GUIDES TO WRITING

CLASSROOM OBSERVATION TASKS

FOR ELT MAJOR FIRST INTERNSHIP

- 7/2023 -
CONTENTS 1

Task 1. The teacher’s position and body language 1

Task 2. The individual learners 2
Task 3. Giving instructions 4
Task 4. Teacher-Learner interaction 5
Task 5. Error and correction 6
Task 6. Lesson staging 7
Task 7. Mother tongue use 8
Task 8. Use of technological aid 10
Task 9. Teacher talking time 11
References 13

1Thecontent in this guidebook is adapted from The CELTA Course Trainee Book (5th edition), Scott
Thornbury and Peter Watkins, Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Observation task 1: The teacher’s position and body language

A. Classroom Information:
- Age:
- Level:
- Number of students:
- Textbook:
- Skills and topic:

B. Data Collection:
Draw a (simple) seating plan of the classroom, like the ones below. Then complete the table to
show the teacher’s actions/movement during the lesson.

Teacher’s actions When Where

Sit

Stand

Move around

Use body language

C. Data Analysis:
Use the guided questions below to analyze the collected data.
- How near did the teacher approach the learners at different parts of the lesson?
- Did the teacher project to all the learners?
- Could the teacher be heard and seen clearly by all the learners?
- How effective was the teacher’s body language?

D. Reflection:
Use the guided questions below to reflect on this observation task.
- What is the significance of this task in relation to English teaching?
- How do the teacher’s position and body language add to the effectiveness of a lesson?
- What impact does this lesson have on your future teaching?

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Observation task 2: The individual learners

A. Classroom Information:
- Age:
- Level:
- Number of students:
- Textbook:
- Skills and topic:

B. Data Collection
Make sure you know the learners’ names. Observe the learners and complete the table with
their names.

Name(s) Behavior

take(s) the initiative, volunteers answers to questions, and ask(s)

questions of his/her own

avoid(s) answering questions, or only answers if called on by name;

don’t/doesn’t participate much in open class
take(s) part actively in pairwork and groupwork
tend(s) to take a back-seat role in groupwork, and does only the
minimum in pairwork

take(s) risks with the language, and isn’t/aren’t afraid of making

mistakes

is/are hesitant, even reluctant, to speak

catch(es) on quickly and follow(s) explanations relatively easily

often get(s) confused and frequently seek(s) clarification from peers

C. Data Analysis:
Use the guided questions below to analyze the collected data.
- Did the teacher pay attention to the differences of individual learners? Which students
(stronger or weaker) did he/she pay more attention to?
- What did he/she do in dealing with different learners’ behavior? Give examples of
several cases.
- Are his/her techniques in dealing with learners’ behavior effective?

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D. Reflection: Use the guided questions below to reflect on this observation task.
- What is the significance of this task in relation to English teaching?
- What are some specific teaching techniques you learn from observing the teacher?
- What impact does this lesson have on your future teaching?

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Observation task 3: Giving instructions
A. Classroom Information
- Age:
- Level:
- Number of students:
- Textbook:
- Skills and topic:

B. Data Collection
Write down, word for word, 5 – 7 examples of instructions that occur during the lesson. Take
notes on the teacher’s body language and/or teaching aids that accompany his/her
instructions.

Teacher’s body language

No. Instructions
and/or teaching aids
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

C. Data Analysis:
Use the guided questions below to analyze the collected data.
- Were the teacher’s instructions clear, economical, and effective in making learners
understand what to do? What made the teacher’s instructions acquire these qualities?
(For example, appropriate language, repeated instructions, using visual aids,...)
- Were there any points in the lesson when learners seemed unsure of what the teacher
wanted them to do? Why was that? What were the consequences?

D. Reflection:
Use the guided questions below to reflect on this observation task.
- What is the significance of this task in relation to English teaching?
- What are some specific teaching techniques you learn from observing the teacher?
- What impact does this lesson have on your future teaching?

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Observation task 4: Teacher-learner interaction

A. Classroom Information:
- Age:
- Level:
- Number of students:
- Textbook:
- Skills and topic:

B. Data Collection:
Draw a 'map' of the class, like the one below, and label each learner. Draw lines and arrows to
indicate the different interactions between the teacher and individuals, or between
individuals and the teacher. The direction of the arrow should indicate whether the
interaction is teacher-initiated or learner-initiated. Then answer the questions.

C. Data Analysis:
Use the guided questions below to analyze the collected data.
- What does your interaction map suggest?
- What is the dominant direction of interaction?
- With which learners did the teacher interact most?
- Which learners initiated the most?

D. Reflection:
Use the guided questions below to reflect on this observation task.
- What is the significance of this task in relation to English teaching?
- What are some specific teaching techniques you learn from observing the teacher?
- What impact does this lesson have on your future teaching?

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Observation task 5: Errors and correction

A. Classroom Information:
- Age:
- Level:
- Number of students:
- Textbook:
- Skills and topic:

B. Data Collection:
Note down 6-8 instances of learner error, the teacher's response (if any) and the learner's
response, e.g. self-correction. You may need to observe more than one lesson to collect enough
data.

No. Learner’s error Teacher’s response Learner’s Response

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

C. Data Analysis:
Use the guided questions below to analyze the collected data.
- Did you observe any pattern in the teacher's way of responding to learner error?
Discuss with the teacher their rationale for managing errors.
- How did other students respond to a student's error and (where relevant) to the
teacher's response? Was there any peer correction, or peer interaction or discussion
of the error? If so, what did the teacher say or do to encourage this?
- Were there any opportunities for the students to self-correct? If so, do you recall
anything the teacher said or did to encourage self-correction?

D. Reflection:
Use the guided questions below to reflect on this observation task.
- What is the significance of this task in relation to English teaching?
- What are some specific teaching techniques you learn from observing the teacher?
- What impact does this lesson have on your future teaching?

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Observation task 6: Lesson staging

A. Classroom Information:
- Age:
- Level:
- Number of students:
- Textbook:
- Skills and topic:

B. Data Collection:
Observe a lesson and note the content of the main stages.

Stages Signals Activities Aims

Warm-up
Beginning
Middle
End

C. Data Analysis:
Use the guided questions below to analyze the collected data.
- Was there a clear division into stages? For example, was there a beginning, middle and
end?
- From your opinion, why is signaling important in teaching and in enhancing learners’
concentration?
- What do you think the aim of each stage was? To what extent did the activities help to
achieve these aims?

D. Reflection:
Use the guided questions below to reflect on this observation task.
- What is the significance of this task in relation to English teaching?
- What are some specific teaching techniques you learn from observing the teacher?
- What impact does this lesson have on your future teaching?

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Observation task 7: Mother tongue use

A. Classroom Information:
- Age:
- Level:
- Number of students:
- Textbook:
- Skills and topic:

B. Data Collection:
Use the table below to help you monitor the teacher’s use of L1.

Teacher’s actions Percentage of the L1 used Purposes

Giving instructions

Presenting the new knowledge

(new words, new structure,
new grammar points, etc.)

Explaining/Answering the
learners’ questions

Checking the learners’

understanding

Correcting/ Giving feedback to

the learners’ errors

Getting the learners’ attention

Dealing with learners’

behaviors

C. Data Analysis:
Use the guided questions below to analyze the collected data.
- Would you judge the teacher’s use of L1 to be largely constructive or largely unhelpful?
- Were there any points in the lesson when the teacher should have used the L2 instead
of L1? Why?
- From your point of view, what is the role of the L2 use in the lesson?

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D. Reflection:
Use the guided questions below to reflect on this observation task.
- What is the significance of this task in relation to English teaching?
- What are some specific teaching techniques you learn from observing the teacher?
- What impact does this lesson have on your future teaching?

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Observation task 8: Use of technological aid

A. Classroom Information:
- Age:
- Level:
- Number of students:
- Textbook:
- Skills and topic:

B. Data Collection:
Observe a lesson and note all forms of technological aid that the teacher uses (e.g. cassette
recorder, video, overhead projector, interaction whiteboard, technological apps, etc.).

Forms of technological
Teacher’s purposes Students’ Responses
aid

C. Data Analysis:
Use the guided questions below to analyze the collected data.
- How “fluent” was the teacher with the use of this aid?
- Did the aid contribute to the flow of the lesson, or did it interrupt it?
- To what extent did the aid enhance the lesson?
- Could the lesson aims have been achieved effectively without the aid?

D. Reflection:
Use the guided questions below to reflect on this observation task.
- What is the significance of this task in relation to English teaching?
- What are some specific teaching techniques you learn from observing the teacher?
- What impact does this lesson have on your future teaching?

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Observation task 9: Teacher talking time

A. Classroom Information:
- Age:
- Level:
- Number of students:
- Textbook:
- Skills and topic:

B. Data Collection:
Make a bar chart, like the one below, to record the percentage of the teacher talking time and
the student talking time at different points of a lesson.

TEACHER TALKING TIME vs LEARNER TALKING TIME

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Warming up Reviewing previous Presenting the new Practicing new Consolidating new …
lesson knowledge knowledge knowledge
Teacher talking time Learner talking time

C. Data Analysis:
Use the guided questions below to analyze the collected data.
- Who spent more time talking, the teacher or the learners?
- At what points in the lesson did the teacher talk more?
- At what points in the lesson did the learners talk more?
- Approximately, how much of the learner taking time was spent talking to the whole
class?
- Approximately, how much of the learner taking time was spent talking in pairs or small
groups?

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 - Did the teacher ever address small groups or individuals “privately” (i.e without the
whole class hearing)?
D. Reflection:
Use the guided questions below to reflect on this observation task.
- What is the significance of this task in relation to English teaching?
- What are some specific teaching techniques you learn from observing the teacher?
- What impact does this lesson have on your future teaching?

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REFERENCES

Thronbury, S., & Watkins, P. (2011). The CELTA Course Trainee Book (5th ed.).
Cambridge: CUP.

Wajnryb, R. (2013). Classroom Observation Tasks (2nd ed.). New York: CUP.

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