Journal: Practicum Lesson Reflection for 22/08/2014

Subject: isiXhosa (3^rd Additional)
Class: Grade 8
Date 22/08/2014

This was my second class presented to the learners at Edgemead High School. At this particular school they do not offer isiXhosa 2^nd or 3^rd additional language, but rather, isiXhosa 1^st additional language. This lesson focused on some very basic (for these learners) greetings and vocabulary for when meeting new people in isiXhosa. I felt that the learners were a little bored at first as I was not asking or showing them anything new. However, later on in the lesson I seemed to have asked one or two things that they were not totally familiar with and this sparked their interest.

I created an assessment activity for the learners in the form of a ‘translate this phrase from English to isiXhosa’ activity. However, most of the learners did not seem to catch on to what they needed to do. I believe this was my fault for not giving them clear enough instructions. These are grade 8 learners and it would be reasonable for them to not intuitively know what to do with any assessment activity that they encounter. But, because they are so far ahead of me with the actual language and knew what was going on during the lesson with reference to the content and vocabulary, I made the mistaken assumption that they would also then find the assessment activity simple and obvious. I have encountered this sort of mistake before in my other subject and it is something that I need to be cognizant of. I suppose that once one is familiar with the class after teaching them for a few months one would know where they require assistance and where it is OK to assume they know what it going on.