ELT 329 TEACHING METHODOLOGY II Sample Observation Formats & Scenarios Assist. Prof. Dr. Seden Eraldemir Tuyan

Guiding Principles for Observing-1 Observers need to maintain a sensitive awareness of the potential for vulnerability that inevitably accompanies any observation of teaching The presence of a visitor inevitable affects the classroom dynamics. Observers need to realize that the samples of data brought from the classroom are inevitably limited, and that sweeping generalizations should be avoided.

Guiding Principles for Observing-2 Sometimes the task will entail some preliminary collaboration and co-operation with the teacher who is going to be observed. It is important to share with the observed teacher any follow-up discussions about the lesson The experience has to be meaningful, rewarding and non- threatening to all involved.

General Guidelines Observation should have a focus Should use specific procedures The observer should remain an observer. ( objective/ not judgmental)

Identify a Focus for the Observation Typical “how-to” dimensions of teaching include the following: How the teacher__________ starts and ends a lesson allots time within a lesson assigns tasks to students organizes learning groups supervises students when they are learning asks questions

How does the teacher ask Qs? What kind of questions does the teacher ask most often? Yes/No? Either/or? Wh-? Tag? What is the content of the teacher’s questions? How long does the teacher wait after asking a question to get a response?

Notices The observer’s function should be limited to that of gathering information The observer should not be involved in evaluating a teacher’s lesson Non-evaluative observation within the context of professional development is often welcomed by teachers.

During the Observation Using the procedures that both parties have agreed on Careful observation Collect data—keep records

During the Observation avoid setting up negative or hostile currents in the classroom Take every care to minimize the intrusion Effective observation: being objective

Scenario 1 Grade Level: 6th Number of Students: 17 Skill: Writing – writing a series of simple phrases and sentences about their hobbies. Your students studied some of the words related to hobbies. At the end of the week you gave them a quiz and asked them to write a paragraph about their hobbies, which was the topic of the unit that week. Here are the marks your students have got in the quiz (out of 10)

Step 1. Examine the marks of the students, identify possible problem(s) and develop a research question St.1 6 St.2 St.3 4 St. 4 10 St. 5 8 St. 6 2 St. 7 3 St. 8 5 St. 9 St.10 St.11 A St.12 St.13 St.14 7 St.15 St.16 St.17 Mean 5.46

Step 2 Having identified the problem, you decided to do some extra vocabulary and writing activities on hobbies. After 2 weeks, you gave them another quiz (as a post-test) asking them to write about their hobbies again. Look at the pre- and post-test results of your students and considering your research questions, discuss your students’ performance.

Pre-test Post-test St.1 6 7 St.2 8 St.3 4 5 St. 4 10 St. 5 A St. 6 2 3 9 St.15 St.16 St.17 Mean 5.46 6.18

Scenario 2 Grade Level: 7th Number of Students: Group A: 23 Group B: 24 Skill: Reading – Understanding short basic texts on past events This is the 9th week of the first semester. You are teaching Group A and a colleague of yours is teaching Group B. The topic of this week is Tales and Legends. You have taught some connectors used with past tense. Your students have listened to simple narratives, read some short simple tales and described past events and people. You and your colleague want to see the students’ performance in a reading quiz, so you give them a short text with 10 questions, 2 points each.

Step 1. Examine the marks of the students in both groups, identify possible problem(s) and develop a research question GROUP A GROUP B St.1 10 11 St.2 8 St.3 St. 4 5 20 St. 5 9 18 St. 6 14 St. 7 12 13 St. 8 St. 9 16 St.10 St.11 6 St.12 St.13 4 St.14 7 St.15 St.16 St.17 St.18 15 St.19 St.20 17 Mean 10.4 11.8

When you evaluate their quizzes you realize that your students’ performance is not good (Gr A mean= 10.4; Gr B mean= 11.8). You decide to do more activities with your students (only in Group A). To see if these activities have really helped your students you give them another reading quiz after extra activities. This text is not the same one as the previous but it is very similar (same length, same type and number of questions --10 questions, 2 points each). You want to compare your group with the other one so you ask your colleague to give this second quiz to her students as well. Here are the grades of both groups in pre- and post-tests.

GROUP A GROUP B Pre-test Post-test St.1 15 14 St.2 12 16 St.3 St. 4 10 15 11 14 St.2 8 12 16 St.3 St. 4 5 20 St. 5 9 18 19 St. 6 6 St. 7 13 St. 8 St. 9 St.10 St.11 St.12 St.13 4 St.14 7 17 St.15 St.16 St.17 St.18 St.19 St.20 mean 10.4 13.95 11.8 12.45