Portfolio

1. TALLER DE PRÁCTICA DOCENTE 2016
Trainee’s Name: Knye, María Isabel
Practicum level: First - Nivel inicial
Group: 5 year old children
Date: April 28th, 2016
Observation 1
I entered the classroom with the teacher who introduced me to the children and told them
that I would be sharing the classroom with them for some classes and that at some point I
would be their teacher for a while. They told me their names which I tried to learn
immediately. They were just five children because the sixth one was absent. They were
called Sofía, Matías, Elías, Bautista and Agustín.
Immediately, the teacher started with their routine, the “Hello song”, the same I’ll be using
during my practicum. They listened to the song and sang along; it was just the music and
the lyrics, I’ll try to download the video so that they can have the images too. The school
doesn’t have internet so whatever I want to use during my classes will have to be already
downloaded onto my computer.
After they had listened to and sang the song, the teacher moved on to play another song,
this time related to activities such as walking, jumping, running, swimming, “tiptoe”, “sleep”.
As the kids move around the classroom performing the actions, they seemed to be very
happy running around, but they were not really singing although they followed the teacher
and did what she did.
After having completed this activity, the teacher stuck a poster to the white board with
drawings of eyes, a nose, a mouth, ears and hands on the left side and on the right side
there were drawings of an ice cream, a picture, a piano with musical notes coming out of it,
some objects that may be touched and flowers. It seemed to be a revision but kids were
not very sure about the vocabulary and the teacher tried to introduce can, for example,
T: What can I do with my eyes? She mimicked the action but immediately she repeated
“¿Qué puedo hacer con los ojos?”
Sts: ver
T: Yes, I can see.
And she moved on to the next item
T: What can I do with the nose? ¿Qué puedo hacer con la nariz?
Sts: oler
T: Yes, I can smell
and so forth.
Then, they joined the drawings on both columns with some paper arrows, always with the
help of the teacher. Once this was done, the kids sat at one of the tables available in the
classroom and they were provided with a copy of a similar activity and markers for them to
match the items that had been working on before. In a few minutes the activity was over
and they went on to sing another song called “Five little monkeys jumping on the bed”
which revises numbers 1 to 5 and the class time was over.
I couldn’t find a thread to follow the class, I thought it was disorganized and that the topics
were not connected. I felt a bit disappointed because I thought I was going to be able to
take advantage of this observation. I left the school feeling more nervous than before I
arrived.
I really hope I can do well despite the lack of guidance.
Comentario [1]: Great to know this in
advance! :)
Comentario [2]: interesting
observation

2. I did learn something, activities must be very short and varied in order to keep the kids
motivated.
Trainee’s Name: Knye, María Isabel
Practicum level: First - Nivel inicial
Group: 5 year old children
Date: May 3rd
, 2016
Observation 2
My second observation was kind of shocking to me. I don’t really know how I will deal with
this small group. As I came into the class with the teacher, the kids greet me and I got to
know the sixth member of the group, his name is Genaro. The class started as the
previous one with the teacher playing the hello song and the kids singing along, but after
that everything became kind of chaotic.
The previous class the children had been working with senses so she had thought of an
activity in which she covered the students eyes - one at a time - and have them smell,
taste or listen to something and they have to guess what it was by using their senses. I
thought that it was a great idea because they were going to reinforce the vocabulary, but
the kids really misbehaved and started shouting what it was, of course that in Spanish, so,
to me, the activity was useless. The teacher had to use her Spanish at all times so that
the kids could understand what they were supposed to do and also to try to put some
order in the group. This activity took up most of the class, with the kids shouting, arguing
and trying to call everyone’s attention. Maybe, it was just the idea of having an outsider in
the classroom; that would be me.
The last activity was a new song in which the children were supposed to dance around a
circle performing some of the actions they have already worked on as dance around the
circle, hop, fall down, and there was also a party in which they were supposed to sing that
they were sleepy. Instead of performing the actions while they moved around the circle,
they pushed each other so that they could be inside the circle.
When the song finished, time was over and the children were overexcited and in my
opinion they hadn’t learned anything.
What I’ve noticed is that the vocabulary taught is not practised enough and/or revisited so
as to have students remember the lexicon.
If I could choose an image and a word to describe the class, it would be these ones.
Comentario [3]: I`m positive you
have learnt a big deal! The activities
ought to be short and appealing, and
they should also include movement and
music. But I guess the most important
thing you`ve spotted is the importance
of being cohesive, and providing the
students with contextualised activities.
You`ll do a great job!
Comentario [4]: Thank you for your
support.
Comentario [5]: Oh my!
Comentario [6]: But I guess you have
learnt a lot.

3. I’m already panicking. I really don’t know how I’ll handle the group. It’s incredible, they are
just six very young kids and not even the teacher, who has known and worked with them
since they were three years old, can deal with them.
When I sit at my computer to plan my lessons, I keep making changes because I think
each activity will take much longer than what is necessary. Besides, I think that kids
should have more practice on the lexis and structures to be learned. I support quality over
quantity. I don’t see the point in introducing lots of words or structures if the children can’t
remember any of them or produce at least small chunks of language.
I wanted to share with you a video recording of this class, there are no images because
kids get distracted and want to stand in front of the tablet which happened when I filmed
the first class in order to watch it carefully at home later, so what I did was to leave my
tablet on top of the teachers table while it recorded, so you can hear everything that went
on in the class, but you can’t see anything. I tried to upload it to the Google Drive and
share it with you but I couldn’t do it from the tablet. I need a cable to pass it onto my
computer and maybe like that I’ll be able to share it with you.
I need some encouraging warm words so as to be able to complete my practicum.
Trainee’s Name: Knye, María Isabel
Practicum level: First - Nivel inicial
Group: 5 year old children
Comentario [7]: Absolutely!
Comentario [8]: Do not worry.
Thanks to your vivid description we can
figure it out :(

4. Date: May 5th
, 2016
Observation 3
I found this image on the Internet and I thought “I hope so”
Yesterday, I observed my last kindergarten class, next Monday I’ll be in charge, will I? I’m
pretty scared, everything around me seems to be dark gray or black.
I didn’t take my tablet to the class, I wanted to become more active and to participate a bit
more, which the teacher approved.
When I got into the classroom the kids approached me and some of them even hugged
me. Sofi, the only girl in the group offered me a chair and made me sit down. Then other
kids came and sat on my lap. I think they have already accepted me.
They started with their routine, but today the children didn’t even sing the Hello song, they
fought all the time and the teacher had to call their attention, she even threatened them to
send them to the kitchen which seems to be the place where they are sent when they
misbehave a lot. They didn’t like that, but it lasted for a few seconds.
While all this chaos was in progress, Genaro’s attitude called my attention. He is the boy
who was absent the first day I observed classes. Genaro was lying on the floor as if he
were sleeping. I started to pay special attention to him, he seemed to be tired and he did
not participate.
For today’s class, the teacher had prepared a hands on activity as a final project on the
topic “senses”. The children made a drum out of a tuna can and a balloon to cover the top
side and they decorated it with small pieces of colour papers glued to the perimeter where
the teacher had placed masking tape. I helped her to place the balloons properly on the
can, and then I sat next to Genaro. He had been crying, well not really crying but making
as if he were because of the excessive noise the other children had made with the cans
while they were waiting for them to be ready to decorate. I helped him to place the glue in
place with his finger showing him how to do it and then passing the small pieces of paper
for him to glue to the tin. It seemed to me that he was pleased that someone was paying
attention to him. Genaro is not a noisy boy, on the contrary he seems to be a very quiet
one. Too quiet, to my mind, there’s something going on with this kid, maybe some kind of
problem at home.
During the whole activity, which I thought a great idea to wrap-up the unit, the only word
said in English was “balloon” and although the kids are supposed to know the colours
none of them used the words to refer to the colour of the papers to be used to decorate the
drums. I repeated the colours to them whenever I passed them a small piece of paper.
Comentario [9]: Of course you will!
Comentario [10]: She must have
been so happy and thankful!

5. I insist, I’m worried. I’ve been trying to figure out what the problem with the group is and I
can’t seem to find an answer. The teacher seems to be very nice and she has known
them for a couple of years. She’s also a kindergarten teacher, so she is qualified to deal
with very young kids.
Is it that kids are supposed to be taught too many structures and vocabulary, but at the
same time they are not exposed to enough English? I mean, English is not used enough in
the classroom and vocabulary is not recycled in different kinds of activities as if someone
thought that it would be too repetitive to go on working on the same lexis until kids can
really internalize it and use it in different context and situations.
I haven’t taught young children for a long time, but I try to recycle whatever structure I
teach to teenagers using different contexts and showing them that every piece of English
they learn is applied to different functions and also that there are dissimilar ways of
expressing the same thing. Is it that this strategy does not apply to young learners?
Undoubtedly, I have more questions than answers.
I’ll try to be as positive as this statement since it is true that I have got this far.
Trainee’s name: Knye, María Isabel
Practicum level: Kindergarten - Nivel inicial
Group: K 5
Date: 10th
May, 2016
Lesson number: 1 (one)
Section 1: Describing the lesson as it unfolds.
How did students react to your teaching, to the activities and the materials? How did they
react to the lesson?
I think that the children found it strange that I spoke English all the time. Regarding the
activities, they had fun with the one that they had to draw pictures out of a bag and say the
words. Everyone had a go since I had included enough pictures for every to do so. As
Comentario [11]: I guess you have
found out where the problem lies...
Comentario [12]: Fantastic! It is
important that every student is able to
participate.

6. each of them drew one out, we revised the previous ones and I guess they liked that I
praised them each time they came up with the correct word. I encouraged them to
produce the whole chunk by saying "it's a...", but I didn't succeed. At least they could
produce the words. I also took my computer for them to watch the video as they listened
to the songs. I don't think this was a good idea since they were more interested in the
computer or in watching the video than in singing the songs although one of them was the
hello song that they have sung since they were in K 3. On the whole, I must say that they
found the class so different from what they are used to that they were relieved when it was
over.
Section 2: Making sense of the lesson through relevant lived experiences
"Choose a moment that was important for you during the lesson. Describe it and say why
it was important."
The important moment for me during the lesson was when I sat on the floor in front of the
children holding a bag with pictures to revise vocabulary that was supposed to be revision
- school, teacher, boy and girl - because the kids seem to be excited about what was
inside the bag. As I drew the first picture out of the bag, which was a photo I had taken
from the outside of their school, as I expected they said "el jardín" and I told them "Yes, it
is the school, the school." Then, I asked each of them to draw one picture out of the bag,
there were two teachers, two boys and two girls. You might be wondering why this
moment was important for me. The truth is that I was very happy because they seemed to
be enjoying the activity and I had a sense of relief since I was very nervous about the
whole process.
Here I share a standstill of the video recording where you can see the kids very interested
in what they were doing and one of the few moments they were quiet instead of restless.
Comentario [13]: It was the first time.
Don´t worry. They are not used to this.
But it´s worth trying and not giving up.
Comentario [14]: :)

7. Section 3: Interpreting the lesson in words and images
If I had to choose a quotation that would give me an insight of the lesson, it would be:
"Practice makes perfect"
On the whole, I think I did my best, I slowed down my pace of speaking, I gestured in order
to make myself understood, and I spoke almost no Spanish during the lesson. However, I
feel I have failed; I'm distressed and disappointed. On top of everything, the teacher is
never on time so I waste valuable time as I can’t get into the classroom to get things ready
beforehand.
I really wonder how I will build a stronger bond with the children so as to have their
attention and meaningful and relaxed lessons.
Trainee’s name: Knye, María Isabel
Practicum level: Kindergarten - Nivel inicial
Group: K 5
Date: 12th
May, 2016
Lesson number: 2 (two)
Section 1: Describing the lesson as it unfolds.
What pedagogical principles supported the planning and delivery of this lesson?
I took into account students’ age according to Piaget’s stages of cognitive development.
This stage is the Preoperational one which states that children use words and images to
Comentario [15]: Why do you think
so? Just because students couldn`t
produce complete utterances?
Remember that it takes time. At least
you are exposing them to a whole new
world. Cheer up and keep on working
hard!
Comentario [16]: You may talk to
their regular teacher.
Comentario [17]: I did that, but it is
not possible. They are with their
Spanish teacher before and I have to
wait till the English teacher finishes her
previous class. What's worse, children
do not have any kind of recess where
they can run around and do whatever
they want and I, personally, think that it
is a drawback.
Comentario [18]: Then you can use
some Energizer, there are plenty of
them online. They truly work!
Comentario [19]: I found some on
the internet. I'm going to give them a
try. Thanks!

8. represent objects - visual/auditory resources - and I aimed to their ability to pretend to be
someone else; that was the point of including the use of a puppet so that children could
act out through the puppet. I must have not taken into account the children egocentrism
since everything they wanted was to be the centre of attention by trying to grab Mickey.
Section 2: Making sense of the lesson through relevant lived experiences
“Choose a moment that was important for the students during the lesson. Describe it and
say why it was important.”
A moment that might have been important for the students was when I showed them the
puppet and told them that I would allow them to have it if they came up with, at least, a
word. Nevertheless, I consider the activity was not successful because I couldn’t elicit any
utterances from the students while they were holding the puppet.
Section 3: Interpreting the lesson in words and images
To interpret this lesson in words and images I chose an excerpt from the poem “Shame”
by Vivian Gilbert Zabel
I stand nude before the world,
My faults and shortcomings
Exposed for all to see.
Like a tacky, tattered blanket,
A cloud of despair.
…
Article resource: http://EnzineArticles.com/114598
And also, I chose to include a stand still from a moment in the classroom in which I was
unsuccessfully trying to get students organised and ready to sing a song (TPR)
It is time now, for me, to decide which way to take: Comentario [20]: Never lose hope!
Comentario [21]: I'll try not to, bur it's
not just a feeling, the other teachers
agree with
my view of the group. They also say
these kids are unable to concentrate.

9. Trainee’s name: Knye, María Isabel
Practicum level: Kindergarten - Nivel inicial
Group: K 5
Date: 17th
May, 2016
Lesson number: 3 (Three)
Section 1: Describing the lesson as it unfolds.
What do you find useful of this lesson that will help you plan the next one?
Throughout this lesson I learnt that this group, in special, needs a lot of TPR activities.
Undoubtedly, these children’s main learning styles are auditory and kinesthetic. Having
learnt this, my next plan will include activities which imply a lot of movement without
leaving out the lexis I am supposed to teach.
Section 2: Making sense of the lesson through relevant lived experiences
“Choose a moment that was important for you during the lesson. Describe it and say why
it was important.”
The most important moment for me was when I allowed the students to choose what
activity do do after they listened to the puppets telling their story. The children were
supposed to colour the puppets´school but they wanted to cut out the image they were
provided with. After that, it was them who wanted to colour it. They were so engaged in
the activity that they didn’t want to stop although the English class time was over and the
goodbye song was already being played. This was the first time I felt I had achieved a
goal.
Comentario [22]: Absolutely!
Comentario [23]: to do
Comentario [24]: Negotiation worked
;)

10. Section 3: Interpreting the lesson in words and images
To interpret this lesson in words and images
The children enjoyed the “puppet show”, they understood most of what I said even though
I didn’t use any word in Spanish, of course I resorted to different tones of voice, gestures
and visual aids. They also laughed at the puppets comments. For the first time I had a
sense of relief. However, I can’t get students to use English words, not even when I
repeat them several times to see if they imitate me.

11. I finished my last entry with a picture which shows two possible ways to follow.Today I
would like to share this saying.
It seems that there’s always room for hope.
Trainee’s name: Knye, María Isabel
Practicum level: Kindergarten - Nivel inicial
Group: K 5
Date: 19th
May, 2016
Lesson number: 4 (Four)
Section 1: Describing the lesson as it unfolds.
“What aspects of the lesson require change / improvement?”
There are plenty of aspects of the lesson planning that require changes and improvement.
For instance, I know that I should include more STT (Student Talking Time), but I can’t get
the children to use the language. Nevertheless, I think that, at least, they understand what
I say although I speak almost no Spanish during the lessons. Another aspect I must
improve is related to the time I spend handing out the material the children are going to
use in the activities planned. Perhaps, I should have it ready in individual envelopes so as
to give the material out faster. I always prepare everything beforehand at home, but that is
not enough. Since I cannot get into the classroom in advanced, I place the material in a
portfolio I bought for this purpose. Last but not least, I need to improve timing. I always
plan more than it is necessary and that is because I tend to forget that this group of
children need more time to get organized than what I picture in my mind. For example,
when I planned this lesson I included a video related to shapes to watch which I skipped.
If I had showed it to the kids, there wouldn’t have been enough time for making the puzzle
which proved to be successful.
Comentario [25]: Yes!

12. Section 2: Making sense of the lesson through relevant lived experiences
“Choose a moment that was important for you and the students during the lesson.
Describe it and say why it was important.”
An important moment during the lesson for both the children and myself was the object
race. Students enjoyed the race and were eager to participate. They had a great time and
when I was going to announce who the winner was, I realized that it was very important
that all of children had a sense of achievement and that they felt that all of them had done
a great job. All the kids jumped with excitement when I said that all of them were winners
and we clapped and cheered together. I learnt that when working with such young
children there cannot be just one winner if we want to keep motivation up.
Section 3: Interpreting the lesson in words and images
Making a puzzle.
This is the finished puzzle. As it can be noticed in the standstill of the video, the children
did a great job.
I first told the kids that we were going to make a puzzle of Mickey’s school. Each of them
was given a blank page, a glue stick and the necessary shapes cut out of glazed paper
Comentario [26]: :)

13. and a big picture was placed on the whiteboard just in case they needed to look at it in
order to put the puzzle together. They immediately understood and, eagerly, got to work.
When the work was finished, kids were very excited about what they had accomplished
and I had a sense of relief, achievement and happiness for the first time since I started my
practicum.
In conclusion, I know there’s a long way to go if I were to teach young children. However,
this is not my goal; I aim at teaching older students. In some way, I would just want to end
my teaching career getting my degree as a teacher of English although this may happen
once I have already retired.
Trainee’s name: Knye, María Isabel
Practicum level: Kindergarten - Nivel inicial
Group: K 5
Date: 26th
May, 2016
Lesson number: 5 (Five)
Section 1: Describing the lesson as it unfolds.
5. “What aspects of the lesson do you consider successful?
This last lesson was a success from the beginning to the very end. To start with, while
singing the Hello song, the kids addressed me when asking “How are you today?”
After the routine, the children were given their small cards with shapes and as I held up
one of my cards, they picked up theirs and repeated the names of the shapes as a chant
as it was suggested by the tutor and she was right. The kids found it appealing and had a
lot of fun with the chant.
Section 2: Making sense of the lesson through relevant lived experiences
“Choose a moment that was important for the students during the lesson. Describe it and
say why it was important.”
I think that having practiced the names of the shapes through a chant made the following
activity more enjoyable for the students since the video we watched was about shapes and
they felt confident enough to pick the correct card and name the shapes as they appeared
in the video. This sense of confidence made them be at ease and they were willing to
watch the video a second time. While doing this, the children not only repeated the words
we have been practising, but also pointed at the different things that were shown, such as
trees, houses, a school bus and other items which were drawn with very simple shapes
and name them appropriately.
Section 3: Interpreting the lesson in words and images

14. Today, I’ve chosen an image that depicts my feelings along this first practicum period. I
really questioned myself as I moved along. Now I can say “Mission Accomplished”, but
I would like to add that: