1.4 Challenges of Practicum
During the practicum, several challenges were encountered, which provided valuable learning experiences:
- Language Barrier : While English was used as a medium of instruction, some students preferred to communicate in their local language, Ilokano or Filipino. This sometimes made it challenging for participants to ensure all students fully understood the lesson.
- Classroom Management : Managing a foreign classroom presented its own challenges. The students’ cultural background and behavioral expectations differed from what participants were accustomed to, requiring adaptability and patience.
- Resource Limitations : Limited access to certain resources, such as projectors and other multimedia tools, was a minor challenge. Participants had to adapt their teaching materials to work around these limitations, often relying more on traditional teaching aids like whiteboards.
- Time Management : Due to the structured nature of the practicum, participants had limited time to cover all planned activities and lessons. Balancing lesson objectives with the available time was a continuous challenge.