The Art of Observation and Feedback 2

In the previous post, I examined four types of observation based on their reason and explored the perception of observation from my own perspective as a teacher. In this second post, I talk about what you should look for, as an observer, in observation.

Focus of observation

It's important for the observer to distinguish between "I see...", "I notice...", "I think...". What we see is usually apparent and a fact, but what we notice is usually hard to see but is still a fact. Both aforementioned are valid to base our assessment. Thinking, however, isn't tangible, provided that we may see things and interpret them in the classroom falsely. An observer should never make an assumption about the teacher's actions. Instead, she only can ask the teacher in the feedback and avoid being driven by prejudice and premature judgments.

Here are some aspects to consider when observing. I'll be referring to the teacher with the pronoun "she" since females make up about 73% of English teachers.

1) Language:

- Does she grade her language?

- Does she provide accurate models?

- How is L1 utilized in the classroom?

- How much L2 exposure do learners have?

2) Learning:

- Is their evidence of learning? Have the aims been achieved?

- How does she utilize scaffolding strategies?

- Does she promote learner-autonomy?

- Differentiation. Does she cater to different learners and learners' styles?

3) The lesson:

- How does she structure her lesson? Why?

- Is the timing logical for each stage?

- How does she move from one stage to another?

- How does the lesson fit in the scheme of work?

4) Teaching techniques:

- Does she utilize different techniques with response to learners and learning judiciously? (drilling, wait time, language framework, correction, etc.)

5) Classroom management:

- How does she set, run, close the task?

- The quality of instructions.

- Does she vary the interaction patterns accordingly?

- Does she promote student-centered culture?

- How does she respond to problems (e.g., latecomers, early finishers, incidental language)

- Does she spread her attention equally and involve as many learners as possible? Is there anyone left out?

6) Materials and resources:

- How does she utilize classroom aids (e.g., TV, projector, board, realia)?

- How does she supplement the coursebook?

- What types of tasks does she use? Why this particular type?

- Do the materials generate interest and engage learners? How much personalization is there?

An observer should have a checklist with all the criteria needed to assess the teacher. Not only should the criteria be ticked off, but also overall comments on factual observation supported with evidence. In some observations, for development purposes, for example, the criteria are agreed upon in the pre-observation discussion, which we'll be looking at in the forthcoming article.