The influence of a Lesson Study cycle on a 2nd grade EFL picture book-based teaching practice lesson in Norway

Abstract

This study aims to explore the influence of Lesson Study on the teaching of a 2nd grade English as a foreign language (EFL) picture book-based lesson conducted by a group of student teachers during teaching practice in Norway. Lesson Study is an investigative educational method originating in Japan. A group of teachers plan a research lesson which one of them teaches and the others observe, their attention focussing on a few selected pupils. The lesson is reviewed, re-planned and re-taught to a different class. The data presented here was collected through video-recordings of two lessons (a lesson taught and the same lesson re-planned and re-taught) and their corresponding pre-, mid-and post-supervision sessions. Lesson Study appeared to have had an influence on the activities, especially the type and number of questions being asked by the teacher, the timing of activities, and the use of the target language. It also appeared to have had an influence on the attitudes of both the mentors and students to using picture books with young EFL learners. Lesson Study has previously been little used and researched in foreign language teaching. This study demonstrates its potential to enhance teaching and learning in that context.

Spreading lesson study in pre-service teacher instruction

“…Thus, in this way, the 12 PSTs (8 women and 4 men) who participated in the study were the ones who were randomly allocated in these two schools. The lesson study model was developed and adapted from the Norwegian lesson study process designed by Larssen and Drew (2015), who in turn built on notions described by Dudley (2011Dudley ( , 2012Dudley ( , 2013. This study, however, used a longitudinal type approach to lesson study (lessons implemented with a week gap) rather than the cross-sectional approach (lessons implemented in the same week with a gap of one or two days) used in the Norwegian model.…”

Exchange on subject pedagogy during lesson study in initial teacher education

“…, 2016). Indeed, several studies on LS in ITE report positive results with regard to the development of subject-pedagogical knowledge, insights, opinions and attitudes (Cajkler and Wood, 2016a; Carter and Amador, 2015; Larssen and Drew, 2015).…”

“…As the LS cycle progresses, the team in principle gains more insight into the question of which interventions help pupils achieve the learning objectives and can directly link this knowledge to their own teaching practice (De Vries et al, 2016). Indeed, several studies on LS in ITE report positive results with regard to the development of subject-pedagogical knowledge, insights, opinions and attitudes (Cajkler and Wood, 2016a;Carter and Amador, 2015;Larssen and Drew, 2015).…”

Student-Teachers’ Written Reports About Their Own Learning Processes from Lesson Study

“…The data in this study were collected from two ITE lesson study groups at the Universidad Católica de Valencia: one is associated with English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching in undergraduate courses, while the other is linked to a postgraduate teacher-training course on the Official Masters Programme for Secondary School Teachers. The lesson study model in Valencia (Spain) was developed and adapted based on the Norwegian lesson study model designed by Larssen and Drew (2015). In Valencia, however, a longitudinal approach has been used since 2015, by which we mean that research lessons are planned by two student-teachers and taught to the same group of pupils with a weekly gap between them, rather than a research cycle conducted in the same week with a gap of just two days (i.e.…”