Observation Task 1: Chit Chat

Spoken interaction in the Young Learner classroom

Focus:
Noticing the purposes of talk in the EYL classroom
This observation activity is designed to focus your attention on
understanding 1) the amount and 2) the type of talk that goes on in the
English classroom. It will give you a clearer sense of the purpose of talk in
the classroom; as well as identify how much talk is in English / how much is
in Arabic. It should also start you asking yourself why language is used in
the classroom
Objective: To encourage student teachers to identify and discuss classroom
interaction patterns
Procedure: Familiarize yourself with the Observation Table: interaction
patterns in the EFL classroom.
Before the Observation: Think about the purposes for speaking and the
reasons for different types of interaction patterns in the EFL classroom. Can
you add any more to the table?
During the Observation: Choose three students in class. Observe them for
a full lesson. Each time the learners speak, put a tick in the box that gives
the best explanation for why the child spoke. Also, note the language used
(E= English) or Arabic (A).
Example Observation Table: Interaction patterns
1

4
5

Reason for speaking

Learner repeats
word/phrase after
teacher
whole
class
Learner
repeats
word/phrase after
teacher
group/pair
Learner repeats
word/phrase after
teacher
individual
Learner responds to
direct
questionresponds
from the to
Learner
open
question from the

Learner A

Learner B

Learner C

E E E

E E E

E E E

E E E

E E E

E E E

E E

E
E

E
A

Learner asks teacher a

question

A A

Observation Table:
Reasons for speaking in the classroom
Class:
Second kindergarten, section: 01.
Number of learners:
15 pupils
Length of Lesson:
15 minutes
The teacher observed Language:
The formal Arabic Language.
Learning Goals:
Learn The Parts of Plant.
Materials used:
Markers and White board.
In my kindergarten, they don't take The English language. (F.A is The Formal
Arabic. / L.A is The Local Arabic.)

My TP school do not have English lesson for this semester according to

school staff shortage because of an administration order of transfer
English teacher to primary school.
Children rarely talk by English language and with just using nouns only.
Because of teaching with the Arabic language, all the time using
English during the class or communicating is impossible.
Reason for speaking
Hind
Moza
Fatima

Learner repeats word /

1 phrase
after
teacher
whole
Learner
repeats
word /
2 phrase
after
teacher
group
Learner
repeatsword
/ /
3

phrase after teacher

individual
Learner answers direct

4 question
from
teacher
Learner
answers open
5 question
teacher
6 from
Learner
asks teacher a

F.A

F.A

L.A

F.A

L.A

F.A
F.A
F.A

F.A
L.A
F.A

F.A

L.A
F.A
F.A

F.A

question
Learner answers a
7 partner in
Paired
activity
Learnerwork
answers
a group
8 member in group work
activity

L.A
F.A

L.A

Learner answers the

9 teacher
10 informally
Learner answers peer
informally

F.A

F.A

11 Other reason for

speaking
(tell about their
experience about
planting or something
12 Other reason for
speaking
(outside the border of
the lesson forexample,
tell about someone hit

L.A

L.A

L.A

L.A
L.A

F.A

F.A