Module V - Week Iii

Centro Peruano
Americano
“El Cultural”
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
TRUJILLO
METHODOLOGY COURSE
MODULE 4
CENTRO PERUANO AMERCANO “EL CULTURAL”
METHODOLOGY
COURSE
V MODULE
TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
III WEEK
1. Mentoring: Pedagogic counseling
2. Peer observation: class workshop
3. The English teacher as professional
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SESSION 1
MENTORING
MENTOR TEACHER
Many attempts have been made at defining the term “mentoring.” The definitions are so diverse that
differences rather than similarities could be said to characterize mentoring as a concept. However, a
few general descriptions have been made which can encompass a broad variety of definitions. For
instance, according to Ole Løw (2009) mentoring will always be a goal-oriented activity. In the
professional mentoring conversation, the mentor has much of the responsibility for the quality of the
conversation. Mentoring is based on an agreement between mentor and mentee, and is therefore
characterized by both structure and progression. Still, the main focus is on the mentee, regardless of
whom the mentee is. Mentoring can therefore be considered to be a way to support the mentee's own
learning process (Løw 2009). Løw (2009) defines mentoring as a collective term that includes
counselling, supervision, consultation and coaching. He suggests that the definition should be
reserved for the complementary relation between the more experienced and competent (the mentor)
and the less experienced and competent (the mentee) in an educational or professional context. A
minimum requirement could be that it is a conversation intended to support the mentee and that it
uses a known perspective or mentoring model.
Johnson, Rose and Schlosser (2007) describe the following components as common in mentoring
relationships:
a) Mentorships are enduring personal relationships.

b) Mentorships are increasingly reciprocal and mutual.
c) Compared to protégés, mentors demonstrate greater achievement and experience.
d) Mentors provide direct career assistance.
e) Mentors provide social and emotional support.
f) Mentors serve as models.
g) Mentoring results in an identity transformation in the protégé or mentee.
h) Mentorships offer a safe environment for self-exploration.
i) Mentorships generally produce positive career and personal outcomes.
(Johnson, Rose and Schlosser, 2007)
Should "giving advice" be included in a definition of mentoring?
When attempting to define mentoring, we need to decide if the role of the advisor should be included
in the definition. In day-to-day language we might use the terms mentoring or counselling to describe
the giving of advice. This may also be the case for terms such as guidance, tutoring, consultation and
supervision. Nevertheless, some of the literature on mentoring downplay the role of advice and quite
many mentoring approaches also this discourage this kind of activity. However, some authors include
this perspective in the mentoring concept. Kåre Skagen (2004), for instance, includes the
communication-oriented apprenticeship model as a legitimate mentoring model.
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What kind of competence does the mentor need?
There are different opinions about what kind of qualifications a mentor needs. Bjørndal (2011b)
distinguishes between three different approaches:
a. The skills approach
b. The generative approach
c. The holistic approach
a. The skills approach

Much of the literature about mentoring emphasizes the importance of conversational skills. This
includes both the ability to organize the mentoring process and the ability to communicate well
with others. The mentor will need skills related to the ability to establish contact with the mentee,
create a mentorship agreement, use a mentoring model (theory on mentoring), have active listening
skills, use open questions and be capable of meta-communication. The disadvantage is that
mentors might develop a narrow understanding of the qualifications needed for mentoring. The
risk is that technical skills are highlighted instead of personal development and critical thinking.
There is no certainty that skills that help in one situation will also work well in a different situation.
b. The generic approach to mentor qualification

The generic approach emphasizes that the mentor should develop general qualities that can be
transferred from one situation to another. Empirical research shows that empathy is one such
quality within helping professions (Clark 2007). Other examples are problem solving ability,
autonomy and collaborative skills. A disadvantage with this approach is that it downplays the role
of the context. Secondly, it is difficult to assess these general qualities.
c. The integrated holistic approach to mentoring competence

The integrated holistic approach takes context into consideration. The competence is regarded as
relational because it builds upon a combination of skills. Competency develops in a dialectic
relationship between individuals, their actions and the context which is in constant change. This
approach assumes that the professional practice is unique in each situation. Bjørndal (2011b)
claims that this kind of holistic competence can be related to the term “practical wisdom”
(phronesis) and Donald Schön's description of the reflective practitioner. The disadvantage with
this approach is that when competency always is situation-specific, it is difficult to define and
measure it.
EVERY TEACHER NEEDS A MENTOR

“Find that person who challenges, advises, and celebrates you - and be that person for someone
else.” (Heather Wolpert-Gawron)
My mentor for the last 15 years, Liz Harrington, is retiring this year. She’s the one who, as our
department chairperson, advocated for our weekly collaboration time and fought each semester to
maintain our precious planning time as a department. Liz is the one I laugh with each Friday when
we close our rooms at lunch and steal away for some caffeine. She’s the one who keeps my venting
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from becoming perpetual smog, and the one who swoops in with a last-minute lesson plan if I have
to run and pick up my own sick kid. Liz is the first person I call to share my small victories and my
embarrassing defeats.
Every teacher needs a Liz, and many have been lucky enough to have one. Mentorship, you see, is
vital in our industry. Mentors aren’t just friends—they are more than that. They are amazing
practitioners who pass on their knowledge through informal conversation and everyday modeling.
They push back and disagree with you. They help you develop your educational voice. They help
hone your academic blade.
At the beginning of our teaching careers, we are assigned mentors, perhaps through a formal induction
program meant to help support our practice. (New teachers definitely need this scaffold!) Many of
the current induction programs pair a new teacher with a veteran, and that experienced teacher advises
on a regular basis for the first year or two of a teacher’s probationary period. But there are criticisms
of such induction programs, including that the specific guidelines are overly controlling and involve
way too much paperwork, and that the mentor is an assigned relationship, not one in which choice
was given.
This last point is what makes finding a Liz so valuable. An assigned mentor is one thing, but finding
that person on your own who can challenge you, advise you, and celebrate you helps you embrace
being reflective and encourages you to take risks.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD MENTOR?
According to Education Week , there are eight key qualities in an effective mentor. Inspired by that
list and my own experiences, I would say that a good mentor:
 Respects what you’re trying to do, and helps push you to solve the problem using a different
perspective
 Listens, but knows when to hold up her hand to make you pause and listen
 Collaborates, shares the air, and lives for reciprocal learning
 Celebrates your successes
 Gives you a safe space to vent, air, complain, and feel shame
 Models best practices while still appreciating differences in teaching style
I’ll also throw this out there: Newer teachers can be mentors, too. Mentorship doesn’t have to be
based on seniority over another—it can also be about those who can help us rise in our practice and
in our spirit. It isn’t all about content area and pedagogical expertise; it’s also about attitude and
leadership.
The young teacher that I was assigned to mentor through our induction program in California could
have just as easily been my mentor the moment she set foot on our campus. She was talented, yes,
but she was also a born learner who celebrated others’ successes, lit up at the thought of being
challenged, and was honest with all those around her. I learned a lot from her.
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EIGHT QUALITIES OF A GREAT TEACHER MENTOR

Papers are spilling off the desk. The voicemail light is blinking. Your email inbox is never ending,
and little smiley face stickers are somehow stuck in your hair.
We’ve all been there. When it comes to teaching, there are always those days when the final bell rings
and you just want to vent about the day, interact with someone older than age six, or simply have
someone to talk to.
One of the most important—and overlooked—aspects of education is having mentors who help you
manage the grind of daily struggles and the challenges of the profession. As an early career teacher,
I have been blessed to work with many incredible teachers who have salvaged my sanity, dried my
tears, and challenged me to be more than I thought I could be.
Mentors may be formally "assigned," or they may informally walk into your life. Mentorship can
occur in a mandated mentor program, when one teacher is looking out for another, taking a struggling
teacher under your wing, or simply welcoming a new person to the team. Mentorship doesn't have to
be a formal process—but it is a crucial form of support for new and early career teachers.
Interested in becoming a teacher mentor?

Here are eight qualities to focus on:
1. Respect. First and foremost, there must be respect between the mentor and the mentee. But respect
doesn't form overnight—it takes time. As I tell my students, respect is earned.
Showing respect is all about the little things. For example, when a veteran teacher with more than
15 years of experience embraces my new idea for a unit at a staff meeting, it tells me I am being
taken seriously. Or, when another teacher comes to your room to just say hi, they are
acknowledging that the relationship is about both of you. New teachers feel worthy when their
colleagues reach out to make sure they are involved. This can take many forms—having lunch,
sending an email, or even going to a union meeting together.
2. Listening. By truly listening, you get to know me. You get to know me in a more personal way
than I may even realize I am letting on. For example, a good mentor can pick up on when I am
stressed out, when I am in the zone, when I am having a good day, and so on.
When a mentor puts all the verbal and nonverbal clues together, they synthesize what I need—
even when I may not be able to even say it myself. And once they recognize what I need, good
mentors come to my aid. If you think I need a sanity lunch, plan one. If you think I need some
advice on dealing with misbehaved students, lend some advice. The magic of listening allows
mentors and mentees to get to know each other and informs the mentor on how they can be of
assistance.
3. Challenging. Great mentors push your thinking and help you grow in new ways. They alert you to
new teaching methods and provide tips for how to handle various situations throughout the year.
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Most importantly, though, these “tips” are often posed as questions. Questions require new
teachers to discover and learn for themselves. I want to grow and develop as an educator, but it’s
hard. Please—push me outside of my comfort zone. I want to improve, but it’s hard to do alone.
Be there with me as I learn.
4. Collaboration. This critical step benefits everyone within the support system. By helping refine
my ideas, you remind yourself of all the things that make a truly great teacher. It’s also mutually
beneficial for teachers to work together because everyone will walk away with new and improved
strategies, lessons, and ideas. Remember, you don’t have to wait for a mentee to seek out your
wisdom. In fact, it can go a long way in strengthening the bond between teachers when both bring
ideas to the table.
5. Celebration. Success comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some days it may be making a
dreaded phone call home with a disgruntled parent, while other days it may be the implementation
of a new idea that the whole team tried and loved. Be genuinely happy when I succeed, no matter
how big or important it is in the grand scheme of things. Besides, I wouldn’t have the experience
of success without your guidance. Tell me congrats and share in the happiness!
6. Truth. Honesty is the foundation of any relationship. Tell the truth; criticism is how we all learn.
You have the opportunity to coach me through changes that will positively impact me for the rest
of my life. Help me learn the dos and don'ts of school politics, communication, and the million
other little things they don’t teach you in educator preparation programs.
7. Safety. Does your mentee feel it’s OK to make a mistake and tell you about it? Knowing that I can
trust you is monumental. I worry what you will think and say; your opinion matters greatly to me.
Pause for a second and think about how you’ll respond to me when I tell you what’s going on
because I will remember your words much longer than you will. Trust forms when I know you
will stand up for me—both in front of me and behind my back. If I am dealing with a challenging
situation, walk the fine line of protection by providing me with tips you learned in a similar
situation and give me some questions to ponder.
8. Empathy. Don’t forget your mentee is human. Life is tough, and we’re all in it together. Sometimes
life events—joyous, tumultuous, and all those in between— linger with us into our classrooms.
Lend an ear, a smile, and at times even a hug. Whether you knew it or not, by being a mentor you
have also become my personal life coach. I want to hear your advice. I want to hear your similar
stories. I need someone to bounce ideas off of when I shut the door at lunch and sob over a broken
heart, dance for joy over an engagement, worry about family drama, and learn to deal with stress.
When it’s all said and done, the papers may still be spilling off my desk. Hopefully I’ve found
time to listen to some voicemails and answer a few emails. As for the stickers, I might just wear
those with pride because it means the day is over. I survived. I couldn’t have done it alone, without
you—my mentors.
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A Reflective Guide to Mentoring and being a teacher-mentor

What is the purpose of mentoring?
What do we mean by mentoring?
The term ‘mentor’ is used in this guide to describe a knowledgeable, experienced, highly proficient
teacher who works with and alongside a beginning teacher or less experienced colleague – quite
closely at first but this gradually diminishes as the new teacher becomes more capable and confident.
A mentor is not an instructor and the beginning teacher is not a student – he or she is a colleague.
Mentors know a great deal about teaching and learning, students, parents and the school, which often
leads to a kind of practical wisdom that can’t be printed in a book – this knowledge and know-how is
invaluable to new teachers.
Mentors come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and packages with different skills and ways of working.
There are things that you love to do and things that ‘rattle your cages’. What makes you, as a mentor,
different from your teacher colleagues is that you have volunteered to help someone just starting out
as a teacher. A lot of time, thought, energy and effort are needed to become a great mentor.
Just in the same way that this was necessary to become a great teacher. To make things more
challenging, mentoring is not a step-by-step set of instructions or a recipe where you ‘just add water’.
So, rather than bombard you with theory or what we know about mentoring up front, we think there
is a value in you reflecting on and recording what you believe mentoring is and what mentors do.
An ideas tree…
Creating an Ideas Tree will allow you to clarify your existing beliefs and understanding of what
mentoring is and what you perceive mentors do. On a piece of A3 paper jot down these questions:
 What is mentoring?
 What do mentors do?
Write down whatever comes to mind as you think about and unpack these questions. When you can’t
think of anything else to add, alongside each entry responding to the following question:
 If this is what mentors do, what might that mean for being an effective mentor?
In the example that follows, intended only as an illustration, you can see how responses to the prompts
can be unpacked and deepened. Insights emerge from the unpacking and reflecting, so reading the
example below is a poor substitute for the sense-making and analysis prompted by the creation of
your own Ideas Tree.
What is mentoring?
Think about your experiences of mentoring or being mentored to frame up your responses.
For example mentoring could be:
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When someone offers just the right kind of support, well-suited to the emerging needs of the person
they are mentoring because they deeply understand that person and have an extensive repertoire of
possible practices/responses which they can draw on, tweak and adapt according to circumstances
and needs.
What do mentors do?

Again, drawing on your own experiences of mentoring – what do mentors actually do? For example,
maybe mentors:
 Put the other person ‘at ease’

 Draw their colleague out, creating conditions in which they want to speak
 Listen attentively
 Refrains from ‘jumping to conclusions’
 Is flexible and open to new learning
If this is what mentors do, what might that mean for being an effective
mentor?
If one of the items you jotted down was ‘listens attentively’ write down alongside this what you
believe that could mean for your practice.
How would you behave, what would the beginning teacher see/hear you doing if you were being an
attentive listener? Perhaps you are:
 Engaging fully with my colleague, I wouldn’t be fiddling with other things, I would be fully
present with them, perhaps leaning forward in my chair…
 Maintaining eye contact or writing down what the beginning teacher says
 Listening, without feeling the need to interrupt, interject or have ‘answers’
 Waiting for a pause before asking a question or seeking clarification
After drafting this guide we passed it on to several people to review. In response to the prompts above
a teacher created her own Ideas Tree and this is what she had to say about the experience:
To help me create an Ideas Tree, I thought about leaders I have read about in the newspapers and
imagined they were my mentors. I also thought about my Grandfather and a neighbor, Barry, who
had been wonderful mentors when I needed support. I particularly appreciated their generous, gentle
and encouraging approaches to supporting my personal growth and wellbeing.
In our discussions, Pa and Barry always made me feel they had time for me, time to talk and time to
listen. When we talked, they made eye contact and offered their undivided attention. They would ask
about my beliefs and why something was important or what I was hoping to achieve before suggesting
many possible ways of thinking about the situation. At the end of our discussions I would often feel
enlightened, having adopted or adapted one of the ideas they had offered or one that we’d figured
out together. I also admired and appreciated how Pa and Barry could both see a humorous side to
any situation or difficulty that I came to them with.
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Why do we need mentors?

The research is clear on the need for mentors. Having regular access to a classroom mentor is
profoundly important to new teachers and their development as proficient teachers. Without mentor
support new teachers can flounder and may leave a profession they have spent years studying in order
to join. Consider the system, social and personal costs such early departures bring about and the long-
term losses to teaching this represents.
As a mentor you offer beginning teachers an anchor of support in an often challenging, demanding
and sometimes chaotic transition from graduate to classroom teacher. Effective mentoring has a
formative influence on the practice of beginning teachers and has a significant impact on the level
and depth of learning amongst students of early career teachers. Without good mentors the quality of
teaching and learning offered by new teachers is demonstrably less effective, new teachers experience
more stress and anxiety and may leave the profession - the whole system suffers.
Other significant roles you could play as a mentor include:

 Offering an ear to listen – being interested rather than interesting
 Identifying, acknowledging and appreciating what your beginning teacher brings to their new
school
 Being passionate, positive and professional in your work with new teachers – offering a
strong role model while becoming a trusted colleague
 Being approachable, accessible and available when really needed (new teachers identify these
qualities in their mentors as being very important)
 Assisting beginning teachers to navigate and find their way through the school culture – and
to understand how things are done around here
 Encouraging your new colleague to make decisions and to exercise an appropriate degree of
autonomy so that they can develop their own approach to teaching
 Encouraging beginning teachers to experiment with their practice (acknowledging that when
we first begin teaching it is all an experiment!)
 Fostering positive, productive relationships with all members of staff, students, their families
and the wider community demonstrating respect for culture and diversity
Mutual benefits of mentoring
There are potentially many benefits of mentoring for both mentor and beginning teacher as well as
benefits for the school, the system and the profession. Having opportunities to offer deep, practical
knowledge, both pedagogical, content and experience, can be a very rewarding and mutually
beneficial aspect of effective mentoring.
Other significant benefits include:

 An increase in the rate of professional growth, self-reflection and problem solving capacity
for both mentor and beginning teacher
 An increase in confidence, self-esteem, morale and sense of identity
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 Opportunities for learning new skills, teaching strategies and communication techniques,
including how to engage in rigorous evidence-informed conversations
 A greater sense of inclusion or reduced feelings of isolation
 Opportunities for close collaboration, shared challenges and the sense of achievement that
comes from successfully working through such challenges
 Learning from more frequent opportunities to talk about teaching and learning, students,
strategies and successes as well as challenges
 Opportunities to capture and analyze evidence of student learning, leading to professional
insights for both beginning teacher and mentor
 Developing a sense of belonging, as a contributor to the school and its community.
TASK
Discuss the following questions
1. What type of support (beyond just the technical) could you, and other
members of the school community provide, and what might the benefits of
such support be for your beginning teacher?
2. In what ways can you make yourself available and accessible when the
beginning teacher needs support and how might this be an important aspect
of effective mentoring?
3. How might you position yourself and your beginning teacher so that they can
deepen their understanding and insights into teaching and learning and
become independent, proficient teachers?
What do I need to know and do as a mentor?
Who am I mentoring? What kind of support do they need?

Beginning teachers arrive in their new schools with a mixture of excitement, curiosity and trepidation
– some will be more excited than anxious, others more anxious than excited.
They will have spent a significant period of their lives as students, first at school and more recently
at University. During these two extended periods they will have experienced the practice of many
teachers and will have formed their own views about what it means to be a ‘great teacher’ and how
such teachers behave.
The transition from student to teacher and the translation of their perceptions of ‘great teaching’ into
practice are likely to be more challenging than many graduate teachers expect. They will have had
classroom experiences as student-teachers, however, the first few weeks of teaching independently
are likely to disappear in a blur as almost everything they do will be new. In a sense everything they
try will be a ‘practical experiment’ in teaching and learning.
However, it is not possible to generalize about beginning teachers any further than this because they
will be as diverse as the students we teach in our classrooms. They will be stronger in some areas
than others, they will be challenged by different aspects of practice, they will require different levels
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of support and guidance, and some beginning teachers will be able to articulate or reveal what they
need more clearly than others.
Just as we need to find out a great deal about the learners in our classrooms in order to effectively
scaffold their learning, we also need to thoroughly understand the beginning teachers we are
supporting.
How can we understand a beginning teacher and what they might need?
Some things to consider first…
 Whenever there is a significant difference in knowledge, experience and expertise between
two people there is a related imbalance in the power relationship.
 The gradual deepening of a mentoring relationship, via different forms of professional
conversation and collaboration, is essential to deepening the professional learning that such
relationships enable.
 The experience of talking with someone who is much more experienced and knows more
about teaching and learning than we do can be intimidating. (How might experienced teachers
make themselves less intimidating so that BEGINNING TEACHERs feel valued as they
learn with and from them?)
 Different people are more comfortable/ready to talk about some things than others.
 Some people know more, or can do more, than we might assume.
 Strategies and options for supporting beginning teachers
As a mentor it is important to consider how to keep the professional learning of the beginning teacher
as the focus of the support offered. This allows mentors to find ways of enabling beginning teachers
so that they have a strong voice in determining what sort of support they require and how it might be
offered.
In this chapter we explore the role that a range of strategies, including classroom observations and
professional conversations (of gradually increasing rigor and depth), can play in helping mentors to
thoroughly understand and support a beginning teacher from induction through to proficiency.
Readers are encouraged to experiment with the strategies offered. The options available to mentors
in this chapter include:
The 4Cs: Clarifying, Consulting, Collaborating and Coaching
 Classroom observations as a means of prompting reflective inquiry

 Facilitating different types of conversation matched to beginning teacher need and readiness
 Engaging in challenging or difficult conversations and the role that trust plays
 Evidence-informed conversations, a contemporary alternative to feedback
 Using the Evidence-based Professional Learning Cycle.
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TEACHER TRAINING FOR THE FIRST TIME
ROUTES TO BECOMING A TEACHER TRAINER
A different kind of classroom
Unlike other career paths for experienced ELT teachers, such as management or materials writing,
teacher training appeals to those who want to stay in the classroom, but who re, as senior trainer once
said to me, “looking for a different kind of classroom”.
What is the typical profile of a teacher trainer?
Many teacher trainers are people with extensive knowledge and experience of teaching. They have
probably taught many different levels of students, different class sizes, cultures, nationalities, age
ranges and students with different needs – from young learners through to adults with specific work-
related needs. As a practicing or prospective teacher trainer, you’ll be a reasonable jack of all trades
and perhaps even something of a specialist in one or two of them. If you have a specialization, such
as teaching young learners or teaching English for academic purposes that might be an area in which
you want to train others.
Starting early
Longevity in teaching is often a job requirement for the teacher trainer, and probably forms one of
the most common routes into teacher training. The first signs of wanting to train can, in fact, emerge
at an early stage of a teacher’s career. Take, for example, this common scenario: a teacher who has
been teaching for a year or so is standing in the teachers’ room organizing some materials for her next
lesson. Another teacher comes in and asks her what she’s doing with her students today. She explains
the idea behind a lesson or task and the colleague thinks it’s a really great idea and asks to borrow it.
For many teachers, the pleasure of suggesting and sharing ideas is their starting point into training.
Running workshops
A few more lessons and a few more good ideas later, and the same teacher is being asked by the
school’s Director of Studies to present her ideas at the monthly workshop for the school’s teachers.
Suddenly the teacher is not just talking to colleague about her ideas, but formally presenting them to
her peers. At the end of her presentation, she also has to handle a discussion of any issues arising
from her presentation, and allow time for the teachers to share their own experiences and ideas based
on what she has presents. If that type of scenario sounds familiar to you and (however nerve-racking
it was) you found it rewarding and enjoyable, then you will probably like working as a teacher trainer.
Mentoring
In some schools, there are systems of mentoring in place where newer, inexperienced teachers are
assigned to a more senior teacher. If you have the opportunity to take on the supporting role of a
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mentor, take it; it’s an ideal way to develop your professional skills, while supporting a less
experienced colleague.
These early stages of sharing ideas and experience and running workshops for your peers are among
the most common routes into teacher training. Future trainers are usually noticed by their school as
someone who is experienced and who works well with less experienced peers. If you work in larger
schools, you may also have a teacher training department which you could approach or apply to,
asking to be trained up with a view to working on pre- and in-service courses.
The Director of Studies as trainer

One other significant category of trainer might be the head of the teaching department (often called a
Director of Studies). The core of this person’s job is often to day-to-day administrative management
of students and staff. Nevertheless, as probably the most experienced teacher, this person will often
be called upon to provide in-house training.
Ask yourself
 Consider the idea that teacher training appeals to those who are ‘looking for a different kind
of classroom.’ In what ways do you think the teacher training classroom is different from the
normal classroom?
 Think about your current CV (either real or imaginary). Which aspects of it make you
suitable to become a teacher trainer?
 List examples of any occasions when you have trained other teachers, either formally of
informally.
Ways of working towards being a trainer

If you are in the process of thinking about becoming a trainer or are working on your own as a trainer
with little or no formal input, the following ideas may help you take action.
Observe others
Watch teacher trainers at work. Ask if you can observe a trainer in an input session of sit on an
observation of a teacher and the feedback process that follows. If you regularly attend conference of
workshops, notice what the presenter or trainer does and how your peers react.
Think back
Think back to when you first trained. What did you like/dislike about the trainer’s techniques? What
benefits did you gain from the course?
Volunteer
Volunteer to run an in-house workshop for your fellow teachers. If your school doesn’t have teacher
development meeting, suggest that they start. Offer to run the first one.
Keep up to date
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Read journals, books and websites. Build a personal learning network via social media and be up to
date with what people are talking about in the world of ELT, especially with regard to technology-
enhanced language learning and the applications of online learning.
Gain further qualifications

Because teacher training is so varied, and expectations vary from country to country, it’s hard to say
what qualifications you should have. In certain areas, specialist know-how alone may well get you
the job, but in the UK, for example, the Trinity Diploma in TESOL or Cambridge DELTA
qualification is often a minimum prerequisite for someone looking to become a trainer. Around the
world, many training positions can expect a candidate to have postgraduate qualifications such as an
MA in Applied Linguistics or TESOL. You should also consider taking courses in how to deliver
online training and working as an online trainer.
Ask yourself
 Which of the action points described above have you already started doing?
 Which could you start in the future?
Key considerations when moving into training
Jumping in too soon

As you can see, the route into teacher training in ELT is not necessarily a formal path. If you are
lucky, you may have the opportunity to receive formal training and an induction program. Training
course on ‘how to become a trainer’ do exist, but for the majority of teacher trainers, learning how to
train is done on the job. As a final word of warning, don’t skip too quickly from teaching into training;
make sure you have a wide range of experience of teaching English before launching yourself as a
trainer.
A balancing act
Many trainers juggle some training work with other jobs such as teaching, examining and writing.
Training contracts are often irregular, so you may need to balance a portfolio of work. There is a
strong argument that this is a healthy way to train; getting back into the classroom and teaching
students who are learning English is a good chance for you to remind yourself what it’s like for your
trainees. Nevertheless, taking breaks from training, as with teaching, can led to a loss of confidence
and the concern that you will get out of practice. At the other extreme, it’s easy to become known
only as a trainer, so you’re always either running input sessions and workshops for teachers or
observing and giving feedback, which, over long periods, can also feel limiting.
Time and rewards

There are few teachers who don’t, from time to time, bemoan the lack of pay and time for preparation.
Some even look to teacher training as an avenue to greater rewards. However, the professional day-
to-day life of a teacher trainer can sometimes feel even busier than teaching.
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Becoming the expert

As a teacher trainer, you may find you are the most experienced person in the school. Gone are the
days when there was always someone around with more experience who you could ask. Instead, you
are increasingly the person being asked. If you are a Director of Studies expected to train staff, for
example, you may find that you’re quite isolated. This is where joining professional organizations
and attending ELT webinars and conferences will really help your ongoing development and sense
of being connected.
Different training contexts

To the question “Who am I training?” should come the obvious reply:
“Teachers”. However, the answer is much more complex. After all, teachers, like language students,
come from different contexts and backgrounds, and have different needs. Here is an overview of
some of the common contexts for training teachers. Note, of course, that this kind of summary is
prone to generalizations, and that the demands on the trainer are changing as rapidly as English
spreads and evolves around the word.
Pre-service (pre-experience) teachers

A common context is to prepare people with no prior experience of teaching for the classroom. While
they may have a high (possibly proficient or native-speaker) level of English, there is no guarantee
that they know how English works or how to communicate that knowledge to learners. The focus of
such a course (such as the CELTA or Cert TESOL) will be on building language awareness and
providing classroom techniques and skills. As courses for pre-service teachers vary from region to
region in the world – from introductory ‘taster’ courses through to year-long postgraduate
qualifications – so too will the demands of the trainer working in this context.
INSET training
INSET stands for ‘in-service training’. This type of training can involve you working with a group
of people who have as many or possibly even more years of teaching experience than you. Typically,
they will need training in new skills sets such as handling an online learning management system or
preparing students for a new type of exam. As well as being interested in activities and new ideas
they can take away and use in the classroom, teachers will also want to discuss issues in greater depth.
In such cases, the role of the trainer becomes one of facilitator of discussions.
In-house training
In-house training is really a form of INSET (see above) but it can feel slightly different because it
refers to the idea of training colleagues at your work place. For many trainers, it’s often their first
introduction to running training and provides the opportunity to present your ideas to peers at work.
It’s important to note that quite often, this group of people will have varying levels of experience and
expertise, so pitching the training can be difficult. You may also find than in-house trainees prove to
be less automatically accepting of your ideas than pre-experience trainees.
Teaching-training combination
With the global spread of English and the need for increasing numbers of teachers, teacher trainers
will often be working with trainees on their classroom skills while at the same time teaching them
15
English in order to raise the level of course participants’ language competency. Even on courses
where the main focus has been teacher development, it’s common for teachers whose first language
is not English to say how much they enjoyed the opportunity to improve their English, while at the
same time discussing teaching.
Online training
Whole courses or parts of courses may be delivered online using a combination of tools such as
learning platforms (e.g. Edmodo and Moodle), email, screencast video and Skype. These kinds of
courses tend to attract a highly international mix of participants, and MOOCs (massive open online
courses) can boast literally hundreds of attendees from all over the world at any one time.
When it comes to observing classroom teaching practices and giving immediate feedback, many
training courses still rely on face-to-face training in a physical classroom; some online courses may,
however, make use of video recordings of lessons or live-streaming via a camera in a classroom.
Many teachers training course are a blend of face-to-face input and lesson observation, with online
training in areas such as language awareness and methodology. The online components may also be
a place to hold synchronous and asynchronous seminar-type discussions between the tutor and the
course participants.
The message for any budding teacher trainer, therefore, is that the more familiar you are with the
ever-growing range of tools and opportunities for online teaching, the better placed you will be to
work as a trainer.
Exam training
The fact that many teachers have to attain a recognized standard and qualification in education means
that the job of a trainer might be to prepare teachers to pass an exam or gain a qualification. In such
cases, the course will have to respond to external syllabus requirements. An example of this would
be the TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test) developed by Cambridge English Language Assessment,
which tests candidates’ knowledge of concepts related to language, language use and the background
to and practice of language teaching and learning.
One-to-one training
The context of one-to-one training or ‘mentoring’ will vary from school to school. Informally, this
may simply involve the experienced teacher in the staffroom taking the new teacher who is assigned
the task of guiding a teacher or a trainer in a one-to-one relationship with a trainee. The roles of the
trainer-mentor may vary, but here are descriptions from some ‘mentees’, who were interviewed on
how they regarded their mentors: a model, a shoulder to cry on, someone to show you around,
someone to discuss ideas with, someone to give you feedback, a co-planner.
Assessing and inspecting

In some contexts, the distinction between the role of trainer and assessor is blurred; in other words, a
trainer may also have to award grades. This could take the form of observing and assessing a lesson
or judging the quality of a journal submitted by a trainee in which the trainee is required to reflect on
16
an aspect of their teaching. Similarly, a Director of Studies may have the responsibility of quality
control and monitoring teachers’ performance.
Ask yourself
Look back at the list of different types of teacher training contexts above.
 As a teacher, which of the contexts have you experienced?
 Which of them were especially positive in terms of your development as a teacher? Why do
you think one context was more beneficial than another?
 As a future teacher, which context do you think will be more beneficial? What proportion of
your training will you prefer face to face?
The skills required

The good news is that the knowledge and skills that you have acquired and developed as a teacher
are transferable to teacher training. There are some differences, but in general the development
involves a shift in emphasis rather than the need for complete change or retraining. To illustrate the
point, let’s review three key roles of a teacher and consider how these can be applied to training.
The facilitator
The role of facilitator is a key role to take from your language teaching classroom and transfer into
your training room. In the language classroom, we facilitate discussion and try to create an
environment that is conductive to learning. When transferred to the training room, this translated into
the need to set aside time for discussion and reflection. With less experienced trainees, this may
involve asking questions to which you already have answers, or implementing discussions on topics
about which you already have an opinion. At a higher level, for example, at an in-house staff training
session, it may be that the aim of the workshop is to bring teachers together and have them share their
expertise in order to try and establish possible solutions to problems raised. This kind of workshop
demands that you facilitate the discussion and lead it to a place where it is generative and useful.
The expert
While emphasizing the need for a trainer to be a facilitator, we should also recognize that in many
contexts you will know more than your trainees, and they will expect you to give them answers. I
have observed training sessions where the trainer has taken the facilitator role to an extreme, with
trainees only ever being led to an answer through questioning, discussion and elicitation. After a
certain stage, the result – especially in the case of pre-experience teachers – can be frustration. There
has to be a point in such a session where you demonstrate the wealth of your experience and
knowledge. Trainees need to know if they have come to the wrong conclusion rather than discover
it in the middle of a disastrous lesson.
The model
Just as your language students look to you to provide ‘correct’ models of English, so too will your
trainee teachers be looking for good models of teaching in the way you carry out your training. We
know that in teaching, there is often more than one way to do things but, especially with inexperienced
teachers, you need to provide the participants with basic techniques to emulate in the early stages of
17
teaching. For example, when giving instructions, you will need to give precise and clear instructions
and concepts-check everyone’s understanding of what they have to do in an input session. Clearly,
your authority and credibility will be undermined if you tell trainees to be clearer in their instructions
when teaching, but you then fail to do so in a face-to-face session or when structuring an online task.
Similarly, badly designed materials or inept classroom management do not motivate or set an
example.
As well as teacher roles, there are other skills that we acquire as teachers which naturally transfer into
the training room. Let’s look at a few of them:
Language awareness and presenting language

On many training courses, teaching trainees how English works and then demonstrating how to
present it to students is at the ore o the program. The techniques you use to present a grammar point
or to introduce the phonemes to language learners can be used to teach trainees. Often, the language
students and the trainee teacher begin at parallel stages, with both needing to understand the
mechanics of the language.
So, for example, if you were to introducing students to time reference using different verb forms, you
could use timelines. The shift in emphasis comes where students need to understand only the time
reference in the sentence via the timeline, while the trainee teacher also needs to understand the value
and application of using timelines in a lesson.
Planning
In the same way that language lessons need some kind of plan, input sessions and workshops for
training also need some forethought. One way to approach the planning of a training session is to
structure it in the same way that you might plan a language lesson. Well-known models and
paradigms that are used in lesson planning, such as PPP (presentation, practice, production) and TBL
(task-based learning), could all be used as the basis for structuring training sessions.
Another useful lesson planning model is the ‘ESA’ model (Harmer 1998). The idea behind it is that
when we are teaching language, we need to Engage the learner’s interest perhaps with a game, an
anecdote or some music. Then the learner needs time to Study something such as a text highlighting
a particular point. The third element is to Activate the language, with the learner practicing a new
language item in a freer practice situation. This may involve making mistakes and experimenting in
the safety of the classroom.
These three same elements can be present in a successful teacher training input session. Take, for
example, the training plan below which was designed for a training workshop on dealing with spoken
errors. In stage 1 and 2 of the plan, the trainer engages the participants’ interest before stage 3, where
they study the specific errors in detail and consider ways to deal with them. Stage 4 combines familiar
pairwork and roleplay to practice correction techniques, and then encourages trainees to consider their
effectiveness.
18
Note that the plan shows only one order of events; others are possible. The trainer could have changed
the sequence by starting with the list of spoken errors, continuing with active practice and ending
with a discussion of a policy. As Harmer points out, there is no fixed order, but all elements will
usually be present. This is true of many training sessions and workshops, and certainly a useful way
for anyone new to training to assess their own training plan.
Training plan on correcting spoken errors

Stage Procedure Aim/outcome
(Time)
1 Write the following on the board: To discuss error
correction and
(0-10) Errors are a sign of poor teaching and should always be corrected. establish policy.
Put trainees in pair. They discuss the extent to which they agree or
disagree with the statement, and then rewrite it to arrive at their own
policy statement on error correction.
2 Brainstorm (as a whole group) the reasons why spoken errors occur, e.g. Identify reasons
over-generalization of a rule, poor reaching, L1 interference, student trying for spoken
(10-15) to say things beyond capability, false friends, tiredness, pronunciation, etc. errors.
3 Put trainees in groups of three. Give each group a copy of the list of spoken Develop skill of
errors (see handout below). The groups discuss the list and: identifying
(15-30) 1. identify possible reasons for errors reasons for
2. discuss possible technique for correction (e.g. tell them correct answer, errors.
repeat the error with rising intonation, use phonemic chart).
4 Put trainees in pairs for roleplay. Trainee A plays the role of teacher, Practicing
Trainee B is the student. Trainee B reads out five of the errors and Trainee different
(30-45) A uses a technique to correct. Afterwards, Trainee B comments on the techniques for
effectiveness of the technique. Trainees swap roles and use the five error correction.
remaining errors on the list.
5 Whole group together. Round-up of different techniques used and Feedback and
discussion of any issues. Ask the group if they would change their earlier reflection.
(45-60) policy statement about error correction as a result of the workshop.
List of spoken errors to be handed out to trainees in stage 3 of the training plan.
1. I’m going to wok to work.

2. They’ve seen him last week.
3. She must to drive on the right.
4. She live there for five years.
5. It leave at midnight.
6. I wouldn’t tell her, if I am you.
7. The sheep sails tonight.
8. I am liking this game very much.
9. We did a mistake and got the wrong bus.
10. He’s so unpolite.
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Listening skills and empathy

Early on in many training courses, teachers learn that they need to keep unnecessary teacher talking
time down to allow for useful student talking time. This frees the teacher up to focus on listening and
monitoring student progress.
Similarly, listening skills are important for a trainer. Showing that you’re listening will encourage
trainees to speak during discussions and monitoring participants during closed group tasks allows you
to evaluate progress. During the feedback session after an observation lesson, a period where the
trainee speaks and you listen can often help the trainee to reflect; it can also provide a cathartic release
after a particularly stressful lesson. Similarly, empathy with your trainees is crucial. When working
with less experienced teachers, you should constantly remind yourself of what it was like when you
first began to teach. Show understanding and provide lots of praise, especially after observing their
lessons.
Class management
The management skills we bring from our language classrooms are also equally important in the
training room. Large groups of people need clear direction, and groups of trainees can become as
noisy as a group of students. Deciding when you should stand at the front (to signal ‘Listen to me?)
or when you should sit with everyone in a circle (to signal ‘Let’s hear your opinions’) is equally
relevant. So don’t forget or be afraid to apply your management skills; learn the names of participants
straight away, vary the dynamic with pairwork, groupwork and working as a complete class, and use
clear, meaningful gestures. Discipline problems shouldn’t normally arise, but handling a trainee who
isn’t listening or who challenges what you are saying will require skills acquired from dealing with
similar language learners.
Rapport
In one report on a workshop in which three groups of experienced trainers were asked to brainstorm
a list of ‘what makes a good teacher trainer’, their responses included: ‘creates a good atmosphere’,
‘is able to interact with trainees’, ‘has a sense of humor’, ‘has good interpersonal skills’ and ‘inspires
and enthuses’ (Johnson J (2001) 10 out of 10. English Teaching Professional). These qualities can all
be seen as making up what is known as rapport – a teaching skill which we need both in the training
room and in the classroom.
Use of resources
The materials we use when training will often differ from those used in teaching; however, there will
be elements of crossover. For example, trainers will find it useful to keep copies of work produced
by language students for trainees to analyze, and they may use coursebooks as a way of demonstrating
to trainees how to evaluate teaching materials. Similarly, teachers’ use of classroom equipment is
often transferable to the training room. The way a trainer works with a board, a projector IWB
(Interactive Whiteboard) or a mobile device in any session is likely to influence a trainee’s own use,
so trainers should work with a variety of equipment in order to demonstrate how it may be best
employed. Finally, videos of lessons can be helpful for demonstrating a teaching point, as can texts
in the form of articles from journals. Whatever materials are used, though, the ability to select, design
and incorporate them remains the same.
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Teaching-with-technology skills
The work that many teachers do involves using a variety of technology and digital tools, both in face-
to-face teaching and online courses. For example, you might have activities that entail using tablets
in class, or you might be teaching students via Skype. Many language courses also make use of
learning platforms like Moodle, which allow you to deliver all or part of a course online with
embedded video, audio, text and exercises. Any skills you acquire using technology in your language
classroom will be essential if you plan on working as a teacher trainer in the future. In addition, the
business of running online courses entails the refining of a new set of soft skills, such as creating
rapport between an online community and managing team-building online.
Developing learner/trainee independence

Taking responsibility for one’s own learning is as important for trainee teachers as it is for students
learning English. When dealing with new teachers, we need to provide them with the skills to
evaluate the strengths or weaknesses of their own teaching without the continual observation of an
experienced trainer. Teachers who are much further down the road of professional development will
need guidance on where to find more information on a topic, of how to set about carrying out
classroom research. It is the trainer’s job to develop those independent skills.
Ask yourself
Review the following teaching skills, which are transferable to teacher training:
 Language awareness and language presentation
 Lesson planning
 Listening skills and empathy
 Classroom management
 Rapport
 Use of resources
 Teaching with technology
 Developing learner/trainee independence
1. Which of these skills do you think are your strengths as a teacher? How will you make use of them
as a teacher trainer?
2. Identify any weaker areas in which you feel you could make improvements. How might these
areas of weakness affect your work as a trainer? How might you work on improving these areas?
3. Can you think of any other skills that you have as a teachers which you can make use of and build
upon as a trainer?
To help trainees think about ways to develop themselves independently at work or after a course has
ended, distribute copies of the handout below for them to complete and discuss.
21
Teacher development action plan

Check the things you do and add where necessary.
1. Share my ideas with colleagues.
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. Study for a further qualification in teaching or another subject that interests me and
may help my teaching.
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. Subscribe to a journal for teachers.
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. Write an article for a teacher’s journal.
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. Regularly attend workshops, webinars and/or conferences.
_____________________________________________________________________________
6. Present at workshops, webinars and/or conferences.
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. Observe my peers teaching and invite them to observe me.
_____________________________________________________________________________
8. Have an extensive online personal learning network.
_____________________________________________________________________________
9. Participate in online teacher forums and/or make use of free online training such
as webinars and MOOCs.
_____________________________________________________________________________
10 Write a journal or blog about my teaching.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Which one of these would you like to start doing in the future? What action will you need to take?
Write your action plan.
Tell a partner about your action plan. What does your partner plan to do? Is there a way you can help or support each
other?
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SESSION 2
PEER COACHING
Peer coaching
Peer coaching is a procedure in which two teachers collaborate to help one or both teachers improve
some aspect of their teaching. Robbins (1991, p. 1) defines peer coaching as follows:
A confidential process through which two or more professional colleagues work together to reflect
on current practices, expand, refine, and build new skills, share ideas; teach one another; conduct
classroom research; or solve problems in the workplace.
In peer coaching, a teacher and a colleague plan a series of opportunities to explore the teacher’s
teaching collaboratively. One adopts the role of coach or “critical friend” (someone in whom one has
trust and confidence and who can offer constructive feedback in a positive and supportive manner)
as some aspect of teaching or of classroom life is explored. During and after the process, the coach
provides feedback and suggestions to the other teacher. The type of feedback the coach provides will
depend on the goals that have been established. We prefer feedback to be nonjudgmental and
nonevaluative in most cases. The coach offers observations and suggestions, but the other teacher
makes his or her own decisions about what, if anything, to change as a result of the peer-coaching
relationship. In other words, each teacher still has the main responsibility for his or her professional
development and does not hand over control to a colleague. There may, however, be situations in
which more direct input and evaluative feedback is required, such as when a novice teacher has been
receiving very poor teaching evaluations or is experiencing difficulty with a teaching assignment and
asks to work with a more experienced teacher to help address the problem.
Peer coaching can take the following forms:
 I can be a series of informal conversations between a teacher and a colleague about teaching,
focusing on what is happening in the teacher’s classrooms, what problems occur, and how these
can be addressed.
 It can be collaboration between two teachers on the preparation of teaching materials (see
vignette).
 A teacher and a coach can observe each other’s lessons.
 Two teachers can co-teach lessons and observe each other’s approach and teaching style.
 A teacher can videotape some of his or her lessons and later watch them together with the coach.
The following vignette is an example of a teacher who used peer coaching in Malaysia in order to
develop and implement materials for an integrated EAP skills class – reading, writing, and listening.
In this vignette he outlines how he used peer coaching to develop and implement new reading
materials.
23
Vignette
Together with the curriculum coordinator (who actually proposed peer coaching at a meeting), I and
one other teacher first wrote materials for an integrated skills module consisting of a reading and a
writing section. For the reading section I was in charge of developing certain materials that focused
on helping students to develop their skills in reading academic topics. When I finished this, we had
the problem of how to implement the materials. So, as a peer coach I helped the other teacher by
offering suggestions for using the materials in her classes while she was teaching. Sometimes I
demonstrated how I would use the materials, and she also came to my classes and saw how I used the
materials with my students. We found the whole peer-coaching relationship to be very helpful in
making optimal use of the new materials in all our classes because we wanted to ensure uniform
implementation of the new materials in all the classes. Both of us had the same ideas about
implementation so we entered into other peer-coaching relationships with all the other teachers who
were involved with these modules.
Mark Wilkinson
Reflection
 What made this peer relationship work for Mark and the other teacher?
 Why was the peer relationship that Mark experienced useful to the program?
Purpose, benefits, and types of peer coaching
Peer coaching is a developmental process (Joyce & Showers, 1982) and is an effective way to promote
professional development. It provides opportunities for two teachers to look at teaching problems and
to develop possible solutions. For example, peer coaching could be an opportunity for experienced
teachers to work together to understand and implement a new curriculum. Or it could be used to help
teachers new to an institution learn from more experienced colleagues because it provides a
supportive context in which novice teachers can try out new teaching materials and approaches. It
also helps develop collegiality between colleagues.
We have found that peer coaching offers benefits to the coach, the teacher, and the school. The
coach has the satisfaction of helping another colleague and at the same time can revitalize his or her
own teaching through the coaching process. Being asked to be a coach is also a sign of professional
recognition. The collaborating teacher benefits in the peer-coaching relationship by gaining
knowledge from a trusted peer, by getting constructive, nonthreatening feedback on his or her
teaching, and by expanding his or her teaching repertoires. Peer coaching also reduces the sense of
isolation that teachers tend to feel (Benedetti, 1997). The school benefits by strengthening the skills
and collegiality of its teachers and by providing for training on the job, thus cutting down on the need
for in-service training.
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Types of peer coaching
There are three different types of peer coaching (Benedetti, 1997, p. 41): technical coaching, collegial
coaching, and challenge coaching.
TECHNICAL COACHING
Technical coaching refers to a situation in which a teacher wants to learn a new teaching method or
technique and seeks the assistance of another teacher who is experienced and more knowledgeable in
this area. For example, a teacher might want to try teaching composition classes in an e-learning,
distance mode with students in different parts of the campus. To learn more about it, the teacher seeks
the advice of a colleague on how to implement this approach and the colleague advises him or her on
the process, giving feedback as it is tried out. The following vignette outlines how a teacher wanted
to share a method of teaching ESL writing using electronic mail with her colleagues.
Vignette
Over the years, I noticed that my students were reluctant to hand in printed essays because they
perceived that these essays would be marked all in red and returned with a grade in the top corner.
The students usually said that this was not helpful for them to improve their writing, so when I was
at an international conference recently, I went to a workshop about using e-mail to help EFL students
develop their writing. Because I am not a native English speaker, I always thought (and have been
told) that e-mail was bad for our students’ writing development because it encouraged bad writing
habits. You can imagine my delight when I had finished this workshop on how to set up this system
so that students could be encouraged to explore topics, write drafts, and get instant (well, near instant)
feedback on their writing before they produced their final draft. Also, I discovered that we could set
this system up where many students could interact with me and with each other to develop their
writing, providing they followed some basic guidelines. When I returned to Japan, I was so excited
about this system that I got permission from the head of the English Department to give a
demonstration of how this would work. We all gathered in the computer room and we all had one
computer so I actually took all my peers through the process of writing a real composition in English.
The I showed them a recording of how this system actually worked with my students. I was, of course,
shy to perform this in front of my peers, but their wonderful response gave me the courage to help
them further implement it in their classes. We all think it was a great success.
Yoko Nakamoto
Reflection
 What other ways do you think Yoko could have demonstrated her expertise to her colleagues?
 What expertise do you have that you could teach to your peers?
COLLEGIAL COACHING
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Collegial coaching involves two teachers focusing on refining their existing teaching practices. In this
situation, two teachers (one of them may have more knowledge of the teaching method than the other,
and so would take a coaching role) may simply want to confirm their views on teaching. To do this,
a teacher invites a colleague into his or her classroom to observe the class and offer constructive
feedback as a critical friend (see example near the end of this chapter)
Vignette
I had been teaching listening comprehension for a long time and I wondered if I was still doing it the
best way so I decided to ask a colleague who was also teaching listening comprehension at the school
to come observe me. I really wanted to confirm to myself that I was still on the right track and I knew
that this colleague had just recently finished her M.A. in TESOL degree so she would be well up in
her current knowledge of theory and practice. Also, I had a good working relationship with her since
she joined our school. Specifically, I had wanted to make sure that I was teaching my students useful
strategies for taking notes from a recorded lecture. My colleague said that she had experience with
this activity in her previous positions as an English teacher when she was studying in her M.A.
TESOL course. I wanted to make sure my students understood that although learners may use
different strategies to take notes, they must be able to use the notes to recall information. My colleague
observed me teaching such a series of listening classes, and after each class we discussed the notes
she had taken during the observation. I was delighted to learn from her that I was doing a pretty good
job, and when we compared my intentions with what she thought I was seeking to achieve and what
she thought the learners had learned, there was a pretty close match.
Eric Harmsen
Reflection
 What do you think are the main benefits of this type of collegial coaching?
 What other ways could they have gone about this approach to coaching?
COLLEGIAL COACHING
Challenge coaching involves two teachers focusing on a problem that has arisen in some aspect of
teaching, and they work jointly to resolve the problem. For example, a teacher you know may realize
that he or she has a problem “getting through” to some of the students in a class and so invites a
trusted peer to come observe the class in order to help identify the cause of the problem, and hopefully
a solution.
Vignette
In our EAP program in Hong Kong a young American teacher (a U.S. teaching fellow) with little
teaching experience was having trouble with some of his teaching assignments. I agreed to observe
some of his classes and give him feedback and suggestions after each class. I also invited him to
observe some of my classes and do the same. Through this process we began to explore alternative
ways of approaching the materials, my junior colleague began to be able to see how he could adjust
26
his own teaching strategies, and he gradually became much more confident. We also ended up
becoming good friends.
Dino Mahoney
Reflection
 Do you think a peer coach should intervene in a class while observing? Why or why not?
 What are some ways in which a peer coach can give feedback following observation of a
colleague’s class?
Roles within peer coaching

Within the peer-coaching process, each member of the partnership has a specific role to play.
COACH
We like to think of the peer coach as a type of critical friend, another teacher who can observe and
talk about teaching as part of a process of collaboration. This “friend” can provide a new lens to
refocus and get a clearer understanding of teaching. Critical friendship as a means of teacher
development was first discussed by Stenhouse (1975). He recommended that a teacher work with
another person who could give advice as a friend rather than as a consultant in order to develop the
reflective abilities of the teacher. However, it is important to remember that the word critical does
not connote negativity as it does in everyday conversation; rather, it is used in its original Greek
meaning, “to separate” and “to discern”: to separate teaching into its parts and to discern how its part
work together (if they do) and how teaching is related to other areas of life. As we use the term,
critical friends are teachers who collaborate with other teachers in order to encourage discussion and
reflection that will improve the quality of teaching and learning (Farrell, 2001). A critical friend can
thus provide another lens through which a teacher can obtain a clearer vision of his or her teaching,
ask questions and provide classroom data as examined through a different lens, offer a critique and
provide feedback in a nonjudgmental manner, and offer a trusting relationship in which conflict is
seen as constructive by offering different perspective on the classroom.
Gottesman (200, p. 8) recommends that feedback be influenced by the motto for peer coaching:
“No Praise, No Blame.” This peer-coaching model is nonjudgmental, and evaluation is withheld until
the relationship reaches a position where the teacher is ready, open, and willing to ask for suggestions
for improvement. Gottesman (2000, p. 8) suggests that feedback statements from the peer coach be
“specific in nature, about items the teacher can control, solicited rather than imposed, descriptive
rather than evaluative, tactful, well timed, checked for clarity and simplicity, dealing with behaviors
rather than personalities (of either teacher or students), not personality-driven, and well organized.”
Thus, the coach should be an active listener so that the peer can find his or her own solutions to
whatever issue is being discussed. The following vignette is an example of technical coaching. Lyn,
an experienced reading teacher in an EAP program in Singapore, had just taken over the reading
program in the school and noticed that the program did not have any rate-building classes in the
courses.
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Vignette
I wanted to get all the reading teachers to use this method because ongoing rate-building exercises
are necessary and very helpful to improve the students’ overall reading skill. I didn’t have the time to
coach all ten teachers, so I decided to coach one other teacher, the most senior teacher in terms of
teaching experience, who in turn would coach the other teachers. Both of us agreed on times and
classes where I could coach the other teacher on handing rate-building session in a reading class. I
went over the following points with the other teacher and looked for their implementation when I
observed the teacher’s classes:
 Make sure students understand the purpose of the exercise – not to get a head start reading before
the clock; read for gist, not 100% comprehension; not to look back at reading when answering
comprehension questions, and so on.
 Let students know a target reading rate they should work toward – what’s appropriate for
different kinds of reading materials.
 Students record rate and percentage on reading chart, take notes on vocabulary they want to
review.
The teacher seemed to have covered all and I was happy that she would be able to coach some of the
other teachers. This has worked out well for everyone in this program.
Lyn May
Reflection
 Do you think peer coaching is an efficient way to implement changes in the curriculum? Why?
Why not?
 What other methods could Lyn have adopted to coach the teachers?
TEACHER
The collaborating teacher needs to be willing to cooperate with the coach and critical friend, remain
open-minded, and be interested in learning about new ways to approach teaching. A teacher who is
willing to try to improve his or her teaching is not admitting weakness, but rather is simply trying to
find better ways to teach his or her students (Gottesman, 2000).
Gottesman (2000, p. 37) suggests the following roles for a teacher in a peer-coaching relationship:
 Be committed to peer coaching as a way of analyzing and improving instruction.

 Be willing to develop and use a common language of collaboration in order to discuss the total
teaching act without praise or blame.
 Be willing to enter into a peer-coaching relationship (e.g., by requesting a classroom observation
visit and by observing as a coach if asked).
 Be open-minded and willing to look for better ways of conducting classroom business.
 Act as a colleague and as a professional.
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Procedure used for peer coaching
Peer coaching can be conducted on a formal or an informal level. At an informal level, a teacher and
a colleague can simply sit down and discuss his or her teaching in the form of conversation about
what happened in the teacher’s classroom. The two teachers might also undertake a curriculum
development project together, jointly developing materials for a course and discussing the thinking
behind the materials. If two teachers are teaching the same subject area, they can analyze what they
are doing and make suggestions for improving the curriculum or materials. Two teachers can also co-
teach lessons and observe each other’s approach and teaching style. They can also videotape lessons
and watch the tapes together. The coach can also act as an expert in a particular area and help the
colleague develop the knowledge or skills needed to teach the subject.
Three initial phases are often useful in implementing peer coaching: peer watching, peer feedback,
and peer coaching (Gottesman, 2000).
 Peer watching. The first phase, peer watching, involves a teacher observing another teacher tech
but without making any comments or giving any suggestions after the class. The teacher can take
notes but should not talk or comment to his or her colleague about the class during this phase. It
is important to remember that peer watching is just that, watching and not interfering in any way
during the lesson or sharing the results with the teacher after the lesson. For example, a teacher
might invite a peer to watch him or her teach a class on reading comprehension. The teacher is
interested in knowing more about how he or she gives instructions during class, so he or she asks
a peer to observe the class and to focus on how instructions are given throughout the lesson. The
teacher get used to having an observer in the class and the peer gets practice in taking notes while
observing a class. However, the peer does not discuss his or her observations at this stage. When
both teachers feel comfortable with the process, they can move on to the next stage, peer
feedback.
 Peer feedback. This next short phase is a transition between watching and coaching. During peer
feedback, the coach, who has collected data, presents this information to his or her peer. No
coaching or suggestions for improvement take place in this phase, just a presentation of the facts.
The peer can develop his or her note-taking skills during this phase and can try out different data-
gathering devices such a checklists or video- and audio-recording.
 Peer coaching. This crucial last phase in the process is where real coaching takes place. It is
where the coach plans and offer suggestions for improvement if the teacher has asked for this
type of direct input.
Peer coaching and mentoring
Mentoring is a particular form of peer coaching. It is a process whereby and experienced teacher
works with a novice teacher, giving guidance and feedback. Mentor teacher often receive special
training and support for their role as mentor. They have usually been drawn from veteran teachers
within a school who help beginners learn the philosophy, cultural values, and established sets of
behaviors expected by the school employing them (Little, 1990).
For language teachers new to a school, Malderez and Bodoczky (1999, p. 4) describe some
different roles that mentors can play and suggest that most mentors will be involved “to a greater or
lesser degree in all five roles.”
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 They can be models who inspire and demonstrate.

 They can be acculturators who show new teachers the ropes.
 They can be sponsors who introduce the new teachers to the “right people.”
 They can be supporters who are there to listen and to encourage new teachers who may need to
let off steam.
 They can be educators who act as sounding boards for the articulation of ideas to help new
teachers achieve professional learning objectives.
Peer coaching is generally different from a mentor-protégé relationship in that the responsibilities are
more restricted and the relationship between the coach and the teacher is more equal. The purpose of
peer coaching is to build collegiality as teachers develop themselves professionally-
Implementing peer coaching
Peer coaching may be implemented in the following ways:
 Find out teachers’ views on peer coaching. Initially it is important to provide those interested in
peer coaching with information about what peer coaching is (and is not) and to give them a
chance to discuss any concerns or misgivings. At this stage, teachers can discuss how peer
coaching might be able to help them with their development as teachers.
Questions that might be discussed include the following:
 What does peer coaching involve and how can it help you in your professional development?
 Do you think peer coaching as professional development takes your needs into account?
 Do you think there will be any problems in observing lessons (or in being observed)?
 Do you think there will be any problems giving feedback?
 What do you hope you will achieve by taking part in peer coaching?
 In what areas would you be willing to serve as an “expert” coach?
 Provide structure for teachers. It is necessary to provide structure can be in the dorm of
providing time in the schedule so that peer coaching can occur. It is also important to establish
incentives for the teachers to engage in peer coaching. Giving teachers time off to engage in peer
coaching as part of their professional development will go a long way to achieving this. The
administration can further help the peer-coaching process to take hold by finding coverage for a
class that the teachers are supposed to teach at the time of the peer coaching, having the principal
cover some classes, and/or using in-service days for peer-coaching activities.
 Select the form of peer-coaching activity (e.g., observation, materials writing). Teams can now
decide what they will focus their peer-coaching activity on. One of the most common forms of
peer coaching is where peers watch each other teach classes in order to reflect on their current
practices. Teachers might also want to expand, refine, and/or build new teaching skills by
watching each other teach. Alternatively, one peer might want to teach another peer a specific
method or technique of teaching while getting feedback on this new technique at the same time.
Another form of peer coaching could be watching videos of specific teaching techniques and
critiquing these techniques while trying to implement them in their own classes. Discussions can
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focus on the appropriateness of these techniques and how they could be (and were) adapted in
their own classes. This would combine video watching and classroom observations.
 Plan how and when to carry out the activity. Peer coaching works best when teachers build trust
with each other, set their own schedule, and engage in peer coaching on a regular basis. For real
peer coaching to take place, it has to be performed on a system of request: One teacher requests
a peer to coach him or her on some aspect of teaching in order to improve his or her teaching.
There is no reporting to administrators, no “expert” or “elite”, and no fixed administrative
schedule.
 Choose specific topics. The teacher chooses a peer coach and requests a visit or chooses the topic
for collaboration with the coach. The teacher’s responsibility is to be as specific as possible about
what he or she wants the peer to coach him or her on. For example, if the collaboration involves
a classroom visit, the teacher may want to focus on such topics as wait time, patterns of classroom
interaction (teacher-to-students and student-to-student), the clarity, type, and mode of delivery
of instructions, the teacher’s use of praise, and the type and frequency of teacher’s questions, to
name but a few. If the peer-coaching collaboration in focused on classroom research, and the
publication of this research in a teacher’s magazine or academic journal, then the teacher can
seek a peer who has experience in publishing and work with the coach to publish a paper in a
selected journal. In this way, the coach will know exactly what is expected from him or her.
 Reflect and review. In any peer-coaching process it is important for both the teacher and the
coach to step back from the relationship in order to reflect on what happened. This review is vital
for the future of the peer relationship. Any analysis of the peer-coaching process should seek
answers to the following questions:
 Was the feedback specific and only related to the topic requested by the teacher?
 What kind of language was used in the feedback session? Was it judgmental and/or
evaluative? If so, how can this be avoided in the future?
 Will the peer-coaching process be helpful for the teacher? For example, if it involved
classroom observations, will this lead to more effective teaching?
 Will the teacher seek another classroom visit?
 Is the teacher willing to act as a coach now?
Teacher entering a peer-coaching relationship should be aware of problems that might occur for both
the teacher and the peer coach. Time is an often-cited problem. The demands of time need to be
considered. The coach needs time to discuss and observe the teacher and the teacher needs time to
learn from the coach. We have found that if the peer coaching is a formal activity sanctioned by the
school, then the coach must be allowed time-release from teaching so that he or she can combine
coaching with teaching. The teacher also needs time and opportunity to analyze his or her own
teaching and to be able to articulate these to the coach. Coaching can be demanding if coaches are
not clear about their exact roles in the peer-coaching relationship. For this they need to be trained
somewhat in the basic skills of mentoring and coaching. Additionally, peer-coaching relationships
can sometimes be unpredictable. This can be especially true if both the teacher and the coach feel
unclear about their roles and responsibilities. Also, for the relationship to be effective, a culture of
trust must be built up in the school and in the relationship.
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Summary
Peer coaching is a form of teacher collaboration in which one teacher coacher a peer in performing a
teaching activity. This form of collaboration offers benefits to all the participants. Peer coaching can
take the form of technical coaching, collegial coaching, or challenge coaching. It is important to
clearly define the roles of both the coach and teacher from the very beginning of the process so that
a culture of trust can be established as early as possible in the collaboration. When institutions want
to implement peer coaching, the teachers should be consulted about their concerns and informed about
their roles in the process and the type of structure the institution will provide. Sufficient time must be
allowed both by the teachers involved in the peer coaching and by the institution in which the peer
coaching occurs.
Example of peer coaching
The following is a summary of a peer-coaching situation in Japan (Sagliano, Sagliano, & Stewart,
1998).
Context
The context is an English-medium 4-year university in Japan with a liberal arts program. A unique
feature of the program is that some courses are taught by interdisciplinary pairs of teachers. The
program’s philosophy is that this interdisciplinary (language-content) exchange can promote critical
reflection on teaching.
Participants
The participants in this study were three interdisciplinary teams of teachers. There were three ESOL
faculty members who had all taught Japanese university students for a number of years. Their
discipline-area teaching partners (two in history and one in religion) had many combined years of
higher education teaching experience; one had a newly minted Ph.D. All participants were committed
to developing courses and teaching collaboratively across disciplines.
Process (peer coaching)
Peer coaching is a natural extension of team teaching. The process of peer coaching in the three cases
grew out of team-teaching experiences. In all cases, the desire for peer coaching came from a
perceived need in all three teams to better integrate language and content instruction. In one case, the
co-teachers began their course with a high level of mutual trust. In the others that trust had to be
earned over time. As the teams worked out their course learning objectives, developed materials, and
instructed together, they were critically appraising each other’s work. In short, they met regularly to
work on specific aspects of their course and their development as teachers.
Outcomes
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Each of the three cases generated different outcomes. One teaching pair discovered through peer
coaching the value of open, ongoing dialogue for clarifying viewpoints about students and tasks. Too
much of what teachers believe they know is unstated and assumed to be shared knowledge. Another
teaching team found that their willingness and capacity to listen carefully to each other’s points of
view grew, while reacting to student feedback resulted in more innovative teaching styles for both of
them. In the third case, an ESOL teacher advised a historian on the appropriateness of subject content
for Japanese college students. This helped to sensitize the instructor to the importance of developing
appropriate ways for introducing new material to students.
Insights
Several insights were gained from this peer-coaching example. First, teachers may be reluctant to
change instructional habits owing to the nature of the organizational structure of colleges, the teaching
profession itself, and the inherent preferences of teachers. Thus, energetic leadership and support by
administrators are vital to the successful promotion of peer coaching. Second, teachers may have
conflicting values. Again, these sources of conflict should be worked out with administrative support.
Third, teachers may be uneasy about coaching each other. This requires the cultivation of trust and
sensitivity, combined with the ability to be candid yet considerate. Fourth, teachers may balk at
spending time to develop peer-coaching relationship. Peer-coaching relationship can quickly come to
be seen as unwanted additional work. Once teachers agree to work collaboratively to improve
instruction, it is vital to the success of the venture that the goals, tasks, and responsibilities of the
partners are clearly understood at all times.
TEACHER COLLABORATION: LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER
The process of continuing to develop your professional expertise as a teacher is sometimes difficult
to manage alone. The challenges if teaching in a rapidly changing profession almost necessitate
collaboration with other teachers in order to say on the cutting edge. Can you successfully collaborate
with other teachers to fulfill your expectations? Let me suggest five forms of collaboration—of
teachers learning from each other—that have worked for others that may work for you.
1. Peer coaching
Already in this chapter you have been given some guidelines for observation of both yourself
and other teachers. Peer coaching is a systematic process of collaboration in which one teacher
observes and gives feedback to another teacher, usually with some form of reciprocity. Kate
Kinsella (1994: 5) defines and elaborates as follows:
Peer coaching is a structured process by which trained faculty members voluntarily assist
each other in enhancing their teaching within an atmosphere of collegial trust and candor,
through: (1) development of individual instructional improvement goals and clear
observation criteria; (2) reciprocal, focused, no evaluative classroom observations; and (3)
prompt constructive feedback on those observations.
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Observers need not technically be “peers,” in every sense of the word, but as colleagues,
observer and teacher engage in a corporative process of mutual communication about the actual
teaching-learning process as directly observed in the classroom. Feedback is classified as
formative rather than summative. It is offered and received as information for the enhancement
of one’s future teaching, not as data for summing up one’s competencies as a teacher.
Peer coaching can be especially helpful if you focus on certain aspects of your teaching. If
you’ve been concerned, say, about the quantity of teacher talk vs. student talk in your teaching,
a peer observer may be able to give you some feedback that could lead you to make some
adjustments. Among topics that peer-coaching programs have centered on are distribution of
student participation across the classroom; teacher speech mannerisms, patterns, eye contact, and
nonverbal distracters; group and pair work management; and transitions from one activity to the
next, to the next.
Peer coaching is able to offer a personalized opportunity for growth. Both sides of the team
benefit: the observer is called upon to carefully analyze another’s teaching and thereby sharpen
his or her own metacognitive ability to reflect on the teaching process; the teacher being observed
is nudged out of what might otherwise be some complacency into a heightened awareness of his
or her own areas of strength and weakness.
2. Team Teaching
To the extent that the structure and budget of your program permit, team teaching can be an
extraordinarily rewarding experience. Several models of team teaching are common: (1) two
teachers are overtly present throughout a class period, but divide responsibility between them;
(2) two teachers take different halves of a class period, with one teacher stepping aside while the
other performs; and (3) two or more teachers teach different consecutive periods of one groups
of learners, and must collaborate closely in carrying out and modifying curricular plans.
The first two models are less frequently found among English language programs not because
of absence of reward for student and teacher, but because of budgetary limitations. The third
model is extremely common in the English language-teaching world, especially whenever a
group of learners compose an intact set of students across two or more class periods. Within this
model, the importance of collaboration is sometimes underestimated. Teachers may be too ready
to assume that a curriculum spanning a whole term of, say, ten to fifteen weeks will simply
proceed as planned, only to discover that another teacher has not been able to follow the time-
plan, throwing off the expected sequencing of material.
The advantages of team teaching, especially in the first two models, parallel those of peer
coaching. Teachers are encouraged to collaborate, to consider respective strengths, and to engage
in reflective practice. In the third model, teachers must develop a pattern of frequent
communication and exchange, the fruits of which often are greater professional growth.
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3. Action research
Classroom-based, or “action”, research has already been described in a previous section of

this chapter. Research in the language classroom offer another opportunity for you to collaborate
with other teachers in creative and ultimately rewarding ways.
A few years ago I instigated a collaborative effort at the American Language Institute at San
Francisco State University to study the effect of error treatment on the performance of our ESL
students. Two matched sections of the same low-intermediate intensive English course were
selected for investigation over a seven-week period. An oral pre-test was designed by the
research group and administered to each student. In one section, teachers deliberately withheld
any treatment of present tense, present progressive, and third person singular speech errors
committed by the students. In the other section, teachers attempted to treat overtly all such errors
that they noticed. During the seven-week study time, teachers observed each other, and other
members of the research group not teaching those sections also came in to observe, mostly to
check up on the extent to which teachers were carrying out their respective charge. At the end of
the seven-week period, the pretest was re-administered as a post-test, and gain scores were
calculated.
The statistical finding of this little study were disappointing: no significant difference
between the two sections! But the pedagogical gains accrued by the collaboration among eight
teachers were more than worth the effort. In the process of investigating a potentially interesting
instructional variable, teachers did the following, all collaboratively: they formulated research
hypotheses; they designed the study; they designed a test; they observed and gave feedback to
each other; they were sensitized to the complexities of error treatment; and they lowered their
fear of performing research!
4. Collaborative curriculum development and revision
The process of curriculum development and revision warrants a similar collaborative effort.
In the same way that teachers are sometimes all too happy to turn over research to the experts,
so we are tempted to get curriculum specialist to do course and program development. Growing,
dynamic language programs are a product of an ongoing creative dialogue between teachers and
among teachers and those that are assigned to compile curricula. Not to involve teachers in the
process is to run the risk of programs that are generated in a vacuum of sorts, devoid of a dynamic
interaction among student, teacher, and administrator.
At the American Language Institute, our curriculum supervisors are in daily communication
with teachers. As teacher consult with them on lesson design, textbook adaptation, and
pedagogical innovations, new curriculum is born every day. This kind of collaboration results in
solicited teacher contributions to course syllabuses which are then adapted and incorporated into
established, revised curricula. Thus the curricula for courses are in a slow but constant state of
creative change.
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5. Teacher support groups
Finally, collaboration can take the form of gatherings of teachers at a number of different
levels. At the local level of the day-to-day routine that we all find ourselves in, the importance
of purposeful gatherings of teachers cannot be too strongly stressed. Even if agendas are rather
informal—empathetic support will readily be found even within informal agendas—it is
important to have times when a staff of teachers gets together to cover a number of possible
issues: student behavior problems, teaching tips, curricular issues, and even difficulties with
administrative bureaucracy. When teachers talk together, there is almost always a sense of
solidarity and purpose, and ultimately a morale boost.
CRITICAL PEDAGOGY
We have heard a lot in recent years about the “critical” nature of language pedagogy. As language
teachers we have to remember that we are all driven by convictions about what this world should look
like, how its people should behave, how its governments should control that behavior, and how its
inhabitants should be partners in the stewardship of the planet. We “embody in our teaching a vision
of a better and more humane life” (Giroux & McLaren 1989: xiii).
However, critical pedagogy brings with it the reminder that our learners must be free to be
themselves, to think for themselves, to behave intellectually without coercion from a powerful elite,
to cherish their beliefs and traditions and cultures without the threat of forced change. In our
classrooms, where “the dynamics of power and domination permeate the fabric of classroom life”
(Auerbach 1995: 9), we are alerted to a possible “covert political agenda [beneath our] overt technical
agenda” (Phillipson 1992: 27).
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SESSION 3
OBSERVING LESSONS
Reasons for observing for observing lessons

There are different reasons for observing lessons, and the relationship between the person being
observed and the observer can vary. An observation might involve the teacher trainer observing a
teacher in order to give feedback as part of a training course; the observer might also have some kind
of assessor role requiring him or her to grade the teacher in some way. Peer observation, in which
one teacher observes another, is a useful component of teacher training and teacher development.
This type of observation usually involves the peer observing the other teacher; however, it may be
that the focus is on the students and how they react to different ways of teaching. These ease with
which most of us can video-record our lessons means that we can also regard self-observation
(videoing our own lessons and watching them afterwards) as a useful component worth adding to a
teacher training course. We will look at all these formats for lesson observation, and consider how
they all form a useful purpose in any teacher training program.
Lesson observation might also be regarded as a technique for introducing new aspects of teaching, or
for developing and reflecting on a teacher’s existing sills. However, observation differs from other
techniques because it takes place outside the formal input session. Lesson observation might also be
regarded as being similar to the practice of planning and teaching lessons in the sense that all the
isolated aspects of the input such as ‘how to tech grammar’ or ‘building rapport’ are united in real
time. Unlike teaching practice, observation allows the trainer and trainee to unpack the lesson into
separate parts, and gives us the luxury of wondering what would happen if we were to repackage
them in a different way, in different order or with a wholly new approach.
The trainer as observer and evaluator

There are two distinct roles for the trainer in observation.
The first role involves the trainer acting as a mentor. Observing provides a useful opportunity for a
more personalized form of input, allowing us to address individual needs. Through observation we
can measure the success of our input sessions as we see trainees implement the skills taught or identify
areas that need further input.
The second function of trainer-trainee observation is evaluative. It can be the means by which trainees
are evaluated by a trainer on a certificate-based course, or the way in which teachers are assessed by
their Director of Studies for ongoing quality control purposes.
Observation as classroom research

Observation that involves watching a peer or a more experienced teacher at work in the classroom is
also a useful training tool. The role of the trainer here is to select and assign appropriate observation
tasks. The trainee’s observation task tends to focus on how the lesson works and what they can learn
from that. So the observation is less about evaluation and feedback and more about relating what is
observed to their own teaching in some way.
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In the following pages, part 1 covers issues relating to the trainer as observer; part 2 deals with the
idea of the trainer setting observation activities for trainees. However, the issues raised on both sides
should be relevant to any observer.
Part 1: The trainer observing

Whether you are a trainer on a training course or a senior member of staff observing teachers as part
of ongoing in-house training, your first point to consider is how you handle the person being observed.
The observer-teacher relationship

Having an observer sitting at the back of a classroom can be rather like hosting a party with one
person sitting on their own corner who nobody knows. No one speaks to this person, but every so
often they are reminded of his or her slightly uncomfortable presence. As the host, the teacher being
observed is in the most uncomfortable position of all. Even experienced teachers will be heard in
staff rooms bemoaning the imminent arrival of an observer to a lesson, and for a new or inexperienced
teacher, it often takes their stress levels into realms thus far undreamed of. Teaching a group of
students, perhaps for the first time ever, and being observed by a trainer or Director of Studies
(however well-intentioned) is a daunting combination.
Reducing the stress factor

To help teachers relax before they are observed, try to establish an atmosphere of mutual co-operation
and support. Having said that, on more formal training programs, it may be policy that the trainees
are awarded grades or scores for their performance, in which case the dichotomy of development and
assessment are problematic to resolve. As a result, many trainees or teachers walk into a lesson more
concerned by the final grade they will receive than any advice or judicious feedback you may offer.
Here are some ways you can help to reduce the stress in the observed lesson:
1. Make criteria public

If you are assessing the teacher, make sure they know by what criteria.
2. Meet before the lesson

Spend about ten minutes with the teacher beforehand talking through their plan and discussing the
students’ profiles and the class dynamics.
3. Make observations the norm

Let the teacher become used to being observed by making the first observed lesson one which isn’t
graded or assessed. Observe and keep the feedback on the first lesson fairly short.
4. Let teachers determine the observation

You could let the observed teacher decide which areas they wish to be observed on, or ask them to
provide an observation form.
5. Peer observation
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Encourage teachers to observe each other before being observed by a trainer or a perceived authority
figure. By doing this, teachers become familiar with the experience and it can also build a sense of
supportive fellowship among the observed.
6. Don’t leave anything open to interpretation

If you aren’t observing the entire lesson, then let the teacher know; don’t leave them feeling you
walked out halfway because you couldn’t bear to watch any more. Ideally, discuss beforehand what
will be a good stage of the lesson to ‘disappear’.
Ask yourself
If you are a teacher:
 How do you feel before you are observed?
 Consider times when you have been observed in the past. Was the experience positive or
negative? Did you find it stressful? Why? Why not?
If you are a forthcoming teacher:

 How do you think you would you feel before the class observation?
 Would the experience be positive or negative? Will you find it stressful? Why? Why not?
Stress among the students

Unless one of your motives is in fact to observe a student at work, the students in the lesson need to
be aware that they are not being evaluated in a way which will affect them. Also note that students,
like teachers, relax the more often observations take place.
In certain contexts, it may also happen that students assume that there is something wrong with their
current teacher because the lesson is being observed. If you are a Director of Studies observing your
staff, make it clear to arriving students at the school that is part of policy; make the fact that you
observe and encourage ongoing staff-training a good reason to be attending this school.
Observation forms
Although observation is about watching and listening, you will want to make notes for a number or
reasons. You will want to be able to give feedback after the lesson, so you will need notes to refer
to. Usually, these notes can be given to the observed teacher as a record of the observation and, on
an externally validated course, may formally appear in a portfolio of work. Working from some kind
of form will also help you organize your thoughts and make them accessible to both you and the
teacher.
The observation form below is typical of the type of form that trainers use. It encourages the observer
and teacher or trainee to meet prior to the lesson and agree upon an area for focus. This might be
‘instructions’ or ‘student interaction’, for example. The teacher or trainee chooses his or her own
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criteria to be the main area for development. The trainer then observes and makes notes for feedback
later on with specific reference to the ‘agreed focus for observation’.
Trainer’s observation form

Teacher: _____________________________________________________________
Observer: ____________________________________________________________
Date: _______________________________________________________________
Class profile: _________________________________________________________
Agreed focus for observation:
Time Stages of the lesson/ Strength Points to consider
Guided versus unguided observation forms

The form above is typical of an observation from that follows the lesson chronological, with the
observer making notes about the lesson as it unfolds. In this case, the lesson sets the agenda for the
observation rather than the other way around. It offers few pointers to the trainer, and therefore
assumes a developed skill in knowing what to observe for and how to make suggestions to the trainee
40
or teacher regarding what he or she needs to work on. In other words, it is not a form that will work
well in the hands of an inexperienced observer as it provides no focus. Learning to observe effectively
(and usefully) needs time. It is not intuitive. If you feel you would prefer to work from a more
focused document – for example, one that concentrates on a specific area of teaching – you should
refer to later examples at the end of this session
Other points to remember

As well as noting your observations on a form, it is worth remembering these other issues when
observing.
1. Discussing the lesson to be observed
Before most observation, it’s helpful to receive a lesson plan from the teacher. If there is time before
the lesson, it will also be helpful to have studied the plan and then to have met with the teacher to
have them talk through what they expect from the lesson. Note that at this stage it is usually unwise
to pass opinion on the plan (since any comment could be taken as criticism and cause anxiety). The
short discussion should aim to put the teacher at ease and help to clarify any queries. You can also
use this time to ask the teacher if there’s any particular area they’d like you to observe for.
2. Be focused
Arrive a few minutes before the lesson and organize yourself. If you arrive late, stressed or still
thinking about another issue, then this can affect both the teacher and your feelings about the lesson.
Allow yourself five minutes to settle, relax and focus yourself on the lesson, you owe this to the
teacher as much as to yourself.
3. Position
As a general rule, position yourself at the back of the class or to the side. Try to be out of the eyeline
of the person teaching and not in a position where students might be tempted to talk to you. If you
know the students being taught, make it clear they are to direct any questions at the teacher – not you.
4. Movement during the lesson

While observing, you might need to stand and look at what students are doing (e.g. completing an
exercise in their books). However, this can be distracting so try to avoid too much intrusive
movement.
5. Intervention
You might observe a lesson where the teacher explains something incorrectly to the class of, worse
still, the teacher loses control of a class. However, there remain very few situation where you should
intervene or take over teaching the remaining part of a lesson. If the teacher explains something
incorrectly, it’s usually a point that can be retaught if necessary at a later date. If the problem is one
of classroom management, such as a discipline problem, then you have to be absolutely satisfied that
intervention is the only option available to you. Taking over the lesson is not your role, and will have
obvious repercussions on a trainee teacher’s confidence. It may be possible to pass a note to the
trainee at some point during the lesson, but again, this may put some trainees off. There are some
occasions where the trainee will come up to you for advice or to check something (perhaps while the
41
students are busy doing groupwork). If you can answer quickly, it may be appropriate, but in general,
avoid this situation.
6. Observe based on what they know

Observe for what you know the teacher should be expected to know. For example, a pre-service
teacher shouldn’t be judged negatively on how they mishandle spoken errors if they have received no
input on it.
7. Observe the lesson

It’s easy to forget that an observation is of the lesson and not simply the teacher. Remember to take
into the account the learners, the assigned coursebook or materials, and the classroom provided.
8. Standardizing the observation

Where you are using an observation from which is also being used by other trainers, especially when
the observation involves formal assessment, (in the next section), make sure you all prepare for
observation with some kind of standardization and agreement. One way to do this is for two trainers
to attend a lesson and agree on their response afterwards. If it isn’t feasible for more than one trainer
to attend the observation, you could video the lesson. Other observers could watch the lesson at a
later date, sharing thoughts and comparing the marks they would award for the lesson. Note that a
video-recording is never as effective as live observation because you only receive the viewpoint of
the camera.
Observation for assessment

Much of the published literature on lesson observation emphasizes the importance of observation as
a developmental tool. However, many trainers are also required to observe in order to assess a
teacher. Observation for assessment may form part of external validation on a training course, or the
Director of Studies in a school may have to observe and assess staff on a regular basis as part of
school (or even government) policy.
There is, perhaps an uneasy balance between trying to assess a teacher, while at the same time helping
them to develop. When the aim of an observation is primarily assessment, it might be questioned
whether a teacher also develops in such situations or whether they are simply being seen to complete
certain tasks for the purposes of assessment. The answer is probably ‘yes’ to both. A teacher will
perform certain actions for an assessed observation, but by having attention drawn to certain areas,
the teacher is also being encouraged to improve and develop certain key skills, techniques and
knowledge.
Assessment and observation forms might be developed in-house by language schools, with a teacher
being scored by a set of criteria. When designing such assessment forms, there are certain points to
remember in the design.
Making assessment forms manageable
42
Assessment criteria for lessons can be broken down even several sections, but assessment forms that
are over two pages in length usually become unworkable at a practical level and are in danger of
overloading the teacher with too many criteria to consider during the lesson.
Transparency
When using such forms it’s advisable to make sure that teachers have seen and understood the
requirements. For example, if your role is that of Director of Studies assessing your teaching staff,
then it’s worthwhile having a staff meeting before the start of observations where teachers have a
chance to study and discuss a form. It allows time for everyone to agree on what is meant by, for
example, ‘effective classroom management’. Indeed, such meetings could even be used to involve
the teachers in the observation form’s design, giving it real transparency and a sense of joint
ownership.
Joint ownership of the assessment

Observing a teacher and talking to them afterwards about the lesson will tell you a great deal about
their development and can provide you both with a list of the key areas a teacher needs to work on.
For example, consider this extract from an observation assessment form:
The teacher seeks to establish rapport

and involves the students right from 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
the beginning of the lesson.
The observer might circle a lower score, such as 3, on the first observation. It becomes the observer’s
job to help the teacher close the distance between 3 and 10.
For even greater joint ownership in the process, discuss and establish the areas of strength and
weakness using the Personal assessment observation form, as the example below, before a lesson
observation. Choose five areas to write on the form such as those in the example that follows. Note
that the tendency may be to only focus on areas where the gap is wide, but it is important that strengths
are also included in which the trainee may score 8 or 9. This avoids demotivation as well as
highlighting that even strengths can be worked on. In the completed example shown below, the
observer identifies that the teacher has strengths with regard to materials and classroom discipline
with a group of young learners, but that she needs to incorporate greater free practice and work on
rapport. The same form can be used again later on to see if there has been improvement.
43
Personal assessment observation
Personal assessment observation

1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Example:
1. use of relevant and authentic materials 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2. competent classroom control 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
3. good variety of activities and suitable pace 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4. lots of free practice activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
5. use of smiling and friendly body language 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Part 2: Trainees and teachers observing
Teachers can observe each other as part of a training course or as part of a peer observation scheme
for staff development in a school. There are various reasons for encouraging this type of observation
among peers on a course or teachers working in the dame department.
1. Share ideas
Teachers will get ideas from each other. I’ve even seen cases where teachers from different
departments have observed and gained from each other – for example, a biology teacher observing
an ESOL teacher and vice versa.
2. Team building
Many teachers feel the isolation of teaching alone. When introduced effectively, peer observation
can build a feeling of working as part of a team and an environment where peers look to each other
for help.
3. Developing skills
The observing teacher can work on developing their own analytical skills and feedback style.
4. Seeing students differently

Observing another teacher teaching your students or students at a similar level is often helpful and
lets you see your students from another perspective.
44
5. Working on a weakness
Being an observer may afford you time to consider areas of your teaching to work on and the chance
to see how others handle classroom practice.
Establish protocols
If you are introducing the notion of peer observation, certain contexts may demand that you spell out
the expectations of what it is to be an observer in someone else’s class. Particularly in the case of
internal staff development, there may be tension about peers observing each other, and an outcome
of worry and concern rather than an environment of sharing and developing. Teachers need to be
aware that certain expectations or protocols should be adhered to, the principle of ‘observe others in
the way that you would like to be observed’ is a good starting point for guidelines.
One way to address the issue of observation protocol is to hold a workshop beforehand where the
group of teachers agree on how to approach an observation. This can be done quite simply by making
a copy of the cards shown below. Cut out the situation cards. Put the teachers into groups of three
or four. Hand out some or all of the situation cards at random. Ask teachers to discuss each situation
in terms of ‘How would you feel if this happened to you?’ Note that the situations are not always
clear cut and should inspire plenty of ‘Yes, but…’-type of discussion.
At the end, the groups feed back and summarize their responses to the whole group. Groups then
draw up a list of rules or guidelines for observing, as a result of their earlier discussion. These rules
might be along the lines of:
1. Arrive at the classroom five minutes before it begins.

2. Do not talk to the students during the lesson.
3. Have a clear and agreed observation task.
After the session, write up the agreed protocol and make sure everyone has a copy to refer to.
45
Observation protocol cards
You find out that the observer The person who is scheduled to The observer chats to some of
described your lesson to another observe you asks if the observation the students during some of
colleague afterwards. can be postponed. S/he tells you the groupwork activities in your
none hour before the lesson is due to lesson.
start.
The observer comes over to talk You find out that the observer The observer asks you for a
to you during one of the free described a very successful activity lesson plan to look at.
practice activities. you used to another colleague.
The observer interrupts and After the lesson, the observer doesn’t The observer leaves before
points out a mistake you made mention the lesson or say what they the lesson has ended.
on the board. thought.
You have an odd number of The observer arrives a few minutes One of the students wants to
students for a pairwork activity. after the lesson has started. ask the observer a question.
The observer volunteers to make
up the numbers and work with
one of the students.
46
Earlier, we referred to the difficulty of expecting an observer to observe with only a blank page to fill
in. It takes an experienced trainer to observe and, as the session progresses, to decide what the focus
of the observation needs to be.
Where (especially less experienced) teachers observe other teachers, it is wise to tell them the focus
of their observation and to offer them a task or pre-designed form that will guide them during the
observation.
The remaining part of this observation section suggests a variety of ways to design observation tasks
and forms. These can be applied to different aspects of the lesson and you will find that they can be
adapted. (As well as making them the sole focus of an observation task for a trainee or teacher, you
will almost certainly draw upon these techniques in part when you yourself observe.)
Sentence completion observation

Some observation forms require trainees to complete sentences about the lesson they have observed.
This is especially useful at the early stages of a teacher’s development as it does two things: firstly,
it focuses them on specific areas of the lesson and secondly, it provides them with a framework for
discussion during the feedback session afterwards. The form in figure 1 is based on this idea, and was
designed to be completed by trainee teachers observing a lesson for the first time.
Prompting observation
In simple terms, a prompting observation is one that offers a checklist of what to observe or a set of
questions which require a response. The prompts on the form are a very direct way of ensuring that
observers respond to areas of your choosing. As was pointed out earlier, observing and reflecting on
the observation is not an intuitive skill, so early observation tasks may need to guide the observer in
this way.
The form in Figure 2 is an example of an observation form that uses prompts designed to address a
number of key areas in a lesson. It would be used by trainees who have attended a number of input
sessions and are likely to have experience of teaching practice.
Chronological observation
Observation forms may be designed so that the response to the lesson is not necessarily organized in
the order that the events take place. In the from ‘Sentence completion observation ‘figure 1, the order
in which the observer completes the sentences may not be from top to bottom. In other cases, it could
be that most of the sentences are completed during a particular part of the lesson. Perhaps the observer
finds most to write about during the final 15 minutes of the lesson. Many observers prefer the task
to be organized so that it clearly reflects the chronology of the lesson. It’s helpful, then, to include a
section where the time of the lesson is recorded next to a comment or a report on what was happening.
The first column in the form in Figure 3 is a record of the timing and we will see time included in the
observation forms that follow. The drawback in focusing on time is that it can make the teacher and
observer overly preoccupied with timing, and tends to encourage a lack of spontaneity in the lesson.
However, it also provides a useful reference point when making comments and observations about
the lesson.
47
Sentence completion observation
As you watch the lesson, complete these sentences.
1. The first thing that strikes me about the lesson is
2. One thing that surprises me is
3. A really interesting thing is that
4. I hadn´t expected
Figure 1: Sentence completion observation
48
Prompting observation form
The class
Length of lesson: ______________________________________________________________________
Number of students: ___________________________________________________________________
Materials and aids used: ________________________________________________________________
Classroom layout: _____________________________________________________________________
The teacher and the teaching

What do you think the teacher’s aim and objectives were?
Were they achieved? Why? /why not?
The learning process

What were the learner outcomes?
Could the students do something at the end which they couldn’t do at the beginning?
Errors
What were some of the typical errors?
How did the teacher correct?
Motivation
Did the students seem motivated?
How sis they (or didn’t they) show this?
Further lesson
If you were teaching this group for their next lesson, what would be your aims based on what you’ve observed?
Figure 2: Prompting observation Form
49
Trainee’s observation form
Time Observation
Figure 3: Trainee’s observation form
50
The form in Figure 3 is an example of a very basic observation sheet which can be used in a number
of ways to follow a lesson chronologically. The ideas that follow are all different ways to make use
of this observation form.
Copying observation
A copying observation requires the observer to make little judgment, but simply to record or ‘copy
down’ an aspect of the lesson for discussion afterwards. For example:
Time Observation
10:15 Teacher asks sts to stand up and get into groups.
Sts remain seated and three begin speaking in their L1.
Another example of a copying observation would be where the observer copies down word for word
what the teacher says. This is helpful where we want to focus on a specific aspect of teaching, such
as giving instructions. It can help to highlight which aspects of ‘teacher language’ were effective and
which were unclear or unhelpful. The transcripts can be studied in more detail after the lesson, either
with the teacher in question or among a group of observers, as a piece of real classroom data. A
similar observation activity that uses copying involves drawing what is on the board at each stage of
the lesson. This can be used to demonstrate effectively organized board work; it will also help a
teacher to see how his or he board work can be improved.
Diagram observation
The form in Figure 3, can also be used to draw diagrams, and reflect changing aspects of the lesson.
It works by keeping a record of the time in the first column and then by drawing diagrams of the
shape, layout and interaction of a class. For example, you could ask the observer to make a record of
the classroom layout at each stage of the lesson, like this:
Time Observation
11:20 __________________
T
SS SS
SS
SS SS
In the example above, the teacher has put the students into pairs, but the teacher’s position may
suggest that no monitoring is taking place (adapted from Wajnryb, 1992).
Another type of diagram observing can show where the teacher tends to focus most attention during
each stage of a lesson. In the example below, the teacher spends a great deal of time interacting with
students at the front on the left-hand side (adapted from Wajnryb, 1992). This may serve to highlight
that certain students are demanding more of the teacher’s time and perhaps, why students in the rows
behind may not be taking any interest.
51
Time Observation
11:20 __________________
T
SS SS SS SS
SS SS SS SS
SS SS SS SS
SS SS SS SS
Table Observation
One of the most commonly used observation forms is one that consists of a set of rows and columns,
or a table. Quite simply, the trainer designs the form to pick out areas he or she wishes the observer
to look out for. It can be used for virtually any area of teaching.
The observation form in figure 4 was designed by a trainer to encourage inexperienced teachers on a
pre-service course to focus on the purpose of each stake in the lesson and, in particular, how the
teacher dealt with errors.
Here is an extract from a table observation form which the observer has started to complete.
Time Is the focus of this Write one learner How did the What aids
stage on fluency or error you noticed teacher deal with materials or
accuracy? at this stage. the error? equipment were
used at this stage?
10:35 Fluency ‘I go there last Waited until the end Board.
night’ of the activity and
wrote it on the
board. Asked
students to
comment.
This second example shows how the various types of form presented might be integrated (Wajnryb,
1992).
Time Diagram of student interaction Balance of TTT vs STT

10:35
T TTT STT
S S x
S S
S S
S S
52
Table Observation Form

Time Is the focus of this Write one learner How did the What aids
stage on fluency or error you noticed teacher deal with materials or
accuracy? at this stage. the error? equipment were
used at this stage?
Figure 4: Table observation form
53
We have looked at what needs to be considered when setting up observations, both in terms of the
observer and the teacher. When the trainer is observing, the roles of trainer and assessor may be
combined. When the teacher or trainee is observing, the aim may be research-led as much as
evaluative. The observation tasks need to be assigned according to the training focus and be designed
according to the experience level of the observer. Pre-service or inexperienced observers will need
tasks and/or forms which are very carefully guided, whereas in-service teachers may need less
guidance, or may even create their own form in response to a personal area of interest.
Some observation require no follow-up or feedback session with the teacher, for example, if they are
research-led, or if the aim is to see how someone else handles a particular aspect of teaching.
However, many observations will require some form of follow-up feedback session. Either the trainer
needs to discuss the lesson with the teacher, a peer wants to offer some comments, or a more
inexperienced observer has question for the teacher he or she has been observing.
54
MODULE V
III WEEK
- Richards Jack,, Renandya Willy(2002)Methodology in Language Teaching: An Antology of Current
Practice: Cambridge University Press
- Barrow, R. (1984). Giving teaching back to teachers. Brighton, Sussex: Wheatsheaf.
- Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational
Researcher, 15 (2), 4-14.
- The English Teacher as Professional
- Ur, Penny. A ( 2012) Course in English Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.
- RICHARDS, Jack (2002) Methodology in Language Teaching – Cambridge University
Press
- MENTORING
- This article is in the Public Domain. Reprinted in its original text format. Retrieved from
the Web site: Mentor Teacher/What is mentoring?
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Mentor_teacher/What_is_mentoring%3F
the Web site: Wolpert-Gawron, Heather. (March 27, 2018). Every Teacher Needs a
Mentor https://www.edutopia.org/article/every-teacher-needs-mentor
the Web site: Long, Kimberly. (September 30, 2014). Eight Qualities of a Great Teacher
Mentor. https://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2014/09/30/ctq_long_mentor.html
the Web site: Early Childhood and School Education Group, Department of Education and
Training, February 2016
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/profdev/Reflectiveguidetome
ntoringschools.pdf
- PEER COUCHING
- Richards, Jack C., and Theodore Rodgers (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language
Teaching. Second Edition. New York: Cambridge University Press
- Brown. H. Douglas (. 2001.) Teaching by Principles An Interactive Approach to Language

Pedagogy. New York: Longman,
55

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Centro Peruano

a) Mentorships are enduring personal relationships.

Should "giving advice" be included in a definition of mentoring?

What kind of competence does the mentor need?

a. The skills approach

b. The generic approach to mentor qualification

c. The integrated holistic approach to mentoring competence

EVERY TEACHER NEEDS A MENTOR

WHAT MAKES A GOOD MENTOR?

EIGHT QUALITIES OF A GREAT TEACHER MENTOR

Interested in becoming a teacher mentor?

A Reflective Guide to Mentoring and being a teacher-mentor

What do we mean by mentoring?

What do mentors do?

 Put the other person ‘at ease’

Why do we need mentors?

Other significant roles you could play as a mentor include:

Mutual benefits of mentoring

Other significant benefits include:

What do I need to know and do as a mentor?

Who am I mentoring? What kind of support do they need?

The 4Cs: Clarifying, Consulting, Collaborating and Coaching

 Classroom observations as a means of prompting reflective inquiry

TEACHER TRAINING FOR THE FIRST TIME

ROUTES TO BECOMING A TEACHER TRAINER

A different kind of classroom

What is the typical profile of a teacher trainer?

The Director of Studies as trainer

Ways of working towards being a trainer

Gain further qualifications

Key considerations when moving into training

Jumping in too soon

Time and rewards

Becoming the expert

Different training contexts

Pre-service (pre-experience) teachers

Assessing and inspecting

The skills required

Language awareness and presenting language

Training plan on correcting spoken errors

1. I’m going to wok to work.

Listening skills and empathy

Developing learner/trainee independence

Teacher development action plan

3. Subscribe to a journal for teachers.

4. Write an article for a teacher’s journal.

5. Regularly attend workshops, webinars and/or conferences.

6. Present at workshops, webinars and/or conferences.

7. Observe my peers teaching and invite them to observe me.

8. Have an extensive online personal learning network.

10 Write a journal or blog about my teaching.

Peer coaching can take the following forms:

Purpose, benefits, and types of peer coaching

Types of peer coaching

Roles within peer coaching

 Be committed to peer coaching as a way of analyzing and improving instruction.

Procedure used for peer coaching

Peer coaching and mentoring

 They can be models who inspire and demonstrate.

Implementing peer coaching

Peer coaching may be implemented in the following ways:

Example of peer coaching