Reflection on My Teaching Practice at Sultan
Qaboos University
Period: 13 July – 13 August
From 13 July to 13 August, I undertook a teaching assistantship for the FPEL 0700
course in the Center for Preparatory Studies (CPS) at Sultan Qaboos University.
This experience offered me practical insights into lesson preparation, classroom
facilitation, and the integration of student-centered teaching strategies within an
academic setting. The aim of this reflection is to review the knowledge and skills I
gained, examine the challenges I encountered, and consider the overall impact of
this training on my growth as an aspiring educator.
During my one-month training as a teaching assistant at Sultan
Qaboos University, I gained valuable hands-on experience in
planning and delivering effective lessons, managing classroom
dynamics, and applying evidence-based teaching strategies.
Throughout this period, I developed the ability to prepare
comprehensive lesson plans that outlined the timing for each
stage, specified teacher and student activities, and incorporated
clear instructions projected on the screen. Each plan was
designed to activate students’ prior knowledge and engage them
from the very beginning.
When teaching vocabulary, I consistently emphasized meaning,
form, and pronunciation, ensuring that students not only
understood the words but could also use them accurately in
context. Instead of relying on vague questions such as “Do you
understand?”, I learned to apply targeted ICQs to confirm task
clarity and CCQs to check conceptual understanding. Time
management was also an essential part of every lesson, with
clear time limits displayed to help students monitor their progress
effectively.
I followed a structured lesson sequence that began with a recap
of the previous session, moved to a personalized lead-in, and
progressed through gist and detailed comprehension tasks.
Productive activities encouraged students to apply their learning,
while delayed error correction provided constructive feedback at
the end. Each lesson concluded with a reflection stage, prompting
students to think critically about their learning process.
Active learning was central to my practice. I incorporated
techniques such as the Jigsaw method for reading, which fostered
collaboration and integrated all four skills, as well as activities like
gallery walks to keep students physically engaged. Throughout
the lessons, I prioritized eliciting responses from students rather
than providing answers directly, thereby reducing teacher talking
time and maximizing student participation. I also encouraged
critical thinking through debates and discussions that required
students to support their perspectives with evidence. Technology
played a significant role as well, particularly through the use of
interactive games created with Wayground.
In reading and listening lessons, I came to appreciate the
importance of organizing tasks into pre-, during-, and post-stages,
and of balancing accuracy and fluency through controlled and
semi-controlled practice. Listening lessons, in particular, followed
a systematic sequence: prediction, listening for gist, listening for
details, followed by a productive task, delayed error correction,
and reflection.
An essential part of my growth during this training was receiving
constructive feedback after each lesson I delivered. This
continuous feedback cycle allowed me to reflect on my
performance, implement improvements, and observe tangible
progress in my teaching skills day after day. I deeply value this
feedback, as it played a pivotal role in shaping my professional
development.
Over the course of this training, I successfully delivered several
lessons that achieved their learning objectives. This experience
has significantly strengthened my ability to design, implement,
and evaluate lessons effectively. Most importantly, it has
enhanced my confidence as an educator and provided me with
the pedagogical skills necessary to contribute meaningfully to
higher education in the future.