Micro lesson on: Teaching Idioms to Engineering Students

Micro lesson on: Teaching Idioms to Engineering Students

Self Feedback on Video Mediated Micro Lesson: Teaching Idioms to Engineering Students

Topic : Teaching Idioms

Level of Learners: Engineering

Class size: 6

Duration of the class: 30minutes

The aim of my class was to make my students understand the meaning of an idiom and incorporate the concept of an idiom in their minds. I began my class by sharing a small conversation that took place between me and my niece in the past. I emphasized on one the idiom in the conversation to know from the students of what they understood by that phrase. Also, I wrote two more phrases that occurred in the orientation given by the Director that morning to know from the students what the phrases meant. The idea behind that exercise was to make them learn the fact that a figurative meaning is attached to the phrases and the meaning cannot be deduced from the individual words existing in the phrase. When I sensed that the students were not able to understand the meanings of the idioms, I gave them an example in Telugu. It is then the students were able to realize the notion of an Idiom. Thereafter, I showed them some pictures to match them with the idioms given below. With some difficulty, the students did the matching which was followed by a task to match the idioms with their meanings. Instead of giving the answers, I elicited the answers from the students. This was followed further by another task of using the idioms in the contexts. I drew the answers from the students that gave an opportunity to get their doubts clarified whenever their answers were incorrect. The whole exercise made the students gain clarity on the concept of an idiom and gave them an opportunity to enrich their knowledge of idioms.

My strengths:

1.       The lead in activity evoked interest in the students and activated their schema.

2.       The class was activity based and was very engaging.

3.       The introduction of Telugu idiom in the class helped the students get a complete clarity on the concept of an idiom and its meaning.

4.       Showing pictures led to student interactivity and discussion.

5.       There was not a single dull moment throughout the session.

My weaknesses:

1.       The lead- in activity was too lengthy. I took 10 minutes of time to drive home the concept of idioms. This marred the idea of a micro lesson.

2.       I should have given the Telugu examples first to help the students derive the meaning of idioms easily and clearly.

3.       I should have taken the students from known to unknown but it was vice-versa in the class.

4.       I used difficult idioms to get the students at the idea of idioms. Instead, I could have used easy idioms.

5.       Though my idea of using the pictures was to teach the abstract ideas, the students were able to understand only the literal meanings the pictures expressed and some pictures represented only literal meanings.

6.       I used too many idioms for a micro lesson.

 My Plan of Action:

1.       I shall be ready to recognize and respond to signs of my lesson plan not working as well as it should.

2.       I shall bear the levels of the students in mind before I introduce any new concept to them.

3.       I shall be mindful of the time allotted to me and will take care that the activities do not last longer than planned.