Seeing what we do : observation in the language classroom

Abstract

Two elements emerging from curriculum innovation at a national level in both Spain and the UK are quality assurance (accountability), and teacher development within schools. Both of these are linked in proposals for appraisal schemes, in which teachers' classroom performance is observed. On the one hand summative evaluation of teacher performance is necessary for management decisions to do with in-service training, accountability to ministries and parents, and on the other, formative evaluation is considered to be an essential on-going part of teachers¿ professional development. Whatever the reason for observation bye a third party, the experience can be a daunting one for teachers who may not have been observed teaching since their student or probationary days when the bottom line was usually pass or fail and the tenor of the observation was often a deficit one. For language teachers there is another consideration. There are at least two main reasons why teachers need to become expert observers within their own classrooms. The first is to do with changes in methods of teaching. The second is personal.