Marina CO3

Last Wednesday I observed a reading class with Ryan Flemming. It was a morning class and most of the students were still waking up and getting back into the rhythm of class.

Ryan started out by writing the agenda on the board, including those things that were done the class previously and will be done the class after.

Once the students all came in, he began by making casual conversation with them, asking if what they remember from the class previously.

His lesson was primarily concentrated on vocabulary. He split the class into three groups and gave each group 7 vocabulary words from the passage they all read last class. Each group had to work together to give a definition for the words.

After each group was done, every person in that group was responsible for explaining to the class what the word means. For those students in a group that were not actively participating, Ryan motivated by either making jokes (in a non-harmful/personal way) to either wake them up or make them participate.

Overall, the class atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly. I participated in one of the groups to come up with an English definition of words and observed that each person has their own way of explaining. As the students told their definitions in class, Ryan either accepted them or modified them so others can understand.

I thought Ryan had a good approach at concentrating on vocabulary and at the same time having students work and interact together to in turn practice speaking skills.