English Language Teaching Methodology
Bachelor's Level
School experience
You will undertake school practice throughout the whole Methodology course. You will experience the reality of school classrooms in three stages: initially as observers (Guided Observation in semesters 3 and 4), then as teaching assistants (Teacher Assistantship in semesters 5, 6 and 7) and finally as practising teachers with responsibility for full-length lessons (Observed Teaching in semester 8). At each of these stages, there are strong links (through tasks) from the methodology courses to your school experience.
Guided Observation
During guided observation, you will have an opportunity to observe experienced teachers at work and to make connections with your learning during the first year of the Methodology course. One of these experienced teachers will be assigned to you as your mentor.
Teacher Assistantship
During Teacher Assistantship, you will have an opportunity to observe lessons, plan lessons together with your mentor, teach parts of a lesson and generally support English language teachers.
Procedures for Teacher Assistantship in Semesters 5, 6, 7
By the beginning of Semester 5, you will have completed the guided observation stage of your school experience, and you will be ready to try your hands at real teaching, albeit in a limited way.
In Semesters 5 and 6 you will still be asked to complete observation tasks, but the emphasis will gradually shift towards teaching, though you may also be asked to take part in other aspects of classroom and school life, such as preparing handouts, checking attendance etc.
You will be asked to undertake the teaching of a small part of a lesson, for example a single activity which fits into the lesson plan. Mentors will involve you in co-planning the whole lesson, and identifying the part you will teach. In Semester 5, this could be as short as five minutes, with the length gradually increasing to around 20 minutes by Semester 7. Mentors will then observe you teaching and will give feedback afterwards. This is a challenging moment for you, and it’s important for mentors to show empathy and to be aware of your sensitivity, and to make the feedback developmental and supportive, avoiding negative judgement.
After each teaching experience, you will be expected to complete a post-teaching task using a form such as the one provided for download.
You should keep these forms, along with a copy of your plan and any materials or handouts, in your School Experience files as a record of your early teaching ventures. The notes might be valuable to you in writing your assignments later, but they may also form the basis of discussions of teaching experience with your university teachers when you are back in your methodology class.
Observed Teaching
During observed teaching, you will have an opportunity to plan lessons together with your mentor, teach your own lessons and observe your peers teaching.
Observed Teaching is assessed in Semester 8. Procedures and criteria are described in the Requirements and assessment section.