Serena TS#2

Date/Time: August 31st 7:30-8:20pm

Location: PJ's desk

Topic/Skill: Reading fluency & vocabulary

Feedback provided to tutee: When PJ was working on his vocabulary worksheet he couldn't find his dictionary so I gave him example sentences using the vocab word. Then I asked him to define the word based on the context of my example sentences. I gave him feedback based on the accuracy of his definition. Based on his sentence I told him whether or not it fit what the question was asking. If it didn't I would prompt him to think by asking him questions to guide him towards the right thought process.

Lesson(s) about tutoring and/or the tutee you learned: This session taught me how different it is to tutor an adult versus a child. The biggest challenge I am faced with is the proper balance of fun and enjoyment with keeping discipline and focus. PJ seemed pretty apathetic towards the idea of being tutored so I tried to make it enjoyable as possible. The hard part is to make it very enjoyable without wasting time where it feels like the time is just being wasted. What I am learning to do is let PJ navigate the direction of what we learn about. I just need to be prepared with ideas/material to allow him to explore further when we hit a gold mine on a topic of his interest. So far I've learned that he is greatly interested in airplanes as well as disasters in history.

Toylene-CO#1


August 29, 2016- Mr. Fleming- Grammar3- 9:00-9:50


Mr. Fleming's class did not disappoint.  It was cool to see and hear Professor Kim's TELF instruction in action.


Mr. Fleming began the class with a pair/share activity to review the previous lesson. Throughout the lesson there were several opportunities for the students to interact with their peers and him. Mr. Fleming used handouts, referred to the text book, drew visuals to teach the lesson and communicated the lesson in simple sentences. The students readily participated when called upon. It was obvious that the students were serious about their English studies. While circulating around the room, he monitored the students' responses, he provided encouraging feedback regularly and he allowed the class extended time to complete the task, if needed. It was also evident that the teaching methods used, coupled with positive feedback, was effective and empowering.  To my delight, a couple of students were comfortable enough to ask questions and/or volunteer to answer questions, even though their English wasn't fluent. It was even exciting to hear Mr. Fleming say with enthusiasm that he found a "beautiful mistake."  Image that, being excited to hear someone say they found a mistake in your work. It wasn't a feeling of dread but a moment to learn how not to repeat that mistake again.  Oh, one funny moment occurred. Mr. Fleming was trying to familiarize the class with that nasty Florida bug, the roach.  As he was drawing the bug on the board, the class recognized the yucky bug and sounds of disgust followed.  The drawing associated with word brought their background knowledge of the little critter to the forefront of their minds. Way to go, Mr. Fleming.

Serena CP#1

Date/Time: August 31st 3:00-4:40pm

Location: Strozier Starbucks

Topic discussed: Family, background, Comparing Korean/American culture

Cultural and/or linguistic topics you and your partner learned: Speaking with Jimin was very fun and entertaining. She has only been here in the US for two months. She will be here until the end of January to study and then will go back to Korea to complete her undergraduate degree. She is currently undecided in what she wants to study but is leaning towards psychology. I was surprised by this but she told be that psychology is a recently growing field in Korea. Her whole family lives here with her. Her dad is in administration, though I didn't fully understand what that meant so she told me she would look it up and explain it more later. She also has two younger sisters and her mom living here with her. They have all been here for a year now but she moved here only recently. She explained some of the differences between Korean and American culture, she described that the only stereotype she really hears about Americans is that they are more free-spirited. She also mentioned that she heard Americans when given gifts from friends may be more resistant at first while it is very natural in Korea. These were interesting perspectives that I have never thought about.

The biggest challenge of the conversation was that she was shy to talk for too long at a time because her lack of confidence in her current speaking abilities. Also I couldn't always tell how much of what I was telling her she fully understood. I tried to slow down the pace of my speech but she probably didn't acknowledge a lack of understanding for everything she didn't understand. I'm assuming if she understood most of what I was saying she just nodded to keep the conversation going. Her vocabulary was limited at times, which was fine but made it more challenging to keep the conversation going back and forth.

Serena CO#2

Date/Time: August 31st 11:00-11:50am

Topic/Skill: Reading/Group 3

Teacher Presentation: The class began with a review of the vocabulary that was taught in the previous class. Then Sana gave the class a few minutes to skim over an article they had been reading for a couple classes prior. Afterwards the class went over reading comprehension multiple choice questions based on the article. As the class read through each question, Sana would pick out specific vocab words and have the students define them. Then the students split into pairs to complete a written activity based on the article, and finished the class by writing a summary of the article followed by one more activity.

Classroom Management: Sana would use directness when splitting the class into small groups and would call on students specifically if no one jumped into answer.

Materials: FSView article, reading comprehension multiple choice, decision-making worksheet, notes from previous classes

Student Participation: Sana made a point to let students explain answers or concepts first and then she would fill in any gaps if no one could explain it properly.

Feedback Provided: Sana would explain the reason as to why their answer was or wasn't correct.

Lesson(s) on teaching you learned: I found it very interesting how intricate the reading lesson was. It wasn't just about reading an article then answering questions on it. Instead Sana explained to me they spend three days reading and re-reading the same article, then they learn new vocab that is related to the article. At the same time they practice the comprehension through typical multiple choice questions but also critical thinking activities that approach the topic from various angles.

Tevyn CO#1

August 30, 2016

Today was my first meeting class observation. I sat in on Ryan Flemmings' speaking class. I wasn't too sure on what i was supposed to be writing about so i based my "review" off of the grammar lesson plan template. He started class with a greeting, and roll call. I noticed that he employs a inductive teaching style, showing a video at the beginning of class then a class activity to get the class involved. During the video he kept the students participation by pausing the video and asking questions about the video after a main event happened. Correcting any sentences that needed to be and getting other students to help correct any errors. I noticed that he was a positive and patient teacher taking the time with each student to explain any errors that they had in their sentences. I liked the interactivity of his class and how he explained and broke dawn the tougher sentences. Although this was a speech class he was using other methods to help clarify anything;like writing the sentences on the board to have a visual aid.

Alexa TS #2

Date/Time: August 30^th, 2016; 6:30pm-7:30pm

Location: CIES

Topic/Skill: Reading comprehension, sentence correction, vocabulary

Feedback provided to tutee: P.J. was not very impressed with the stories that I had him read. He found them boring. I told him that next week I would try to come in with more interesting reading materials.

Lesson(s) about tutoring and/or the tutee you learned: 

P.J. loves to talk about almost anything and in very engaging when telling stories about Korea or swimming. I learned that the best way to get him interested in reading something is to make it interesting for him. I also learned that a rearward goes a long way in motivating him. One of the ways I rewarded him was watching a short clip on YouTube that dealt with what we were reading. The most popular one was about the Wizard of Oz and how Dorothy was taken to Oz by a cyclone.