Mentoring with the EPOSTL

mentor´s perspective

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Teaching practice

Universitydidactic courses

PS 1

PS 5

School / mentor

Practice 18 lesson observations, 2 teaching units

Practice 216 lesson observations8 teaching units

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Final reportsBEFORE the EPOSTL was used

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Reflection on my first practicum

A new impression was the teachers´room. I have never been behind that door before

Finally the big day had arrived. I entered the classroom and …

Although the pupils seemed a bit childish …

Of course written work does take up a lot of time … I thought it would be easier to work with the pupils

There might have been differences in preparing for the lessons

I thought they might have an idea …

At the start they seemed a bit shy …

As I was not prepared for so much participation …

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Final report Based on EPOSTL descriptors

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Lesson observationshttp://static.uni-graz.at/fileadmin/gewi-institute/Anglistik/Fachdidaktik/Downloads/observation-tasks.pdf

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Lesson Observation tasksClassroom management and interaction with learners

Teacher

How does the teacher get the students’ attention at the beginning of the lesson? (EPOSTL; p41,1)

What does she/he say? What mimes or gestures

does he/she use?

Learners

What are the learners doing when the teacher arrives?

How do the learners (re)act?

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Lesson observation tasksClassroom atmoshere and discipline How does the teacher create a

positive learning atmosphere?

How does the teacher encourage learners to use the target language?

How does the teacher manage to get everybody involved?

How does the teacher respond to misbehavior or inattention?

Learners´Behaviour Do the learners seem to be

interested?

Do they seem at ease and taken seriously?

Are the learners using the target language?

Are all the learners actively involved?

Are there any noticeable cliques?

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School Practice Reports

Based on lesson observations student teacher´s lessons Teacher-student discussions Positive / negative feedback (mentor, peeers,

pupils)

and EPOSTL descriptors

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I can identify time needed for specific topics and activities and plan accordingly

Report When I was planning the lessons I

had problems to identify how much time … especially because I had observed that the students work at entirely different speed.

Therefore I decided to prepare addidional activities …

However, it showed me that I have to make more experiences and get more feedback to identify accurately how much time is needed for specific tasks

Mentor´s questions

• - What else could you do with students who finish (a lot) earlier?

• What further information could be helpful to plan accordingly?

• - Do you think you might focus on the descriptor in SP II again?

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I can use various strategies when learners do not understand the target language

report When explaining activities I

tried to speak slowly and clearly

When I had the feeling something was unclear I used different words but did not switch to German

If they still had problems I switched to German

Mentor How could you avoid German?

What other strategies can you think of?

When thinking of more difficult classes – do you think the full number of points is justified?

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I can design learning materials and activities appropriate for my learnersreport As I had a little sneak into planning

lessons and then had to design lessons myself I realized how difficult …

How different the demands were

In the 6th form I could use real articles from the internet …

In the 3rd form I had to think of a different approach

I am left with the feeling that most was left to luck rather than expertise

Mentor

How can you adapt material to the needs of the learners?

Trial and error is ok at that stage but how could you improve?

What and who might help?

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Advantages of mentoring with the EPOSTL

less chatty (→ video)more focused on specific and relevant teaching

areasgood tool for self-evalation and improvementreveals strenghts and weaknesses

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Some problem areas

Students´ initial reluctance to use EPOSTL Beginners choose irrelevant / inappropriate (very

complex) descriptors Descriptors used to elaborate theoretically Descriptors not used to reflect on own teaching

experience Descriptors used to evaluate mentors

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Questions?Thank you for your attention!