NARRATIVES DISCUSSING

1. I choose the lesson of Life Sciences as my observation subject so I will critically

discuss it as it following: The Situation Analysis of the lesson was

Teacher: Mrs Nawana

Topic: Biosphere, Biomes and Ecosystems

Grade: 11

Date: 04/098/2012

Period duration: 45 minutes

The lesson of Life Sciences was taking place during 3rd period on a Tuesday morning just

before the lunch. Mrs Nawana came to the laboratory at exactly 08h00 o’clock as the lesson

was taking place at the laboratory she enter the laboratory, firstly greet and introduce us to

her learners with a nice and happy face accompany with lovely smile on the other hand she

was dress properly (formal) and presented as a quality teacher. Her laboratory is medium in

size and it consists of approximately 40 learners (girls and boys), their diverse backgrounds

and culture all of whom are second language English speakers. The laboratory was well

organised and does not present a barrier to learners. Her laboratory was having enough

chairs and desks to accommodate all learners and desks was arrange in rows only one

student per desk so they don’t have eye contact during class activities. Each learner have

has own textbook and workbooks as well as stationary. And the laboratory was equipped

with black board/chalk board and posters on the wall that is relevant to the unit (lesson).

The school is located in a middle class area and most learners are from middle- or upper-

class families.

The invitation (attention focusing)

And she started the work of the day by using pedagogy of game playing, Mrs Nawana ask

the class to each learner to take out their Life Sciences textbook and workbook and tell

them to open on unit-10 (Biosphere, Biomes and Ecosystems). She continue tells them that

they all ecologists who prescribe fires in the fynbos biome. And also ask questions to

determine pre- knowledge by using Bloom’s Taxonomy method of asking questions like “

What would be the consequences on the ecosystem when there are less producers?, How

energy flow to the ecosystem?, Why do you think that when there is less producer on the

ecosystem is gone be unbalance? (S. Gravett, 2010). Also use closed and open questions.

She got a questioning skills of which were seeking clarification, pausing: wait time, handling

incorrect responses and redirection. Her questioning method and techniques she was asking

questions and learners response and she also reflect back to her learners and using body

language, facial expressions, show respect by facing them when they speak, eye contact, do

not interrupt, knowledge response, rephrase learner response once they have finished she

stared to reflect to them.

Questions and answers of this lesson

What abiotic factors are?

Is non-living things which is light, air, soil, rock, temperature and water

Name two South Africans biomes.

1. Fnybos

2. Savannas

Define the concept of Ecology.

Is the study of enteraction between organisms and with the invironment to

ensure the survival and reproduction.

The teacher also asks them to read and discuss the important terminologies. She then asks

them what they understand about all concepts of these terminologies. She was expected

that some learners will understand that these terminologies are based on organisms and

species. She was using this as a starting point for discussion about those terminologies

concepts on their differences and similarities. The learners were taking out their resources,

read and discuss those terminologies. All learners were participating in the discussion about

concepts of these terminologies. The media for the lesson was textbooks will act as media;

there was no additional media is required for the activity was a workbook. The time for the

activity was 5-10minutes.

Engaging with new content

The Teacher works from the previous discussion by asking the learners to try and define

Ecology. Ecosystem will also be discussed here. She then compares their definition to the

glossary on the back of their textbooks. She moves the discussion in pairs. She gives each

partners a copy of environmental studies and worksheet with the environmental studies

related questions they must answer about it. Each partner will require finding and draw the

2 different food chains. Throughout the activity she then moving partners to partners to

answer any questions they might have and to provide guidance if they get stuck or go to

topic. The learners participate in defining ecology through discussion. Move into their

partners. Discuss the environmental studies with their partners and answer the given

questions on the worksheet. Find and draw the 2 food chains. The time of the activity was

20 minutes to complete group work and plan feedback.

Summary and Integration

The teacher conclude the lesson by giving each group a turn to present their drawing

(finding) and ideas to the rest of the class. Again she act as guide and clarify any issues they

may have as well as answering any questions they have at this point. This process of

feedback was both summarise the lesson and give her the opportunity to judge if they have

grasped the concept of ecology. For homework she asks each partners to create a poster

that they think will promote the acceptance of environmental studies (ecology) in our

school. Once submitted and graded the posters will post on the classroom notes board. The

learner’s partners were take turns presenting their finding to the class. These not presenting

were listening and ask questions as the presentations are being given. Learners were writing

down their homework and make arrangements with their partners to get together its

completion. The time was 10minutes for feedback and 5minutes for discussing homework.

The end of the lesson was at 08h45.

DIFFERENCES ANS SIMILARITIES

DIFFERENCES

2. On our observation with my partner we find the following differences observations

that teacher of Life Sciences use the laboratory as a venue and the Mathematic

Literacy teacher use classroom as a venue for her lesson to take place. The Life

Sciences teacher was dress properly (formal) and presented as a quality teacher but

the Mathematic teacher was dress causal and he didn’t presented as quality teacher.

I disregarding with this above statement because only qualification of a teacher is

going to show a quality of a teacher but not his/her dressing style. Lesson of Life

Sciences was on the 3rd period on a Tuesday morning just before the lunch and

Maths was 5th period on Wednesday noon after lunch, I accepting this because

learners should be still fresh and able to focus with energy on the content of the

lesson. Life Sciences lesson was on grade 11 and for Mathematic Literacy lesson was

on grade 10. The classroom of Maths was not having posters on the wall like the Life

Sciences laboratory, I accepting this because sciences classes are very creative on

designing (drawing). The lesson topic of Life Sciences was about Environmental

studies and the lesson of Maths was based on Calculating Areas. On the laboratory

learners were sitting in rows and one person per desk so there was no eye contact to

learners during the time of discussing whereby on the classroom learners were

sitting in pairs per desk as their desks were arranged in groups of 6 learners so eye

contact existed during class activities, my view is that learners should always have

eye contact.

Their introduction was not the same because the Life Sciences teacher came in the

laboratory at exactly 08h00 o’clock when she enter the she laboratory firstly greet

her learners and introduce us to them and she then carry on to start the lesson by

asking relevant questions to the topic, whole the teacher of Maths came 10minutes

later but he just enter the class with a stick on his hand and learners stand-up and

greet us but the teacher didn’t greet his learners therefore he firstly introduce us

and start the lesson by handing in some hand-outs with angles with formulas. I

disregarding the introduction of Maths teacher because when the teacher enter the

classroom should always greet his/her learners to show a respect to them.

But on their media the Life Sciences teacher was not having an additional media

whole the Mathematic teacher was having an additional media that was required for

his activity which was calculate, pens and rule, I accepting this as in all Maths classes

they should use rule for measurements and a calculate to do calculations. Mrs

Nawana use only the 45minutes for her period because she was well prepared for

the lesson but the Maths teacher use more time because he end up add 10minutes

above which means that he was not organised on his time management, I disregard

this because a teacher should be a time management .

SIMILARITIES

I accept with all our similarities because we get that they use the same period duration of

which is 45 minutes only for their lessons. They only accommodates about 40 learners (boys

girls) to their lessons and both lesson have learners from diverse backgrounds and culture

all whom are second English speakers. Both teachers use the same media for their lessons

e.g textbook and worksheets for the questions that are relevant to their topics of the day.

Their laboratory/classroom resources were equipped with black board/chalk board.

Their teaching strategies were very effectively to their lessons because in teacher- centered

and learner-centered were related involved. As these teachers was teaching effectively

because in their introduction they ask their students some questions that were relevant to

their topics of the content that they were going to taught on that time of the day. But both

teachers didn’t confirm their lesson outcomes. To their questioning methods and

techniques both were on the some process because they use 3 stages: asking the question;

learner’s response and teacher’s reflection to leaner’s response. And some using body

language, facial expressions, show respect by facing them when they speak, eye contact, do

not interrupt, acknowledge response, rephrase learners responses once they have finished.

They use one questioning skills of which were seeking clarification, pausing: wait time,

handling incorrect responses and redirection. Moreover these teachers were using types of

questions according to (Bloom’s Taxonomy) Level 1, in asking questions in terms of quizzing

questions, as learners will have applied the intelligence. I say this because Bloom’s

Taxonomy is basically on using types of question which is including these following words,

should this?, why does?, what is?, how is?, where is?, who is?, when did?, which is?, list

type of ?, and which is?.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR THEIR LESSONS

Life Sciences

What abiotic factors are?

Is non-living things which is light, air, soil, rock, temperature and water.

Mathematic Literacy

What is the formula of calculating a surface area of a square?

Surface area= length x breath.

MY ASPECTS OF THE LESSON WHICH I WILL DO DIFFERENTLY

3. My view on teaching strategy is that as a teacher wills also dressing properly (formal)

to present my position. I will be friendly to my learners and bring a stick because of

the good reasons like misbehaviour/unrespect-fully of a learner. Always when I’m

entering the classroom I will firstly greet my learners and I will make sure that I’m

using time management to my period activities.

My classroom will be always arranged according to groups of 6 learners (3boys and 3girls)

and two students per desk to allow eye contacts to exist during my classroom activities like

to accommodate group work and discussion systems. My classroom will be having posters

on the wall on the process of making promotion to all units. I will ensure that my classroom

is accommodating only 40-45 learners for the reasons of allowing all learners to be engaged

and involve on my class activities. And know WHO?, Are my students I’m going to teach like

knowing their diverse background, cultures and religions.

knowledge skills Values and attitudes

1. Defining Ecology

2. Exploring various

forms of ecology

1. Designing a poster to

promote acceptance

of

1 .Acceptance of ecology

3. Caring

4. Tolerance of

3. Discussing potential

strategies for

accommodating and

promoting the

acceptance of ecology

environmental studies

2. Critical thought and

discussion of complex

issue

differences

5. Reflection

In my lesson’s introduction/invitation I will firstly introduce the topic and then and confirms

the lesson-outcomes which will be cover the cognitive domain (knowledge/mind-on);

affective domain (attitudes/hearts-on) and psychomotor domain (skills/hands-on). For the

example on Life Sciences based on the topic of Environmental studies like this by the end of

my lesson the learner should be able to achieve the following outcomes:

Cognitive domain

1. The learner should be able to define the term Ecology.

Cognitive domain2. The learner should be able to identify different forms of Biomes in South African.

Psychomotor domain

3. The learner should be able to able to design a poster promoting acceptance of

Affective domain

4. The learner should be able to able to with learners from different communities in order

to achieve a common goal. (group work assignment)

And I will help my learners get in touch with their existing knowledge and identify gaps,

flaws or misconceptions in their knowledge, For instance, I will ask questions or ask learners

to write a definition of concept or I will start with a relevant story or anecdote. They use one

questioning skills of which were seeking clarification, pausing: wait time, handling incorrect

responses and redirection. Using the using types of questions according to (Bloom’s

Taxonomy) for an example:

What is ecology?

How energy flow to the ecosystem?

Why do you think that when there is less producer on the ecosystem is gone be

unbalance?

At that time learners will be giving an account of their prior knowledge on the topic: they

may answer a question, give a definition or discuss expectations. They may be asked to

comment on a story or anecdote, thereby becoming interested, and also giving the teacher

a sense of their current understanding. At this lesson the textbooks will act as media. Time:

This will take me only 5-10minutes.

On engaging with the new content I will mediates learning of the new content by

facilitating discussion, guiding learners to conduct an experiment, engaging them in an

educational game by going around school to search for different ecosystems. The learners

will then follow my guidelines, participate in discussions, engage in practical or play, and

critically question the new content. Media Transparency with the glossary definition of

ecology. Time that I’m going to use it is 15minuted for discussion and 20minutes to

complete group work and plan feedback

On summary and integration I will checks whether learners have understood the new

content and can apply it in everyday contexts. And I will ask learners to compile a mind-map

of the lesson, write a one-minute summary of the most meaningful content learned, or

solve problem. The learners will reflect on what they have learned in the lesson through

drawing a mind-map, writing a summary, solving problems, etc. Media the homework

assignment will be the last question on their worksheets thus these sheets will be used

again for this section and if it needed I will refer back to the previous transparencies used.

Time for this it will be 10minutes for feedback and 5 minutes for discussion homework.

REFFERENCES LIST

S. Gravett, L. Lomofsky, (2010). Becominga teacher. Process Education Teaching Institute

Handbook. Location?: Pacific Crest. Pp 86-129

De Jager Melodie: Brain gym for all (2001): A personal programmers improving your quality

of life. Johannesburg: Human& Rousseau.(MAPS) page59-65

Huddleston, P. AND Unwin, L. 1997. Teaching and learningin further education diversity and change. London: routledge. Meerkotter, D.A. 19