What aspects of this lesson are context-dependant? Where they only apply to this particular classroom, or this group of children, or this topic, and/or this method of teaching ?

Consider the following aspects and whether these are also context dependant, or whether they can they applied in all lessons?

• providing a warm greeting

• using body gesture to gain enthusiasm and also to emphasise key points of the lesson;

• asking questions to invite participation instead of just getting the right answer from pupils;

• use of eye contact and facial expression to involve all pupils and transmit care and respect;

• creating a sense of mystery and excitement by hiding and revealing the artefacts used in the lesson;

• using the voice - volume, pace, pitch, intonation…… to show approval, gain attention and arouse interest.

These are all skills that can be considered in the lesson conference. They are directly related to establishing the tone of the learning environment.

How can we mentor beginning teachers, particularly when assisting in their lesson planning, so that they incorporate these techniques and subtle skills into the lesson?

(In attempting this, you may like to refer back to the points made in the introduction in this Unit.)

Share the results of your small group discussions with each other, particularly your answers to the questions about using these skills in all subjects on the primary school curriculum in Hong Kong .

You may like to work in pairs to demonstrate some of these skills, showing how they could be demonstrated in a lesson conference.