VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF POST GRADUATE STUIHNES: BY: LỄ THANH CƯỜNG TEACHERS’ AND INSPECTORS? PERCEPTIONS OF AN EFFECTIVE ENGLISH LESSON NHAN THUC CUA GIÁO VIÊN VÀ THANH TRA VỀ MỘT GIO DAY TIENG ANII IIỆU QUÁ Minor Prugramme Thesis Field: Language Tcaching Mcthodotogy Code: 601410 HANOI - 2610 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF POST GRADUATE STUINES: BY: LỄ THANH CƯỜNG TEACHERS’ AND INSPECTORS? PERCEPTIONS OF AN EFFECTIVE ENGLISH LESSON NHAN THUC CUA GIÁO VIÊN VÀ THANH TRA VE MOT GIO DAY TIENG ANITINEU QUA Minor Programme Thesis Language Tcaching Mcthodology 01410 Supervisor: Lé Vin Canh, MA HA NOI— 2010 w TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration.esioeireerriee Table of contents PART A: INTRODUCTION 1. Wee 2, Research questions. Methods of the study. Scope of the study.
The design of the thesis PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1. Observation as a tool to evaluate teaching. Criteria for evaluating lesson offectivencss 1. CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY : .1 An overview of present curriculum and textbooks in upper-secondary school contexL 3.
Observation and teaching evaluation practice in upper-secondary context. Method of data collcetion 2. Teachers” perceptions 2, Research questions ‘The rescarch questions which guide this sturly are z follows: - What are teachers’ and inspectors’ perceptions of an effective English lesson in upper-secondary school context? - Whal suggestions are male on the criteria. for evaluating an Tagtish lesson in upper- secondary school context? - What are the implications for language teaching and teaching evaluation practice in uppar-sccondary school context? 3.
Method of the study ‘The qualitative research method was adopted for this study to explore the upper- secondary schoot (cuchers’ and inspeclors’ poroptions of an effective los on, Specifically, semi-structured interviews with teachers and inspectors were mdartaken to collect data for analysis and discussion. Scope of the study The study focuscs on discovering teachers’ and inspectors’ perecptions of an cfitetive English lesson in Hai Duong provineial upper-secondary school context. Aspects explored cenler on the evalualion crileria for an effective lesson mandated by MORT, 5. The design pf the thesis ‘The study is divided into 3 parts.
Part A is an introduction to the research, in which mallets such as rationale, method of study and research questions are presented. Part B is the development of the study in which there are 2 chapters, chapter 1 and chapter 2. Chapter 1 reviews the relevant literature on the matters of effctive teaching, teaching, evaluation, observation and criteria for lesson effectiveness. ideas from the researchers in the fictd have beon discussed to creale a theoretical framework for the study.
Chapter 2 presents the context of the study, the participants and data collection method. This is followed by the analysis of the data collected and discussion of the findings. Part C provides conclusions of the study findings and the implications for language teaching, and teaching evaluation in upper-secondary school context. Also, in this part, the limitations and suggestions for furlher research are inchaded materials to suite their leamers.
According to him, teachers need to add, for example, extra TH ry language knowledge or Lopies if their students want or need. Teaching methods Effective teaching results ftom the way the lesson is delivered to students. This requires Ioachers to have good instructional skills to make zasy for students lo alain the target language knowledge as well as to develop their language skills. Pellino (2009) identifies four loads as barriers to meaningfal instructions, namely cognitive load, culture load, langungs load and learning load, and that il is the job of the teacher lo Towar these barriers, helping students to overcome them.
Approptiate techniques need to be devised to construct understanding, and reinforce their interest in their learning process. Obviously, to tach effectively, toachors ncod ta be flexible intheir delivery of the som, What guides their teaching practice is not only the body of theoretical knowledge in the field of language teaching but also the reality of their classroom. According to Rivers (2003) teachers should develop and strengthen their own way of proceeding in relation to the needs and individual strengths of their students in their own context. It is teachers who have control over their decision making process, which vary with changing circumstances.
Ina similar vein, Martin (2005) emphasizes the need to make changes to the lesson plan because leamars vary in learning, backgrounds and language proficieney, Teachers should modify activities and the tasks ifthey realize that they are far from being appropriate in the class. In other words, teachers should be sensitive to their particular students, This is echoed by Sizer (2009) when he states that good teaching does not mean fixed teaching and that teachers should be flexible with changing circumstances. According to him, successful teaching does not mean all matters in the lesson are fiully covered. In some particular toaching situations, the lesson delivered is still considered effective cven Ihough the teacher cannot go through all the tasks and activities intended to be dealt with.
A single best method may not exist in modem language teaching environment Effective teachers know how to combine different incthods in their teaching in order to yield good learning outcome. According to Ganguly (2003), effective teachers use techniques thai bast serve the learning styles of their sludents, Stndsnts nol only lear by being exposed to learning opportunities but they also need to be explicitly taught what important for them to know. What can be inferred is that direct or indirect explanation is not effective on its own. In fact, the combination of the two is a fair solution.
Rivers (2003) is also in favour of the combination of methods in teaching. According to him, no method claims to stand on its own in modem language learning and leaching crvironmortt Researchers also focus on the importance of moving from simple tasks to complex ones in class. Students will feel learning more rewarding if they have the opportunity to master the simple concepts first, then complex ones. Towever, the final goal of every language couse is that students know how to use language they have learnt for different purposes in communication (Martin, 2005).
‘Che practice of grammar structures with isolated momings dows nol propars the learners for moaningfit use of language. Tstead, language practice should be close to real communication, According to Rivers (2003), teachers should provide students with opportunity to apply thair knowledge and skills to now situations, Similarly, Marlin (2005) puts an emphasis on the nocd to yroceed from more controlled activities to less controlled ones in the class. Class management Class management is one of the important aspects that determine the success of teaching, What is meant by effective classroom management is that teachers are aware of their different roles in class, They should take a suitable role at each stage of the lesson and should be Nexible in what they do fo keep class activilies nol only in discipline bul also in relaxed atmosphere, According to Yan (2006), the good language teacher should realize that the language teaching does not merely go in hand with the mastery of grammar rules and expansion of vocabulary but there are also many important tools thal affect. or even promote language teaching, For example, some knowledge of psychology brings about not only behaviour suecess at mastering language, but also cognitive success and increased confidence.
Knsuma & Powell (2004) make the same point when stating that what teachers arc orwouraged Lo do is 1a scl. up a pasilive classroom envirommnent thal will support future interaction and collaboration bebween teacher and students and between students themselves. It is for sure that the positive classroom environment is one of the decisive factors that contribute to satisfactory lcaming outcome. Martin (2005) postulates that students will lean more easily in the environments in which anxiety is lessened and self: confidence and selGesteem can be developed.
Similarly, Kusuma & Powell (2004) state that students town best if thay arc in a classroom where they feel safe and confident to attempt new tasks. PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction This chapter reviews the relevant literature on teaching evaluation. It first discusses whal effective teaching is, then leaching evaluation. This is followed hy a discussion of the limitations of evaluating teaching solely through classroom observations.
Finally, criteria for evaluating teaching are reviewed. , Effective teaching Effective teaching is the topic that concems lots of researchers, educational administrators and teachers, What discussed below is the matter of effective teaching in terms of teaching malcrials, Leaching methods, class managen mt and studont learning outcome. Teaching materials Teaching materials ate among the components that constitute effective teaching. Teachers nocd matcrials to carry out their instructional practiec.
Efftetive teaching necds good materials, Researchers are curently putting a great emphasis on the use of meaningfil materials in a kmguage class. According to Siser (2008), mreaningfil talerials are the ones that are relevant to students, reflecting real life issues and problems. The more meaningful materials are to students, the quicker and easier they will be teamed, In addlition lo this, the content emiberided in materials should be varied, ralural and authentic, so that students tet they are working on tasks in seal lifs (Kusuma & Powell, 2004). Rivers (2003) also voices his favour of the use of materials that focus on the use of natural language.
Lle states that it is goad to provide students with practice in using the language for everyday tife communication, This is opposed to the imnalural types of drills and practice exercises which are still widely used in many teaching contexts. Leamers in different contexts vary in their leaming styles, language proficiency or Icarning needs, Rivers (2003) says that Icaming and tcaching arc shaped by student needs and objectives in particular circumstances. ‘[herefore, materials should be designed to care aboul learners? particntarities. They shoul! nol, be too challenging lo students in terns of linguistic knowledge bul should be inforesting cnongh to molivate tham in their learning Similarly, Martin (2005) encourages teachers to take the responsibilities of adapting by Bailey (2002) when he states that teachers have sometimes felt ike objects whose behaviour and key decisions wa shaped by dominant vi 3 ĐỀ 0bsc 1s who may nol be aware of the daily practice of a particular language classroom, Leshem and Bar-Hama (2008) also mention the same problem when they point out that observations tend to be subjective and are based on the observers’ own teaching approach, which can create biased results, In upper-secondary schools in Vietnam, the evaluation of teachers” teaching is carried oul on a regular basis.
The most imporlant sowres of information used lo the evaluation is collected by means of classroom observation which has received increased concern fom educational administrators, inspectors and teachers themselves. ‘This is because criteria for svslualiơn are nol specific, and evaluation is, therefore, mare subjective and based on the evaluators’ intuition, Also, teaching evaluation in uppet-secondary school context is facing challenges on account of considerable changes in language teaching. ‘The new textbooks with new guidelines on teaching have heen introduced into this educational environment in replacement of the old-fashioned ones. The evaluation of tcachcrs’ performance in class, however, has not yet responded well to the change.
What guides inspectors’ evaluation of teachers’ performance is a sel of generat criteria for lesson evalualion regulated by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET). These criteria for teaching evaluation have been administered for all subjects, so they potentially lack subject sensitivity element. It should be noted that sensible Leaching evahialion with constructive comments front the observers can exert positive impact on teachers’ teaching skills.
