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level of ability. This is an interesting aspect and will be discussed further in the discussion chapter.
5.2.1.3.3 Classroom management
There were two general issues noted during the classroom observations. The first related to disruptive behavior and the second concerned establishing
classroom rules and routines. In terms of the disruptive behavior, the teacher dealt fairly well with students‘ disruptive behaviors. However, although in
general the teacher maintained a focus on learning activities, on some occasion she failed to prevent distractions from interfering with time for learning.
In trying to establish smooth classroom activities, Dewi tried to set up standards and rules, and to use them to create a positive atmosphere for student learning.
However, there were times when she failed to notice the consequences of standards she had already set up, for example students speaking Indonesian, or
students working individually instead of working with friends in a group. This in turn resulted in uncertainty and disorganization.
5.2.1.3.4 Student Engagement
Two aspects were observed in relation to the ability of the teacher to engage the students. The first dealt with the teacher
‘s efforts to promote active engagement and the second related to her efforts to sustain engagement. In promoting active
engagement, Dewi was quite successful, in that most students participated actively in most activities by frequently volunteering information or insights,
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and by responding to teacher prompts. She was successful in maintaining the student engagement throughout different activities, although there were also a
small number of students who engaged for only parts of activities.
5.2.1.3.5 Curriculum implementation
The t eacher‘s efficacy for implementing the curriculum in the classroom was
observed in various aspects from preparation through to the evaluation stage. Such aspects, however, were based on the two areas of competency-based
teaching CBT and contextual teaching and learning CTL recommended in the competency-based integrated training program CBIT the participants had
attended.
In terms of the preparation of the lesson plan, Dewi seemed to be more flexible in following the lesson plans she prepared before the class. She did not even
make a detailed lesson plan as was suggested by the curriculum but instead she prepared for her lesson herself with only general guidelines for the conduct of
the lesson. In the presentation of her teaching she quite often made adjustments with respect to the classroom situation. This was mostly due to her belief about
the nature and function of a lesson plan. When the researcher looked at this in her interview, he found the reason behind this. In the interview she said that,
For lesson plan, yeahh may be not always. Because this one, err.. lesson plan, I am always an impulsive person. It is too bad may be. When I have
written, I have planned my lesson plan, when I come to the class directly I have a new idea, so I have to reconstruct my lesson plan. So the lesson
plan sometimes is not in line with what I did in the class Dewi
– Interview.
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Strong evidence was found in terms of Dewi ‘s efforts in contextualizing the
lesson. She always tried to relate classroom activities to the students‘ life to
bring context and meaning to the activities. Most of the time, she also provided the students with illustration and examples that were close to their everyday life.
In terms of the implementation of the genre-based teaching, Dewi followed the general design of the approach. However, when it was carefully scrutinized
there was evidence that she did not rigidly follow the steps of the design. Instead, she implemented various different techniques she called the mixed
methods. This again reflected her belief identified from the interview, that genre-based teaching was only one alternative approach.
5.2.1.4 Case summary
