My cooperating school in Thailand was Chiengraknoi School, a government/public school which was situated at Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.
During my one month of stay here in this school, (too short span of time yet I have learned a lot) I was able to observed how the classes were being facilitated by the teacher, how the lesson were being taught inside the classroom, the flow of the lesson, classroom strategies, the materials that were being used in the teaching-learning process, assessments either paper and pencil or performance task.
Teaching Methods
“The teacher is of course an artist, but being an artist does not mean that he or she can make the profile, can shape the students. What an educator does in teaching is to make it possible for the students to become themselves.” ― Paulo Freire
Since English language is a foreign language in Thailand, it was really very hard for the teacher to taught words in English for the students to understand without being translated into Thai language. The method mostly was teacher-centered wherein the teacher was needed to provide pictures or he/she must elaborate the words or sentences through body language for the students to understand. Or the teacher may ask the students to use the dictionary and let the students look for the meaning of the words in English. I have observed that even the subject was English, still the teacher uses Thai language for better understanding of the students.
Learning Materials and Innovation
The teacher used the teacher's guide book and the students used their students and activity book provided by the school. Most of their activities were paper and pencil test wherein the learners should answer the activities before the end of the period. I observed two grade level, five and six. In grade 5 there was only one section (Grade 5/2) wherein there was an overhead projector and a television but I was disappointed because the teachers were not using it. I was trying it hopefully but then my cooperating teacher said that it was long time ago that somebody has used it and I was certain that the television screen was already malfunctioning. My grade 5 classes has three sections, grade 5/1 and 5/3 have no overhead projector and television so I taught students traditionally. While in grade 6, I taught two sections, Grade 6/1 and 6/2. What was good in this class was that, the class used the same classroom. It has wifi connection, computer set and a smart board. What I had admired in this school was that, it was provided with internet connection in each building (so every classroom has access to the internet) knowing that Chiengrak Noi was a public school. In Grade 6 also every students was provided with students and activity book.
Sources of Learning and Technology
It's a good thing that Chiengrak Noi a public school was provided with internet access in every classroom. The only problem was that, not all classroom have computer set, an overhead projector and television screen. Some of the classroom has smart board just like in Grade 6 classes that I have observed and taught. Their primary source of learning were the textbooks for those classroom who has not above mentioned facilities while the other classrooms were lucky because on the spot they can use google, youtube and other helpful sites that aid in facilitating learning in the classroom.
Authentic Assessment
Almost all of the classes I have observed, the students in primary level were expected to answer and accomplish activities on students book after each session and before the period has ended. The answers were discussed among the students and it was a group scoring depending on the group who has given the right answer. Bottom line, it was also a recitation for the students to assess of their learning for the day's lesson.