Cambridge English CELTA

Written Assignment 4: Lessons from the classroom

Name:
Assessment criteria: 1st 2nd
submission submission
noting their own teaching strengths and weaknesses in different
situations in light of feedback from learners, teachers and teacher
educators
identifying which ELT areas of knowledge and skills they need further
development in
describing in a specific way how they might develop their ELT
knowledge and skills beyond the course
using written language that is clear, accurate and appropriate to the
task

Grade: Pass Resubmission

Feedback comments (1st submission):

Feedback comments (2nd submission):

Grade: Pass on resubmission Fail on resubmission

1 submission
st

Tutor 1 Tutor 2 (if double marked) Date:

Resubmission
Tutor 1 Tutor 2 (if double marked) Date:

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Lessons from the classroom

(Length 750 - 1000 words max.)

Aim
At this stage of the course you will have seen two of your tutors teaching the learners and watched
recorded lessons taught by experienced teachers, and have also observed more than 30 hours of
teaching practice. You have completed observation tasks and also written your own feedback.

The aim of this task is for you to reflect on your own teaching and evaluate what you have seen in
your observations. You should be able to identify some of the main strengths and weaknesses in your
own teaching and think of some strategies for overcoming the weaker areas.

Assignment
Identify two areas in which you feel you are now strong, e.g. ‘classroom management’ or ‘dealing
with language in class’, and give specific examples from your own lessons, of how you have
improved. Think about your learners and how you were able to identify your strengths from their
reaction during your lessons.

Identify two areas which you feel you need to continue working on. Give examples from your
teaching and specify strategies for improving those areas. Think about your learners and how you
were able to identify your weaknesses from their reaction during your lessons.

Detail any observation you have seen which has helped you improve. Give examples of good
classroom practice you have observed in other teachers and relate these to the areas of weakness
you have specified.

Describe how you can develop your growing ELT knowledge and skills beyond the course.

Style
This assignment should be in complete grammatical sentences and not in note form.

Remember, spelling and punctuation are considered vital in all assignments as evidence of your
use of the language.

In order to pass this assignment you must:

● note your own teaching strengths and weaknesses in different situations in light of feedback
from learners, teachers and teacher educators
● identify which ELT areas of knowledge and skills you need further development in
● describe in a specific way how you might develop your ELT knowledge and skills beyond the
course
● use written language that is clear, accurate and appropriate to the task

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1. Identify THREE AREAS in which you feel you are now strong, e.g. ‘classroom management’ or
‘dealing with language in class’, and give SPECIFIC EXAMPLES from your own lessons, of HOW you
have improved. Think about your learners and how you were able to identify your strengths from
their REACTIONS during your lessons. It is important that you INCLUDE EVIDENCE (such as short
anecdotes, comments from TP FB). (approx. 250 words)

FIRST SUBMISSION
Strength #1: Rapport/Learner Involvement
Discussion: From the feedback of TP 1 to feedback of TP 4, it was noted by the first tutor
that I had a good rapport with students. This was also mentioned by the second tutor in the
feedback of TB 5 and TP 6.
Additionally, I have a very good relationship with students, which is evident from my
interactions with them before, during, and after classes.
Strength #2: Clarifying Language
Discussion: Providing the students with effective clarification of the targeted language was
highlighted as an area of success three times by the first tutor. This strength was also noted
in my stage one progress record. The second tutor continued to recognize this strength in
the feedback sheets for TP5 and TP 6.
Students’ good performance in both the controlled and freer practice activities, besides
their appreciation for the clarity of my explanations after the classes confirms that point of
view.

Strength #3: Feedback

Discussion: Feedback was highlighted as a successful area three times by the first tutor in
the feedback for TP 1, TP 2, and TP 4. Additionally, the second tutor recognized it as a
strength in TP 5 and TP 6. This consistent acknowledgment was also reflected in my stage
one progress record.
I consistently inquire if students have any questions after each lesson stage and particularly
at the end of the lesson. It's notable that they rarely had questions after providing feedback,
which further reinforces this strength.

RESUBMISSION

Strength #1
Discussion

Strength #2
Discussion

Strength #3
Discussion

2. Identify THREE AREAS which you feel you need to continue working on. State WHY you need to
work on these areas, i.e. what happened in your lessons. Think about your learners and how you
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were able to identify your weaknesses from their REACTIONS during your lessons. It is important that
you INCLUDE EVIDENCE (such as short anecdotes, comments from TP FB). (approx. 250 words)

FIRST SUBMISSION
Area for development #1: Instructions
Discussion: Instructions were identified as an area for development three times by the first
tutor in TP 2, TP 3, and TP 4. The second tutor also noted this in TP 5. I observed instances
where additional instructions were necessary during monitoring, indicating that instructions
may not have been sufficiently clear.
However, according to the feedback, there was improvement in instructions by TP 6.

Area for development #2: Language Models

Discussion: Language models were highlighted as an area for development three times by
the first tutor for unnecessary capitalization, inaccurate use of language, and unnatural
intonation. Despite some improvement noted by the second tutor in TP 5, it was still
recognized as needing development in TP 6 due to punctuation mistakes in the lesson plan.
It was clearly apparent in the class that students imitate my pronunciation and intonation
whether natural or not, leading to inaccurate use language use.

Area for development #3: Awareness

Discussion: Drilling from the board was identified as an area for improvement by my first
tutor in TP 4 and by the second tutor in TP 5, and again when I spotted myself drilling two
words from the board in TP 7.
It was clear that students read the written form rather than listening to me modelling the
language, which forces me to drill many times until I get the correct response.

RESUBMISSION
Area for development #1
Discussion

Area for development #2:

Discussion:

Area for development #3:

Discussion:

3. A discussion of HOW observation of your colleagues and experienced teachers has helped you to
improve. GIVE EXAMPLES of good classroom practice you have observed in other teachers and make
sure you relate these examples to YOUR OWN AREAS OF WEAKNESS which you have specified.
(approx. 250 words)

FIRST SUBMISSION
Observing experienced teachers has been very helpful to me. A great example is Lindsay
Warwick’s lesson on teaching vocabulary, it is an exemplary lesson for all stages of
eliciting, and I watched it many times focusing on drilling techniques as well as the
language models. It is very beneficial, and I will continue following her example in my
drilling practice.

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Another exemplary lesson conducted by Mr. Khalaf, an ideal grammar lesson. I benefited
greatly from all the teaching practices especially the clear, simple, concise, and staged
Instructions that were given precisely when needed, and absolutely were not mechanical,
I will strive to follow this example in my teaching.
Above all, all the lessons and videos of experienced teachers were of a great importance
to me, they demonstrated models of teaching practices that should be followed, and I will
keep watching and observing techniques demonstrated by these teachers.
I have also learned a lot from my colleague, Ms. Shaimaa. I benefited from her classroom
management and drilling techniques, which have greatly helped me become more relaxed
while teaching and improve my weakness in drilling from the written form.
My colleague, Mr. Mena, conducted a great guided discovery lesson in TP 4. He presented
accurate language models, and upon discussing with him, I learnt that his meticulous
preparation contributes to the precise use of language. I consider this attention to
preparation a key to successful use of language. I put this in my consideration as a key to
successful presentation of language models.

RESUBMISSION

4. Describe how you can develop your growing ELT knowledge and skills BEYOND THE COURSE. We
suggest you
● describe a way that your own colleagues and/or students could help you monitor your
progress (this would be a bottom-up strategy for your professional development)
● include a resource (e.g. book chapter) that could serve as the starting point for your
development in a particular area
● name a professional organisation for teachers you could join; include link to website
● name a qualification/training course you could obtain/participate in post-course; include
link to website (this would be a top-down strategy for your professional development)
You need to state HOW such strategies would benefit you professionally. (approx. 250 words)

FIRST SUBMISSION
I always believed that seeking feedback from colleagues and implementing their
suggestions for improvement is a successful strategy to achieving success. I applied this
approach throughout the course, and it greatly benefited me, particularly in improving my
instructions and providing accurate language models. I also asked them to alert me if they
noticed me drilling from the written form.

I plan to start reading three books after the course:

1- Sound Foundations, Learning and Teaching Pronunciation, Underhill (Macmillan Books
for Teachers, 2005).
2- Learning Teaching; The Essential Guide to English Language Teaching, Third Edition,
Scrivener (Macmillan, 2011).
3- Teaching English Grammar, Scrivener (Macmillan, 2003).
I believe these wonderful resources will greatly enhance my awareness, instructions and
language models.

I am interested in joining IH Cairo, this organisation offers a variety of courses for

professional development of teachers.
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[Link]

I would like to enrol on the advanced phonetics and phonology course offered by IH Cairo.
This course could greatly enhance my language models as it provides an in-depth
exploration of the principles and mechanics of speech sounds in the English language and
emphasizes the application of this knowledge to effective pronunciation teaching
techniques.
[Link]

RESUBMISSION

YOUR WORD COUNT FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT:

First submission:

Resubmission: