Observing Classes

From time to time during the course of a student’s work towards the MA in ESL, it will be necessary to observe ESL classes.

In this connection, there are several kinds of ESL classes offered on the Manoa Campus. These are the classes of the English Language Institute (ELI), the University of Hawaii English Language Program (UHELP), and the New Intensive Course in English (NICE). For a description of these programs see the descriptive material under the ELI, UHELP, ESL Instruction on Campus, or in the Catalog.

Each of these three programs has established procedures for observation of classes. These procedures should be respected carefully. In general, a student should make an appointment well in advance of the observation, keep that appointment, and arrange for any necessary follow-up discussions the classroom teacher desires. One of the most important reasons that appointments are necessary is to avoid having too many observers in a single class at one time.

Other possibilities exist on O’ahu for class observation: Hawai’i Pacific University, the community colleges (Honolulu, Leeward, and Kapi’olani), and classes in the public schools with SLEP students (SLEP = students of limited English proficiency).

Students will find it to their advantage to visit as many different ESL classes as possible so as to gain an overview of the different approaches to teaching ESL which obtain in Hawai’i.