Observation Processes:

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1 Observation Processes: Preparing for lesson observations, Observing lessons Providing formative feedback Gerry Davies Faculty of Education

2 Preparing for Observation: Task 1 How can we help student-teachers prepare for lesson observations? What should be discussed before lesson observations?

3 Preparing for observation Aims: Some background information To enable students to.. Form 3 Notice and use the language of agreeing and disagreeing Notice and use the language of giving opinions Practice the above in pairs and groups throughout the lesson

4 Preparing for observation: Task 2 Watch the clips and discuss: What are they discussing? What do you notice about the relationship between the mentor and the mentee?

5 Preparing for observation Clip1: Pre-lesson Conference Clip 2: Pre-lesson Conference

6 Observing Lessons: Task 3 What should we observe? How should we record what is observed? How should observations be conducted? How often should observations be conducted?

7 Observing Lessons: Task 4 Look at the three different feedback sheets for collecting information while observing lessons: Which document would you prefer to use while observing a student-teacher and why?

8 Providing formative feedback What is the purpose of providing feedback after a lesson observation? How soon after the observation should feedback discussions take place?

9 Providing formative feedback Research at the University of Hong Kong by Stimpson et al (2000) has shown that the language of feedback falls into four broad categories:

10 Providing formative feedback Questioning: asking student-teachers open ended questions about their learning, their understanding of learning goals, their strengths, areas they need to work on and steps for working on these areas etc. Example How could you help the weaker students participate more in the brainstorming activity?

11 Providing formative feedback Describing: describing what happens in a non-judgmental way Example The board-work helped students to understand the ideas you were trying to get across I noticed that the weaker students didn t participate in the brainstorming activity very much

12 Providing formative feedback Advisory: giving advice or making suggestions Example Perhaps you could try getting the students into pairs or groups first to discuss the issue so everyone has time to think first, rehearse their answers and then brainstorm answers as a class

13 Providing formative feedback Evaluating: assessing strengths and weaknesses Example I felt the way you asked the questions was really good. The questions were very clear. I thought the brainstorming activity didn t work very well

14 Approaches to mentoring: Task 5 Read A mentoring Scenario and discuss the following questions: How did the student-teacher feel? Why? What effect would this approach to mentoring have on the relationship between mentor and studentteacher? Can you suggest alternatives to this approach?

15 Approaches to mentoring The supervisory approach The alternatives approach The collaborative approach

16 Providing formative feedback Which approach to mentoring is used by the mentor in this film clip? Is the language used by the mentor in this film clip mainly Questioning? Describing? Advisory? Evaluative?

17 Providing formative feedback Clip3: Providing formative feedback

18 Final comments Be available for the ST Be non-judgmental Provide feedback for feedforward Be a good listener Give the ST time to think and reflect Help the ST to focus on good teaching first Ask questions to encourage the ST to reflect on his/her practice Turn advice into questions

19 Final Comments Turn negative evaluative comments into questions Encourage the ST to ask questions Encourage the ST to keep trying Reassure the ST that there is no such thing as a perfect lesson Focus on small successes and turn problems into issues for mutual exploration

20 References Gebhard, J. G. (1990). Models of Supervision: Choices in J. Richards and D. Nunan (Eds) Second Language Teacher Education. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Stimpson, P et al (2000). Better Supervision, Better Teaching. A handbook for Teaching Practice Supervision. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press