SELF REFLECTION

Based on the lesson plan that I designed, I focused on listening and speaking skills.
For this lesson, I chose to insert the listening comprehension skill that is childrens ability to
understand the meaning of the words they hear and to relate them in some way or answer
some questions. When the pupils hear a story, for instance, good listening comprehension
enables them to understand it, remember it and even retell it in their own words. This is a
skill to develop at their age, because good listeners grow up to become good
communicators.
Teaching activities planned to teach pupils to answer questions of understanding of a
related passage and use the words correctly. Pupils can follow my instructions well with
guidance as I translated into their mother tongue that is Chinese language. The purpose I
am doing this translation is to let them understand my instruction completely. Then, I read a
passage after the set induction that I carried out before starting the lesson. Then pupils need
to answer my questions with their understanding.
I am pleased although the answers given were not in full sentences, but they were
able to give the right answer. This showed the level of their understanding of the passage
that I read are high. I explained how to answer the questions in full sentences as guidance.
Thus, students also correct their answers using complete sentences. After that, all students
need to answer in various types of questions. The lesson conducted on the use of the
correct words in answering the question. Pupils participated in the lesson actively.
I have the opportunity to reflect on my own strengths as a teacher and a learner. In
my opinion, I need to learn how to insert a multitude learning styles into a lesson. This is
another challenge that I faced with during my teaching time especially in English language.
As a teacher, I found myself decided to work out with everyone to help them especially the
weaker pupils in my class. The most interesting thing is that I also shed tears during this

experience in teaching English. As for myself, I am not too familiar to communicate in

English.
As I can observe in this lesson, the students were eagerly to share their experiences
related to their visits to the zoo. They tried to describe the animals and characteristics of the
animals although their English are quite weak, yet they can generate ideas and define them
clearly in Chinese. Therefore, I helped them to construct sentences and express their ideas
in a proper way. There were many of them want to tell their stories, but I can only choose
some pupils due to the lack of time.
Although the use of the language is quite weak, yet they still try to answer my
questions. As a teacher, I need to offer my support and guidance for my pupils so that they
may love English and not begin to foster negative feelings towards English subject. Ayers
(1993) speaks about creating an environment for learning in which both the students and the
teacher may be honoured and seen as whole people.
There are some weaknesses that I found in this lesson. Some students were over
excited and unable to concentrate on the task at hand. They spoke irrelevant things such as
sharing the extinct animals that cannot found in the zoo and so on. Another issue is some
time needed to be taken out to deal with some discipline issues. If I did not do it right away
before I starting the lesson, I would be dealing with it continuously.
Based on the recording of the lesson which I have carried out, I can review and
reflect my teaching methodology overall. This teaching and learning experience taught me a
valuable lesson about my teaching. Instead of stepping back and looking at the lesson and
the level of the students, I took the outcome of the lesson as a small personal improvement.
I had been focused on the skills itself at times and realized the students real life experiences
that helped a lot in my introduction step. I have increased their interest to talk about their
own experiences at the beginning.

Last but not least, I understand that there needs to be a balance of elements,
structure and play, within an effective learning environment. I have also able to develop my
professional identity within a classroom setting that is included the classroom management. I
need to make pupils concentrate and fully understand the task that I want them to complete.
Eventually, the process of assessment will be done after the observation I have done from
the pupils themselves. The students who still need remedial guidance will carry forward to
the next lesson that includes the same skills. Peer learning is a good method for the weaker
students.

References
Ayers, W. (1993). To Teach: The journey of a teacher. New York: Teachers College Press.
Goh, C. & Yusnita, T. (2006). Metacognitive Instruction in Listening for young Learners. ELT
Journal. 60/3, 222-232.