Teaching Method

There are varieties of methods that the teachers use in the classroom, but, questioning method and group-work method are the most common methods that are used by the teacher. Based on my observation, the reason behind this is the teachers want to make the students actively participate in the classroom, or also known as students-centered learning. In the middle of discussion, the teacher will ask questions to the students and always appreciate it by saying “very good” or “excellent” .

In triggering students participation in the class, my cooperating teacher made a participation notebook. This notebook will be handed to the secretary in the beginning of the class, and will also be filled out by the secretary. The students who can answer the questions given by my cooperating teacher will get reward in terms of points. Points given to each question are different. It is based on the level of difficulty of the question. The difficult the question, the higher the points. On the other hand, my cooperating teacher may also give minus points for students who do not behave well in the classroom. I have found this effective, because the students are willing to get points in the classroom.

Learning Materials and Innovation

Most of the learning materials come from the handout and also the online book. In discussing the materials, the teachers use power point presentation to attract students attention and to make the students easier in learning the materials. Moreover, the teachers also add pictures and video to reach the learning objectives.

In this case, I have observed my cooperating teacher (Miss Lumantas) in preparing her materials before entering the class. At the beginning of the quarter, she made all of the lesson plans and some documents for the whole quarters. Her lesson plan is based on the scope and sequence document that was made by the teachers of English before. Her materials are based on the curriculum. She searched the contents in the internet and relates it to the exercise or the reading passage that can be found in students’ textbook. She also makes power point presentation before her class. I found that power point presentation is really effective in delivering materials, because the student can easily visualise the materials given by the teacher.

Sources of Learning and Technology

In getting the source of learning, the teacher may search the materials in the internet as long as it is related to the curriculum and the textbook which the students use. In presenting the material, teachers make use of technology by presenting it with power point presentation.

Authentic Assessment

The foundation of authentic assessment revolves around evaluating a students’ ability to apply what they have learned during the lesson. Based on my observation, there are several authentic assessments used in the classroom such as question-answer, group presentation, quiz, practicum, presentation task, clustered performance task.

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• Clustered performance task

This is one of the authentic assessment, that clustered with another subjects. Based on my observation, this task is a big project done by eight graders and nine graders. This performance tasks allow the students to demonstrate how effectively they can put the pieces together in ways similar to how information is used in the larger world. Schoolwork becomes a valid preparation for life outside the classroom. In addition, the teachers allow students to do cooperative learning which is an authentic skill that is highly valued in the larger world. Furthermore, cooperative learning simulates how teamwork is used in a business environment.

There are two kinds of performance task. the first one is an one-act play that will be done by the nine graders called Nove Fiera Accademica. The goal of this cluster is to perform a play that presents different plays of William Shakespeare. The second one is called Mini Task: Junior’s Festival of Talents. The goal of this performance is as a culminating activity, the task of your group is to showcase the talents and rich cultural heritage of one’s nation through dancing.

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