Dennis CO#3

            On my way to the 2:00 Listening Class 1A, I greeted Mr. Andrew Wilson in the hallway and introduced myself. After briefly meeting him, he politely asked me if I would mind sitting at the middle desk so I could engage with the class, and I happily obliged, quickly meeting several students from a variety of nationalities. Mr. Andrew started off the class with a recap from an earlier page of the text. The lesson started with a thought-provoking exercise where students were encouraged to think about what they do before they listen, while they listen, and after they listen. Then they were asked to discuss as a group, and Mr. Andrew wrote suggestions from the students on the whiteboard. The next activity really showcased Mr. Andrew’s teaching ability. He told a simple story of what he did over the weekend, including many specific details sprinkled in that he quizzed students on after the story was over. It was a simple story but the questions were just difficult enough to provide an appropriate challenge for their skill level.

            An interesting strategy he used to motivate students, keep a level of interactivity, and lower affective filters, was to let a student ring a desk bell when the class was moving on to a new item on the agenda. It woke everyone up a bit and gave the student ringing the bell a simple moment of joy. The next activity was about meeting someone new, and we discussed common questions that people ask. New vocabulary words were introduced, such as the interjection “Amazing!” and the phrase, “to look forward to” and “appreciate your effort”.

The last activity was Active Listening, where an English speaker was heard from a recording. The recording was played twice so students could listen once, and then take notes on the second time around. Towards the end of class, Mr. Andrew went over how to log into blackboard and view grades and the syllabus, which was briefed over for students who were new to the class. Students were given a chance to read sections of the syllabus, and the expectations for the class were repeated. It was so nice to conclude my third class observation with another exceptional teacher who cared for their students, and who demonstrated great patience and diligence, as well as educational expertise.