Rebekah Sarmiento
Observation in Action:
Learning English through Observation
Thesis Topic
English as a Second Language students should learn communication strategies by observing
native speakers and in doing so will advance their English communication and comprehension
skills.
Thesis
Many English as a Second Language classrooms rely heavily on in-class reading, writing, and
listening skills that are carefully scripted. While these are important foundations for learning
English, they are limited in their scope of fully learning functional English. To advance a
student’s English ability, teachers should integrate real-time observation both in and out of the
classroom. Observable action can be enabled in a variety of ways to include communication
strategies and comprehension. As it is, observation is described in The Cambridge Guide to
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages as “the purposeful examination of teaching
and/or learning events” (Carter & Nunan, 2005) and so when using these methods, it is important
for the teacher to solidify activities in conjunction with the learning objectives.
Integrating this method in the classroom can be easily planned within the curriculum. An
example lesson for Learning English through Observation could include several platforms, such
as:
Real-time observation through people watching
Writing in an action journal of what is observed as it happens
Using media in the classroom
Inviting guest speakers
Pair work
Such natural language forces the students to focus on their listening skills to key into
understanding meaning while also forming their own thoughts in order to communicate with
others. Research has shown that when a non-native speaker of English interacts with a native
speaker, they enter into a negotiation of meaning that provides a rising level of comprehension
that facilitates secondary language learning (Carter & Nunan, 2005). A student who practices
listening with purpose is a way for students to engage in language that is relevant to acquiring
the skills of understanding natural English. For example, as an assignment the students can go
out to a public place to observe interaction. The students would then have to write down their
observations of the actions that they see and the conversations that they hear. After the
assignment, the students would share their observations with their peers. Doing so allows
students to use multi-faceted learning, connecting communication and comprehension strategies.
Therefore, by using observable action, students are able to practice numerous communication
strategies.
Works Cited
Carter, Ronald & Nunan, David. (2005). The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to Speakers
of Other Languages. Cambridge University Press.