, the teacher showed care and concern for their students and supported
them. Consequently, the students reciprocated their teacher’s concern and respect.
The students came from different classrooms. Children were divided according to
their level of English and put together into a room only for their English classes.
Students’ attitude to learning a foreign language was positive. All children showed
interest and enthusiasm and all of them, except for those intrapersonal students,
were eager to participate in answering the teacher’s questions. They did not present
learning difficulties. For instance, all of them were able to follow the instructions and
complete the tasks accurately.
Regarding the teacher’s strategies, I observed a strong presence of the
communicative approach. The teacher presented the grammar topic in context. She
created opportunities for the students to learn and achieve awareness of the target
language. The students were involved in real communication from the beginning to
the end of the lesson. As a result, children’s abilities to use the linguistic system of
the target language became more consistent, actually they did it naturally. The
teacher really motivated learners to use the language and work with it.
During the observation stage, I could only remember the names of the most talkative
students because they were named by the teacher frequently. I was mainly assisting
the class tutors and had just started planning my lessons.
How did I do it?
The class tutor had been teaching the learners Simple Past Tense in the context of
Celebrations, and my task was to continue with this instruction, looking specifically
at the proper use of irregular verbs. In my first lesson, I was due to teach how to
write an invitation. I had planned my lesson and had sent it to my tutor a day before
I was due to deliver it. Fortunately, my tutor was able to review it, I say fortunately
because her corrections and useful advice helped me to improve the lesson a lot. I
followed my tutor’s suggestions and I also made the adjustment needed to create a

3. meaningful context to foster students’ learning. I was told to prepare and carry realia
to introduce the topic. I did my best and found things such as: a birthday hat,
balloons, and a candle and I put all those things in a box wrapped as a present. The
students seemed to enjoy the warm-uping stage very much.
How did I do it?
For my first lesson, I had not learnt all of the students’ names so I was unable to
name them. The classroom turned into a really noisy one. I felt myself visibly shaking.
The teacher in charge of the group responded by getting the students’ attention and
recommended that they raise their hands to answer my questions. I was in front of
the class, but I was so focused on delivering a good lesson that I had forgotten to
control Ss’ behavior.
I am not an inexperienced teacher. I felt disappointed by my own inability to manage
the group. The teacher in charge of the group gave me feedback at the end of the
lesson. She told me that I should learn students’ names in order to encourage all of
them to participate actively. She also asked me to be consistent with the lesson and
take into account the amount of time the students have to produce in the class.
However, I learned that I must not take anything for granted. No matter how much
experience you have of being in front of a class, each group is different therefore
you need to be prepared and be also open to reorganizing and adapting your
teaching style. I did my best. In the following class I checked the time. I also found
an effective way to make students respect each other’s turns speaking. For instance,
I wrote their names on small strips of papers and stuck them on the students’
uniforms so that I was able to point to each of them by saying their names. I realized
that they felt more comfortable and engaged with the lesson more as did I with them.
What can I do differently?
In retrospect, I would do several things differently. To begin with, I should have
learned students’ names by heart, or at least consider that as a requirement to
conduct a good lesson. I should have observed more carefully the teacher’s
strategies to manage and foster good behavior in the classroom in order to be well
Comentado [A1]: I wouldn´t define it as such. We cannot
control everything. Cheer up!
Comentado [A2]: It helps, for sure!

4. prepared at the time of delivering my first lesson. I should also have asked my tutor
about the best strategies forof classroom management. I was so excited about
delivering a wonderful lesson that I forgot one of the key roles that I also need to
develop as a teacher which is the ability to control students’ behaviors as well as the
ability to foster all learners’ opportunities to participate. When we create a positive
atmosphere in the classroom students learn better.
What Plan should I implement?
In the future, I will plan my lessons in advance in order to think about all the strategies
I was asked to research in Didactics, good teachers find time in their schedule to
learn themselves. For instance, I will keep on developing the ability of leading
students from one activity to another through the use of effective transitions and
scaffolding strategies, which play an important role in the classroom as they help Ss
move progressively toward complex understanding and gain independence in their
learning process.
I will also continue presenting any new vocabulary through meaningful contexts
related to Ss’ lives because this helps them to remember words more easily. I will
also try to find a way to use my voice more effectively, that is to say change the tone
and pitch of my voice to convey different messages. Furthermore, I will promote
collaborative work. Ss not only learn by teacher’s instructions but also through
interaction with their peers.
Throughout my practicum I realized that I should develop the ability to plan cross-
curricular lessons. I hope to have the opportunity to plan interdisciplinary lessons in
the future.
Comentado [A3]: Definitely!
Comentado [A4]: Students often get really engaged!
Comentado [A5]: You´ve done a great job, Sil! Congrats!