Appendix 4

Results of the second data collection

19th February 2002: Students’ inventory results  at the end of the history lesson

Class: II A LST                                      

25 students (4 are not at school today)

Circle the answer that most closely corresponds to your feeling about the following statements.

1)      I feel comfortable during the lesson

Very true 1-2-3        true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20          not true 1-2

2)      When the teacher speaks in English I understand

Very true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8        true 1-2-3 –4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15         not true 1-2

3)      I Have spoken  in English during the lesson

Very true 1       true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19          not true 1-2-3-4-5

4)      The activities I have done during the lesson are helpful for my English

Very true 1-2-3-4-5        true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18        not true 1-2

5)      The activities I have done during the lesson are helpful for learning the content

Very true 1-2-3-4-5        true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18           not true 1-2

6)      I have learned something new of English in this lesson

Very true 1-2-3-4-5        true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18           not true 1-2

7)      I have learned something new about the content in this lesson

Very true 1-2-3        true  1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20

19^th February: Answers of the History teacher at the end of the lesson

12)  Do you think  the students feel comfortable during the lesson?   Partly

13)  How many students have spoken during the lesson?    Nearly all

14)  Have the students asked questions about the content?    A few

15)  Have the students asked questions about the language?    Some

16)  More about the content or about the language?    Content

17)  How many times have you intervened by using Italian?    A few

18)  In which points of the lesson do you think the students have had more difficulties? In the use of the language when the content is too difficult

19)  After you have intervened in Italian, which language have the students used in their replies?  English

20)  Do you think they have learned anything new about the content of your subject in this lesson?   Yes

21)  During pair or group work which language have the students used?   Italian

22)  Do you think we have respected the proportion established in the module planning (at least 80% of the lesson in English)?   Yes

19^th February: Observation grid, filled by the observer during and at the end of the lesson

19^th February 2002: Notes and impressions from my diary, written at the end of the lesson and while re-listening to the recording of the lesson  

- In the beginning of the brainstorming the students seem shy and don’t speak, then they start suggesting a long list of words they know about the topic: they need to be supported and encouraged

- If I ask the meaning of some words they have suggested or from the activities they tend to tell me the Italian corresponding term (they associate meaning to translation in Italian) but when I ask them to give definition or synonyms in English they are able to do this. Sometimes I have to help them. But it’s OK as well !!! They speak a lot!!!!

- If I want to make all of them speak, I have to call them directly otherwise only the same students tend to intervene in the discussions. (The best ones, of course)

- In the activities involving the whole class many students speak chorally or individually, and all in English. In pair work they speak Italian. What can I do? Possible solutions: eliminate pair work or group work in class or devise something to force them to interact with the other students in English. (What?)

- The “cultural” purpose of the lesson is to make them aware that the three religion mentioned have many elements in commons, there are many prejudices about Judaism and Islam (I remember the discussions in class after 11^th September!!!). When I have asked them whether these religions have something in common or not some students have immediately and spontaneously answered “No!!!!” then they have looked at the chart they have filled and I have noticed a sort of astonished expression, I think the discussion in the next lesson will be….very interesting.

- The questions they have asked me are all about the meaning of the words, but sometimes they are not questions that contain language problems because many words are similar to Italian and they know the corresponding word in Italian, in these case I think the questions are about the content because they want clarifications about the concept, the ideas they imply.

- Last consideration: sometimes,  in the “hot” points of the discussions, it seems to me that they forget they are interacting with me and with the class in English and they speak (in English) only because they are interested in the content they are dealing with!!

21st February: students’ inventory results  at the end of the Electronic Systems lesson

13 students (6 are not at school today)

Circle the answer that most closely corresponds to your feeling about the following statements.

8)      I feel comfortable during the lesson

Very true 1-2        true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11           not true

9)      When the teacher speaks in English I understand

Very true 1-2-3-4-5-6        true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7           not true

10)  I Have spoken  in English during the lesson

Very true 1-2        true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11           not true

11)  The activities I have done during the lesson are helpful for my English

Very true 1-2-3-4-5-6        true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7          not true

12)  The activities I have done during the lesson are helpful for learning the content

Very true 1-2-3-4-5       true 1-2-3-4-5           not true 1-2-3

13)  I have learned something new of English in this lesson

Very true 1-2-3-4-5-6       true 1-2-3-4-5-6-7           not true

14)  I have learned something new about the content in this lesson

Very true 1-2      true  1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9         not true 1-2

21st February: Answers of the Electronic Systems teacher at the end of the lesson

23)  Do you think  the students feel comfortable during the lesson?   Si (Yes)

24)  How many students have spoken during the lesson?    Nearly all

25)  Have the students asked questions about the content?  Sometimes

26)  Have the students asked questions about the language?    Yes, especially the meaning of words

27)  More about the content or about the language?  Language

28)  How many times have you intervened by using Italian? 3 times

29)  In which points of the lesson do you think the students have had more difficulties? When the content is too difficult to be expressed in English

30)  After you have intervened in Italian, which language have the students used in their replies?   More often in Italian

31)  Do you think they have learned anything new about the content of your subject in this lesson?   Yes

32)  During pair or group work which language have the students used?   /

33)  Do you think we have respected the proportion established in the module planning (at least 80% of the lesson in English)?   Yes

21st February: Observation grid, filled by the observer during and at the end of the lesson

21^st February 2002: Notes and impressions from my diary, written at the end of the lesson and while re-listening to the recording of the lesson    

-         It seems that many of them have read the text at home!!!! As usual I have to “force them to speak”

-         The sentences are not very correct, as usual, but the answers are right. They all understand what I 

           and the other students say

-         Today F. is missing, What a pity!!! (Usually he is s “conversation leader”!!!)

-         The systems teacher must intervene to clarify some discourses that become too complicated and

           we are not able to arrive at a conclusion

-         When I have to discuss this sort of complex content ( how data are recorded on a hard disk!!!!! The

           function of the parity track in a magnetic tape!!!!) I feel in the same situation of the students. We

           must call the Systems teacher for help!!!!

-         G. has spoken twice!!!!!

-         When the discourse becomes too complicated they tend to turn to Italian

-         When they speak to one another they speak Italian. What can I do? What can I invent to avoid his?

-         G. told me that he understands when I speak!!!!!