https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59 The story continues.... en-us 2017-11-30 23:54:01 UTC 2026-02-25 10:35:32 UTC hello@padlet.com aliciabalint https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212114328 17th October
My last trip began. 
I went to my first secondary observation full of joy and excitement.
After greeting the headteacher, we all entered into the classroom and Miss Nadia introduced me to the students. After this, they all set ready to start working.
Firstly, the teacher asked the students to revise first conditional all together. They were using photocopies taken from a pre-intermediate book. 
Although students participated mostly in Spanish, I could see that they were very concentrated and participative in the class.
Next, Miss Nadia gave them some photocopies with extra activities. She explained the activity and they did an example together. When they finished, they checked it together. 
This was the time for the second 
I could notice they used cognitive skills a lot in order to do the tasks. 
They did the same with another photocopy. It was great to see how organized the group worked. I can see they are very quiet and hardworking. 
It was an incredible experience. Since this school has a drama orientation, we could hear a flute playing from the next classroom. It was just magical and relaxing. 
Every time they finished an activity, all of them waited in silence for the rest to finish.
Since the following class they will have a test, the teacher reminded them about the topics to be evaluated and asked them to revise together First Conditional. 
The next task was a reading comprehension. Miss Nadia handed in another photocopy with a text about healthy food. She asked them to read in turns. They analyzed it together and they spoke about healthy food and habits. Then, they answered some questions about the text.
They finished the class with a speaking activity by answering the teacher's questions with second conditional. 
It was a very nice class. I can't wait to see them again.]]> 2017-11-30 23:56:38 UTC https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212114328 aliciabalint https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212129961 24th October
The second stop...a new day in the classroom.
At the beginning of the class, students told the teacher two of them were missing because they were ill. It struck my attention the partnership among the classmates.
Before beginning with the test, they started asking some questions to clear out last-minute-doubts.
They were allowed to use a dictionary during the test, so one of them was sent to borrow them from the school's library.
When all of them were set up, Miss Nadia handed in the photocopies and explained each of the tasks, in English and Spanish, so that they understood clearly.
During the test, some students asked the teacher help to interpret the tasks properly. Miss Nadia guided them by providing clear examples on the board.
Some minutes before the time was over, they started handing in. So they finished the class with it.
Although the class was mostly in silence, it was very productive. Since I could see how learners act when they have to work alone, and how important teacher's guidance is at this point of the learning process.

]]> 2017-12-01 02:04:09 UTC https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212129961 aliciabalint https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212133172 7th November
And now we travel around haunted houses.
The first day started. It was very special for me. I was so excited to start with my last practicum period.
I started the class by greeting the students and introducing ourselves. Then, I told them that we would work with three houses from the USA, which were special because they were haunted. I showed them the pictures and then asked them to complete a chart with some options about what they thought happened in those houses.
When they finished, they shared their ideas and I asked them to keep the paper on their folders for the following classes. 
Next, I pointed Lizzie Borden's house and told them we would work with it story during the lesson. I showed them a picture of some children skipping and explained that they would listen to a skipping chant children still sing. I gave them a photocopy to complete with the missing words. When they finished, we checked it together and analyzed it. 
To go deeper on the story, I handed in a reading activity and a task to complete a summary of the girl's story. 
I used some highlighted sentences on it to introduce past perfect tense. Asking them to analyze the order of events and, in this way, see how this tense works.
As time was almost over, I decided to give them the task I had prepared for homework and we finished the class watching a video about Lizzie Borden's house.
When the lesson ended I was just speechless... I was so happy! It was incredible! Students were so participative and they loved the topic.
So... we will meet next week...to visit another haunted house.]]> 2017-12-01 02:32:24 UTC https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212133172 aliciabalint https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212137542 14th November
Our second stop: Amityville House.
Our trip through stories took us to our second destination. But before we started, we corrected our homework. I took some time to check the correct use of past tenses in the text they had to complete, explaining why each of the narrative tenses were used.
After that, I showed them a picture of Amityville House. And we shared what they had complete on the chart about its history.
To be more illustrative, I played a video with the house's history. I paused it everytime it was necessary so that we could speak about its content.
Then, I handed in a set of photocopies with a text. They worked in group to put the paragraphs in the correct order and then we read and analyzed it together.
Unfortunately, this task took more time than I had expected so I gave two more activities to work at home. We finished explaining the homework and saying goodbye.
Although I couldn't finish my plan as I expected, I know that this kinds of activities in which students have to think, relate and infer meaning are difficult to time in advance. This is because we cannot know how much time each student will need for it.
Again, I went home with a big smile on my face... Our plain sailing was getting more and more amazing.]]> 2017-12-01 03:12:09 UTC https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212137542 aliciabalint https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212140033 21st November
Sarah Winchester's  curse...We land to her unusual house... The house that belonged to the spirits.
Like the previous lesson, we started the class by greeting each other. As a warm- up, we checked the homewrok together. The majority hadn't done it, so we completed it together. Which was a good opportunity to revise narrative tenses and vocabulary.
Next, I introduced Winchester House mystery through flashcards, where they could see Sarah and William Winchester, their guns and how they were used at wars.
I showed them a video so that they could see how strangely beautiful this house is. 
When it finished, we read a summary which contained words in bold. After reading, students had to match them with their definitions.
Next, I displayed different flashcards showing different parts of the house. Students the same pictures on the photocopy, so they had to match the descriptions with the pictures.
After checking, I reminded the students that, as a final project they would write and act a horror film trailer. So I showed them the trailer of a new film about this house to have it as a model.
We finished the class compling a mind map with the most important information about the trailer and, then we started writing our project's plot and script.
What a wonderful experience! This story will take learners through marvellous ideas and they will develop their llanguage skills without noticing it.]]> 2017-12-01 03:37:38 UTC https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212140033 aliciabalint https://padlet.com/aliciabalint/b6jzko1cny59/wish/212141642 28th November
We got to the last page of our journey through stories.
This was our last class, so we had to finish our trailer's scrip. We started the class by reading what we had done the previous class and, then, we finished it.
After that, I helped students practising their lines. Although the trailer is not very long, they were extremely enthusiastic about it.
When we finished, I told students it was time to do our last assignment. I handed in some photocopies. The first one had a text in which we could identified the narrative tenses. Once the students did it, we completed a chart together with some otions for the usage and our own conclusions for the rest.
Once students had refreshed narrative tenses, I asked them to look at the other photocopies, I explained the tasks and let them work in silence.
When the time was off, they handed in.
I said goodye very sad, since it was a great group, our work was excellent and I felt very comfortable with them.
I can't believe I am saying goodgye for the last time. This is it. I arrived at the end of my practicum year.

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