However, I still face some challenges. One of them is managing time effectively during lessons, especially when activities take longer than expected. I also need to continue working on giving clearer instructions and balancing teacher and student talking time. Despite these difficulties, I see them as opportunities to keep improving. Each class helps me reflect, adjust, and grow as a teacher.

As I reach the end of this process, I realize how much I have learned and how significantly my skills as a future English teacher have developed. One of the most important lessons I have learned is the value of time management. Teaching and learning both require time; if we truly want our students to learn, we must give them enough time to process, practice, and internalize new knowledge. As Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development reminds us, learning occurs through guided support that gradually leads to independence.

Regarding lesson planning, I have become more thoughtful about my objectives and intentions. I often ask myself, What do I want my students to achieve? This reflective question aligns with the principles of backward design (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998), which emphasize planning with clear goals and outcomes in mind. I have also realized that knowing our students is essential. Understanding their interests, strengths, and weaknesses helps us create meaningful, inclusive lessons that promote motivation and engagement.

Reflection has been a central part of my teaching practicum. As Gabriel Díaz Maggioli (2003) points out, teachers develop professionally when they engage in reflective practice, which allows them to transform experience into knowledge. Reflection is not merely looking back at what happened; it involves critically analyzing our actions to make informed decisions and grow as professionals. Through this process, I have learned to observe my classes, identify areas for improvement, and adapt my teaching accordingly.

In terms of materials, I discovered that adapting resources can be both demanding and rewarding. Although it is time-consuming, I enjoy the creative challenge of finding and designing materials that fit my students’ needs. Testing them in class allows me to see what works and what doesn’t, an essential part of continuous learning and professional growth.

All in all, I feel I have learned and grown a lot during this course. Each lesson has contributed to the ongoing construction of my teaching identity, as I integrate theory and practice, reflect on my experiences, and continue shaping the teacher I aspire to become.

Díaz Maggioli, G. (2003). Professional development for language teachers. TESOL.

 Procedure: T begins lesson introducing student teacher. Asks them to tell me what they’ve been doing.

Writes date and agenda on the board and the objectives. Sts copy from the board.

Objectives: - Working in groups to design an infographics about safety tips in the lab. Sts get into groups which have already been organized by the teachers’ staff.

 After designing it they will have to present it orally next class. T checks understanding and sets time for the activity, 20  minutes. T monitors the groups. She copies the rubrics and sets next activity, reflecting. Sts reflect about the activities done during the class, they have to reflect about things they have learned and how it will help them in their real lives.

Reflection: I found the infographics production really profitable as students seemed really motivated and engaged though a bit reluctant to present it in front of the class.

Today was my second time teaching the group. The topic of the lesson was "Greetings".

I based my plan on the book Living Uruguay 4, but I adapted some activities, something that took me nearly a week to finish.

Before the lesson I felt I was well prepared, however, there were some aspects that need improvement. Firstly, timing because I could not finish the lesson on time. Also, as I handed in an activity in which students had to complete a chart I did not check the meaning of some words that appeared on the chart.

The class atmosphere was good, I felt I improved my transitions from one activity to another, so the lesson flow was positive. As my CT suggested I wrote the instructions and the checking questions I was going to use, which I found pretty useful.

All in all, I found the lesson rewarding as I got material to reflect on and aspects to improve

I very much identify with this Paulo Freire's quote:

"Quien enseña, aprende al enseñar, y quien aprende, enseña al aprender".

Our cooperating teacher’s functions include orienting us to the dynamics of the school environment, introducing us to the school’s culture, and sharing effective teaching strategies that they have developed through experience. They help us understand classroom management techniques, lesson planning, student engagement strategies, and how to adapt teaching to diverse learners. Furthermore, they play a critical role in developing our reflective teaching practices by observing our lessons and providing constructive feedback. Their observations help us become more aware of our teaching strengths and areas for growth.

According to Farrel, a good cooperating teacher encourages and motivates us by recognizing and praising the effective aspects of our teaching, supporting us when we face challenges, and helping us build confidence in our professional abilities. They provide a safe space for us to ask questions, try out new methods, and learn from both our successes and mistakes. Their mentorship fosters a learning partnership based on trust, openness, and shared goals.

While the cooperating teacher supports and guides us, we as student teachers also have obligations. We must present a professional image and conduct ourselves ethically and responsibly. It is essential that we be active listeners, receptive to advice, and willing to learn from the experience and insights of our mentor teacher. This reciprocal relationship is key to a meaningful and transformative practicum experience.

Source:https://cfe.schoology.com/attachment/2912469988/source/6f347e41a98693e56cdf76e03c3c37d1.pdf

I look forward to gaining experience in the classroom, learning from my cooperating teacher, and becoming more confident in my role. I hope to create a positive and respectful learning environment where students feel safe and motivated. I also want to be a good listener, to students and to those who guide me, because I know that being open to feedback will help me grow as a teacher. This is just the beginning, but I am excited for the journey ahead.

Beginning of the lesson:  Greetings, Date and objectives on the board

Sts present the infographics they prepared in front of the class, their partners evaluate them with a rubric they constructed themselves. Then they comment about their evaluations orally.

Self-assessment: T asks sts to evaluate themselves.

Reflection: As groups present their productions, their partners take notes, this seems really positive as they are busy taking notes assessing their partners, it encourages critical thinking and supports formative assessment.

  Objectives:

T begins the lesson telling sts about the rubric as sts are going to present an infographics about women in Science.It contains the following sections:

Name

Content

Fluency

Posture

Infographics

Total

Also, as they listen to their partners sts have to write in their notebooks a word that captured their attention, a phrase that provoked them and a sentence that was meaningful for them.

After presenting the infographics T asks sts to evaluate themselves answering some questions:

1-How did you feel today?

2-Name a positive aspect of making oral presentations

3-What things can you improve?

4-How can the teacher help you?

Reflection: I found the lesson very attractive, learner centred and the lesson's pace is really good, as it flows naturally. Also, the topic is attractive for students as it involves famous personalities.

.Working on integration of skills

. Humans are social beings

. Focus on new lexis

. Transition to new thematic unit

Shows a video for sts to guess the main topic: Friendship

Sts work in groups. They read texts and underline different aspects.

T asks questions to check understanding.

After finishing T does transition to the following thematic unit "Small contry Big people". T brainstorm names of impactful people in our city and writes names on the board. She finishes the lesson saying they will be working with these people in the following lessons.

T starts lesson talking about last lesson

Objectives: An impactful person from our community.

.Integration of skills "Garra charrúa"

Hands in material for sts to do some reading comprehension. Sts answer questions individually and match headlines to paragraphs.

Activities corrected orally

Wrap up: T ends the lesson with a Thinking routine:

I used to think....but now I think....

Transition: "Now we're going to work with "Garra charrúa", asks sts what they understand by that, as sts brainstorm, T writes down words on the board: personality, concept, idea, fight, bravery, etc.

T introduces reading and listening activity. Sts match heading to paragraphs. T sets time, 10' for the matching activity.

It is corrected orally.

Sts are asked to do some pair-work answering questions about the "Garra charrúa " text from Living Uruguay 4.

Tie to previous lesson: Asks about ethnical groups mentioned the previous class.

Asks for strategies sts use before listening, they mention reading and understanding .

Activities incorporated in the lesson: Listening and completing

Materials: Photocopies,computer, tv, board.

How does teacher check understanding?

Reads the activity aloud, then asks someone to explain.

End of the lesson:Self assessment: sts copy three sentences from the board to assess themselves.

Teacher asks for a wordsearch set for homework. Sts exchange and do the activity.

Tie to previous lesson: Asks for names of greetings from previous class.

Resources: Wordsearch prepared by sts, computer, photocopies, computer

Noise level: Medium

Concentration level: High

Checking understanding: Eliciting answers from sts

What kind of questions did the teacher ask? Open and close questions

Activities: working on writing skills: Santa Lucía

Fostering oral discussion

Material: handouts, board, markers

Matching exercise: Sts match places from S Lucía and different characteristics

Board: T uses different colours

Checking understanding: Questions

Correction on the board

T asks sts to write about our city for a tourist blog mentioning iconic places, activities to do, food, people :brainstorms adjectives on the board

Activities: working on writing skills: Santa Lucía

Fostering oral discussion

Material: handouts, board, markers

Matching exercise: Sts match places from S Lucía and different characteristics

Board: T uses different colours

Checking understanding: Questions

Correction on the board

T asks sts to write about our city for a tourist blog mentioning iconic places, activities to do, food, people :brainstorms adjectives on the board

Start the lesson: T asks sts about important people in Uruguay.

Hands in material to work in pairs on reading skills. Sts complete missing headings, then they complete a chart

Transition: T asks sts what they think they are going to do next, as they answer, she explains the following activity. She is going to provide information about a famous Uruguayan dancer and sts have to write the biography. T checks understanding asking questions

End of the lesson: T asks sts to write about self-assessment

I felt....in today's class

I worked...(.. in pairs

I learnt.......

Second 45' Sts worked on Living Uruguay 4 pages 31, 32 doing reading comprehension activities

 Social Aspect

The students are between 14 and 15 years old. Six of them travel from nearby areas and most come from the local basic cycle high school or from the high school in 25 de Agosto. The most popular extracurricular activities include football (8 students), English (5), and gym (2).

Regarding study resources, half of the class has access to a printer, and most students have at least one electronic device and internet access at home.

The group is divided into small sectors and not well integrated. Because of this, and together with other teachers, a new classroom seating plan was designed at the end of the introductory module to promote collaboration and integration. Some students were resistant to this change, especially those seated farther from their usual places.

Students participate actively in class and often share good ideas orally. However, some students arrive late to class regularly, and this issue has been discussed with them.

Educational Aspect

None of the students have English pending from previous years. There are 8 students with Reasonable Adjustments:

Juana Cabrera – dyslexia

Víctor Fernández – hyperactivity

Naomi López – diagnosed with ASD

Bruno Marquisio – slow writing (dysgraphia), reading comprehension difficulties, and problems organizing written work

Alejo Orecchia – dyslexia with attention deficit and dysgraphia

Benjamín Picardo – dyslexia with spelling issues

Johana Travieso – panic attacks, emotional vulnerability

Eva Vidart – low frustration tolerance, impulse control and anxiety difficulties, dyslexia, and issues in motor perception and other areas

Most students prefer working in pairs or small groups instead of individually. They consider reading comprehension to be their strongest skill and oral expression as the main area to improve this year. The most used digital tools for studying are YouTube, ChatGPT, and the CREA platform.

Group Diagnosis

During the Introductory Module, students worked on the following general competencies:

Communication

Local, global, and digital citizenship

They also focused on the specific competence of Critical Thinking.

Each student was assessed and classified under a traffic light system (basic, intermediate, advanced) based on their performance in the communication competence, especially their ability to combine language components to communicate fluently and effectively.

Areas to Improve:

Autonomous work: Students need to develop strategies to organize their tasks, reflect on their performance, and plan how to improve.

Productive skills (speaking and writing): To help students communicate more fluently and effectively in different situations.

 Planned Actions

Support students in searching for and organizing information independently.

Use thinking routines to help them organize and reflect on ideas.

Promote collaborative work through pair and group tasks.

Encourage critical reflection about their own performance through self-assessment and peer assessment (rubrics, checklists, traffic lights, etc.).

Develop oral expression skills with frequent speaking opportunities, following DUA (Universal Design for Learning) principles.

Foster strategies to improve writing (drafts, editing, in-class writing, etc.).

The most reputable countries in the world

T begins the lesson asking sts about thier views on the most reputable countries in the world. They think individually and then share opinions. Then they read the text provided to find the answer. T reads text aloud, then sts highlight the answers for questions.

T monitors for correction.

Sts google about Uruguay's reputation and findings are shared on the board.

Uruguay is the most reputable country in Latin America

Political stability, quality of life and transparency.

Top 3 of the most beautiful national anthem

What's Uruguay famous for?

Carnival, the longest promenade

Sts are asked to share their findings on the board.

End of the lesson:T asks what isthe most interesting fact of the lesson? Sts mention phrases, facts and words.

I know the objective was achieved as every student wrote their review about their favourite series. Things to improve: Time management and instructions checking.

Brainstorming on the board about famous people.

Sts work in groups and complete a chart about famous people in the past and now.

Hands in material for students to name influencers .Answers shared on the board.

Listen to the definition of streaming.

Sts get into groups and discuss pros and cons of live streaming. They can choose different points of views:Streamer or audience.

Sts work with a text Being famous in the 21st century. T explains activities and monitors groups. The answers are shared on the board.

Sts answer personal questions: How often do you upload social media content?

What's the most viral video from 2025?

Class interrupted by a "Taller de sexualidad"

Shares Agreement- Disagreement phrases on the board.

Sts read a text and highlight positive and negative aspects of being famous.

T introduces the idea of a podcast. Sts will have to create a podcast in groups about pros and cons of being famous, if they would like to be famous, etc. Sts will have to send it on Crea. T and sts create a checklist about the podcast components:

Name, Intro, Topic, Host, Guests, Discussion about fame and money, Length ( between 90 to 120 seconds), Closure.

Sts will have to tick every component to see if they have accomplished the task.

Peer observations

16-06-25 Highschool 28 Montevideo Alejandro García

How did St start the lesson: St tells sts they have to guess the topic of the lesson, plays sound and sts guess the topic Tie to previous lesson:

- Generates sts interest using different soundtracks

Activities: 1. Sts have to label pictures, the activity is checked on the board

2- uses L1 to give instructions, asks in Spanish if they understood

3- Not clearly explained, Sts are asked to upload the activity in Crea Instructions : St sets time but did not check them Resources: speaker, books, handouts Rules and discipline: Adequate

Noise level: Low Student participation: They seemed involved and willing to participate

Kinds of questions St asked: Open and closed

Were transitions smooth?

Transition 1 done Transition 2 done Transition 3 not clear

End of the lesson: Sets activity 3 for homework

Time management: Could not round up the lesson as sts took too on the previous activity

Assessment: Monitoring and asking questions TTT should be reduced using interaction patterns in the lp

Uses L1 and L2

Student teacher: Sofía De Armas

How did St start the lesson: Asks sts to open notebooks, asks if they remember last class

Tie to previous lesson: Asks sts to tell partners what they did the previous class.

Generates st interest explaining a game “This or that “ Sts seem interested in the activity

Activities:

1-This or that

2-Pair work :interviews about jobs to practise for next Monday (test) Instructions: They were checked Interview: st demonstrates the activity with a student and asks another to explain the activity to make sure they understood, the activity is checked with another student

Resources: Handouts with questions with and without help

Rules and discipline: Adequate

Noise level: Low

Check of understanding: Done

Kinds of questions St asked: Open and closed

Were transitions smooth? :Only one included in lp End of the lesson could not wrap up and share notes

Assessment: Monitoring the pairs as they interview partners

Rapport: St had a good rapport with sts as she used sts names.

End of the lesson: Thematic unit assessment

Rock: what I learnt

Paper: what I need to read again

Scissors: What I would cut

This lesson was about introducing students to the concept and structure of a CV. One strong aspect was the sequence of activities, which helped students connect what they learned about job adverts with the new topic. They could easily understand each step and apply it in their own writing.

Another positive point was peer assessment. Students checked their partners’ CVs using a checklist, which made them reflect on their work and learn from each other. It also helped me reduce my talking time and make the class more student-centred.

I learned that giving clear examples and instructions is very important, especially when students are working with a new text type. Overall, this lesson helped me think more about how to support my students’ learning.

Building Characteristics
The institution occupies a large property, an entire block. It has a main office, a teachers’ lounge, an administrative office, 12 classrooms, an art room, four bathrooms (one of which is accessible), and a cafeteria (which is currently not operating). There is also a library with a spacious area where computers are available for students to use. Additionally, there is a laboratory where Chemistry and Physics teachers conduct their work.

There are two large courtyards: one at the entrance, which is accessible, though unfortunately, the rest of the building lacks adequate accessibility for students with disabilities. There is also an outdoor sports area with soccer and basketball courts where physical education classes are held.

Overall, the building is in very good condition. About 10 years ago, significant renovations were carried out, including new furniture, although some older pieces are still in use. Most classrooms are equipped with air conditioning and televisions. They are spacious and well-lit. Hygiene is good, with two staff members in charge of cleaning.

Human Resources
There are always two administrative assistants (adscriptos) present in each shift. They are very attentive and involved with the students, providing both administrative and personal support whenever needed.

Most of the teachers are experienced and hold high academic ranks. Many have been working at this institution for years and are residents of Santa Lucía.

The school also has a Multidisciplinary Team, including a Social Educator and a psychologist, who conducts workshops for teachers and students on particularly important topics. There is also a sexual health advisor, who is not as frequently present as the psychologist but still provides valuable information.

Their partners assess peers using a rubric:

Name

Fluency

Content

Pronounciation/Tone

As sts finish T corrects spelling mistakes on the board before giving them their final marks.

In terms of self-assessment, I have become more aware of my strengths and challenges. I feel more confident when managing time, giving clear instructions, and fostering interaction among students. However, I still need to work on promoting more learner autonomy and balancing teacher and student talk time. Peer and tutor feedback have been essential in helping me reflect on my practice and find ways to improve.

Looking ahead, I aim to keep learning from experience and from others. I plan to continue developing my pedagogical knowledge, especially in the use of technology and formative assessment tools that promote active learning. My goal is to become a reflective and creative teacher who encourages students to use English to communicate, think critically, and connect with the world around them.