Das Dokument ist im Jahr 2019 im Rahmen des Lehramtsstudiums im Master für das Studienprojekt im Praxissemester für das Fach Englisch geschrieben worden. Es enthält die Forschungsskizze zum Projekt (Portfolia Teil A) sowie den Abschlussbericht zum Forschungsprojekt mit Ergebnissen (Portfolio Teil B). In dem Studienprojekt ging es darum, mithilfe eines eigens für dieses Studienprojekt entwickelten Beobachtungsbogen herauszufinden und zu evaluieren, wie einzelne Englischlehrkäfte an der Praxissemesterschule im Englischunterricht Arbeitsaufträge an die Lerngruppe stellen.
Table of Contents
PORTFOLIO PART A
Action Research during the ‘Praxissemester’: Exposé
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Background
2.1 What is meant by the term instruction?
2.2 Giving instructions as a specific challenge for teachers in the EFL classroom
3. Planning the Action Research
4. Anticipated Challenges
5. Appendix A: The (provisional) Observation Sheet
6. References
PORTFOLIO PART B
Final report about the Action Research Project during the ‘Praxissemester’
1. Final Report: Introduction
2. Conducting the Action Research Project
3. Action Research: Evaluation
4. Action Research: Discussion
5. Reflecting on the ‘Praxissemester’ in general
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this action research project is to investigate how EFL teachers at the 'Praxissemesterschule' provide instructions within the classroom. The overarching research question seeks to identify effective instruction-giving practices and evaluate how these instructions influence student comprehension and engagement during different phases of an English lesson.
- The didactic challenge of delivering clear and effective instructions in a foreign language context.
- Methods for systematic observation in an educational setting.
- Analysis of the relationship between teacher instruction techniques and learner responses.
- The impact of student age and proficiency levels on the reception of classroom instructions.
- Strategies for professional development through self-reflection and observation of experienced teachers.
Extract from the Book
2.2 Giving instructions as a specific challenge for teachers in the EFL classroom
According to Scrivener (2005: 79) giving teaching instructions is (among others) one important factor of classroom management. As such it directly contributes in “creat[ing] the conditions in which learning can take place” (ibid.). However, this is only the case if the instructions given by the teacher are effective. Harmer (2009: 4) thus concludes that “the best activity in the world is a waste of time if the students don’t understand what it is they are supposed to do”. And Sowell (2017: 19) stresses that often an “otherwise strong lesson fails because instructions were not properly delivered” and as a result not properly understood by the students. Then, even “essentially simple activities can become impossible” for the students although they would actually be able to do the task” (Scrivener 2005: 90). This is why, one should not “assume that giving good instructions is a naturally acquired skill”. Quite the contrary, “both preservice and in-service teachers need to be attentive to good instruction-giving practices” (Sowell 2017: 19; cf. Liruso / deDebat 2002: 138).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the didactic importance of instruction-giving as a core challenge in EFL teaching and defines the scope of the action research project.
2. Theoretical Background: This section provides a conceptual framework by defining 'instruction' and reviewing literature on effective instruction-giving techniques and their impact on classroom management.
3. Planning the Action Research: This chapter outlines the methodology for the systematic observation, including the design of the observation sheet and the criteria for selecting lessons to be observed.
4. Anticipated Challenges: This section addresses potential obstacles in conducting the research, such as teacher anxiety or the limitations of observational data, and offers strategies to mitigate these issues.
5. Appendix A: The (provisional) Observation Sheet: This section presents the formal tool developed for documenting teacher actions and student reactions during the observations.
6. References: A comprehensive list of academic sources and literature used to support the theoretical arguments and research methodology.
1. Final Report: Introduction: This chapter serves as a transition from the initial exposé, highlighting the shift in focus towards describing the conduct and actual outcomes of the project.
2. Conducting the Action Research Project: This section describes the practical experience of performing observations in the school setting and discusses necessary adaptations to the original research plan.
3. Action Research: Evaluation: This chapter analyzes the gathered data by comparing observed teacher instruction patterns across different grade levels and evaluating their effectiveness.
4. Action Research: Discussion: This section synthesizes the findings, confirming key factors for successful instructions and reflecting on the limitations of the small-scale study.
5. Reflecting on the ‘Praxissemester’ in general: The final chapter summarizes the professional growth achieved during the internship and explores future applications of the insights gained regarding instruction-giving.
Keywords
Action Research, EFL teaching, Classroom management, Instruction-giving, Teacher training, Praxissemester, Systematic observation, Language teaching methodology, Student engagement, Professional development, Qualitative research, Pre-service teacher, Lesson planning, Communicative language teaching, Instructional clarity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper centers on the didactic challenges of giving effective instructions in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom and explores how pre-service teachers can improve their practice through action research.
What are the primary themes discussed in this study?
The study navigates through theories of classroom management, the linguistic quality of instructions, the necessity of teacher clarity, and the documentation of observations in real-school environments.
What is the ultimate goal of the action research project?
The primary goal is to analyze the effectiveness of specific instruction-giving practices and to facilitate the author's professional growth as an aspiring teacher through the systematic observation of experienced colleagues.
Which scientific method is utilized in this paper?
The author employs a qualitative action research method, specifically "overt systematic observation," utilizing custom-designed observation sheets to record teacher performance and student reactions.
What topics are covered in the main section of this report?
The main sections cover the theoretical definition of instructions, the methodical planning of the research, an evaluation of observed teaching practices across three different grade levels, and a discussion on necessary conditions for clear communication in the classroom.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include Action Research, EFL teaching, Classroom management, Instruction-giving, and professional teacher development.
Why did the author conduct observations in different grade levels?
The author discovered during the project that student age and performance levels significantly impact how instructions are interpreted and carried out, leading to a broader investigation covering grades 5, 9, and 11.
What was one major challenge identified during the observation process?
A major challenge was the fast-paced nature of the classroom, which made it difficult to simultaneously observe and document every detail, requiring the author to complete notes from memory after the lessons.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding instruction-giving?
The author concludes that successful instructions depend on the teacher’s ability to manage classroom silence proactively, ensure the instructions are well-structured, and address the students directly to avoid confusion or misinterpretation.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Saleem Arif (Autor:in), 2019, How do EFL teachers give instructions in the EFL classroom? An observation of two EFL-teachers’ teaching practice, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1377383
