Venus CO #1

 Date: May 8th, Thursday

Topic/Skill: Grammar (Advanced Group 4); gerunds and infinitives

Teacher presentation:
The instructor began the lesson with a worksheet of sample sentences, intentionally excluding textbook support to encourage independent thinking and application. Students were encouraged to choose whether they felt more comfortable starting with gerunds or infinitives, allowing for a flexible and student-centered approach. The teacher wrote a quick cheat sheet of structure rules for gerunds on the board, offering a visual reference. As the class worked through the sentences, the teacher corrected mistakes by asking thought-provoking questions (e.g., “he what?”) to prompt metacognition rather than giving direct answers. When a student copied an example, the teacher used that as a launchpad to introduce a new variation or related concept. Students were given processing time before sharing, and strong sentences were affirmed with specific praise.

Classroom management:
The teacher maintained a calm and supportive tone throughout, gently redirecting errors without shutting down student confidence. The flexibility in the approach gave students ownership over their learning path, and the teacher made sure everyone had a chance to think and respond. The use of humor (e.g., “he what?”) also created a safe, low-stress environment where making mistakes was clearly part of the learning.

Materials:
Whiteboard, marker, worksheet (no textbook).

Student participation:
Student completed grammar-focused exercises on gerunds and infinitives. They responded to instructor prompts, corrected their own and each other’s mistakes, and demonstrated understanding through original sentence creation. Participation was both individual and whole-class as students shared answers and reasoned through grammar rules aloud.

Feedback provided:
Feedback was scaffolded and immediate, with the teacher building off of student responses. Mistakes were not only corrected, but used as teaching moments to deepen understanding. Praise was also intentional and used to reinforce strong grammar usage.

Lessons on teaching I learned:

  • Starting without the textbook can spark greater critical thinking and peer-supported learning.

  • Giving students choice (gerund or infinitive first?) can ease anxiety and increase engagement.

  • Language cues like “he what?” are an effective way to prompt reflection without correcting too directly.

  • Cheat sheets or visual grammar guides can be powerful tools, especially for abstract topics.

  • Processing time is essential—silence can be golden while students think.

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