English Classroom Observation

Findings and Discussion

This chapter will focus on the findings which I gathered through classroom observation and students’ and teachers’ interviews. I interviewed each participant to expand their knowledge about vocabulary learning and teaching strategies in ESL context. Furthermore, I also observed the 9th and 10th class to gain information about vocabulary teaching strategies.

In this chapter, I present whatever I observed in class 9th and 10th of four private schools at Makli, Thatta. I will also mention the responses of teachers’ and students’ which I collected through the interviews to know the perspectives about vocabulary teaching and learning strategies.

Findings of Classroom Observation

First Classroom observation in 9th class of private schools

In the very first day of observation, I observed the class 9th of private school. Classroom environment and seating arrangement was satisfying because teacher can interact with every student easily. Seating arrangement was in the form of circle. In this teacher taught about the ‘verb’. She asked from the students that what is verb. Only one or two students that are active in class told the definition of verb and types of verb as well.

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After that, teacher started teaching. She used mixed method grammar translation and direct teaching methods in her class because she is not aware about the teaching methodologies. She explained all the things in English language but she also switched her code just to make students more clear about the topic. When she taught she only bound with rules and structure of the sentence and she did not gave the examples that were related to the situation. Students were not noting any lecture in their copy may be teacher was repeating the lecture.

Second classroom observation in 9th class of private school

On the next day, I observed that teacher was doing some book based exercises on the board. He writes ach question and answer on the white board and explain every line in mother tongue (Sindhi and Urdu). Students were very much passive; they only listened to the teacher and only few students note the written exercises in their copies. There were very small ration of girls that way they were passive and boys were active because they are more in ratio than girls in the class. Classroom environment was not interactive and whole the class was just like teacher-centred.

Third classroom observation in class 10th of private school

On the third day, I observed the 10th class in another school. The classroom atmosphere was very friendly and students were also active in class. When I observed the class, the teacher taught students a lesson “speak gently”. He explained the lesson in L2. He explained the lesson with different real life examples and he also relates the lesson with Islamic point of view and gave the example of Hazrat Mohammad (S.A.W.A.S). He used Communicative language teaching because he also involved all the students in all class to conclude the lesson. He used different words while explaining the lesson and he also told the meaning of the words which he used or also those words which are present in that lesson. He was explaining the meaning in mother tongue (Sindhi and Urdu) and in English as well so students can easily understand.

Forth classroom observation in class 10th of private school

On the last day, I again observed the class 10th of private school. Students were giving presentation on a lesson “King Faisal”. Two girls were giving presentation through PPT (slides). Both girls only read the slides and also explain some pictures in English language. At the end, students asked the questions according to the presented topic. After that, teacher also gave them the feedback and corrects their mistakes. Whole the communication in the class was take place in English language. Students were very much active and the class environment was friendly and interactive.

Findings of Teachers’ Interviews

First teacher:

1. Make English language fun for them by using different word games and flashcards and made them realize that English is the internationally spoken language. So if you know English very well there will be no any barrier between you and others to communicate.
2. Yes, because without a sufficient understanding of words one cannot understand others or express their own ideas. Vocabulary is important across the curriculum. It is intimately connected to both effective reading and writing skills, and these skills in turn are necessary.
3. Vocabulary plays an important part in learning to read. Beginning readers must use the words they hear orally to make sense of the words they see in books. Kids who hear more words spoken at home learn more words and enter school with better vocabularies. This larger vocabulary pays off exponentially as a child progresses through school. If you have good vocabulary of any language you have better grip to read, write and learn that language easily.
4. I don’t include extra vocabulary because we have good publisher’s books. They are giving more than enough vocabulary to learn and I don’t want my students to get over burden.
5. I introduce vocabulary through listening and writing skills because these both ways are better to learn vocabulary easily.
6. I introduce new words through storytelling because students learn best through stories.
7. I use picture flash cards, charts and sometime real objects.
8. Yes, technology can be used for effective learning like multimedia class can be conducted to enhance the ability of the students because if you read something you can forget it easily but if you see something you can never forget it.
9. I use multimedia to show students fiction based stories and PowerPoint to enhance their ability to learn vocabulary easily.
10. Yes, I do encourage my students to learn vocabulary outside the classroom.
11. They can read good magazines, newspapers and novels. Listen to English poems and read storybooks.
12. I suggest oxford dictionary as it provides authentic meanings.
13. I asses my students through group speech competitions, debates, individual learning and by assigning assignments.
14. No, I don’t think so that repetition and memorization is the best way to learn new words instead understanding the word through picture or story is the best way to learn new words.
15. Vocabulary knowledge is the foundation of English learning. You can never learn any language without its strong knowledge of vocabulary. When students start learning new words daily they can learn the language easily. The result indicates that teachers need to attend to vocabulary knowledge and improve learners’ reading ability by enhancing their vocabulary knowledge.

Second teacher:

1. Make your class interesting not boring.
2. Learning second language is complex till we are not using it in our daily life. There are four stages to learn any language; listening, speaking, reading and creative writing.
3. Vocabulary represents one of the most important skills necessary for learning any language. It is the base of all other language skills like; reading, writing and speaking.
4. Yes, in teaching grammar/tenses.
5. I introduced vocabulary through reading and speaking by using different words in different sentences.
6. By reading different lessons from syllabus.
7. I use vocabulary/word chits to increased vocabulary. Furthermore, by conversation with each other like; asking questions. Sometimes, by using classroom rules like; permission for anything.
8. Yes, technology can be used to develop vocabulary by watching movies and cartoons in English language with subtitles.
9. Multimedia and internet access.
10. Yes, I always encourage my students to learn vocabulary outside the classroom by using many different ways like; shopping.
11. Environmental issues, different kinds of activities and games.
12. Well honestly, I never suggest them to use any dictionary but I suggest them to read books and English newspapers for learning.
13. Having strong vocabulary of any language allows communicating well with others so we can access students by communication.
14. Of course, by repetition of words.
15. Vocabulary is as important as learning English language. So we apply or use different vocabulary in our daily life for learning any language.

Third teacher:

1. Yes, the best way to motivate the students towards learning English language with the help of communication, like; sharing ideas from person to person and also with the help of technology based equipments, like; voice records, mobile phone apps, etc.
2. Basically, I disagree from your question there is a lot of things that you have manage. Not only the vocabulary but also the TC’s of communication in which it is saying that how we learn from begins.
3. The vocabulary plays an important role while writing, reading and also speaking because it understands the whole word that is depends on a sentence.
4. Yes, a separately book was given to students so they will memorize it and also used in daily life routine whenever, the teacher teaches them.
5. Vocabulary understanding is a big issue for the beginners. You have to manage firstly by reading then writing and then speaking. So basically, it is based on three steps; reading, writing and speaking.
6. By making graphical representation including charts, pictures, text in multiple colours or also creating a sense of sudden situation, then I will try to teach the new words on the entire conditions. And the second method is used to; first write the words on the board and then gradually I will explain these words by precious voice in which tone and fluency are more essential.
7. In classroom, I will help the students by giving some words and also understands its meanings and directions. Once, they will understand then I will say that you have to memorize it.
8. No, technology is not used to develop vocabulary learning because technology is a wide area that is spread on all fields.
9. In teaching, by using books and materials which I gathered from the sites because in Pakistan, there is a major issue of electricity and also low resources or facilities in any place because majority of persons belongs from low class family so their family cannot afford it. In order to understand the topics or lectures, it’s a duty of teacher to take interest towards topics before teaches the students. And the teacher will access the whole material with the help of technology related gadgets.
10. Once, I checked the interest of students that is paying attention towards vocabulary learning then I will say that you must be practise other words from vocabulary at any your free time.
11. I will suggest that it should install apps, related material and also handouts in softcopy with a book of vocabulary and a dictionary as well. So, it will help him/her while learning English language. At last, I want to say that it is totally depends on the person’s interest.
12. I suggest oxford English dictionary to the students.
13. By using internet and also from the office sever where there records are maintain and also by taking tests from the entire book of vocabulary.
14. Yes, but also we have to use these phrases or words in our daily life. If we don’t utilize the value of new words then with the passage of time we will forget these words. So, taking memorization and repetition step we also need to use new words in our daily life routine.
15. Yes of course, vocabulary helps us to improve English while understanding, reading, writing or speaking. It will take part in any certain situation because if we take example of reading, if we don’t know the meaning of the word we cannot understand the entire sentence.

Forth teacher:

1. There are two types of motivation; intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. So, we have to motivate students through the way of communication group discussions.
2. No its not. Different skills are also involved in learning a language.
3. Obviously, vocabulary is most important just like it is a currency of communication.
4. No, we do not include vocabulary separately in syllabus.
5. Through speaking
6. I introduced new words through indirect way.
7. We involve students in group discussion and whole communication will be takes place in English so students use different new words while talking.
8. Yes, computer technology helps learners to develop vocabulary learning.
9. I suggest my students to use different apps which help them to enhance their vocabulary knowledge.
10. Yes, definitely. Learning outside is also more effective for the students.
11. English movies and songs with subtitles.
12. I suggest English to English and English to Urdu or Sindhi dictionary.
13. I access vocabulary knowledge through debates and speeches that how much effective vocabulary students are using while speaking.
14. Repetition is the best way to enhance vocabulary knowledge.
15. Obviously, because language is the way of communication and language need words to communicate.

Fifth and sixth teacher:

I sum up the answers of these teachers because they gave the similar answers of interview. Teacher A (fifth) and teacher B (sixth).

1. Teacher A said; interaction is the best way to motivate the students towards language. On the other hand, teacher B said that; students can be motivated through English fundamental grammar and vocabulary.
2. Both teachers disagree with this question because they believed that there are many other things that are important for the language learning like grammar.
3. Both teachers believed that 90% of the vocabulary is helpful for the speaking, reading and writing.
4. Both teachers said that syllabus cover all the things. We extract words from the textbooks and certify it. So, we don’t need to add vocabulary separately.
5. Teacher A said; I introduced vocabulary through speaking skill but on the other hand teacher B said; I introduced vocabulary through reading, writing and speaking skill as well.
6. Teacher A said; I introduced new words through brainstorming. I give them the words and they have to use these words in their own sentences. Teacher B said; through speaking because words in speaking construct expressions.
7. Teacher A said; I do the listening and speaking activities in the classroom but on the other hand, teacher B uses dictionary in the classroom for vocabulary learning.
8. Both teachers were in the favour of technology can be used to develop vocabulary knowledge.
9. Teacher A said; through computer and audio-visual apps. Teacher B said; through English dictionaries and different sites like; Wikipedia and other Google sites.
10. Both gave the answer ‘yes’. They encourage students to learn vocabulary outside the classroom.
11. Both suggest similar things that students should used outside the classroom to enhance vocabulary knowledge. These were; articles, books, newspapers and literature.
12. Teacher A said; I suggest English to English or Urdu dictionary because it depends on the student’s psyche. Teacher B said; I suggest thesaurus, synonymic, D’ dictionaries, and English to Sindhi.
13. Both teachers access vocabulary knowledge through writing composition and speaking skill.
14. Teacher A said that; yes repetition and memorization is very necessary. If we don’t do this, we forget all the words. Teacher B said; I believed as advised by bloom’s taxonomy. It is very useful.
15. Both teachers believed that; vocabulary can signify my pupil’s personality. They can speak different dialects such as; American, British, Australia as well simultaneously.