CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

(1 lesson)
This observation sheet is about the organisation of the classroom and
learning environment. Focus on the seating arrangement, decorations,
materials used and how the pupils work.
1. Dates:
1) 5th of February 2) 6th of February
2. Which year is it? 2015
3. How many times a week do they have English lessons? 3
4. How many children are there in the class? 24
5.

What is the aim of the lesson? Count , add spoon , more and less

6. What is the topic of the lesson? Count spoon of sugar in some

products
ENVIRONMENT
1. What is the seating arrangement? Draw.

2. Are rearrangements of seats possible?

Yes, U-shape, rectangle, circle
3. Which areas of the room are suitable for pupils to stand and interact
in?
carpet
4. Can pupils comfortably work in pairs or small groups?
Yes

5. Is there any place for English pictures, posters or flashcards around

the classroom?
On the walls, in / on shelves
6. Which coursebook is used? (Write the title of the coursebook and the
publisher)
New English Adventure poziom 1 , Pearson
7. Are any other materials used during the lesson? What kind?
Handouts, pictures, interactive board, flashcards
8. Where do pupils keep their books and other materials? Is there any
special place for them in the classroom?
Yes, in file binders in shelves
9. Is there a list of rules for pupils to follow? A classroom contract? (Get
a copy, if possible, or take a picture)

Please comment on the classroom environment:

Students dont have their own class. They have lessons in different classes
even in ne without desks or chairs, there are only small cupboards/ shelves
and a board. There are usually art & craft English lessons.
In the class where most lessons take place there is an interactive board,
many shelves and cupboards, carpet, posters and works of children. There
is a small place with toys, books in Polish and English. Due to the fact of
moving from one class to another, sitting arrangement is in most cases the
same , typical in four rows. I saw once that a teacher changed it because
children were painting using poster paints

Classroom routines
(2 lessons)
This observation sheet is about classroom routines. Observe the lessons and
focus on the stages of the lesson. Identify routines that the teacher and the
pupils follow during the lesson and what is the homework policy.

1. Dates:
1) 9th of February 2) 10th of February
2. Which year is it? 2015
3. How many times a week do they have English lessons? 3

4. How many children are there in the class? 24

5. What is the aim of the lesson?
6. What is the topic of the lesson?
Observe and comment
1. Do the pupils follow a certain procedure for entering the classroom?
Yes
2. What happens when the teacher enters the classroom?
Some sit, some still paying with toys
3. What happens at the beginning of the lesson?
Welcome song
4. Does the teacher use any attention signals? What are they?
T : One two three SS : look at me
5. Are the pupils expected to say something when they arrive late? What do
they say?
Im sorry, Im late.
6. Can the pupils leave the classroom during the lesson (toilet, nurse, etc)?
Can more than one go at a time?
Yes, they can, if they say what happened : can I go to the toilet. No more
than one
7. What are the pupils expected to do when they finish early? Do they talk to
other pupils or maybe start doing something else (get extra activities from
the teacher, start doing homework, etc.)?
In most times : Raise hand, teacher checks if it is correctly. Sometime they
do next exercise or talk
8. How do the pupils signal they need help? Do they raise their hand? Wait for
the reply? Walk to the teachers desk?
They signal that, some asks other pupils and some raise hand and tell
loudly to teacher
9. What are the consequences for unfinished work?
Teacher talks to that pupil, get to know the reason.
10.How does the teacher finish the lesson?
Sometimes goodbye song
Homework policy

1. Does the teacher set homework regularly?

Yes
2. Are the pupils expected to mark their homework in a particular way? How?
(circle, note down, use bookmarks, etc)
Give pluses
3. Does the teacher check the homework? When? Do pupils get any feedback
on their homework?
Sometimes when the homework wasnt easy, students tell that was
difficult
4. Are there any consequences of not doing the homework? What happens
when pupils do not do their homework?
Discussion with that child
5. Are the parents informed about their childrens homework (or about the
fact that the homework was not done)? In what ways?
There was no such situation

Please reflect and comment on the classroom routines and

homework policy:
Classroom routines :
There is a welcome song at the beginning of first lesson, which children
know by heart. There are always some exercises, pre-teaching of
vocabulary on the carpet. When children are too loud there is an attention
signal.
Homework policy :
Homework is not always checking but in the cases when children signal that they
had problems with it or they didnt do it. Homework is checking in many

ways : whole class tells the answers or particular pupils read answers.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
(2 lessons)
This observation sheet is about one aspect of classroom management, i.e.
discipline problems. Identify pupils inappropriate behaviour and focus on
how the teacher handles the discipline problems that arise during the
lesson. Try to decide what may be the cause of each problem. To fill in the
sheet use data from 3 lessons.

1. Dates:
1)
2) 11th of February
2. Which year is it? 2015

3) 12th of February

3. How many times a week do they have English lessons? 3

4. How many children are there in the class? 24
Stage of the
lesson
1.

Pupils behaviour, its

possible causes

Teachers response

A child is not singing

Approach him and helps to

Goodbye song

2.

sing

A child cant answer

Individual

Teacher scaffolds , asks

helping questions

answers

3.

A child is doing all by

Teacher approaches and

Group work

herself, is very

tries to give tasks the rest of

ambitious

the group by asking if it

suits the group

Please reflect and comment on the discipline management,

teacher's disciplinary responses and their effect on pupils
behaviour:
discipline management : 24 students in the class in a big number, but
the teacher manages, she is patient, carrying and can deal with so many
children. There arent disturbing very much but sometimes the teacher
needs to use attention signals. There is no screaming when it comes to the
teacher

teacher's disciplinary responses: This teacher doesnt raise her voice

and always talks with naughty student about causes of his/her behaviour. I
think such method works much better than screaming to every single child
.
pupils behaviour : Students feel the support that the teacher is giving
them, they can talk with her about every good and bad situations. They
are still learning this ability but they trust her and there is nice and calm
atmosphere in the class thanks to the teachers attitude.

Instructions
(2 lessons)
This observation sheet is about different ways of giving instructions. The
purpose of the sheet is to develop awareness of the importance of clear
instructions in the classroom. Observe the lessons and focus on how the
teacher gives instructions.
1. Dates:
1) 24th of February
2. Which year is it? 2015

2) 25th of February

3. How many times a week do they have English lessons? 3

4. How many children are there in the class? 24
5. What is the aim of the lesson? Say what some animals can do
6. What is the topic of the lesson? Animals actions
1. Does the teacher take the Checks attendance
register? What does s/he say?
2. How do the students reply?

present

3. How does the teacher signal the Tells what is going to happen,
beginning of a new activity?
introduce new activity
4. What instructions does the Where do students have to seat
teacher give at the beginning of (in pairs, groups), what do they
each new activity?
need (scissors, pen, pencil)
5. How does the teacher stop the Tells how much time is left, tells
activity?
that it is last minute and tells to
finish and asks if everybody did it
6. Does the teacher use mime / This is 1st grade and teacher uses
gesture / demonstration in her/his many
standard
and
typical
instructions? If so, how? What does gestures for stand up, come here,
s/he say?
open books on page, listen, draw
7. Are the instructions clear? Does Yes, they
the teacher keep the instructions possible
simple?

are

8. Do pupils understand what they In most cases yes

have to do?

as

simple

as

9. How does the check if pupils Children asks other students or

understand the instructions?
raise hand. Teacher monitors
10. How do the pupils respond to
the instructions:
a) immediately start working
b) some pupils ask questions
c) pupils do not do anything
d) pupils do other things (what?)

Many immediately start working

and some pupils ask questions

Please reflect and comment on the instructions used during

the lessons. How can the teacher make sure the pupils
understand what is expected? How can instructions affect
the pace of the lesson?:

Teacher talk student talk

(2 lessons)
This observation sheet is about what the teacher says in class and how.
Focus on the teacher talk and watch pupils response to teacher talk.

7. Dates:
1) 19th of February
8. Which year is it? 2015

2) 20th of February

9. How often (how many times a week) do they have English lessons?
3
10.

How many children are there in the class? 24

11.

What did the children do last lesson? Introduction to clothes

12.

What is the aim of the lesson? Use names of clothes in

sentences
13.

What is the topic of the lesson? Clothes

14.

Ask the teacher to tell you (or choose yourself) one very active

pupil and one less active pupil. You will focus mostly on them during
the lesson.

What happens during the lesson? (fill in the tables)

The pupils:
1. Does the pupil answer a question
addressed to them by name? How
often?
2. Does the pupil answer open
questions addressed to the whole
class? How often?

Pupil A
In most cases

Pupil B
Not really

yes
sometimes

Rarely

3. When a question is asked, the raises his hand

pupil:
a) shouts out the answer
b) raises his/her hand
c) needs teachers encouragement
d) does not respond

Needs
teachers
encouragemen
t or does not
respond

4. What do they do when the teacher

is talking to the whole group, or
concentrating on someone else?

Do the task

Demand

5. Do they talk to other pupils? In

what language? Are they talking
about the task? Or something else?

Do sometimes

Tries to do the

talks to other,

task, seeks

mostly in L1

help in other

about the task

To the teacher.

students in L1
Yes

6. If they speak English, do they talk

to
the teacher
peers
What do they say? (Give interesting
responses you have noticed.)
7. Watch the pupils body language.
Do they
a) look at the teacher?
b) pay attention to what is going on
in class?
b) move around a lot?
c) sit still?
d) bang their feet, or hands?

attention

Can I go to the
toilet?
Grater one
look at the
teacher,
pay attention
to what is
going on in
class

Sit still

The teacher:
1. Does the teacher address the students Yes
by name?
2. How does the teachers voice sound
when she speaks to them?
a) Warm?
b) Critical?
c) Cold?
d) Indifferent?

Warm and carrying

3. What does the teacher do when the

students answer questions?
a) Correct them?
b) Ignore them?
b) Praise them?
c) Encourage them?
e) Something else? What?

Correct them
Praise them
Encourage them

4. What methods does the teacher use to 1,2,3 look at me

get students attention? (1,2,3 look at
me, clap their hands, etc)?
5. How often does the teacher give
instructions tells pupils what to do and
how to do it? For how long?

Always before new activity.

As short and simple as
possible

6. How often does the teacher correct errors?

How? What does the teacher do?

It s hot correction

7. Does the teacher do any other things?

a) Explain grammar
b) Explain vocabulary (how?)
c) Ask questions
d) Reprimand
e) Chat with pupils (How long? What
about?)

Explain vocabulary mime, do

gestures, tells new word in a
sentence
Ask questions to check
attention and comprehension
Chat with pupils after / before
lesson

After the lessons

With the teacher, talk about the pupils you observed.

Please reflect on how the teacher's body language and

teacher talk can affect the pupils, describe any unexpected
situations that might have occurred, write about 2 things
you would like to consider for the future.

the teacher's body language and teacher talk can affect the
pupils : the teachers body language is very positive, simple, clear to
students, there is no negative feedback to students, every pupil can count
on help and encouraging attitude of the teacher. Students know they can
come and ask questions and the teacher wont be reluctant to answer all
of them.

unexpected situations that might have occurred :

In the class there is a boy who has got difficult and tough family situation.
He is behaving very bad, is hyperactive , kicks everybody in classes on
carpet and corridor, is a danger for himself and for others, doesnt care
what teachers say to him and is under psychological help. It is very hard to
take care of him on lesson and schools corridors. Before entering the class
students are supposed to make pairs, be calm and enter a class. There are
three or four floors and every time the teacher had to go downstairs with
the class I was scared that this boy will fall dawn or push somebody. There
were many situations that he kicked somebody on the carpet during
lesson. The teacher asked why, and after lessons wrote a note in the
notebook to sign by parents and show to psychologist.

about 2 things you would like to consider for the future :

The need of assistant or splitting the class (24students) in half.

Teaching materials
(1 lesson)
This observation sheet is about the use of teaching materials by the teacher. The
purpose of the sheet is to develop awareness of how the choice of teaching
materials affects the process of teaching/learning. Observe the lessons and focus
on the types of materials used by the teacher at different stages of the lesson.
1. Dates:

1) 18th of February 2) 19th of February

2. Which year is it? 2015

3. How many times a week do they have English lessons? 3
4. How many children are there in the class? 24
5. What is the aim of the lesson? See what shapes has got symmetry axis
6. What is the topic of the lesson? symmetry axis
7. Which coursebook is used? (Write the title of the coursebook and the
publisher)
Gra w kolory wyd. Juka.

8. How does the teacher feel about the book? (ask the teacher)
She does it in English but it is in Polish which isnt helping
9. How do the pupils feel about the book? (ask the children)
There are many pictures and is quite simple for most of them
10.Are any other materials used in the classroom? What kind?
Flashcards, white board, interactive board, pictures
Stage of the

Activity

Materials used

Time

lesson
1.

song

Cd player

3min

discussion

pictures

5min

3.

Experiments

Pictures, mirrors

10min

Teacher gives

with mirrors

Welcome song

2.

Teacher asks if
this half of a
picture is the
same as the
other? Why?
Speculations.

every student
pieces of paper
with a few
pictures, they
have a mirror to
check if the
picture has got

symmetry axis
in groups .

4.

Comparing and

Teacher asks to
put the pictures
which has got
symmetry axis on
the one side and the
one which dont
have on the other
side.

contrasting,

Picures, mirrors

10min

17min

discussion

Discussion why
some have
symmetry axis.

5.

Creating rules

Mirrors, big piece of

Creating rules

Drawing

paper

about symmetry

song

axis.
Students have
to draw a
picture which
has got
symmetry axis
and then check
if it has it.
Goodbye song

Please comment on the teachers use of teaching materials

in the classroom and reflect on what you would have
changed in the materials. Also, find out if the teacher was

satisfied with the lesson and if s/he felt the aims were
achieved:

the teachers use of teaching materials in the classroom:

Teacher has got quite nice equipment of materials to use. She is
creative and children like her very much. She uses course books but
she prefers to make materials on her own
what you would have changed in the materials:
the teacher uses books in Polish to teach maths in English and she
doesnt have any help. The collaboration is not visible there very
much and in the result she has to cope with materials on her own.
find out if the teacher was satisfied with the lesson :
The teacher was quite happy about the lesson, she generally discuss
with them many things which force them to think rather than do
exercises without any experiments, even the short and not very
spectacular one. The exercises with mirror was very entertaining and
involving as I could observe. With some elements of L1 they
altogether wrote rules of symmetry axis so that students could
draw their picture obeying the rules of symmetry axis.

Error management
(2 lessons)

This observation sheet is about how a teacher responds to error and how
the pupils react to being corrected. Focus on the teacher and identify the
teacher's feedback to pupils errors during the lesson.

1. Dates:
1)5th of February 2) 6th of February
2. Which year is it? 2015
3. How many times a week do they have English lessons? 3
4. How many children are there in the class? 24
5. What is the aim of the lesson? Counting spoons of sugar
6. What is the topic of the lesson? Sugar
Examples of pupils
errors

Type of
mistake
(pronunciatio
n, grammar,
vocabulary)

How does
the teacher
highlight the
mistake?

Who
corrects?
(peers,
student,
teacher?

What is the
result of the
correction?
(what does the
pupil do?)

1.

grammar

Hot

teacher

Repeats

Spoon

instead

of

spoons

correction.

correct

Says

version

the

correct
2.

grammar

version
Hot

teacher

correction.
How many spoons

Says

of sugar IS in the

correct

juice
3.

pronunciatio

spoons

Repeats
correct
version

the

version
Hot

Teacher

Whole class
repeat correct
correction.
and some
version
Says
the students
correct

4.
Caps

vocabulary
instead

plates

of

version
Asks
students

peers
if

Repeats
correct
version

this answer
is correct

Please comment on the teacher's correction techniques and

patterns:
The teacher correction techniques and patters are varied in terms
what kind of mistake or error students make. I think this is a very
important skill which this teacher has got. The ability to decide how
to correct mistake is at first sight simple but as I observed different
approaches to different mistakes can have an impact on how
students will remember the correct version. I noticed that this
teacher tried to use much of hot , on spot correction but change it
slightly when was needed. She wasnt a provider all the time, but
she asked questions which forced students to think. Then she told
this student who made a mistake or whole class to repeat the correct
version. As I could observe such method works and students learn
and remember not to make the same mistakes.