Lessons from the classroom: Reflections on Teaching Practice

Since completing a week on CELTA course is priceless according to the

enormous amount of knowledge and experience I gained, I wrote this essay on
reflections on my Teaching Practice.

1-Beliefs

Every morning during my first week on CELTA I attended input sessions. I

personally found the input sessions to be interesting and informative. My tutors made a
real effort to make them interactive and engaging. They plan these input sessions using
the same guidelines and classroom skills that they want us as trainees to use in our
own teaching practice sessions. The most favourite input sessions were establishing
meaning and eliciting at vocabulary level and presenting grammar. They were actually
fun and informative. Tutors did a good job of making me understand the various
challenges students face learning language. I found a lot of little ideas that I know I
could have used in my classrooms. In addition, the lesson planning session was very
effective. I thought that the formal lesson planning process is unnecessary and
considered as wasting time. I never made lesson plans as detailed as those demanded
by CELTA. I recognized that making detailed lesson plans is to think about every aspect
of the lesson carefully. I found out that the more work I put into my lesson plans the
better my lessons are.

In the afternoon, there were practice teaching sessions. I think it is the heart of
the CELTA. Each teacher tries to do the best in front of real students, fellow trainees
and tutor as well. Being watched is a strange experience. I felt quite different knowing
that the tutor was observing and grading me, that my fellow trainees were taking notes
and I would have to discuss every mistake later on. Then, as for being the watcher
instead of the watched, I had to watch others teaching, taking notes on them, good and
bad points, watching the class dynamics and thinking of ideas for my own lessons.
Finally, the feedback sessions to discuss the previous day’s practice teaching
sessions. Personally I have learnt a lot about myself through these feedback sessions.
My tutor and my fellow trainees were very good and supportive. They pointed out things
that I really needed to work on, some things I didn’t even realize I was doing (e.g. TTT).
This feedback is really constructive.

2-Strengths/Successes

One of my strengths and successes is the use of materials, resources and

technical aids in such a way that they enhance learning. I enjoy looking for pictures that
will amuse and interest students. I think that people learn better when the resources and
materials grab their attention and interest. I also ensure that resources are culturally
appropriate. Furthermore, using appropriate material is an effective tool for elicitation
and reducing my Teacher Talk Time (TTT).

Another strength and success is that I always respond positively to the learnt
rules and feedback. Every day I am tuned for learning and constructive feedback that I
receive from my tutors and fellow trainees. For instance, on my second Teaching
Practice I focused on language items in the classroom by clarifying relevant aspects of
meaning, form and phonology for students in an appropriate way.

Other strengths and successes are that I better provide students with appropriate
feedback on tasks and activities. I better check students’ concept successfully. I always
ask Concept Check Questions to check the students’ concept. In addition, I arrange my
class in different shapes that suited the activity.

3-Areas to work on

One area that I need to work on is to use appropriate means to make

instructions for tasks and activities clear to students. I need to chest my material and
give short and simple instructions especially during classroom activities. I will better
demonstrate with students to better enable them communicate using communicative
approach.

Another area I need to work on is to focus more on my modelling and drilling.

Being a little bit nervous at the beginning of my first Teaching Practice I modelled some
words without paying attention to my punctuation on the board and hesitated a little bit
during students’ drilling. I would relax and better enable students to be engaged rather
than paying attention to my tutor’s observation and my fellow trainees’ as well.

Other areas I need to work on is to concentrate on lesson planning. I need to

pay more attention on my method of planning lessons. It has to include how to structure
the steps of a given lesson, what activities will be used, how I will use the whiteboard
and what problems I expect students to have during the lesson. Effective lesson plan
will help me to fulfil my aims and to manage my class in a very productive way. It will
help me to manage my time and to be well prepared to anticipated problems with
appropriate solutions.

4- Post-course development

Hopefully, I can pass CELTA course since this is my passion and target. It is my
sincere belief that my career object after completing CELTA course is to seek a
teaching position in a respected institution where I will enjoy the opportunity to apply
what I have learnt from my CELTA course blending with my personal experience and
own knowledge. Concerning my professional development, I intend to extend my
knowledge by reading books that cover a wide range of teaching areas from
methodology to language awareness. Furthermore, I tend to attend workshops provided
by Nile TESOL or other available workshops where there is the opportunity to discuss
and debate ideas and opinions. Pursuing my academic development, I look forward to
expanding my practical and theoretical knowledge by doing my DELTA.
All in all, this assignment has helped me consider my progress and will help me
to develop my Teaching Practice further.