Page | 1 1) Ice-Breaker Reflective Questions (these are discussion questions, but very short notes might help you

to refer back to this after the workshop)

a) Please describe what you did in the task and how your group went about completing it. (try to only make observations, no interpretations or evaluations until b)

b) How did the task go? Did you have any problems? What made it difficult to complete the task? Why was it difficult? How does this relate to team teaching? (try and relate your answers to question 1, interpretations and evaluations are now fine!)

c) If you were to do the task again, how might you do it differently? What would you change to make the process easier? What can we learn from this? Is there any relation to team teaching? (try and relate your answers to questions 1 and 2)

2) Research Comments Reflective Questions (these are discussion questions, but very short notes might help you to refer back to this after the workshop) a) Please describe how you went about completing this task in as much details as possible. Include what happened, how you reached agreement on what tags should go where and any other details. (try to only make observations, no interpretations or evaluations until b)

b) What did you learn from the task? How did you learn it? Is this useful for team teaching? Why or why not? (Interpretations and evaluations are now fine!)

c) What can you take away from this? What might you do differently in future?

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Page | 2

Q. If you could change one thing to improve your team-teaching situation, what would it be?

Tags: responsibility,
planning/preparation, models, classroom management, translation, choose co-teacher, English ability, feedback, roles, responsibilities, Korean English teacher (KET), Native English Speaking Teacher (NEST), students

Is the stated concern also an issue in your co-teaching relationship? Do you think this is a common issue in Korea, why? (Please discuss, just very short notes here are fine.)

1) I think it would be helpful if foreign teachers and Korean co-teachers sat down and discussed what was expected in the classroom concerning teaching style and 'curriculum.' 2) Korean-teachers should take an active role in planning and presenting lesson plans. Foreign teacher should do most of the creating, organizing, and presenting of the lessons, but with extensive involvement from the co-teacher. 3) My co-teacher doesnt respect my opinion, I feel I could do my job more effectively if my opinion was treated with more respect. 4) Korean teachers and foreign teachers both need to see an acceptable model of effective team teaching and subsequently hold each other accountable for meeting that standard to best serve the students. I think a mandatory team teaching orientation should be implemented. 5) Concerning discipline and classroom management, there should be set rules and guidelines with set consequences. This will create a sense of continuity and fairness so students know what is expected in the classroom and teachers are consistent in their responses to unacceptable behavior. 6) Co-teachers should make an attempt to do less verbatim translation and more assisting through gestures and hints in English. Otherwise students pay less attention to the foreign teacher and just await the Korean translation which impairs listening skill improvement isolates the English teacher. 7) My co-teacher doesnt allow me to co-teach, even out of class, when I check the students homework he re-checks what Ive done and gives feedback again to the

Alex Walsh

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www.alienteachers.com

Page | 3
students. 8) A weekly scheduled meeting where I can sit down together with my co-teacher and talk about future lesson plans. It has been suggested but our timetables never match and people are always busy 9) My co-teachers are usually but not always present so making a lesson plan that relies on them to be there is not a good idea. Also, The English ability of some of my co-teachers makes it difficult to explain new lessons and to interact effectively in class. 10) Teachers generally treat my class as a burden. They don't want to be involved in "co-teaching" and they don't offer very constructive advice on what I should be doing. To improve team teaching, I would require co- teachers to come up with part of the lesson plan or suggest activities. 11) It would be good if the co-teacher would always make it very clear what is expected of me. 12) It is very helpful when the team-teacher manages the classroom discipline - if all of the team teachers could do this it would make co-teaching much easier. Translation where necessary is also very helpful when explaining new vocab or tasks. 13) I would like the co-teacher to provide his or her own materials rather than using the textbook. 14) Taking the time after each class to evaluate the class's progress and the level of receptivity between myself and the students. Brainstorming ideas of how to make the next lesson stronger. 15) Knowing more about the students and being included more within the school environment. Although I had freedom to discuss what I wanted to teach, a lot of the time my classes were pushed aside for other things, so if this is the attitude of the teachers, you can imagine what that transpires to the students.

Please note: research conducted by Dayle Major as part of his MA TESOL Alex Walsh alexsrwalsh@gmail.com www.alienteachers.com

Page | 4 Reflective Practice: Formulating Your Teaching Experience

1. Description Stage (What?) Which of these descriptions is based on observation, and which one is based on an interpretation or evaluation of the situation? Underline the words or expressions that indicate either observation or interpretation. Description A My co-teacher did a really great job in the first part of class, she helped me to give instructions, gave the handouts to the students and re-explained instructions in Korean to the students whose English level is very low. But, for the second part of the lesson she was terrible, she just sat playing on her phone doing nothing at all and refused to give an example with me. I think she was just being lazy, maybe I would be better just teaching alone. Description B For the first speaking task, I prepared the students by explaining the instructions, I then gave an example with my co-teacher. While doing the first speaking task my coteacher helped me to monitor the students and keep them focused. For the second speaking test, I went to give instructions and one of the students didnt understand. My co-teacher stayed at the back of the room and didn t help and didnt help me give an example. Then, during the activity, I noticed my co-teacher was using her phone.

Alex Walsh

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Page | 5

Note: What makes a description an evaluation/interpretation instead of an objective observation? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Interpretation Stage (So What) Analysis & Generalization How do I come up with different explanations? Take a moment to connect with the description (activity 1) you decided was an observation and not an interpretation. Generate a number of different explanations (analysis and generalization) for what you think happened. Make sure each explanation is clearly connected to the experience described. Look at it from different perspectives. Consider the material, teacher, students, student dynamics, or student-teacher relationship, how well they were prepared. Recall past teaching, learning, cultural, or life experiences. Refer to the educational, cognitive, and linguistic theories you know.

With your group, write your explanations here: ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

3. Action Plan (Now What) Make your action plan S.M.A.R.T. - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound NEXT TIME I I WILL SO THAT [brief description of (naming of) the action] [concrete, specific, action verb + measure words] [results you hope to achieve connected to learning].

Next time I ______________________________________________________, I will ___________________________________________________________ so that _________________________________________________________.

Alex Walsh

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www.alienteachers.com

Page | 6 Team Teaching Action Plan Stage 1. What? Stage 2. So What? Stage 3. Now What?

Alex Walsh

alexsrwalsh@gmail.com

www.alienteachers.com