Observation Task 2: Reading a Story in the local UAE
School
Identify the type of pre-whilst and post reading activities employed by your MST
Table 7: Reading a Story in the local UAE Preschool
What the MST Does
What the Children
Do
Pre-Reading
Activities
Handas Surprise
Describe how your MST gets
children interested in the
story and wanting to hear /
read it.
While-Reading
Activities
How your MST keeps
children interested and
actively involved.
Comments
Before playing the story
for the students, the
teacher closed the lights
and switched on the
projector and the
computer, then she
showed her students the
picture of the girl and told
them we will learn a new
story today about a girl
called Handa, what is her
name?
Students got excited
when she told them
they are going to
watch a story
because they love
cartoon so much and
this story was a short
cartoon. When the
teacher told them the
name of the girl and
asked them what is
her name? they said
Handa.
I liked the way the teacher gave
them the story. Instead of
reading for them she played a
video on the smart board so that
they watch and enjoy it.
Moreover, the music and the
colors in the video are attractive
for children to watch it so that
they focus and understand it.
While the story is played,
the teacher asked them
some questions about the
story like what did she
carry? what is inside the
basket? what is the
name of her friend? and
how many fruits were in
the basket?.
Children were
actively involved and
answered the
teachers questions.
Some children were
asking the teacher
questions about the
story and some of
them estimated what
is going to happen
next.
Children were really involved to
the story and this is really
important and it is a good thing
for the children to learn the new
story and keep it in their minds.
The story was good in
improving the estimation for
children, which helps children
to think about what is going to
happen next.
Post-Reading Activities
How your MST consolidates
the storyline and explores
opportunities for developing
language, topic related and
personal, social and
emotional issues.
The teacher played the
story for the second time
to let children watch it
carefully and learn more
about the story. After that,
she asked them the same
questions as in the first
time:
what is the name of the
girl?
what did she carry?
what is inside the
basket?
what is the name of her
friend?
how many fruits were in
the basket?.
Moreover, she did an
activity with them. She
chose seven students and
let them were the mask of
the animals they saw in
the story, also she had
pictures of the seven fruits
that are in the story. After
that, she asked the rest
Which fruit did each
animal took from the
basket?
When the rest answer
her question, the
student who has the
mask of that animal
comes to take the
correct fruit and stick
it on the laminated
printed picture of
basket that is on the
board.
This activity was really nice
and children liked it. I know
that there was only seven animals
in the story so she only need
seven students for her activity
but it is better if she did it
again for the rest because
many students wanted to
participate but the teacher
couldnt because she wanted to
explain another thing for them.
Reflections on Observation Task 2: Reading a Story in the Local
UAE Preschool
1. What preparation (i.e. pre-listening activity) did the teacher give
the learners before they listened to the text?
She didnt do any activity before playing the story. She just told
them you will watch a story to make them curious about it.
If they had some preparation, select (a) if they did not, select (b).
a. What pre-listening activity could the teacher have used
to help students understand the target language better?
Because this story is talking about Handa who brought for her best
friend a number of fruits, she can show them these fruits in a slide of
power point and ask them to name each fruit.
2. Were the learners engaged in while-listening activity/activities? If they were,
select (a); if they were not, select (b).
a. What were the aims of the while-listening activity/activities?
While playing the video, she every time stop it to let them count the
number of fruits that are in the basket and she asked them questions
like what is left in the basket? what was the animal who took the
orange? to make sure they understood the story.
3. Did the learners have a post-listening activity/activities? If they did,
select (a); if they did not, select (b).
a. What were the aims of the post-listening activity/activities?
To make sure that children were concentrating to the story and that
teacher delivered the information of the story to students.
4. How many times did the learners listen to the text / recording?
2 times
a. Would it have increased their understanding if they had been
allowed to listen to the recording again? Explain.
Yes, because children need to hear it many times to understand
the story well and to know how to do the activities.
b. Did the learners hear the whole text at once, or in parts?
When she played it in the first time she let them watch it at once but
in the second time she paused it to ask them questions.
c. If so, which was the most helpful?
Pausing it, because the teacher needs to ask children questions to
make sure they have understood the story and not just playing it
because some students doesnt focus on the story while it is played at
once.
Think about the advantages and disadvantages of using the model of pre-, whileand post-listening activities to teach a listening lesson. Write first from the
perspective of the teacher and then from the perspective of the learners.
Advantages:
Teachers perspective:
- The teacher can engage students and check their understanding by doing these
activities.
Students perspective:
- Children will be engaged to the lesson and they will understand the story well by
repeating the story two time and do all these activities.
Disadvantages:
Teachers perspective:
- Preparing and doing these activities might tire the teacher, take a long time from
her class, and she needs to prepare good activities for children that attract them to
do the activities.
Students perspective:
- Students might feel bored doing all these activities for one story that will take a
long time.
