Uncovering Patterns and Practices in the Language Classroom (original) (raw)
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Teaching in Higher Education
Peer Observation of Teaching has raised a lot of interest as a device for quality enhancement of teaching. While much research has focused on its models, implementation schemes and feedback to the observed, little attention has been paid to what the observer actually sees and can learn from the observation. A multidisciplinary peer observation of teaching program is described, and its data is used to identify the pedagogical aspects to which lecturers pay more attention to when observing classes. The discussion addresses the valuable learning opportunities for observers provided by this program, as well as its usefulness in disseminating, sharing and clarifying quality teaching practices. The need for further research concerning teacher-student relationships and students' engagement is also suggested.
Teacher development through peer observation
Tesol Journal, 1992
Peer observation among the teaching faculty of a language program is often recommended as a means of improving teacher effectiveness and of promoting staff development. In practice, however, it can be difficult to implement because: (1) teachers have many demands on ...
Learning from Reciprocal Peer Observation: A collaborative self-study
2020
Engaging in a self-study is a multi-faceted activity that involves not only autobiography and theory, but also students and colleagues. Learning from and with colleagues can take many forms. This article discusses the authors' experience with reciprocal classroom observation in a teacher education context. Peer observation supported our learning about our own teaching by providing suggestions for change and mutual reassurance. In this study we make connections between learning from each other, ourselves, our students and theories of teaching and learning. Specifically, we address what we learned about pedagogy in relation to missed opportunities, teacherdirectedness and articulating purpose; about curriculum, in relation to balance and standards; about our students, in relation to their backgrounds as well as social tensions; and about ourselves as teachers and learners in relation to rapport, role modeling and collegiality. We demonstrate how peer observation can be a valuable...
2020
One way for the teachers to learn is by peer observation to reflect the practice of teaching which in turn will give input to improve the competence in the teaching learning process. Conducting the process of peer observation need commitment from different parties and raise some problems. The institutions need the human resources and budget allocation to build the system, and to maintain its running. On the other hand, the teachers are reluctant to be observed because they will feel insecure, fear to change the routine, and having more works to do. This research was conducted to answer the following questions: (1) How did teachers perceive and engage in the practice of peer observation at the Language Training Center? and (2) How was the implementation of the peer observation at the Language Center? The research design for this study was the qualitative case study, and took place at the Language Center of a private university in Indonesia. Purposeful sampling was used to determine t...
Multilingual Academic Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 2014
Peer observation is a powerful tool by which foreign language teachers can become aware of a broad range of techniques and processes for conducting classes effectively. It constitutes a collaborative model of teacher training which facilitates the exchange of teaching methods and materials among teachers by fostering the development of teaching skills, by stimulating the rethinking of personal teaching methods and by raising awareness of the most supportive behaviours in professional relationships Farrell 2001). To facilitate and foster the training process, several procedures need to be followed encouraging teachers to report the valuable insights that peer observation prompted in them. The purpose of this paper is to design a set of procedures for the conduct of peer observation towards teacher development by engaging EFL teachers in an active collaborative model of training under the guidance of a trainer.
Peer-observation as teacher development tool in my
My teaching context is the Academia de Idiomas del Norte (AIN), a small private language institute in Chile, with a teaching staff of about 20. A recent attempt to introduce regular peerobservation appears to have failed; in this assignment I would like to investigate the reasons why. The assignment will explore the relevant literature describing peer-observation, possible obstacles to successful implementation, and how to deal with them; and evaluate these proposals in the light of my context. Finally, I will propose a new peer-observation model, based on the training matrix designed by , which aims at alleviating some difficulties found.
Observing Teaching: A Lens for Self-reflection
Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 2014
Peer observation is often an unpopular form of professional development amongst faculty. Some of the reasons for this attitude are practical and logistical difficulties in organisation, possible threat to professionalism and uncertainty of aims and processes. However, peer observation with a specific focus on learning can be an essential form of professional development amongst faculty in a higher education institution. This paper describes a peer observation programme which took place at an English language medium university in the Gulf. Results suggest that teachers found peer observations provided learning opportunities and affective benefits and impacted positively on teaching.
Theorizing Language Teachers’ Perceptions of the Rationales and Methods of Classroom Observation
Language classes are usually observed via tradition or theory-driven observation schemes that are designed and implemented in a myriad of approaches. However, there is a dearth of research that explores how practitioners perceive and evaluate these methods. Using grounded theory method, this study aims at theorizing language teachers' perceptions of classroom observation. Instead of starting with a pre-specified statistical sample of subjects, this study sampled theoretically-relevant concepts from interview data collected from 12 experienced language teachers who were willing to share their views with the researcher. Iterative data collection and analysis revealed that language teachers welcome the formative function of observation but express overriding concern over judgmental observation. Not only does this conceptualization add to the knowledge-base of classroom observation, it also provides supervisors with a situated body of knowledge that helps them make more informed use of classroom observation.
An English Lesson Observation as a Journey Towards Discovery and Self-Knowledge
An observation should primarily serve the purpose of enhancing professional development of teachers. Classroom observation is an important form of feedback for teachers developing their own practice and planning their development goals. It allows teachers to receive feedback and information about their weak areas and deficiencies but also hones their skills thorough affirming them of the impact they have on their students. Observations result in creating a balanced view of strong and weak points of teacher performance, informing teachers of their strengths and needs. It encourages self-reflection on one's current practices and motivates teachers to search for better solutions. The information gained from the observer or peers regarding specific aspects of the teaching process focuses teachers' attention on the methods and effects of teaching, prompting them to pursue self-development. The elements that call for improvement set course of development of a particular teacher and can suggest literature and training. Observations, therefore, are a necessary measure that prompt teachers towards further development and pursuit of better ideas.
The Classroom Observer: Unwanted Interruption or Welcome Witness?
For many teachers, classroom observation can be a painful interruption/intrusion (Wragg, 1994:15) in the flow of a lesson's delivery in terms of facilitating a meaningful, creative and enjoyable learning environment that is supportive to both learner and teacher. Whilst I acknowledge that observation can be a daunting experience, eliciting fear and dread at having someone, an 'intruder' (Minton, 2005:18) who is not normally part of the audience, watch and scrutinise an individual's teaching style (O'Leary, 2014:62), I argue for the positive promotion of classroom observation (Double and Martin, 1998) and stress the benefits of 'develop[ing] personal skills of evaluation and self-appraisal' (1998:162). The discussion of an observed teaching session that I gave to a group of first year Fine Art undergraduates at Loughborough University in 2015 whose overall purpose/aim of the session was to familiarise students with core issues relating to the usage of sketchbooks as a common staple within contemporary art practice, helps to support my argument that the positive aspects of classroom peer observation (as a live process) outweigh the negatives and can in fact be supportive in providing an opportunity for teachers to realise or reinforce (O'Leary, 2014:62) the strengths in what they are doing. This is in addition to providing a window for the teacher to gain critical constructive feedback from often a more experienced colleague, who has probably at many points during their own teaching career, experienced similar moments of anxiety, positivity and reflection. The danger and the unanticipated events that 'liveness' can throw up is half the excitement of teaching. Indeed, 'coping with the unexpected is an important part of successful teaching' (Race, 2009:20). The write-up style that I adopt relates to a three-stage teaching process that I designed in my doctoral thesis (Campbell, 2016b)-Anticipation, Action, and Analysis. This extends to an existing model of reflective practice (Rolfe, 2001) and has been described as an 'original, practical and imaginative way of demonstrating reflective practice' (Newbold, pers. comm. 2015). Stage One: Anticipation As part of Loughborough University's Associate Teaching Programme (ATP), I was required to take part in a series of teaching observations in order for me to reflect upon how my teaching practice could be developed once I had been observed by a colleague. I was required to observe two colleagues from both within and outside of my department and also undertake both a formative and summative observation of my practice.