The document describes Paula Schulze's reflections on four English lessons taught to a 4th year secondary level group. Paula focused on communicative language teaching approaches and used a variety of strategies like visual aids, group work, and discussions. The students reacted positively overall, actively participating in lessons and using English, though some lessons ran short on time or required improvements to practice structures more.

1. Trainee´s name: Paula Schulze
Practicum Level: Secondary Level
Group: 4th
year
Date: 29-09-15
Lesson Number: 1
1. What pedagogical principles supported the planning and delivery of this
lesson?
I tried to focus myself on the Natural Approach as the students were expected to
interact with me and peers in a natural way promoting in this way the
communicative abilities. Since language and vocabulary are of principal importance
for this approach and to acquire the language, I encouraged the students to
concentrate mainly on the understanding of the message they were putting through
or transmitting while doing the activities rather than on the target language
specifically. Although at this level students are required to learn and reflect on
the language to consolidate it while training for the FCE. Consequently, I set the
conditions for the learners to acquire the language in a free-stress classroom
environment and analyze its forms as well. Besides, the PPP method was also used
to introduce the target structure since first it was presented then practiced in a
controlled way and finally students were given free production instances.
2. What teaching strategies did you use? Which ones were effective?
Why/ why not?
In this class, the instructions were given all in the target language and it was not
necessary neither to repeat them before doing the tasks neither to use the
mother tongue to check or confirm for example anything. When I was asked about
the meaning of a word, I first asked the sts if somebody knew the meaning, if they
answered affirmatively I asked them to explain the meaning of the word using the
target language and then I rounded the idea or gave the exact synonym, for
example. I tried to use open questions to make all the students participate and
share in this case their language learning experiences.
3. How did the students react to your teaching, to the activities and the
materials? How did they react to the lesson?
Comentario [1]: Paula, I had made comments
to your first entry and they got lost. Please, from
now on, write your entries in this same file and
share it with me every time you include new
information.
Thanks!
Cecilia
Comentario [2]: Perfect! :)
Comentario [3]: Does this imply you provided
them with freer communicative tasks?
Comentario [4]: Excellent!

2. The students were very active at the time of working. The followed all the
instructions but I felt they found the sequence of activities very demanding
(revision of 11 tenses and teaching of the definite article). But all of them were
closely involved and engaged in the activities provided even with the 1st
one in
which they had to stand up and visit 5 posters they used the L2 to perform the
activity and they respected they turns as well.
Great pictures!!! :)

3. I felt the teaching of the structure was really scaffolded, I mean, it was a
smooth process from the introduction, the revision activities to get to the
teaching point. And finally I felt very happy with the time managing since there
were 2 minutes left and I used them to go over all the aspects we had seen. I
also worked on the pronunciation of words: certificate and “the” in isolation and
before vowels. This was apparently new for the students. I did not have the
chance to introduce any phonetic symbol, probably in the subsequent classes
since I think at this level they should know them to take the advantage of the
pronunciation sections in their dictionaries.
4. What aspects of the lesson do you consider successful?
In this opportunity, the time management was almost perfect as well as the
pace of the activities. There were no behavioral problems at all, that is
something I always worry about. Besides, there was little talking in Spanish, the
expected one, we can say.
At the very beginning of the lesson I told the sts that I was nervous, like how
they may feel before a test or oral presentation, because the class was a test
for me and that was the reason why the class was being recorded. I told them
this because I was really a bit tense and in case they noticed it I wanted them
to understand why I was feeling in that way.
5. What aspects of your lesson require change / improvement?
For this very first class, I cannot mention something that did not work as planned.
All the sequences were followed like I had imagined. Probably, I should learn the
students’ names to make them all participate. As expected, some of them were
more active than others; probably because of their personality or level of English.
Another aspect that you mentioned in my previous videos and that I should improve
is that sometimes I echo students’ answers with no pedagogical reason; I think
that I keep on doing this. 
6. What do you find useful of this lesson that will help you plan the next
one?
Students are very willing to participate but it is not like in primary that
everybody puts up their hands. At this level they are a bit more reluctant but
Comentario [5]: Indeed, Paula!!
Comentario [6]: Great decision,Paula! This
contributed to buidling rapport with the group.
Comentario [7]: Ok, now you know it.

4. when asked for answers or examples they all participated. That really helps me
to think of interesting activities to perform next class. I also had enough time
to tell them the homework (to read the short story).
7. Any comments or observations you would like to share may be added
here.
All the students were respectful and very collaborative throughout the class. Even
the interaction between peers was positive because they used the target language.
Throughout the 1st
activity I made the students reflect on the never ending
process that learning a language is and also on the level they have achieved after
so many years of learning and that being able to sit for the FCE is a sample of the
work done.
Trainee´s name: Paula Schulze
Practicum Level: Secondary Level
Group: 4th
year
Date: 5-10-15
Lesson Number: 2
1. What pedagogical principles supported the planning and delivery of this
lesson?
I tried to focus myself on the Natural Approach as the students were expected to
interact with me and peers in a natural way promoting in this way the
communicative abilities. Since language and vocabulary are of principal importance
for this approach and to acquire the language, I encouraged the students to
concentrate mainly on the understanding of the message they were putting through
or transmitting while doing the activities rather than on the target language
specifically. However, at this level, students are required to learn and reflect on
the language itself to consolidate it while training for the FCE. Consequently, I set
the conditions for the learners to acquire the target language in a free-stress
classroom environment and also as an active participant analyzing its forms as well.
Besides, the PPP method was also used to introduce the target structure since
first it was presented, then practiced in a controlled way and finally students were
given free production instances.
Comentario [8]: =D
Comentario [9]: Although the question is the
same, try to expand or go deeper into the
principles, and avoid repetition.

5. 2. What teaching strategies did you use? Which ones were effective?
Why/ why not?
In this class, I provided comprehensible input. As in the previous class, when I was
asked about the meaning of a word, I resorted to the students-centred approach,
I first asked the sts if somebody knew the meaning, if they answered
affirmatively I asked them to explain the meaning of the word using the target
language and then I rounded the idea or gave the exact synonym, for example. I
tried to use open questions to make all the students participate and share in this
case their language learning experiences.
I also used visual aids to trigger and brainstorm information from the students
during the warm-up stage but also during the presentation stage in which I wrote
sentences, underlined words, list items, for the students to organize information.
They were also asked to infer rules or processes.
The pictures were 1st
shown with the help of the OHP but then I turned it off
because I had to use the board and so I stuck the same pictures on the board to
remain there throughout the class.
Pictures used during the warm-up stage
Comentario [10]: This is a strategy, rather
than an approach.
Comentario [11]: The more variety of
resources and strategies, the better.

6. 3. How did the students react to your teaching, to the activities and the
materials? How did they react to the lesson?
Once again, the students were very active at the time of working. They followed
all the instructions and fulfilled all the tasks proposed. All of them were closely
involved and engaged in the activities provided. This time before starting the
class, I asked the students, as I had done in primary, to write their names on a
sort of signs. As it had happened before I felt much better being able to call
the students by their names especially in those cases that they were reluctant
to talk, for example.
Signs with names on.
Besides their level of English allowed the students to expose their cultural o
personal experiences and ideas freely as it happened when they had to guess
why I had chosen some given famous people.
I felt the teaching of the target structure (reported speech) was really
scaffolded, but the topic is too broad so as to cover it in one class. For
example, I could not teach how to report questions. But I have to say we
focused on key concepts of the topic. Finally, like before, I felt very happy with
the time managing since there were 2 minutes left and I used them to go over
Comentario [12]: Yes!!!
Comentario [13]: management

7. all the aspects of reported speech we had seen. This time, there was no
opportunity to work on the pronunciation of some words.
4. What aspects of the lesson do you consider successful?
In this opportunity, the time management was almost perfect as well as the
pace of the activities. There were no behavioral problems at all, that is
something I always worry about. Besides, there was little talking in Spanish, the
expected one, we can say.
At the very beginning of the lesson I told the students to write their names on
signs. I had already asked the teacher how they liked to be called. And
something funny happened: One of the students wrote Alberto on the sign but I
knew he liked to be called Abi so I did so. By the middle of the class, apparently
he could not hold his intrigue anymore and asked me how I had known his
nickname was Abi!
5. What aspects of your lesson require change / improvement?
I have learned that a “polished” plan almost guarantees the success of the class. In
this case, probably my expectations were too high as regards the practice of the
target language, I mean the sequence was perfect but I should have devoted more
time to the practice of the reported speech. Hopefully, we will do so next class.
6. What do you find useful of this lesson that will help you plan the next
one?
Students are very willing to participate but it is not like in primary that
everybody puts up their hands. At this level they are a bit more reluctant but
when asked for answers or examples they all participated. That really helps me
Comentario [14]: =D
Comentario [15]: Why? One lesson is not
enough.

8. to think of interesting activities to perform next class. I also had enough time
to tell them the homework (to read the short story and what the quiz will be
about).
7. Any comments or observations you would like to share may be added
here.
All the students were respectful and very collaborative throughout the class. Even
the interaction between peers was positive because they used the target language
most of the time therefore the working atmosphere is a really good one.
3rd Class
13-10-15
1. What pedagogical principles supported the planning and
delivery of these lessons?
As in the previous classes both planning and delivery of the class were
supported by the Natural approach as students were mainly invited to
interact with peers and teacher in a natural way, as done when using
their native language. As before, based on the Communicative approach,
the focus was firstly and mainly on the message the students wanted
to put through and secondly on the language structure itself unless
there was a communication breakthrough. However at this level,
students were asked to analyze the language specifically as in the case
of new structures that were presented during this class.
2. Which teaching strategies did you use? Which ones were
effective? Why/ Why not?
Comentario [16]: Please, avoid repetition.
What about planning more group and pair
discussion tasks, and then inviting them to share
their findings?
Comentario [17]: Is this part of the natural
approach?

9. During this class I tried to resort to visual images asking the students
to complete a concept map, I think this is helpful for visual learners
specially but very productive for most of them as they had to
concentrate on some data specifically. Students were also asked to link
their previous knowledge with the new structures they were studying
like providing examples or situations from “their world” in which they
could be used but during this activity they also developed their
awareness on some aspects of the language as well. Large amount of
interaction between peers was a must and so I felt it become a
student- centered classroom most of the time.
3. How did the students react to your teaching, to the activities
and the material? How did they react to the lesson?
During this lesson, and as before, the students worked really well. This
time the quiz on reported speech took longer time than I had planned
therefore there were 2 activities left aside. They were enthusiastic at
the time of sharing their points of view as regards the main characters
of the short story they had to read at home. Everybody brought the
short story and the course book. At the time of completing the mind
map, they did it extensively showing they had read the story more than
once and as asked they supported their choices on facts. It made me
feel great that they had read the story deeply because the topics I
had prepared could be discussed and different points of view were
considered as I expected.
Asking the students to infer the meaning of given phrases from the
short story was also very useful for the students, it was easier for
them to get the meaning of most of the phrases at once.
4. What aspects of your lesson require change of improvement?
Comentario [18]: Fantastic!
Did you discuss the story itself apart from its
characters?

10. In this opportunity, the time management was not as good as during the
previous class. There were 2 reasons: the students came late from the
break and the quiz and discussion took longer than expected. All the
same I feel the activities done were accomplished based on pedagogical
reasons. When they had to complete part of the concept map the
students were active participants either to agree or not among
themselves but based on the evidence from the story.
5. What do you find useful of this lesson that will help you plan
the next one?
Probably, during the class, I was noticing the students wouldn't do all
the exercises as I had planned because we were running out of time.
So, now, thinking backwards, I should have stopped the students
completing the concept map so as to round off all the activities they
had done during the class. I mean, to spend some minutes to mention
the structures they had seen or results we had agreed on as regards
the characters.
6. Any comments or observations you would like to share should be
added here.
I'm still happily surprised to see the students interacting at all times
in the target language. Today, even when they were doing some jokes
because of a word they found in the dictionary, the comments were
done in English.
During the first 20 minutes of the class, the students underwent a
self-assessment activity, I also called it quiz at first, but as the
teacher told me she did not need the marks I made a point of analysing
the students´ performance individually and as to evaluate what they
Comentario [19]: Good!

11. knew about the grammar topic seen in the previous class (reported
speech).
4th class
19-10-15
1. What pedagogical principals supported the planning and delivery
of this lesson?
The planning and delivery of this lesson were supported mainly by the
communicative language teaching (CLT) approach as I wanted the
learners to communicate effectively and convey real messages.
Mainly I feel the pedagogical support provided the students with the
scaffold and tools to achieve what was being asked.
2. What teaching strategies did you use? which ones were
effective? why/why not?
I used the board to do a sort of visual display as regards vocabulary,
given points for the groups and grammar form of the target structure.
I used it more than during the previous classes. The variety of
activities provided were also good for the sts to firstly grasp then
describe and finally use the target structure (causative have).
3. How did the students react to your teaching, to the activities
and the materials? how did they react to the lesson?
Well, this was the 4th lesson with the sts so I´m already feeling
comfortable with them and apparently they also like the activities I
propose since they get engaged quickly. Nevertheless and surprisingly,
today they were a bit distracted but the reason is that some of these
sts have been chosen to have a school radio, so they are the
Comentario [20]: Way to go, Paula!!
Comentario [21]: Cecilia, Shall I answer the
questions you ask me in these comments? or
they are just to make me analyze those aspects
mentioned?
Comentario [22]: Hi Paula, You may. It is
optional. What is mandatory is your reflection. ;)
Comentario [23]: Cecilia,
I have recorder today´s class but again I cannot
upload the video. I think
it is because I´m running out of "free of charge"
space in my drive
account. Can I delete the kindergarten videos so
as to upload the ones of
secondary?
Best,
Paula
2015-10-19 16:22 GMT-03:00 Cecilia Zemborain
(Google Docs) <
Comentario [24]: Yes, Paula. :)
Comentario [25]: What was being asked?
Comentario [26]: =)

12. speakers/announcers during the breaks. Today it was their first day
and so they were very enthusiastic with that so, for example, when
they had to think the dialogues in pairs I heard some people talking in
Spanish about the radio program. During the previous classes, there
had been very little Spanish among them. Even some sts left the class
sort of 10 minutes earlier to have the radio ready for the break time.
4. What aspects of the lesson do you consider successful?
The sts enjoyed the game very much, but by the end there were 2
groups left and the one made up by boys wanted to win and so they
broke some rules (they peeped at their copies), the girls from the
other group noticed that and so they finished the game reluctantly.
Now, that I think backwards I could have taken them a point off. In
fact, it were the girls who told me about the peeping, I did not see the
boys doing so.
Once again, I had time to devote the last minutes to cover the
activities we had done giving emphasis on the purpose of those
activities, the reason why we had done them. I think they like it and it
is profitable for them to consider what aspects or topics they have
learned, practiced, remembered.
On the other hand, I think the game in itself was a peer-work since sts
of each group had to find the words, expressions to help their speaker
say the exact words aloud. And they really tried hard to make the
speakers find the correct expressions!
Like in the previous classes, after explaining the tasks sts had to do, I
asked a volunteer to repeat the instructions since this time they were
more complicated than just “complete the sentences”. It is really good
for the learners to recap the mains steps to follow, also for retelling
and summarizing as well.
Comentario [27]: Well, external factors may
affect class development.
Comentario [28]: Remember that simple
instructions can also be written on the board.

13. 5. What aspects of the lesson require change/improvement?
While the sts were working on the dialogue they had to invent, the
class teacher told me that the sentences I had written on the
blackboard (they had been dictated by the sts) could be used to do a
controlled practice of the target structure, causative have. Therefore
when the sts finished role-playing the dialogues I went back to those
expressions on the board and ask some sts to “turn” them into the
causative have structure. Now, I think I could have done this before
the sts role-played the dialogues. All the same it worked as a summary
or rounding off of the taught structure before finishing the class.
6. What do you find useful of this lesson that will help you plan the
next one?
Like before I feel the practicum is going pretty well. Of course, there
are always things to polish but, all in all, this third period of the
practicum is great. Every class is a challenge in itself, especially the
planning period. However, I feel that when the plan is well-prepared
although there may be some unexpected events everything runs
smoothly. As regards my role, little by little i tend to make the sts
answer, explain, recap etc turning the class ia a real student-centre
one. Having the role of mediator is still not that easy for me!
The students are also very productive and that really helps.
The variety of activities was also ok in relation to the time I had and
the teaching points sts had to practice.
7. Any comments or observations you would like to share?
The class teacher really helped me with her comment during the class
because I could focus on the aspect she considered was not properly
presented (some expressions written on the board could not be
Comentario [29]: =)

14. included in the “service” category, therefore some “causative have”
sentences sounded like forced.
Example,
I had written on the board:
-take a new mattress from the street... (because the character was
poor)
Probably, for this, the character would not ask someone to provide
that service.
So, I asked the sts to focus again on those actions written on the
board and to consider which ones were really the one the character
had to hire a service. Now, fewer expressions were left on the board
and those were turned into the “causative have” structure. I think
made it clear for everybody.
I want to make it clear that the teacher's comment was respectful
and done when the sts were working on something else. She is very
responsible and professional so I do not want to make any mistakes and
at times when I realize she is there watching my class I get lost and I
have to focus myself but I feel this is part of this period and her
comments are really welcome. Her feedbacks, in the forms she has to
fill in, are really extensive and none of the other observers had been
so meticulous at the time of doing the peer observation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5th CLASS
16-10-15
The pedagogical principles that supported the planning and delivery of
this lesson were coherent with the previous ones in which I focused on
Comentario [30]: A great challenge, but an
excellent opportunity for development!

15. the Communicative and Natural approaches. The first one because I
aimed the learners will grasp and use the functions of the structure
taught (passive voice, emphasis on the action rather than on the doer
of the action) and the latter because my attitude was to use the
language exposing the students to comprehensible input according to
their level and interests.
The teaching strategies I used this time were related to the topic to
be taught, so while planning I thought an explanation and
exemplification would be ok to present and define the grammar
structure. But I also fostered an eliciting stage asking questions or
prompting answers for the controlled practice step; it also helped me
to check understanding. The context “Cosplay craze” was fantastic to
present the topic because the article was mainly focused on this new
fashion/ practice.
I think they were effective enough for the “lower” sts to grasp or
understand the new grammar structure in this first teaching class and
for the advanced sts to clarify its meaning and use.
The students reacted in a very confident way to my teaching, the
activities and material providing examples and some of them
consolidating or checking information they knew. They also participated
actively at the time of discussing the reasons why people dress up like
characters. Besides, I found the transition stages were great to grasp
the students´interest and motivation as the 1st activity in which they
had to guess what Cosplay was slowly shifted to the 2nd activity in
which they have to read an article. The sts also enjoyed reading a
paragraph per group and in this way they also payed attention to the
rest of the article when they were summarized by the other groups.
The aspects of the lesson that I consider successful are the variety
of the activities proposed because students worked individually, in

16. groups, they stood up to stick their thoughts about Cosplay, they
wrote, listened to each other, discussed, I mean, in 80 minutes we
covered several skills and students were able to use the language in
different contexts.
The aspects of this lesson that require change can be the instance in
which sts had to share their thoughts about the new word “cosplay”.
Instead of waiting for their turn to speak and come to the front to
stick their papers, they did not wait but stood up and were eager to
stick their thoughts instead of talking and then sticking the paper.
So it was a bit disorganized but the sts were involved in the activity
indeed!
Something that I found useful this time to plan the next lesson was
that being more incisive is better. I mean, at the time of asking
questions about their opinion I used more thought provoking questions :
What makes you say that? what evidence do you have to support that
answer? are you sure the writer expresses that idea? how do you
know? and they certainly triggered better discussions or answers and
besides sts had to resort to the target language or structures at
times. After some of the activities, I made the sts reflect on the
purpose of the activities we had done for me to define if it had been
clear the purpose of doing them.
The comment I would like to share is that I felt confident with the
teaching. Again, having a solid plan because of the time I had devoted
to its analysis and production, really bear fruit! It is strange because
the more you know the group it should be easier to plan but, on the
other hand, it happens to me that I want to include more elaborate
activities or have the “surprise” factor in the class.
Comentario [31]: Superb strategies, Paula!!
Comentario [32]: You have gone deeper into
questioning...

17. Guidelines for the last journal entry: How good it sounds! :)
6th Class
28-10-15
. To what extent has this experience helped you in your teaching
development?
It is true that the teaching experience is a never ending one, but there
are certainly intensive moments as these last classes in which I have
felt the learning experience has become a memorable and vivid one. In
my case, the level I had to teach and the teacher who was observing
my classes were really demanding so both aspects helped me positively
to give my best. I had to prepare the classes in an accurate and well-
planned way, it is not that I hadn't done that before but here I felt
the external pressure was greater. One of the characteristics of
teenagers is that they challenge and question teachers so one of my
fears was their attitude towards my capacity to handle the class and
to cope with the language itself. As a mother of a teenager I also know
that they tend to have incisive comments at times with their teachers.
Finally, and thinking backwards, every period of the practicum stage
helped me to learn or adjust my knowledge and my teaching experience
as well.
• What have you learnt about this age group?
Mainly that they are always analyzing what your proposals are and also
that they are always open to negotiate for example as regards some
rules in the class, course of actions in a given situation. They are very
enthusiastic at the time of debating and confronting points of view and
they like sharing their experience and knowledge of the world.
• What do you think you still need to learn about students this age?

18. It is always better to strike a balance between learning and having fun,
probably that is something I should think about. I felt I consider them
grown ups and so I forgot they also like to have fun, make jokes and
play games. In fact, the last class that included a circuit of 4 stations
and a game in each one was a complete success. They wanted to keep on
playing and even asked me to extend the playing time!
• Did you do some research on this age group before you started
teaching these students?
I did a research when I had to prepare the “informe de grupo”. It was
very useful in fact in the 3 periods of the practicum because they gave
me an idea of what cognitive and social characteristics the learners
have; a relevant aspects for teachers at the time of thinking activities
or also to foresee possible problems that may come up.
• How did your previous knowledge help you plan your lessons and teach
your classes?
Both in primary and secondary levels, I had already taught so I had a
previous Knowledge as regards the experience of working with those
students. That teacher background knowledge helped me to feel secure
and confident with the learners and the target language as well.
However, I knew nothing about teaching in kinder, probably because I
always knew I was not fond of working with young learners. So, at that
level I had to do a double effort because I had to confront my likes
with the obligation of doing the practicum at that level.
• What new pedagogical knowledge did you acquire?
Two pedagogical knowledges come to my mind: the first one has to do
with the use of the time. Telling the students they have certain
minutes to accomplish the activity , for example, really helps both the
teacher and the learners. The second one has to do with devoting time
in class to the metacognitive aspects: giving the learners time to

19. analyse what they have learned, why they have done those activities
and what they “take” from that class. This can include telling the aims
of the class at the beginning so as to help them check if they have
fulfilled the aims at the end of the class.
• What relevance did you give to pedagogical decisions while planning
and teaching your lessons and when reflecting upon them?
As I have mentioned before, I have understood how a well developed
plan almost grants a successful class. Once the teacher knows her
students´interests, time management, and content of what has to be
taught, the way those aspects are displayed or considered are crucial.
• To what extent and in what ways has keeping a teaching journal
deepened your knowledge and improved your teaching practice?
Frankly, it happened to me that it was difficult to find the time to sit
in order to write about the class I had given some hours before. After
considering this sort of rejection, I understood that I did not want to
reflect on them as it was a time to examine not only the good aspects
but to go deeper to search for attitudes or forms to be improved.
Luckily, once I sat to write them, the experience became easier and I
reflected on the pedagogical knowledge, the content knowledge, the
situation itself and other aspects such as the technological issue, which
in my case was a defiance as well. Comentario [33]: Dear Paula,
During your practicum, you have gone through
different developmental stages, each one with
their own difficulties and challenges. This has
helped you discover that through reflection and
flexibility you may discover new ways of
teaching, and therefore, of learning.
I'm proud of your work.
Cecilia
Comentario [34]: Thank you
Cecilia!!!!Reflexion and flexibility....2 key-words
!!!!!