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Academic Year :2012-2013Department :English Language and LiteraturFilire :TEFL Master programSemester : 4, MODULE 12

Course : CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONFacult des Lettres

CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

AN INTRODUCTION

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On Classroom observation

Careful classroom observation can help illuminateeven the most familiar of events.

Observation and deduction thereof are one of the

things / activities that are keeping us alive.

Classrooms are places that are capable of

unfolding both familiarity and novelty.

Classroom observation is a valuable tool for

improving the quality of teaching

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On Classroom observation

people have a right to know what is going on inclassrooms, where so much important teaching

and learning takes place,

the methods of classroom observation should suit

its purposes.

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On Classroom observation

In the fifth century BC Confucius stated in hisAnalects:

I shall not teach until the pupils desire to know

something, and I do not help unless the pupils really

need my help. If out of the four corners of a subject Ihave dealt thoroughly with one corner and the pupils

cannot then find out the other three for themselves,

then I do not explain any more.

(Quoted in Wrag g, E. C. (1999:8)

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Classroom Observation Focus for judging

the quality of teaching

There is agreement that there are 5 areas to beobserved for judging the quality of the teaching

operation:

1. Quality of learning,

2. Enjoyment of learning and attitudes,

3. Assessment to support learning,

4. Pupils progress

5. The quality of provision

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Quality of learning,

At Least 10 questions to answer:

1. Do pupils know what they are learning and why?

2. Can pupils make the links between previous/new learning?

3. Do books show that pupils consistently produce work of a goodstandard?

4. Are pupils working independently?

5. Do pupils make the most of the choices they are given or dothey find it difficult to make choices?

6. Do pupils take responsibility for their own learning?

7. How well do pupils collaborate with others?

8. Do they ask questions, of each other, of the teacher or other

adults, about what they are learning?9. Are pupils creative, do they show initiative?

10. Do pupils follow routines/expectations?

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Enjoyment of learning and attitudes

There are 6 questions to be answered here:

1. Are pupils engaged, working hard, making a good effort,applying themselves, concentrating and productive?

2. Are pupils developing habits of good learning?

3. Are pupils happy with their work? Are they proud of it?

4. Are pupils interested in their work and in what they are

learning?

5. Are pupils easily distracted?

6. How smooth is the transition from teacher input to group

work?

7. Do pupils settle to work easily and quickly?

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Assessment to support learning7 questions are usually addressed under this heading:

1. Are staff using assessment for learning strategies to enable

them to differentiate work effectively?2. Do staff use questioning effectively to gauge pupils

understanding?

3. How good is the dialogue and oral feedback? Are teachers alertto pupils lack of understanding during lessons?

4. Key questions displayed & used in lesson starts and plenary:What? Why? How? When?

5. Do pupils have targets and do they understand what theymean/what to do to achieve them?

6. Are pupils involved in assessing their own learning andprogress?

7. Does marking/feedback identify strengths and diagnose nextsteps to improvement?

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Pupils progress

Observers focus on 5 elements to assess pupils

progress:1. Are different groups making the same/differentprogress?

2. Are pupils gaining new skills and knowledge?

3. Are pupils developing ideas and increasing theirunderstanding?

4. Are pupils making gains at a good rate in lessons andover time as shown in their work and the schoolsrecords?

5. Are weak/good literacy, numeracy and ICT skillsaffecting pupils progress?

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The quality of provision

As to this point, 7 items are taken into consideration:

1. Are activities pitched at the right level to challenge pupilsof different abilities?

2. Are expectations of behaviour sufficiently high?

3. Are teachers alert to the social, emotional, and learning,needs of individuals?

4. Are any support staff having an impact on pupilslearning?

5. Are resources sufficient? Are they well matched to needsto support learning?

6. Are the resources, displays and prompts used as a

teaching tool?7. Classroom displays, visual prompts and resources support

key curricular targets

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It f b i th t hi

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Items for observing the teaching

operation

Normally, 7 areas are taken into considerationwhen observing the teaching operation:

1. Variety and Pacing of Instruction

2. Organization

3. Presentation Skills4. Clarity

5. Content Knowledge

6. Instructor-Student Rapport

7. General

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Variety and Pacing of Instruction

Here we focus on 13 areas to see whether the instructor:1. uses more than one form of instruction

2. pauses after asking questions3. accepts students responses

4. draws non-participating students into activities/discussions

5. prevents specific students from dominating activities/discussions

6. helps students extend their responses

7. guides the direction of discussion8. mediates conflict or differences of opinion

9. demonstrates active listening

10. provides explicit directions for active learning tasks (e.g. rationale,duration, product)

11. allows sufficient time to complete tasks such as group work

12. specifies how learning tasks will be evaluated (if at all)

13. provides opportunities and time for students to practice

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Organization

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Organization

At this level, 11 points are under observation to see whether theinstructor:

1. arrives on time2. relates this and previous class(es), or provides students with an

opportunity to do so

3. provides class goals or objectives for the class session

4. provides an outline or organization for the class session

5. knows how to use the educational technology needed for the class

6. locates class materials as needed

7. makes transitional statements between class segments

8. follows the stated structure

9. conveys the purpose of each class activity or assignment

10. completes the scheduled topics

11. summarizes periodically and at the end of class (or promptsstudents to do so)

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Presentation Skills

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Presentation Skills

The following 11 points are used to see if the instructor:1. is audible to all students

2. articulates words so that they are understandable to students,and/or visually represents

3. words that might he difficult for students to hear

4. varies the tone and pitch of voice for emphasis and interest

5. speaks at a pace that permits students to understand and take notes

6. establishes and maintains eye contact

7. avoids over-reliance on reading content from notes, slides, or texts

8. avoids distracting mannerisms

9. uses visual aids effectively (e.g. when appropriate to reinforce aconcept, legible

10. handwriting, readable slides)

11. effectively uses the classroom space

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Clarity

There are 5 items that are used to check whether

The instructor:1. notes new terms or concepts

2. elaborates or repeats complex information

3. uses examples to explain content

4. makes explicit statements drawing student attention

to certain ideas

5. pauses during explanations to ask and answer

questions

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Content Knowledge

5 items are used to observe if the instructor:

1. makes statements that are accurate according to thestandards of the field

2. incorporates current research in the field

3. identifies sources, perspectives, and authorities in the

field

4. identifies diverse sources, perspectives, and

authorities in the field

5. communicates the reasoning process behindoperations and/or concepts

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d

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Instructor-Student Rapport

6 items are sued to see if the instructor:

1. attends respectfully to student comprehension orpuzzlement

2. invites students participation and comments

3. treats students as individuals, e.g. uses students

names

4. provides periodic feedback

5. incorporates student ideas into class

6. uses positive reinforcement (i.e. doesnt punish ordeliberately embarrass students in class)

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General

Here we include questions of a general nature

such:1. What went well in this class?

2. What suggestions for improvement do you have?

3. Additional Comments:

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References

Wrag g, E. C. (1999)An Introduction to Classroom Observation

(Second edition). London, UK: Routledge.

Ofsted guidance to inspectors (January 2012) on judging the quality

of teaching and the use of assessment to support learning.

Classroom Observation Checklist Form, 2006 Winter Teaching &

Learning Conference, Teaching and Learning Center Lesson Planning and Staging Downloaded from:

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