Observation Task 2: Reading a Story in the local UAE School
What the MST Does
Pre-Reading
Activities
Name the book /
story.
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.
Post-Reading
Activities
How your MST
consolidates the
storyline and
explores
opportunities for
developing
language, topic
related and
personal, social
and emotional
issues.
What the Children Do
Name of the story [The Very Sit down quietly on the
Hungry Caterpillar] by Eric circle center carpet.
Carle.
Listen to the teachers
Plays the story song and
introduction.
sing along with it.
Sometimes they had to
Show them the story and
watch the story on the
read the title first.
television.
Asks students to be quiet
and listen to the story.
If the story was on the
screen she pauses each time
and ask them questions.
Listen and watch the
story.
Answer and ask
After finishing the story, she questions
starts to explain it for them.
She will read the title and
ask the students what do
you think will happened,
lets see together if what
you said is right or not.
At the end she asks some
questions.
Answer the questions
Comments
I prefer when she reads them the
story by her own because on the
English class the television is not in
front the children.
The good thing was that she
showed them the video then she
repeats some important parts, while
explaining it.
I liked that she explain the picture of the
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?
Before the story start she review the previous lesson and when they
finish she asked them to set quietly, and told them that they will listen to
the story and, she will ask them questions so they need to focus.
a. How did the pre-listening activity help students understand?
Students knows already what the story will be about.
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?
Because they know the story already, they take it in the Arabic class, so they
were well organized and were able to understand it well in English.
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?
Students were able to understand the story well and they were excited to tell the
teacher what will happened next on the story, so they memorized it well since
they take it twice.
4. How many times did the learners listen to the text / recording?
They listen to the whole story once and for the important pars twice.
a. Would it have increased their understanding if they had been
allowed to listen to the recording again? Explain.
Yes, because the first time they listen to the story they still not familiar
with the story but when they listen to it again they will be able to
understand more.
b. Did the learners hear the whole text at once, or in parts?
They listen to it at once then they repeat the important parts.
c. If so, which was the most helpful?
When the teacher asks them questions and repeat the parts for them was helpful,
because the students were able to understand more.
The advantages and disadvantages of using the model of pre -, while and post-listening activ itie s to teach a listening lesson
(Teachers perspective in blue, students perspective in grey)
Advantages
Disadvantages
Pre-Listening
The teacher
Students was
On my opinion
Students will
Activities
didnt have to
exited while
students will not
ignore the teacher
pause the story
telling the
be able to focus
and the story,
because it will
teacher what
if she pauses
they will lose
distract the
will happened
each time and
interest to hear
students and
next since the
explain or ask
the rest of it.
because the
take it before.
them what
While-Listening
students
happened, so its
already take
better to keep the
the story on
question to the
Arabic.
Teacher can
By answering
end.
The teacher will
Students will get
Activities
evaluate her
the questions,
lose students
bored and wont
students by the
the student will attention on the
focus on the
questions.
be able to
story.
story.
The teacher
Students wont
understand
Post-Listening
By asking
more.
Students will
Activities
questions the
understand
wont be able to
listen to the
teacher will be
more by
evaluate all of
questions since
able to know
answering the
them, because
they listen to the
which student
questions.
some of them
story and know
did understand
know the answer
the answers
the story and
but they keep it
already.
which one
to themselves.
didnt.
