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Observation Tips

As a part of Linguistics 374, Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, students take part in active classroom observations in order to understand the various approaches, methods, and techniques used in language teaching. Each student must observe no less than five classes. Consequently, students must devote time out of class to participate in the observations.

Below are a few tips to help students complete all five observations successfully:

Get organized. Stay on top of the observation postings, which can now be accessed online through Blackboard/WebCT. Observations are uploaded regularly, and can be signed up for on a “first come, first serve” basis.

Plan your semester. Don’t plan on doing all your observations in the last month of classes. Not only will many of the observation postings have been taken by that time, but you will be busy in your other classes, making it hard to fit observations in.

Write it down. Make sure to write down the times, dates, and locations of your observations on your calendar. Missing an observation makes you and the program look bad.

Contact the instructors. Unless otherwise stated, be sure to contact all observation instructors by the time specified on the sign-up sheet, so that they know you will be attending their class.

Be punctual. Show up on time for all of your observations.

Take good notes. Make sure to take notes on the classes you observe. This is necessary for the written proportion of the observation process that will be handed in to your course instructor.

Send a "Thank-You". Instructors have voluntarily allowed students to enter their classrooms and observe their teaching methods, and it is therefore extremely important to let them know how much we appreciate them doing so.

Practicum Guidelines

As part of the course requirements for Linguistics 376, Seminar and Practicum in Applied Linguistics, students are to participate in seminars and complete a practicum. Below is a list of guidelines for students to adhere by in order to successfully complete the practicum.

• To conduct yourself with diplomacy and professionalism.  To show respect to your sponsor, supervising instructors, students, and the institution that has agreed to host you.

• To negotiate a mutually convenient schedule with the Sponsor Teacher, being as flexible as possible in your availability.  To notify the Supervising Instructor of the schedule as soon as it is confirmed by the Sponsor Teacher.

• To arrange with your Sponsor Teacher and your Supervising Instructor for two classroom observations by the latter. The first will take place shortly after you have begun assuming responsibility for teaching; the last towards the end (but not on the final day) of the practicum.

• To have regular contact with your Supervising Instructor, preferably on a pre-arranged schedule, and to be available to consult with your Supervising Instructor following the observations of your teaching.

• To prepare and share with the Sponsor Teacher detailed lesson plans in advance of each classroom session for which you are responsible.

• To keep a folder of lesson plans and feedback from your Sponsor Teacher and Supervising Instructor, and to make this folder available to your Sponsor Teacher.

• To participate with the Sponsor Teacher, at his/her request, in teaching-related duties, such as preparing lesson materials and planning future activities outside of class time.

• To report any unusual problems or misunderstandings to the course instructor immediately.

• To prepare a practicum report to be presented to the LING 376 course instructor within two weeks of completion of the practicum.  The report will be held in confidence between the instructor and the student --unless the student chooses to share it with others.