Observation of Associate Teacher’s lesson

This observation will assist you to identify the elements of an effective learning environment.
Note – this observation is of specialist teacher (teacher aide).

Links to prior learning / knowledge: How did the teacher make connections with children’s prior knowledge and understanding and how did the teacher support learners to make connections between their own and each others’.  

Using a colour coded laminated card printed with Jolly Phonetics images and sounds, teacher was able to gently remind the student to refer to what they had already learnt. The topic of the writing was a school wide event, so there was a lot of background knowledge. The aim was to create a non-fiction report about the event, a style that has been used previously, so this knowledge was also drawn upon.

Motivational Strategies: How did the teacher engage learners and encourage participation and engagement for diverse learners? What did you notice about the ākonga levels of engagement and participation as a result of these approaches?  

Encouraging the student to write phonetically is more important that correcting spelling. The aim is to build confidence in their ability to tell a story in writing, and to help guide them to working out what words look like, than to ensure perfect spelling.

Teaching Strategies: What pedagogical approaches were used? Give detail about how these were implemented. What teaching strategies were used? For example: demonstration, questioning, role play, problem solving, drilling, co-construction, scaffolding, transmission, small group work, independent study, problem solving/inquiry.        

This session used small group work (one on one teaching), with questioning, co-construction and scaffolding.

Teacher checked that the child was comfortable, ensuring that incorrect seating position wouldn’t become a distraction for completing the writing task. Working one sentence at a time, the teacher would first ask the student what they wanted to say, teacher would make a note of what was said in their own notes, and then guide the student to writing the first word.

Sounding out is vital, with lots of emphasis placed on correct pronunciation, so while spelling may not be corrected, tongue placement is. For example, learning to say a soft “b” sound rather than “beeeee” or “babababa” is an important part of this method.

If the sound breaks the Jolly Phonics rules, the teacher explains that the word is a bit difficult, and gives the student the letter they need. For example, the student trying to spell WAS in the New Zealand accent will often spell it WOZ. The teacher will get the to the “w” sound, give them the “a” so that they don’t develop a habit of using “o” in the word, and allow the child to sound out “z”.

Reflection: How did the teacher assess learning and evaluate the teaching?  

The end of the session involved the teacher going through and “marking” the writing. Discussing corrections such as explaining why WAS isn’t WAZ, using the Jolly Phonics card to show how the sounds are similar. The teacher might simply write a corrected word above the word the student wrote, or prompt the student to make corrections themselves. The lesson will end with the student re-reading their entire story – potentially from several days ago if it is an ongoing piece of work.