Checklist For Observing A Foreign Language Classroom
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1
2CHECKLIST FOR OBSERVING
A FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM
Report what you observe in my class and help me to become a better teacher
TARGET LANGUAGE USE
The TEACHER and STUDENTS speak in the target language (TL)
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Less than 50% of the time
50%-75% of the time
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75%-90% of the time
90%+ of the time
Students cannot acquire spoken language if they do not hear it.
Over 90% target language use is recommended in the 2011 ACTFL position statement.
Not using the TL in a language class is like a math teacher chatting about sports most of the time.
The teacher checks for comprehension frequently
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by asking individual students
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by carefully observing all students in class
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by listening for responses from the whole class
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by asking for translation occasionally
Students cannot acquire language if they do not understand what the teacher is saying.
The teacher must speak in the TL and it must be comprehensible to the students.
The teacher offers opportunities for sophisticated language use
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by embellishing the basic statements that students make
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by asking a variety of questions in a variety of formats and levels
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by inviting students to create with the language rather than simply
a) repeating
b) responding mainly with formulas
c) memorizing dialogues
Students should be expected to think and perform at high levels—even in beginning courses
Memorization is the LOWEST level of thinking in the New Bloom’s Taxonomy.
We need to encourage students to analyze, evaluate and design at all course levels.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODS
The teacher raises the level of student attention
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by INVOLVING STUDENTS in the narration
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by allowing STUDENT INPUT to direct portions of the lesson
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by talking TO individual students
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by talking ABOUT specific students
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by referring to places/locations/people/topics OF INTEREST TO STUDENTS
The students are actively engaged in the lesson
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by gesturing
by acting
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by contributing ideas to the lesson
by responding to questions
The students are held accountable for the lesson
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by speaking the target language when asked
by helping each other
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by retelling material in their own words
by translation, when asked
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by unannounced quizzes
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