Lesson Observation and Feedback

WRITTEN LESSON REPORTS

Purposes: The aim of these materials is to provide guidance on the key areas of lesson observation report writing, to identify key features of effective reporting, and to share examples collected by colleagues in the Region.

Key principles underpinning lesson observation reports:

The need for consistency in procedures and practices;
The need for consistency in expectations;
The importance of developing a common understanding and interpretation of the QTS Standards;
An appreciation of the need to communicate effectively to ITT Trainees and to enable them to progress in their teaching.

Aims of the materials:

To clarify the purpose of and audience for different types of written reports;
To establish criteria for quality in written reports;
To identify suitable reports to use as exemplars – representing the wide variety of reports used to support assessment of QTS;
To identify key features of a report; To present a workable common format and language to be used for annotating reports.

Outcomes (click on the link to take you to the guidance)

What Makes A Good Report?

Checklist for Analysing Reports
Common Faults in Reports
Comments by OfSTED on ITT Report Writing
Other Considerations when Writing ITT Reports
Example 1 - Key Features of Lesson Observation Report
Example 2 – Key Features of Summative Report
Example 3 – Key Features of Mentor Report

Issues Arising from our Review of Reports

ORAL 'FEEDBACK'

Giving oral feedback to students - Evidence shows that giving feedback to student teachers needs to change in format to one of more professional development conversations, such as you would use with colleagues in school, as the students progress. For more detailed guidance on how and when to do that, together with the research background evidence that underpins this process

Comments, ideas, examples and suggestions linked to the above are warmly welcomed. Please see address in right hand margin.

This section explores processes based upon research on aspects of Mentoring and Coaching. It focuses especially on research in initial teacher training/education (ITT/E), but there are general implications from that which have a wider application. It especially explores mentoring/coaching conversations, with guidance on those.
Following lesson observations it is usual practice to give feedback. That conventional feedback process is explored in one section here. Evidence suggests that this conventional feedback approach can be useful in early stages of development of a trainee, but it soon needs replacing by a more dialogic approach, described in dialogic review. When to use feedback and when to use dialogic review is explained in from feedback to dialogic review. Dialogic review is an approach which promotes reflection, so there is a section which explores research on reflection. One piece of research showed assessment for learning as a key concern of trainees. A strategy for compiling and using assessments records was explored and showed some success, as explained in understanding AfL through record-keeping.