Classroom Observation in Language Teaching

CLASSROOM OBSERVATION/SUPERVISIONBy Ivan Aguilar

CONTENTS

Classroom observation

Data collection

Providing feedback

Individual Teachers’ differenc

es

DATA COLLECTION

FIELD NOTES

“In anthropology, field notes are written records of events observed in the field. Depending on the phase of the investigation, these notes may be open-ended or very tightly focused.”

OIOS

Observations: facts, events, cold data from the observation.

Inferences: decisions based on the facts+something you know.

Opinions:Beliefs and evaluations not necessarily based on abslute certainty.

Suggestions: Clear guidelines to improve performance.

OIOS: AN EXAMPLE

Observation: the student said “I are a student.”

Inference: The student did not understand the grammar presentation.

Opinion: The teacher’s presentation was not clear enough.

Suggestions: Have you thought about using realia in your grammar presentation?

OBSERVER DUTIES

1. Recognize inferences and opinions.2. Support OIOS with verifiable data.3. Check OIOS against the teacher’s

understanding4. Improve teachers’ performance and

consequently the program’s effectiveness.

TECHNIQUES

Abbreviations (T, Ss, LH, RH, EC) Selective verbatim. Pictures and Sketches. Classroom maps.

SUGGESTED STRUCTURE

Teachers do Students do Inferences/opinions

PROVIDING FEEDBACK

HERON’S CATEGORIES OF INTERVENTIONS

Authoritative Prescriptive: Direct Informative:

Instruct. Confronting:

challenge behavior

Facilitative Cathartic: express

emotions Supportive: build

confidence Catalytic: reflect and

discover

SUGGESTED STRUCTURE

Warm-up

Establishing facts

Analyisis

Generating alternative

s

Sef-evaluation

INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS’ DIFFERENCES

Teach

ers

d

iffe

ren

ces

Individual

Professional

Institutional

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES:LEARNING STYLES

PROFESSIONAL:STAGES IN THE CAREER

PROFESSIONAL: SKILLS AND WILL

INSTITUTIONAL:SKILL AND WILL

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Thank you