MACRO REFLECTION 1

Macro Reflection

As an English teacher this course exposed me to so many relevant and most important

concepts and theories, and provided me chances to practice the concept and theories in a real

classroom setting. Now this is the time to reflect back on my journey so that it would help me to

critically analyzing and evaluating the whole journey. The journey went through a linear process

i.e. reading theories, classroom discussion, finding school, classroom observation, finding topic,

planning unit, planning lesson, executing the plan, reflecting on it, re-planning and so on.

Reflection is a process of exploring and examining ourselves, our perspectives, attributes,

experiences and actions / interactions. It helps us gain insight and see how to move forward

(Gillett, Hammond, and Martala, 2013). In this particular reflective paper, I will shed light on the

whole process of teaching practicum in general and critically reflect on the whole journey in

particular. Strengths and areas of improvement of the lesson plans and the classroom teaching

will also be taken into account.

Among many valuable learning use of Process Enneagram in my teaching practicum was

the most important learning. Following the perspectives of process Enneagram I went for

classroom observation to know their identity (students from diverse background), intention (what

they want to learn) and issues related to English language so that I could plan accordingly.

Rapport building or making relationship with the students is a very useful tool to motivate the

students towards learning. Due toa frank relationship the students were open to share their ideas

and problems and they were eager to participate in the class.

I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can

learn (Albert Einstein). I got the real essence of this beautiful quotation after going through the

course of LS in ELT and the whole process of teaching practicum. The teaching practicum
MACRO REFLECTION 2

revealed to me that in language classes, a teacher has to create a condition which encourages the

students to learn communication skills rather teaching through chalk and talk method. In this

particular teaching practicum I tried to use multimodality to teach free writing and informal letter

writing. I used textual, aural, spatial, linguistic and visual resources to make such a condition in

which the students learned and composed the message. To facilitate the learning of the students, I

used semiotic resources i.e. colour chart, white sheets, audio recording, sample letter, letter

format, laptop, speakers white board markers and task sheets etc. This new experience of using

different mode and resources revealed to me that the students take interest and become eager to

learn if they are exposed to different kinds of things to touch, to listen, to speak, see and to do by

themselves. After exposing the students to the different way of teaching with variety of resources

when I asked them to write informal letter to their friend they wrote beautifully (see appendix A)

adverse to the teachers perception about them. I observed in my second lesson that too many

activities create chaos for the students and they cannot meet the required objectives. In second

lesson, I used more activities as compared to rest of the two. Resultantly, the students kept asking

about the tasks and could not get the tasks properly.

I realized that learning space plays an important role in teaching and learning process.

Class room used to be the only learning space to me. But now, after going through the journey of

teaching practicum I realized that learning space is not confined to classroom rather it is only one

of the learning spaces. In my lesson I used ICT, visualization or imagination, groups, pairs and

their homes as learning spaces which made the teaching and learning process more interesting

and interactive. I used laptop, audio recording and speakers in the class and asked them to use

computer at their homes to search the home task hence they used their home and technology as

learning space. Visualization and imagination can be used as a leaning space. Due to
MACRO REFLECTION 3

visualization the learners go to the real scenario in their imagination and gather relevant and

appropriate ideas. In one of my lessons when I asked the students to visualize the village or city

life and write a text, one of the students said

" . I like the sentence you can eat fruit directly from the trees

because they are very much clean because of the clean environment written by one of the

students in his text about village (see appendix A). Hence, it shows that we can use imagination

and visualization as one of the learning spaces particularly in language classes.

The whole process of teaching practicum revealed to me that without planning and

without preparation, teaching is just wastage of time. When I reflect back to my teaching before

my enrolment into this course I feel a huge difference between my teaching then and now. I

realized that a teacher should spend more time in preparation and lesson planning. This notion

has been beautifully stated by Abraham Lincoln give me six hours to chop down a tree and I

will spend the first four sharpening the axe. In this teaching practicum I did the same and I used

to prepare myself for the teaching and used to develop lesson plan.

The teaching practicum revealed to me that variety of activities play an important role in

language teaching however, too many activities create chaos and confusion. As in my second

lesson I designed activities more than the requirement, due to which the students could not focus

fully on any activity. The activities, examples and the topics for writing or speaking should

appeal to the students interest. In my first lesson I purposefully selected village and city life for

free writing instead if I had chosen Pakistan China Economic Corridor or Pakistan India strategic

relationship the students would not have written a text as they have written on the selected topic.
MACRO REFLECTION 4

Due to the facilitation and assistance from the facilitators and the support from the

mentors all three lessons went well. Students and I enjoyed teaching-learning process in the

class. The students engagement in the activities, interaction among themselves, responsiveness

and interest in the class deepened my belief that students take more interest in activities and in

the use of multiple modes rather than going through the same way of teaching every day.

In summary, I would say that I have significantly developed my skills in lesson planning and

teaching through multimodality and semiotic resources. The course and the teaching practicum

revealed to me that Images, colours, gestures, gazes, postures, movements, speeches and writings

contribute to communication have a great contribution in communication and meaning making

(Jewitt, 2008). As an English teacher this understanding would be useful me to teach

communication skills to my students. I believe that a teacher should change and update his/ her

teaching strategies according to the needs of the students. As John Dewey says If we teach

todays students as we taught yesterdays, we rob them of tomorrow. Last but not least, I

realized that I should not teach the way I used to teach before going through this course.
MACRO REFLECTION 5

Reference

Gillett, A., Hammond, A., & Martala, M. (2013). Inside track to successful academic writing.

Pearson UK.

Jewitt, C. (2008). Multimodality and literacy in school classrooms. Review of research in

education, 32(1), 241-267.