Course title: Practicum 3a

Couse Code: EPC 3403

Task 3: Analyzing Classroom Discourse

Prepared by: Hend Saeed Ahmed Alyammahi

ID: H00357629

Prepared to: Ms. Humda Al Awadi

Date of Submission: Wednesday March 14, 2018

Task 3. Analyzing Classroom Discourse.
• Observe in a classroom, keeping a record that lets you answer the following
questions. Record/write down a list of what is said for 10 minutes during the
CORE part of the class:

• What proportion of time does the teacher talk?

o Time the class for 10 min, how many of those minutes is the
teacher talking?
The lesson was about "Reading the face of the clock". I observed and recorded 10
minutes of the core part by writing notes. During those 10 minutes the teacher talked
about 4 minutes, she was explaining the hands of the hour and their uses (long hand
for minutes and short hand for hours).

• What types of questions does the teacher ask?

o List all the exact words you hear the teacher uses when asking
questions about the math topic (not review or procedural
questions)
- What do you think these hands stands for?
- Who do you think will move faster the minutes hand or the hours hand?
- Look at the clock and tell me what do you see?
- If the short hand on 4, how do you think I will say it?
- Do we read the minutes hand like the hours hand? Or are they different?

• What evidence do you see that children have learned some mathematics?
o What are children saying or doing that shows they understand a
new topic?
The children were using words like (long hand, short hand). Also, they were recalling
the new information they learnt like "the long hand shows minute" "the short hand
shows hours" "when the short hand on 9 and the long hand on 4 we have a brake
time" "I wake up when the short hand on 6" "short hand go very slow" "long hand
runs very fast"

• How many of the children have an opportunity to talk?

o Are children talking only when the teacher calls on them?
o Do children talk to partners or in table groups?
o Do children raise their hands to ask questions? What are they
asking?
During the 10 minutes about 6 children talked and participated. Two children put their
hands up because they wanted to add more things to what have been said. The other 4
children talked upon a request from the teacher. When the teacher finished her
explanation, she asked them to talk to their "Carpet Partner" about the hour hands.
One of the students asked the teacher, "why can't we say the hour now is 8 to 6
instead of 20 to 6? It will easier in my opinion".
 • In your opinion, is the classroom discourse about important and new
mathematics?
o Why or why not?
The lesson today was about reading the face of the clock. In my point of view, this is
one of the most important math concepts grade two students must learn. Reading the
hour will help them in every single minute in their life. They will understand how
their class and lesson are divided. They will be able to look at the hour and know
when they will have a break, when the lesson will finish, and when it's time to go
home. This lesson will prepare them for real life, and they will be able to manage their
time better in the future by being able to tell time.