- The document summarizes two lesson observations of a kindergarten English class consisting of 5-year-old students in Ushuaia, Argentina. - In both lessons, the teacher effectively utilized Total Physical Response and Natural Approach principles, incorporating songs, gestures, pictures and varied activities to engage the students. - The first lesson introduced vocabulary about animals, while the second expanded on this topic, differentiating between domestic and wild animals. Strategies like songs, counting, and interactive activities helped maintain student focus. - The observer notes the teacher's strong classroom management skills and ability to personalize instruction for each student. Areas for further development included inviting more oral student production.

1. Trainee’s name: Naiman Lorena
Practicum level: Kindergarten
Group: 5 years old students
Date: 28 April, 2015
Lesson number: 1
As an introduction to the following Observation journals, the group being observed is a group
of very young students aged five, who have been learning the language since they were four
years old. This group belongs to the kindergarten “Krakeyen Jardin Fraternal”,which is an
institution located in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego; it offers a full school schedule divided into
two, during the morning students have English lessons, and during the afternoon the lessons
are delivered in Spanish.
As regards this first observation, I could notice that the main pedagogical principles that
supported the delivery of the lesson were based on Total Physical Response, as students
were supposed to follow the songs and understand the teacher’s use of vocabulary through
gestures, miming and body movement. They were also invited to produce these types of
expressions as almost all of them already knew the songs and the teacher’s commands.
another outstanding pedagogical principle noticeable in the lesson was The Natural
Approach as I could notice that some students were new or have just arrived from their
holidays, and they were not expected to produce as they are in a process of adaptation to
the group and the rules of the school.
The teacher of this group, Fernanda San Emeterio, uses a wide variety of teaching
strategies. To begin with, the use of songs to start and finish a section of the lesson, or to
ask for silence or attention or just to entertain the group while having milk time, and even for
students to get concentrated while doing their activities at the end of the lesson. Also, the
teacher knows the names of all the students, and their characteristics; therefore, she tries
with different strategies depending on the child as the group is a small one and
personalisation is possible. Other strategies involve using the board to exemplify new
vocabulary, using pictures and flashcards to review new vocabulary and even to check
handwriting; for instance when drawing the numbers.
At first glance, students seem used to the structure and organization of the class, the sitting
arrangement and the need to use the foreign language as much as they can. Although the
teacher sometimes uses the group’s first language when necessary, students are expected
to understand and produce as much as they can when they feel up to do it. Students feel at
ease with the teacher and themselves, they seem really comfortable and they follow the
teacher’s instructions without hesitation. There are not attitudinal aspects to work with, at
least they are not visible at first glance. The group works very enthusiastically and they
welcome all the teacher’s suggestions, activities, poems and songs without problems. This is
a nice group to work with.
The aspects of the lesson that I liked the most were the sitting arrangement, which really
helped students become aware of the fact that they had to pay attention and respect each

2. other’s’ time for speech, the use of flashcards to play games, for instance memory games to
refresh vocabulary, and the use of songs and poems to create a context for the students to
work appropriately and to focus on the topic they are working on.
Regarding aspects to be improved or modified from this lesson I believe that they are a very
few, to be sincere. Maybe the teacher could invite students to produce a little more, orally
and in written form, they could be invited to explain at the end of the lesson what was the
result of their work and how they did it ( in the case of a copy about animals, what colours
they used, how many animals they coloured, what animals they identify, etc.) or they could
even choose the best job and write the name of the student with a big star on the board. In
these ways the students could be motivated to keep on working the best they can.
I have to admit that the teacher is a very experienced one, the way she manages the group
is fantastic. It is noticeable that she feels at home in this institution and she feels free to work
with the students, an aspect that I wish to acquire one day. Students also seem to feel
comfortable and they are really easy to cope with, it is an admirable group; good manners
and respect are an utmost for this group and they love their teacher.
The group is used to the L2, to being involved in motivating activities and to the teacher's
careful pedagogical mediation so it seems you will have an enriching experience. You will
learn not only from the teacher but also from students. But every teacher can give their
students something special, so your teaching practices can make a difference.
Trainee’s name: Naiman Lorena
Practicum level: Kindergarten
Group: 5 years old students
Date: 30 April, 2015
Lesson number: 2
As regards today’s lesson, the teacher followed the same pedagogical assumptions that the
last lesson observed presented. She based the lesson on Total Physical Response and the
Natural Approach together with a PPP approach for the structure of the lesson in itself are
the pedagogical principles that support the teacher’s lessons. This time the lesson followed
the same line of topics than last time, but this time the teacher presented the topic “Domestic
and Wild Animals”, as part of the thematic unit about animals. For this reason she used a
variety of materials that were useful for the introduction of the new topic; for example: songs,
talking about favourite animals, describing two posters in which ss differentiated the two
types of animals, and the use of a book for “wild cats” in which ss could notice the
differences between a lion, tiger, black panther and leopard.
When talking about teaching strategies, this lesson was filled with them. The teacher invited
ss to sit on the floor by singing the good morning song that all of them knew. Then ss
counted themselves, each naming one number, this was a great strategy for ss to calm
down and get concentrated as each of them had to give the correct number; after that ss

3. knew they had to get ready and listen to the teacher. Then, Ss sing the days of the week
song that helped them locate in time and space. Once they finish all the ss tell their news,
each of them has the chance to speak. If they don’t remember any they can tell their news in
the milk time, as they usually do. This is the moment in which the teacher comments that
she has brought something new to learn. She uses animals’ posters that ss describes/d,
repetition of the animals’ names is encouraged and the description of the pictures of a book
also helps ss get the idea of wild and domestic animals. Later, ss are invited to sit on their
chairs, but a great strategy for ss to sit slowly and without making noise or running is asking
them to perform an action while walking to their sits: girls go jumping, boys go in slow
motion. Once ss are on their sits, a girl helper is in charge of counting all the girls and a boy
of counting all the boys; again, ss calm down and get ready to work. Another great strategy
was to stick the copy of the activity ss are going to do on the board and explain its content
and the instructions. All the strategies were successful and ss felt at ease with the teacher
and the lesson.
The ss were amazed with the pictures of the animals, even more when they were shown the
wild cats’ book. They seem to follow all the teacher instructions and commands without
problem; moreover, the structure and organization of the lesson is familiar for the ss so they
feel comfortable working this way. Ss enjoy drawing and painting, and this time wasn't an
exception, they had to identify the wild and domestic animals in the copy and they had to
colour only the wild animals. While the ss work, the teacher monitors the ss’ works and
encourage them to explain what their are doing.
I think that the lesson was a successful one and ss really enjoyed it. The way in which the
teacher manages the group is successful too, as the use of songs and body movement
enhances ss to leave what they are doing to concentrate in on what they should be doing in
a very didactic way. As some of the authors that we have been working with explains, as
Skinner’s theory of intelligences, we observe that some ss tend to be visual and others
auditory or kinesthetic; thus, variety in the lesson through songs, flashcards and body
movement is a must.
I believe that the most important aspects of these two lessons that I’ve observed that could
help me with my own performance are related to the group management strategies. The way
the teacher organizes the group and calls their attention is one of the most outstanding
aspects of the lessons as very young ss find it very difficult to get concentrated through long
periods of time. Therefore, a dynamic lesson together with good management of the group
are the two aspects for me I consider important to take into account in the future.
The lessons are quite long, they begin everyday at 9 am until 11:30 am. This is the reason
why I chose to observe different parts of the lesson. In the first observation I witnessed the
last part of the observation and today I observed the beginning of the lesson so that I could
have a complete view of the lessons; although I only get to the practice section. After this
section, ss have milk time and later they continue with the lesson, they sing more songs and
they play games regarding the same topic they were dealing with that day.
Have you considered planning your lessons around a story? Stories are powerful tools to learn
not only the language but also about the world. They allow for multiple interpretations and for

4. the development of different skills, such as empathetic understanding. You can also resort to
varied activities based on the story. You can also use digital tools.
If you want, you may explore this link. It may guide you on thinking of ideas to design your
own materials and plan your lessons: https://sites.google.com/site/acolourofhisown/
You’ve done a thoughtful work!
We hope you’ll have an enriching experience.