Lesson Observation

The structure of lessons

The structure of a lesson differs from teacher to teacher, lesson to lesson and subject to subject, although most have a 3 phase structure. This takes the form of an introduction, a main activity and then a round-up at the end. This seems to be in line with the three part lesson of the KS3 strategy however most observed lessons began with a teacher delivered introduction rather than a pupils' starter activity. This means that the pupils are not immediately engaged when the lesson begins. Concentration and interest seem better where pupils are involved as soon as the lesson starts, with the lesson following an engage-learn-review structure.

Classroom based subjects such as English and Modern Foreign Languages often use a series of short snappy activities which are designed to keep the pupils engaged. In comparison, a practical science lesson is able to have a longer main activity whilst maintaining interest. This is because during a practical a pupil may move around the lab if appropriate and discuss the experiment freely amongst a group.

Lesson Structure - Points to remember:

o Pupils need to be engaged immediately at the beginning of a lesson

o Allowing time for a brief Q&A session before continuing a topic can quickly indicate how much was understood from the last lesson

o A mix of whole-class, small-group and individual work can keep the pace of a lesson going

o A plenary can give pupils time to reflect on what has been covered in a lesson and what has been learnt

o The engage-learn-review model keeps pupils involved throughout

o The transition between different parts of the lesson needs to be smooth, those who have established routines for giving out books or collecting equipment etc achieve this best

2 The teaching of lessons

During whole-class and Q&A sessions:

o The time a teacher will wait for an answer to a question depends on the lesson. During a whole-class session a teacher may wait a relatively long time for an answer if a difficult concept is being covered, perhaps giving hints to help a pupil who is struggling. In comparison, during a quickly paced Q&A session if a question is met with a sea of blank faces the teacher may move straight onto a differently phrased question rather than wait for an answer.

o Most questions are directed to the class as a whole, however, directing a question at a pupil who is not paying attention can pre-empting misbehaviour. The question brings the pupil back into the class discussion and makes them aware that their inattentiveness has been noticed.

o Most teachers asked questions to a wide range of pupils, throughout the room including more and less able pupils within the class. During one lesson where pupils had 'turned off' and classroom discussion was stilted, the teacher directed a series of questions at pupils whom he knew would know the answer. This kept the discussion going and encouraged other pupils. Also, as mentioned above, pupils who are not paying attention because they are daydreaming or chatting often have a question direct at them to bring them back into the lesson.

o The proportion of open to closed questions used by a teacher depends on the topic being discussed. For example, in a lesson where the answers to a test they did last week were being reviewed, almost all questions were closed questions. Alternatively, when a class were discussing the pros and cons of scientific issues such as GM foods or pollution most questions were open questions.

Other features of a typical lesson:

o A teacher will often present the same information or scientific concept in many different ways, catering for the different learning styles of those in the class. A lesson that incorporates activities for visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners will get a good response from the whole class.

I feel that the methods and features of a lesson will contribute greatly to the motivation and effective teaching of pupils. A pupil will feel included if a lesson is pitched at their level and they are actively engaged in classroom interactions. Equally, a visual learner will appreciate a diagram to describe a concept whilst an auditory learner will value the spoken description which accompanies it. If pupils' learning needs are being met they can be an active member of the group and an active learner.

Methods to use in lessons:

o Incorporating activities for visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners

o Encouraging class discussion where possible, motivating pupils to volunteer their thoughts

o Rephrasing questions if not understood the first time

Things to avoid:

o Only directing questions to the pupils who will be expected to know the answer

o Not allowing the class enough time to answer a question before moving on
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3 Management and class control

Strategies observed to maintain pupils' behaviour:

o Setting clear ground rules

o Rewards and sanctions - good behaviour is often rewarded with praise or a sticker, pupils who misbehave are often kept behind during break or lunch or given a detention

o Non-verbal signals - eye contact, physical proximity, body language

o Privately talking to pupil - taking the pupil away from their peers and explaining why the

behaviour is inappropriate and what the consequences could be

o Tactical ignoring - ignoring misbehaviour, especially ...

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