Day 29 and 30- Overall Impression and Learnings

I am blessed for this opportunity to apply my learning in teaching preschool at Phetphadungwengchai school. It is beneficial for me to be exposed to a school to teach young learners to the very best that I can give. 

I am truly grateful for all the people behind this program to let students from different countries gain learnings and experiences from each other. 

Through this SEA Teacher Program, I experienced to be exposed in the real world situation of teaching young learners.


I learned to expand my ideas and creativity in making strategies for lesson enrichment. I need to adopt more especially of the language so I can understand the needs of the students. 

Khap-Khun Ka! ( Thank you!)

Day 28- Personal Insights

The Purpose of Practicum

1. Exposure of future teachers to the actual situation of teaching preschool students.

2. The language barrier is a challenge, not a problem.

3. Applying the teaching-learning process into practice. 

4. Build self-confidence and character towards the student and co-teachers. 

5. Teaching strategies differ according to the needs of the learners. 

The Procedures of Practicum

1. The first week- Observation to the classes from Kinder 1 to 3 and lesson plan preparations

2. The second week- Teaching proper to Kinder 2 and 3 about English Phonics.

3.Third week- Continuation of teaching about English Phonics ( Short and long vowels).

4. Last week- Final teaching week, teaching demo( evaluation)


The Outcomes of Practicum 

I learned that making plans for your teaching is important. You go to your class well prepared.

I am able to make adjustments from my written out lesson plans because unexpected circumstances might happen.

Become more a dynamic teacher. Enhance the volume of my voice.

Go to the class with full energy and enthusiast. Students will be motivated to learn if the teacher shows that she is also excited to teach. 

Involve as much as possible all the learners in the activity. Make your topic manipulative and interesting. 

Always wear a smile. :) 



 Challenges of Practicum


1. Language Barrier- most of the students cannot communicate by speaking English. 

I deal with this challenge by learning basic greetings and graces and asking for assistance from the teachers so that I can still communicate to them. 

 2. Literacy/ Writing names- since their age range from 4-6 years old, some of them cannot write their English name or even write the alphabet letters properly. 

I deal with this challenge by allowing the students to write their Thai names if they cannot write their English names. 

3.  Children that need special attention/ different pace of learning than the majority- some prefer to sit in one area instead of joining other students and listen. 

I deal with this challenge by conducting activities that all students will involve such as manipulative and interactive game and activities. 

4. Classroom Management- speaking to them to keep still and quiet is not effective, it is better to talk to them in their mother tongue is quietly effective. 

I deal with this challenge by being a proactive teacher as I enter the classroom and teach the students with dynamic and modulated voice. 

Day 27- Encountering Challenges

                                              

                                         Problem Solving

Here are some challenges that I’ve encountered in teaching.

1.Familiarity- New face, new adjustments for the students. For some students are being shy to participate because they are not comfortable with a new teacher teaching in front.

But what I did is during observation of those classes, I mingled with them by assisting them in answering their evaluation activity and stay on the whole duration for English class. 

2. Students that need special attention

Activities such as group interaction are beneficiary to all students. Manipulative learning is one way also to involve ALL kinds of students whether the fast or slow learner. I make the lessons turn into a game, and for the paper and pen activity, the teachers assist me to help them to answer the activity. 

                                 Classroom Management

For the classroom daily routine and schedule, this is the format that I did to follow for daily teaching plan. 

My schedule for my Mep 3 class

Time: 1:00-2:00 pm

1:00-1:05- Time for toilet or just to make the children are settling down.

1:05-1:10- Greetings and Exercise

1:10-1:20- Icebreaker or game

1:20-1:40- Presentation of lesson

1:40-1:45- application

1:45-2:00- Evaluation/ activity time 

The young learners need a firm authority from the teachers. Since their age range from 4-6 years of age( my handled classes), they are easy to get bored, lose interest after few minutes, get unfocused and easily get distracted.

A well-modulated voice is a powerful tool for the kindergarten students.

Firm eye-contact, and be well prepared for the sequence of your activities for each class. The transition of one to next action is needed.

Daily routines should be altered from time to time depending on the needs of the students. 

Day 26- Me becoming a Teacher

                              Procedures in Teaching

I started making a one-week lesson plan and consulted it to my mentor followed by preparing instructional materials( printed out pictures or real objects) and reproducing the activity worksheets for each lesson. 

For the daily schedule of my teaching, I started with some greetings and exercises especially if it is in the afternoon class. We do some singing or dancing and then followed by the presentation and discussion of the lesson. 

For the application of the lesson, we do some activities such as matching the words to the picture or fill in the blanks or by encircling the sound words. 

And the last is the evaluation activity by answering the worksheets using a pencil and colors. 

Day 25- Measurement and Evaluation

Paper and Pen activity. At the end of the lesson, the teacher distributes worksheet to the students and answer the activity. 

For the summative evaluation, a test is given before the semester ends. The students perform to answer the tests to all their subjects. 

Home works are also given to the students as part of the evaluation.

Day 24- Teacher's In Action

Teachers are the authority inside the classroom, with their modulated voice, students are able to listen when the teacher is discussing a lesson.

Interactive participation. The teacher is allowing students to make interaction by answering questions orally and written or through the form of performance. 

A 3-year-old student is performing the lesson by sitting, standing and raising his hand in Chinese. 

Motivation is part of the day to day activity in the form of singing, dancing, exercise or even game. 

Day 23- Preparing Lessons and Materials

The teachers make a lesson plan for 5 months as an advance preparation and guide for one-semester teaching. Each lesson plan includes the topic, learning objectives, materials to use, procedures of teaching, the process of application and the evaluation activity. 

The teacher goes to the class prepared together with their instructional materials, worksheets activity and sometimes a laptop and speaker for singing, dancing and watching purposes.

Teachers prepare the lessons by providing worksheets, produce photocopies enough for each class, arranged the Instructional materials ( flashcards), study ahead of time the lesson plans they made to achieve the learning objectives for each subject, plans activities throughout the class for a more interactive learning such as games, quiz or contests.