Abby CO #5

 I observed Dr. Felicia Ciapetta's intermediate reading class. Students had been assigned a reading on disparities in U.S. healthcare compared to other countries. I liked that she allowed students to pick the topic that they were reading. For the first half of the class, students answered long-answer questions about the reading. Dr. Ciapetta explained to me what she was looking for when grading their answers. Besides grammar, she wants to ensure that they answer ALL of the questions asked. There was a bit of a segway while students were working on their assignments. Dr. Ciapetta took the time to explain the difference between "taxes" and "Texas." Very similar pronunciation, very different meanings. As an example, she explained the difference between "raise" and "race." "Raise" has a vibration to the pronunciation, while "race" is smoother. This was a very interesting distinction and got me thinking about how I produce sounds. 

The second half was focused on preparing students for their next reading assignment. Dr. Ciapetta began a speaking activity by asking students if they had seen the Titanic. Then, students discussed amongst small groups what they knew before sharing with the rest of the class. One student in particular was very talkative and had a lot to say. I was very impressed by his perseverance despite errors here and there. At one point, he expressed that he was frustrated with not being able to fully articulate what he wanted to say and needed to study English more. I thought this was a very cool moment as it demonstrated internal motivation from the student! 

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