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Interview - 15 min spelling lesson with 30 Y2s - HELP!

I've had so many ideas for this and I feel like I'm going in circles as I keep thinking of negatives to every one of them!

I've decided on a lesson in homophones (I think???) and was going to do a simple activity where HA/MA children have a word and LA/MA have a picture and they have to find the one that matches and then they write a silly sentence in their new pairs - maybe try and add an adjective too.

BUT then I had an idea that I could do a story myself on the IWB with homophones written the wrong way around and I could choose children to come up and change them into the correct places - but would the rest of the class just be sat there?
Also thought that maybe I could provide a range of homophone words on their tables (pictures for LA) and they need to try to be the first to hold up the correct word/picture when I'm reading the silly story.

Really thrown because I just really want to impress and the school is really strong on making learning fun. Any advice to stop me from panicking? Thanks!
Reply 1
You only have 15 minutes. Dont get too complicated.

Before the lesson: Ask how the class will be set up - will they wait outside for you to call them in or be sat down? Are they sat in groups/pairs/lines- probably groups but be ready. How do they start the lesson- Good Morning all stood up then sit down, will they all be sat down already? These sound like little things, but knowing these before the lesson will mean you can start the lesson like they are already used to. It will also settle you down as you wont have any awkward moments.

Put your name on the board beforehand if you can, another little thing, but if you introduce yourself (with a big bright smile) you will settle the kids down and they will feel more relaxed around you. It also gives you a bit of implied authority.

Be confident. The observer does not know what you are planning. The kids do not know what you are planning. Therefore if something doesnt go to plan it does not matter, because they dont know about it!

Whatever activity you choose, from my brief experience, try to do something they can get involved in. (I am doing secondary geography and for my 15 minutes I did Rock types. Boring or what. But, I took some rock samples in so they could all touch and feel the different types and see exactly what I was talking about. I also bribed them with Blackpool Rock at the end to make it a bit more memorable) If you give them some words that are cut up and they have to rearrange them just make sure you have enough. Get them singing a song (the spelling scene from the Matilda Movie?), doing a dance, whatever it is. If you try something a bit different, at least you are trying to stand out and not just stick to something safe.

Have a plan if you have to cut short you session, likewise one if it goes too quick.

Observe the class and think about what went well and what didnt, as well as what you would do to improve the lesson. For example I said that because I did a piece of board work on Rocks first, then gave them the rocks to play with, I noticed they were getting bored until they had the rocks. So next time I would give them the rocks first as that could make the lesson more interesting from the start.

If some kids start messing about try and control it, but dont let it get to you. Stay confident and talk about it afterwards in your interview/debrief. I noticed that the kids were not bored because they were not talking to each other etc as ana observation.

HTH, good luck.

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Don't do homophones. That is not explicitly in the year 2 curriculum. It is year 3. They will not have a clue unless they are extremely switched on. Though saying that, if you do decide to do it there is a great video about homophone monkey on youtube. I do think it will go over all but the highers heads to be honest with you though.

If you want to do something really challenging but in keeping with the year 2 curriculum then try exclamation sentences. You could do the story of little red riding hood and sentences such as, "What big teeth you have!" "How hairy you are!" etc... They must start with what or how, contain a verb and end with an !

OR you could do something about imperative verbs (bossy verbs) and do something instructional. Where you come up with imperative verbs and get the kids to direct each other using these words to build/draw/make something. Keeps it practical. Gets the imperatives in, and is fun. For the highers you could challenge them to use adverbs to describe the verb.

Hope that helps!
(edited 6 years ago)
I agree with Jamie. I teach y5 and they're still learning homophones. I've never taught y2, so can't claim to be an expert, but I would google the national curriculum and check what they are meant to learn in y2 and do something linked to one of those objectives. If you stray into KS2 material, only the highest ability will have any clue what to do.

It will also show that you're aware of the curriculum and what you're meant to be teaching in y2.
Thank you, I took the homophones from the Y2 National Curriculum as it had to be a spelling lesson. I had my interview today and all children learnt what a homophone was and implemented it in a sentence (some even with an adjective) in the 15 minutes so thank you all for your advice! :smile:
Original post by JamieInPompey
Don't do homophones. That is not explicitly in the year 2 curriculum. It is year 3. They will not have a clue unless they are extremely switched on. Though saying that, if you do decide to do it there is a great video about homophone monkey on youtube. I do think it will go over all but the highers heads to be honest with you though.

If you want to do something really challenging but in keeping with the year 2 curriculum then try exclamation sentences. You could do the story of little red riding hood and sentences such as, "What big teeth you have!" "How hairy you are!" etc... They must start with what or how, contain a verb and end with an !

OR you could do something about imperative verbs (bossy verbs) and do something instructional. Where you come up with imperative verbs and get the kids to direct each other using these words to build/draw/make something. Keeps it practical. Gets the imperatives in, and is fun. For the highers you could challenge them to use adverbs to describe the verb.

Hope that helps!


Thank you, I'm a year 3 teacher at the moment but we are to revise what they learnt in year 2 (they need to know basic ones such as blue/blew, bear/bare). It had to be a spelling lesson (should have mentioned that, sorry! :smile: ) so it's a tricky one really!

Saying that, I had my interview today and it went really well :smile:

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