Conducting Classroom Observations
How to conduct classroom observations
Classroom observations are an invaluable teacher training and development tool. Observations are useful for newly qualified and experienced teachers alike. It is through observation that we learn - this is an essential part of the scientific method, and the classroom is no different. This guide will explore a range of things to include in a classroom observation, along with full examples to help you get the most out of your observation in this fully referenced guide. I have based this guide on the traditional face-to-face teaching, but its principals apply equally to online learning. This can, of course, be edited and adapted to your specific needs, or you can simply use it as an ‘oven ready’ template.
Before you start…
It is said that simply by being in a classroom, the observer upsets the balance of the class. Scrivener (2011, p.384) notes that “there is always likely to be some degree of intrusion” caused by an observation. However, the teacher and students are likely to be preoccupied with their own learning. For example, perhaps there is an upcoming assignment or assessment. In this way, it is important to put the observation in context, which is one of the key characteristics of the class profile I have included below. Remember that this is not your class, so be sure to be polite, patient and courteous at all times.
Class profiles
Before you do anything else, it is essential to profile the class. This will prove invaluable as you conduct the observation and will help you understand the class. It is particularly important to put the class in context, as this will later help your later analysis. It can be useful to consider the class itself and the logistics of the observation separately, but this simply comes down to personal preference.
What to include in your class profile:
Time, date, and place of observation (including classroom number!)
Lesson duration and sequence (is it a one-off lesson or part of a series?)
Number of students (present verses expected)
Age range (as best as you can gauge)
Gender balance (as best as you can gauge)
Programme of study (name of subject, course or courses)
Materials used (course book and all other lesson materials)
Teacher information (experience, qualifications, experience, or any other factor of interest)
Atmosphere (as best as you can get a feel for it, although this is rather subjective)
Example Class Profile (taken from a real observation conducted by the author):
The class consisted of 16 young adult learners from 18 to 25 years old. In terms of gender, the class was approximately 60% female and 40% male. These students are on two distinct programmes of study with half of the students on the assessed one-year International Foundation Year (IFY) programme, preparing for undergraduate study at the university, while the rest are on an unassessed general English programme. Students come from a variety of European countries, with Greek and Japanese being the largest nationality groups.
The observations took place at 9am on Monday morning covering a full 90-minute lesson. The classroom was purpose-built on the university campus, equipped with a projector, a white board and a flip chart. Students have four lessons a week with the observed teacher, who was experienced in delivering this programme. The lesson followed the Empower B2 coursebook (Putcha, et al., 2015) supplemented with the teacher’s own materials. The teacher had taught the class since term started in late September. Overall, the atmosphere was notably informal and friendly.
What to observe
There were many potentially interesting things to observe. It is, however, preferable “to concentrate on one or two areas rather than thirty-six” as Harmer (2015, p.131) suggests. There is no shortage of things to observe yet “the purpose, timing, and context of an observation should largely determine its methods” as observation expert Wragg (2012, p.3) recommends. In other words, you should fit the observation to your specific situation and objectives. Using a form will help focus your observation and ensure you actually do observe what you intend to. This allows you to focus on occurrences of what you are actually interested in rather than generic aspects of the lesson which will prove more effective for reflection. Do not simply write down everything you see.
WHAT TO Observe and focus on in the classroom:
The learner/s
The teacher
Alternatively, a thematic approach can be effective.
What should you focus on specifically? The observation can focus on the learner/s or the teacher (or indeed both). Your focus will depend on your needs and objectives. That said, the role of the teacher can be an interesting focus, particularly how they “deal with myriad possible scenarios… with any situation that might suddenly occur in the classroom” (Almond, 2019, p.13). The observation can also consider to extent plans and procedures are adhered to or whether “plans are just plans” (Woodward, 2001, p.1), that are amended or even disregarded.
Additionally, you could take a thematic approach and focus on a number of specific areas such as: error correction, rapport, dealing with unexpected events, and use of L1 (which, in my experience, tend to be some of the biggest issues). Error correction techniques could be compared to established teaching theory such as Lyster and Ranta (1997), or simply noted and applied to theory subsequently (if at all). Rapport building, for instance, could be centred on praise and humour as discussed by leading teaching experts including Harmer (2015) and Scrivener (2011). Unexpected events and L1 criteria can also yield interesting and informative results. It is possible that others areas of interest will arise, such as classroom layout, but it is usually better to stick to the main focus otherwise you can spend the whole aberration desperately trying to write everything down rather than observing it.
Lesson observation forms
You can simply use an existing form or create your own. Looking for inspiration? Scrivener’s (2005) observation tasks are a great place to start. If you do decide to design your own purpose-made form consider the following considerations and top tips:
WHAT TO include on an observation form:
Logistics (time, date, place, room number etc.)
Class profile (consider the class themselves and make sure your focus is relevant and/or possible to observe)
Space (be sure to provide ample space for writing qualitative comments)
Design (will it be linear, as events take place, or thematic, grouping similar items together?)
Layout (keep it clear and easy to read, e.g. use different boxes for different topics)
Clarity (is it obvious what each box related to?)
Criteria can be added to comments in brackets, to help the observer (you or a colleague), removing ambiguity and making the form easier to use.
A top tip would be using separate boxes for each section (or area of interest) rather than a linear progression of events that merely reports the lesson. Using a template, particularly the same template for multiple observations, helps adopt a more ‘scientific’ focus “aimed towards objectivity and control” so as to create a “structured and standardised approach” (Burns, 1999, p.21) – this also make the form more straightforward to fill in.
There is something of a quality and quantity issue to consider. Do you want to examine the frequency things happen or do you want to examine the how, what and why? Quantitative gathering, i.e. the number of instances something occurred, can be employed using a low inference category system, that recorded all instances with a tally, rather than the more subjective high inference rating scale as Wragg (2012) discusses.
Quantitative and qualitative elements can be combined. That said, don’t be overambitious with the number of sub-categories (and feel free to reduce your initial plan if designing the form yourself). A more qualitative focus was adopted collecting data “that would not have been apparent from event counting alone” (Wragg, 2012, p.11) so as to substantiate quantitative components (Wajnryb, 1992) and inform (optional) interview questions.
Example lesson observation form
Here is an example of a form I created for an observation I recently conducted. The form has a simple yet effective design which you are welcome to use! The form has been tested in the field and I can confirm that it does work! The template uses the example categories: error correction, rapport, unexpected issues and use of L1. You can also adapt the plan by changing the categories as you prefer. If you would like a copy sent to you please get in touch via the contact page. People do let us know how you get on in the comments below.
References:
Burns, A., 1999. Collaborative Action Research for English Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hall, G., 2018. Exploring English Language Teaching, Language in Action. 2nd ed. Abingdon: Routledge.
Harmer, J., 2015. The Practice of English Language Teaching. 5th ed. Harlow: Pearson Education
Lyster, R. & Ranta, L., 1997. Corrective Feedback and Learner Uptake: Negotiation of Form in Communicative Classrooms. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 19(1), pp. 37-66.
Putcha, H., Thaine, C. & Doff, A., 2015. Empower B2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Scrivener, J., 2011. Learning Teaching: The Essential Guide to English Language Teaching. 3rd ed. London: Macmillan.
Wajnryb, R., 1992. Classroom Observation Tasks: A Resource Book for Language Teachers and Trainers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Woodward, T., 2001. Planning Lessons and Courses. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Wragg, E., 2012. An Introduction to Classroom Observations. Classic ed. Abingdon: Routledge.
