PTLLS Practical Assignment 4

Evaluate the teaching and learning approaches and effectiveness of resources for your observed session. Evaluate how your session met the needs of individual learners.

This essay should be prepared following completion of your micro-teach session, and it has two parts. The first part gives you an opportunity to discuss your approaches to teaching and the effectiveness of the resources you have used. Feedback from piers and the observer report will help you to complete the second part; which is evaluation of how you met the needs of the learner group.

My flexible lesson plan assumed learners did not have prior knowledge of the subject and I prepared it from the learner’s point of view. The session was multi-sensory, focused around the objectives, and included verbal, visual, and kinaesthetic activities.

The PowerPoint slides included major points to be covered – organised and clear. I wanted learners to understand these points and to accept my ideas. I knew it will not need much effort because the subject Employee Training (HRM) is partly related to the course PTLLS.

I used a small PowerPoint wireless presenter for navigating through the PowerPoint slides.

My approach combined a lecture with active teaching and learning strategies. Everyone was constantly engaged in the learning process through open questions, discussions, and two activities for applying what they have learnt. I encouraged learner’s feedback, listened carefully and re-instated responses where appropriate.

All learners knew what the handout was about, and were given enough time to look at its useful content. The assessment conducted at the end of the session indicated that the learners’ understanding of the subject has increased. However, my peers suggested there should be more activities and more fun. For sure I will consider their advice in future.

Throughout the session, I encouraged discussions relevant to the subject and its aims, giving learners room for expressing their own ideas and creativity. Learners generated a set of key points thus articulating my expectation. I chose appropriate and practical examples in advance and the learners also generated their own examples and illustrations.

I tailored my questions to the ability level of all learners and rephrased key terms when needed. The key terms were identified, explained and put together, and the learners copied them down.

The objectives were made clear at the start of the session and I gave explanation in clear language making full use of the auditory style; I repeated and emphasized important parts of the lecture. A short video was used to demonstrate real-life techniques, and the carefully selected images supported the text where I wanted Learners to remember important concepts.

The lecture was concluded by an interactive strategy which was engaging and provided real-life simulation situations; learners practised important parts of the subject and they were able to know how, in addition to why, we do things. Also, calling learners by their names during the session helped in reaching everyone.

Student-led question and answer session, debates and the feedback session, comments and critiques all made the session interesting and met the different students’ learning styles. The learners were comfortable, able to discuss new ideas and eager to learn. I believe careful planning and preparation have helped.