Classroom Observation and Practice Teaching
The classroom observation and supervised practice teaching enable Promise Opens Doors' participants to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the TEFL Certificate Program for Online Teaching. Through observations and practice teaching, participants will observe a variety of language teaching methodologies and fine-tune their personal teaching practice.
Each hour of classroom observation and supervised practice teaching must be carefully planned and will be followed by some debriefing. Promise Opens Doors' administrators and master teachers will guide the candidate throughout the practicum experience.
1. 5 hours of classroom observation
You must observe one or more experienced ESL or EFL teacher(s) teaching English language learners in a classroom setting. To ensure that you are exposed to a variety of pedagogical approaches, Promise Opens Doors provides class recordings of several teachers.
After the 5 hours of observation, you will discuss your observations with your supervisor or master teacher and complete a formal reflection on the lessons you observed. Promise Opens Doors will provide a template for this reflection.
2. 15 hours of supervised practice teaching
***Non-US/Canada participants will be completing teaching practice in online classrooms not administered by Promise Opens Doors***
Your practice teaching must cover 15 hours of instruction in a Promise Opens Doors real-time online classroom. An administrator will arrange the instruction hours in our online classrooms and you will receive a schedule of the classes you are expected to teach.
You must reflect on the development and implementation of your lesson plans with your supervisor or master teacher. Your classroom instruction must be observed at least twice by your supervisor or master teacher. After each observation, he/she must provide formal feedback to you and to Promise Opens Doors.
For planning lessons, you will be able to use Promise Opens Doors' approved lesson plan template. For the formal observations, Promise Opens Doors will provide an observation form that must be completed by your supervisor or master teacher and returned to us directly.
After you have completed your 15 hours of practice teaching, you will need to complete a formal reflection for Promise Opens Doors based on the lessons you’ve taught. Participants will be provided a template for this reflection.
*Would-be participants should take note of the time zone differences for teaching online classes before enrolling. Since Promise Opens Doors currently works with students located in EAST ASIA, class times are typically in the late hours of the day/early morning (7pm-3am EST).
3. Two 15-minute videos of your teaching
You are required to record video and send two 15-minute videos from your 15 hours of supervised teaching (these do not have to be the same as the observed practice teaching). These videos must show clear examples of your students engaged in language learning.
Examples of high quality teaching videos which show student learning might include
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setting up group or pair work activities, followed by some video of students engaged in the learning task
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students engaged in an oral language task (e.g., students might be asking each other questions or engaging in role plays) as the teacher provides assistance and feedback
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teacher–student interaction (one-on-one, in pairs, or in groups)
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providing feedback that furthers language acquisition (during or after a task)
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providing differentiated instruction focused on language acquisition
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level-appropriate scaffolding strategies for language acquisition
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using informal assessment to gauge learners’ comprehension and production