To round of this mini-series of posts on observation forms, here are few final tips and ideas for ways of observing and using profromas.
Lesson plan observation
A simple but effective technique is for the observer to try to recreate the lesson plan that the teacher is following. The lesson plan pro-forma in Example 3.1 in Chapter 3 can be copied for each observer. With pre-service teachers observing experienced teachers, this is a useful way of drawing attention to the structure of a lesson. The observation instrument is the lesson plan, which can be analysed afterwards or can form the basis of a discussion with the teacher, if possible. If the teacher has also produced a detailed plan, then the two documents can be compared and differences can be explained or discussed. It is also good training for writing the aims of a lesson or highlighting to what extent the aims were achieved or defined.
Team observations
With more than one person or peer observing the same lesson, assigning the same instrument has the benefit of encouraging all the observers to meet afterwards and compare their notes, which can also be integrated into an input session on the topic of observation. However, you can also assign different observation instruments or tasks so that one lesson gains from being observed in different ways. This provides the basis for wide ranging feedback and/or discussion. You may also wish to offer a bank of different observation tasks to the observers. The observer then selects an area in which they are personally interested or one which they would like to develop in their own teaching.
Self-generated observation instruments
More experienced teachers can be required to create their own observation instrument. This has the double benefit of the observation itself and the process of researching and developing the instrument beforehand. The teacher selects a particular area of interest or weakness in their teaching and then develops an instrument to address the issue. This type of exercise can prove highly motivating and one training examination board makes it a formal part the coursework:
‘… The candidate devises an observation instrument that must be reviewed at least twice from its original version on the basis of experience of observations … The instrument and its revised versions must relate to one theme, e.g. error correction. The assignment shows, therefore, the development of the instrument and how this affected the results of the observation, and the candidate’s evaluation of the results.’
(from LTCL Diploma TESOL, Trinity College London, Syllabus, page 42)
Self observation (video and audio recording)
One other format for observation is to advise a trainee of this tool to record their lesson and then watch the recording. Opinions vary on the value of this, and there is a danger that the observer may become more concerned with irrelevant idiosyncrasies rather than viewing the whole picture. While video is not a substitute for observing a ‘live’ lesson, some trainees find it useful to observe themselves at least once. Again, a task can be assigned in order to focus the observation or the video can be watched with the trainer who might choose to stop and start sections of the lesson or fast-forward the video to illustrative moments. Audio recordings can also be appropriate, especially where the focus is on, for example, improving a teacher’s instructions.
So that’s it for this series on observing. I’ve run out of things to say on the subject…
September 21st, 2011 → 9:06 am
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