Critical reflection

To fulfill the requirement of Developing and Using Resources in ESL Primary

classroom, TSL 3111 coursework, we need to do project that related to teaching and
learning materials for the lesson. This project consists of four parts. Part 1 involves reading
and understanding the principles of materials selection and adaptation. Part 2 integrates the
planning of 60 minute lesson and designing the appropriate teaching and learning materials
for the lesson. Part 3 concerns the design of a checklist to evaluate the teaching and
learning materials. We need to do the part 1 until part 3 in a group. Individually, in part 4 we
need to do a reflection of the experience and value the whole assignment. This essay will
reflect on what I have got along the process to complete the task.

Part 1 involves reading and understanding the principles of materials selection and
adaptation. In group of 4, my friends and I need to find the suitable article that related to the
title and look for the main information. After that, we need to do graphic organizer and
summary for each article that we have read. This task is very helpful to practice our
skimming and scanning skills and also to make an interesting graphic organizer.

For part 2, we need to do a lesson plan on 60 minute lesson and designing the
appropriate teaching and learning materials for the lesson. . According to Milkova, a lesson
plan is the instructor’s road map of what pupils need to learn and how it will be done
effectively during the class time. So, the teacher must take considerations on what to teach,
what materials to use and how it will be implement whenever coming to the classroom. We
decided to do a lesson plan based on the short story The Ugly Duckling. The lesson is for
year 2 pupils with intermediate level of proficiency. The theme that we have selected is
World of Story. We chose this topic because the short story is interesting and we can
produce a lot of interesting materials to teach the story in our class.

Before designing the materials, we need to consider the learner factor first. We need
to consider the age factor and the ability level of the pupils. We also must suit the specific
needs of the pupils and increase their motivation level. Other than that, we also need to
consider the cost-effective of the material, context relevance, the accessibility to the material
and also the impact for the lesson. A good and interesting material can help pupils to actively
engage with the lesson. It also can help to keep their focus and increase their interest to
learn.
 Then, for part 3, we required to design of a checklist to evaluate the teaching and
learning materials. Checklist is a list of things that you must remember to do, take with you,
or to find out (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 2010). Even though we have not
learned ways to make a checklist yet but we give it a try and take it as challenge. We refer to
many sources on how to make a checklist and finally we manage to produce one. However,
after we have done our checklist, then only we have been taught on how to make a checklist
to evaluate the teaching and learning materials. So, we changed a bit our checklist to be as
the same format to what have been taught. Designing a checklist can make our job easier.
We just refer to the checklist to make sure the entire item is sufficient. Hence, this task will
really help me to be a better teacher in the future.

After that, we required to hold an exhibition on the teaching and learning materials for
lesson in classroom. Our tutorial group prepared our booth and decorates it nicely. We are
cooperating together to make the event successful. The exhibition was very great.
Everybody enjoyed the exhibition. I also get many ideas from the other groups which
prepare their materials so good. I can get idea to make materials to teach certain topic in the
school later. I also managed to get information on how they carry out their lesson and the
ways they use the materials. This really will help me in the next practicum session.

There are some strengths and weaknesses by doing this coursework. One of the
strength is this subject is really useful and important for a teacher in making their classroom
more interesting. They need to know more on developing materials and using resource to
help to improve the teaching and learning process. The teacher will know how to produce
the best materials to be applied to his students. The sources to this coursework also are
wide. We can find in it in books, journal and internet. Hence, this coursework is very helpful
for teacher in order to prepare the materials for their lesson. The exhibition was a good
opportunity given by the lecturers to all of us because we will be able to see examples of
another materials and ideas from another group. This way, we could learn a lot of things
from the other groups. So, we will be able to prepare good and interesting materials for our
lesson during our practicum session as well as in the future as an English teacher.

In addition, I also gained a lot of experience by doing this task. I have learnt how to
plan an activity and design materials that can attract pupil’s attention and control them in the
classroom. I also learnt from my friend’s example of materials and take it as reference for me
in future. For me, working as a teacher is a totally difference from what I have think before.
As a primary school student before, I only listen to the teachers’ instruction and what were
being taught. Now, I realized that being a teacher is not an easy work. Teachers need to
know his or her student’s ability before planning and carry out activities in the class. Teacher
also need to prepare interesting materials in order to attract the pupil’s attention and excited
to learn.

However, apart of all the strengths stated, the assessment also has its own
weaknesses. it also has some weaknesses especially in the aspect of time. We do not have
enough time in completing the task as we are busy to prepare another assignments that
need to be submitted on the same due date. I hope this weakness can be overcome later. I
will try to improve myself in order to be a good teacher. Besides that, the exhibition place for
my group has collected water on the floor. The visitors that want to come to our booth need
to be careful to not step on the waterhole. To improve on this problem, we need move to the
place that dry. However, my group has turned the waterhole into a pond for the duck as our
topic is The Ugly Duckling.

To conclude, this task is very useful in order to prepare us to become a good future
English teacher. Although preparing the teaching learning materials and carrying out the
lesson was difficult and challenging, it has taught me about the importance of choosing the
most suitable materials to be taught for the specific target group. It makes the teacher aware
of the aims, language contents, grammar items, what to teach, how to teach and a clear
framework of the lesson. Besides, teaching primary school students was interesting and
meaningful to me. From this experience, I felt very motivated to be a good English teacher.
REFERENCE

Hornby, A. S. (2010). Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Oxford University Press.

Milkova, S. (n.d.). Strategies for Effective Lesson Planning. Retrieved August 1, 2013 from

http://www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/p2_5