TEACHER TRAINING
Virtual classroom
observation
Mayuri Sooriyampola describes her way around teacher observation in
difficult times.
T he year 2020 was a year full of
challenges to everybody around
the world, as Covid-19 pandemic
how many get through. It is a kind of a
score that calculates the difficulty level
of the subject. This score is compared
Before the pandemic started, the teacher
trainees had completed 4 spells of 10-
day block teachings where they gained
brought the world almost to a standstill against the score that each student has practice teaching in different schools.
for a considerable period of time. The received, and the average is calculated. In March 2020 with the first outbreak of
field of teacher education, especially Each student chooses three main the pandemic, the student teachers were
pre-service teacher education, was subjects, so the Z-score is calculated sent home and a semester work was
not spared here and educators with out of 3. This score is released by the carried out online. They came back in
educational institutes started going national exam department, and this July 2020 and were sent for their one-year
completely virtual. internship in mid-August.
Our setting “Having to I as the supervising lecturer got 3
schools with 11 interns, and these
The pre-service teacher education in observe at least schools were situated far apart. (The
Sri Lanka is mainly handled by the interns got schools closer to their
National Colleges of Education, where 7 lessons of homes, but I have to cross my district
students who get through the A/Ls with to reach them). Having to observe
a good Z-score are taken in and given each intern and at least 7 lessons of each intern and
a two-year fully residential institutional travelling amidst a pandemic became
training, which is fully funded by the travelling amidst a daunting task. If I visited a school,
government. A/Ls is the Advanced Level I had to observe at least 6−7 lessons,
exam we have at the end of our General a pandemic which is not very practical as trainees’
Education, which is also the entrance periods clashed with one another’s.
exam for University. Since Sri Lanka became a On top of everything, travelling beyond
runs a national curriculum, the A/L one’s district was not encouraged by
exam is taken by all the students who daunting task.” the government. Still, I had to complete
are studying in the senior secondary my observations and help my interns
classes (Grade 13). Unfortunately, only to grow with their practice but things
6% who sit for the exam gain entrance decides who is entitled to secure a became pretty complicated.
to the University. Education is provided place at university. Depending on the
free of charge from the kindergarten slots available at each university, the Suddenly an idea struck me; I can get
to the university level in Sri Lanka, and universities then release their cut-off my interns to video record their lessons!
this means a large number of students marks. After this institutional training, I discussed it with them and asked
sit for this exam. We have only 15 students are sent to schools on internship whether it is possible for them to get
state universities, which are not able for a period of one year. Here, about their lessons recorded. They agreed. First
to take in all the students who get 10−15 teacher trainees get allocated to I thought it would be possible for me
qualified. To select the students who a supervisor and these teacher trainees to get these videos through WhatsApp,
have scored highest marks in different in small groups of 3−4 are stationed in as we already have a WhatsApp group,
subject streams, we have the Z-score. a single school for the duration. The but the trainees informed me it was too
It’s a calculation based on how many supervisor has about 3−4 schools, and difficult as the video files are too big
students sit for a particular subject and they visit one school each week. (30−40 minutes). Then one of my interns
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TEACHER TRAINING
n The videos can be re-used with new
teacher trainees as critique lessons,
before they go for practicums. The
videos will give them lot of input as
they get to view real classrooms and
teachers in action.
In 2021 April, the third wave of the
pandemic hit the island very hard,
collapsing the whole system of
internship. Schools were completely
closed down; everybody got stuck in
their homes. It became totally impossible
to have any physical teaching. The
schools started going completely virtual
once again, and interns were asked to
conduct classes online.
“Students
came up with a bright idea! She said regularly, so that they got to observe
complete their
it’s possible to upload them to Google
drive. Everybody agreed. I created a file
different teachers. The teacher also got
comments from a different peer that
round of online
in my Google drive, added their email
addresses, gave them viewing rights
way, so both parties benefitted.
teaching for
and sent the link to them via email.
My interns uploaded their classroom
When the pandemic eased a bit in 2021
January, February and March, I started
the week, we
teaching videos through the link to my
drive. Before they did their lessons, they
visiting the schools again, supervising
my interns onsite. But I noticed, the
meet online
emailed me their lesson plans. I went
through them and if there were any
online observation had more benefits
than the onsite lesson observation, for
and have
issues, I discussed it with them, and they
addressed it before the lesson.
the following reasons:
our feedback
I asked them to observe their peers’
n The trainee who was conducting
the lesson was more relaxed as the
sessions.”
lessons and to be ready with their supervisor was not physically present.
comments. (They had to inform me first
n Only one or maximum two peers
of the peer they were pairing with, and I still had lot of observations to carry
could observe the teacher in the
that way every trainee had a partner out and my interns had completed
classroom as more people could
to give peer comments). To give their about 4 months from their one-year
distract the students and it was
peer comments, they were given peer internship. Suddenly it dawned on me
against Covid restrictions.
observation criteria. By the end of each that I could join their online classes and
week, the whole group met virtually n The other teachers did not get conduct my observations but of course
and shared their comments. Then I a chance to observe the lessons the criteria I used to evaluate them
gave my feedback to each of them. In or to learn from them and giving needed to be adapted. Trainees could
giving my feedback, the peer comments feedback. also record their online classes and
also came in handy. Sometimes, I may several peer observers could join the
n The supervisor could watch the
have not have noticed certain things, lesson to carry out peer observations.
videos several times and could use
but from the peer comment, it could I informed my student teachers of this
the playback option to confirm the
come into focus. So in a way, these new kind of lesson observation and
peer comments. This developed the
feedback sessions helped me to develop they were more than happy to try it.
quality of the feedback given.
the feedback I gave them. With the So I first created a checklist for my
feedback, I gave them the action points n The supervisor, the trainee who students to be able to be involved in
they needed to take up in planning did the lesson, and peer observers peer observation of lessons conducted
their next week’s lessons. I told them to could watch the video together and online. This checklist could be used as
change their peer observation partners forward their comments. marking criteria also if needed.
64 www.modernenglishteacher.com n Volume 30 n Issue 4
TEACHER TRAINING
Next, I created an online supervision Online lesson observation – Supervisor’s observation check list
criteria to observe online lessons. I
posted both these sets of criteria to x/√ 4 3 2 1
trainees’ WhatsApp group and asked
Competency/comp.level properly picked
them to make themselves familiar
with them. Learning outcomes stated properly
When trainees do online lessons, they A proper entrance to the lesson
share their link with me and the whole
group, so I along with others join Stages of the lesson clearly indicated
the lesson online. Before the lesson,
the teacher posts the lesson plan to Learning outcomes match the activities
the group, I go through it and have
a discussion with the teacher if any Sufficient subject content is picked
changes are required. The others too
can forward their ideas on the lesson Subject matter systematically and sequentially
presented
plan so there are a lot of opportunities
for the trainee teacher to get the lesson Effective use of b/b or screen share technique
well planned before delivery.
Accuracy of L/T material – correct grammar/
spelling
When the lesson is going on, I use the
Gradual transition of lesson stages
chat box to communicate with the
teacher. The peer observers too can Meaningful & practical time allocation for each
use this facility, to chat with me and the activity
teacher if they want. We use the private Maintain student attention through out
chat box, so the students neither see nor
get disturbed by our communication. Clear verbal communication- audibility and visibility
When students complete their round Gives simple, clear, short instructions
of online teaching for the week, we
meet online and have our feedback Uses Icqs constantly
sessions. First, I invite the teacher who
conducted the lesson to express his/her Uses different questioning strategies directing
them to different student
ideas about the lesson; then the peer
observers get their chance to give their Controls students trying to monopolize answering
and discussions
comments. Finally, I give the feedback
Uses L/T aids effectively
and draw the teacher’s attention to the
action points to take into account when
Encourages students to join discussions
planning the next lesson. Conducting
lessons online has lots of plus points: Addresses individual differences in students
n Teacher trainees are in their comfort Provides a sufficient summary towards the end
zones and so feel relaxed doing
their lessons. Checks students attention from time to time
n Any number of student teachers
Uses practical, time bound activity for evaluation
can join the sessions to do peer
observation without disturbing the
Gets feedback soon after the evaluation
students of the class.
n Student teachers get an opportunity Assigns homework based on what was
being taught
to observe live lessons done by
their peers. Informs when and how to send completed tasks
n Student teachers get an opportunity More time allocated to practice stage
to chat with the trainee teacher
giving the lesson and even the Praises when necessary and encourage students
supervisor, using the chat box at the to join future lessons
time of the lesson. Sufficient knowledge of technology displayed
n Volume 30 n Issue 4 www.modernenglishteacher.com 65
TEACHER TRAINING
Online Peer Observation - Observer check list n Everybody, including the
supervisor, has enough time to
x/√ 4 3 2 1 go through the recordings if
needed, to replay them to have
Teacher enters before the others, greets and better idea of the lesson.
welcomes students
Motivates students to be logged in/ Maintain The pandemic has succeeded in
interest throughout the lesson turning the world topsy-turvy but
Relevant and interesting lesson starter I feel it had also given us its share
of positive things; till now we have
Materials used – visible and effective not paid much attention to teaching
online let alone online classroom
Teacher’s voice- clear and audible
observation. But out of necessity we
Uses a whiteboard- writes clearly and visible to tried out many things and it has given
everybody us very positive outcomes.
Uses manageable amount of content
In Sri Lanka, in the rural parts of
Activities properly displayed the country, teachers undergo lot
of hardships with their classroom
Uses T/L aids and examples effectively teaching and aspects of pedagogy
and finding somebody to assist them
Uses different questioning techniques had been quite impossible. But this
online observation experience has
Gets different students to answer, call out names given me lot of hope and after my
trainees leave the college and take
Constructive responses to incorrect answers appointments in places all over
the island, they still can get my
Draws silent students into discussion support. I can observe their lessons
from time to time and assist them
Prevents students from dominating in answering in developing themselves. It comes
and discussion as a very exciting revelation for me
Gives short, simple, clear instructions and my students. I am sure that my
experience will give lot of ideas and
Uses Icqs after instructions hope to others to try out different
things. We must always try to think
Assists students to answer questions / enter into out of the box when we are faced
discussion by asking probing questions
with challenges. The checklists we
Proper navigation through the lesson/direction of use are provided. I am sure they
the lesson
can be adapted for other contexts.
Provides sufficient time limit for students to
Creativity and innovation is, after all,
practice what they’ve learnt
the key to success!
Uses smooth transition among lesson stages
Activities/ tasks used are practical- suits the level
Attention paid to students individual differences
Effective summary provided
Uses relevant and manageable, time bound tasks
for assess students learning
Mayuri Sooriyampola has a
Practical techniques used to check Bachelor of Education and a Masters
students answers in Linguistics and a Masters in TESOL
Provide effective feedback from Monash University, Australia.
Currently, she is pursuing higher
studies. Her research interests are
Assign home work reflective practice in teacher education,
observation and supervision. She is
Instruct how and when to send home work an ELT lecturer at Mahaweli National
College of education, Polgolla.
66 www.modernenglishteacher.com n Volume 30 n Issue 4
