The first class I observed was Leslie's Group 1C Listening class. The topic of the class was giving/ receiving directions. First, Leslie introduced grammar that would be relevant to the video they watched and also in general. She explained the concept of up/down the road, and how in that context the words actually mean the same thing (unless it's a hill). More vocabulary like, auditorium, fountain, and take a left was introduced. The main assignment of the day was to watch a video. We watched a CIES video made by two teachers and a student, giving directions to two different places in Tallahassee. The students had to fill in the blanks, and then answer relevant questions..
I really liked Leslie's teaching style. She was very enthusiastic about what she was teaching and made an effort all through class to keep the students engaged. She was constantly asking students questions, enhancing their participation as much as possible. She joked around with the students as well, while keeping their interest. We watched each half of the video twice, which was enough for most students to catch everything. Using a video shot on FSU campus, and using directions in Tallahassee was important too. It gave the students a schema, as they already somewhat know their way around town. Directing the students around campus - to Ruby Diamond and Java Heads - allowed them to put what they were learning in the context of their daily lives.
Overall, I really enjoyed the class. Many of the students were very open to participating, which to me is a sign of a good classroom environment.
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