SECONDARY EXPERIENCE by Sofi Mercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7 Sofía Mercado en-us 2018-09-10 18:25:11 UTC 2025-04-04 07:16:33 UTC hello@padlet.com Aberdare College sofimercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/298925744 Fortunately it is the same school in which I work and did my kinder practicum lessons]]> 2018-10-31 12:22:14 UTC https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/298925744 Here is Aberdare´s Web site sofimercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/298925914 2018-10-31 12:22:41 UTC https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/298925914 4th year sofimercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/298926160 They are quite a small group, conformed by 16 students, 9 boys and 7 girls. 
They seem to be a lovely group. 
An important detail is that they have recently travelled to England! So I will base my lessons on school trips!
Here you can take a look at their Classroom! It is a bit messy! ]]> 2018-10-31 12:23:16 UTC https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/298926160 LESSON NUMBER ONE! sofimercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/298927445 After my first lesson at 4th year, I can say that it was quite a challenge. The planning and the lesson were based on the Communicative approach. The focus was put on communication. During the whole lesson, I fostered students to speak and share their opinions and suggestions. They were very enthusiastic about it, mostly all of the students were very eager to participate in all of the activities. I was able to create a comfortable atmosphere as well as a good relationship with the students. That made them feel confident and comfortable. As it was organized and performed following the Presentation-Practice-Production procedure, students were able to identify and use the new vocabulary, incorporate the new structures and phrases without difficulties. The warm up and introduction of the main topic was quite a success. They are all very fond of talking about their own experience on their recent trip.
 
            As I could see during my observation period, despite their age, the group is quite participative and like sharing their views and opinions orally. They showed themselves very interested during the whole lesson as well as participative. Their behaviour was much better than expected. I never had to raise my voice or get angry. Silence was required only in some few moments. Even when returning to the classroom after the break, there was no need to re-create a good atmosphere so as to start working. They all enter the classroom gently and got ready to continue working.  
 
            Students reactions towards the different activities was very positive. Only one student showed a bit of resistance as towards an oral activity. She expressed she didn’t want to come to the front and share her production. I tried to motivate her, but she still did not want to do it.. During the listening activity, they were all very quiet and attentive. They took down many notes in a short period of time. Quite amazing!  
            In a few words, my first lesson at secondary school was much better than I expected. I was quite nervous and a bit afraid of what it could be. It was my first experience with teenagers and it turned out to be a beautiful and enriching day. Looking forward to seeing them again!
  
Here you can watch the video we used for the Listening Activity!
]]> 2018-10-31 12:26:21 UTC https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/298927445 Second DAY! sofimercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301416895 I can firmly say that it was quite different from the first day. I guess that it was because I felt more confident and relaxed; so it turned out to be a great lesson. 
To start with, the lesson was based again on the Communicative approach.
Many of them were not present, because they had a tournament. Anyway, today’s lesson was a great and memorable one.
As I saw them so interested about the topic, I asked them to recall to the previous lesson and tell what we have been learning and talking about. As regards the written tasks, they all could handle modal verbs with success. 
While students were doing the fill in the blanks in the letter/e-mail excercise, I realized that there was a spelling mistake on one word. I told students that there was a mistake, they found it very fast and they all corrected it by themselves. We continue with the lesson normally.
As regards participation, all students showed enthusiasm. They all took part of the different activities, no matter if it was a written one, oral or a listening. Their behavior was very good as well. There was no need to call anybody’s attention at any moment. I thought that secondary students were hard to ‘handle’, but now I totally disagree with that.
Finally, overall, I think it was more than a successful lesson. The timing was perfect. 
As today’s lesson was entertaining, I hope they will be in a good attitude and mood for the following one!


]]> 2018-11-07 11:15:34 UTC https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301416895 3rd Lesson! sofimercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301420961 After my 3rd lesson, I can say that 4th year is an extraordinary group of students. They are always participative and with a positive attitude towards learning. The planning as well as the lesson were based on the Communicative approach.
When the writing moment arrived, the atmosphere in the classroom was the appropriate one. The planning helped them concentrate and focus on the subject matter so they were all in silence working. We did a listening activity using modals with an old song: Should I stay or should I go. 
Then, while students were making a summary about an article, I went walking around the classroom for a while to clear some student’s doubts. Some of them asked permission to take out their cell phones to look for some words.  Others started asking question as regards spelling of some words. I decided to let them use their dictionaries.
Then, we finished talking about graduation trips, and then talked about things that they should do to earn money and save it for their graduation trip. Students were really thrilled with the topic! 
As far as I could see and grasp from their writings, they were all well executed and they were really interesting.


]]> 2018-11-07 11:27:45 UTC https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301420961 Fourth and LAST! sofimercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301423336 After my last lesson at 4th year, I can say that it was an incredible and delighting experience. The planning as well as the lesson were based on the Communicative approach as usual.
From the past lessons, I could realize that the students definitely prefer oral, interactive and group activities over written and individual tasks. 
As regards classroom management, they all behaved well as usual and there was no need to raise my voice or even ask for silence. They were very attentive and followed the class without showing signs of boredom or loss of motivation.  We started talking about food and health, which are very important topics for their age. We watch a video about the three benefits of being fit, and answered some questions on the topic dealt in it.
In this lesson, students put everything they learnt during these days into practice. They wrote an informal letter with some rules I gave them.
Finally, now that my secondary practicum period is over, I would like to say that at first I was terrified about it. Being in a classroom alone with 16 adolescents was quite scary. Fortunately, my days in 4th year turned out to be exceptional!


]]> 2018-11-07 11:35:18 UTC https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301423336 All In All... sofimercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301524967 Day after day I felt more confident and secure about myself. Students gained trust and confidence as well and let themselves go into the lessons taking out the best of us all. An exhausting but a lovely experience!]]> 2018-11-07 14:49:17 UTC https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301524967 All In All... sofimercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301525039 2018-11-07 14:49:20 UTC https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301525039 All In All sofimercado https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301525281 2018-11-07 14:49:31 UTC https://padlet.com/sofimercado/kpr91angmdx7/wish/301525281