The East Northamptonshire Initial Teacher Training College: Graduate Teacher Training Programme

Lesson Observation Proforma – Secondary School Experience Days, November 2010

School The Duston School Lesson time 10.00 – 11.00

Date 03/11/2010 Year group Y7
Teacher Mrs XX Subject French
Number of student numbers 30 M 16 F 14
Student ability Middle set Other adults in the room Only myself
Focus of observation French – brothers & sisters

Establishing the learning environment (Routines: entry, registers, distributing equipment, dismissal)
XX speaks 90% French in the classroom but often has to give instructions for specific tasks in English. I’m informed the students can
understand the majority of this but have trouble in applying their knowledge and confidence to speak out loud. All French lessons follow
the textbook but XX can adapt the applied activities as/when she see’s fit.

How the teacher gains the students’ attention

A digital countdown is used on the IWB and the children responded to this really well.

Explanation of learning objectives and success criteria

Learning objectives and steps to success detailed on the board and briefly referenced by the teacher after registration and checking the
starter activity together. This didn’t seem to affect the students in any positive way, and seemed to actually defer the motivation for
learning.

Evidence of a three part lesson: a starter, main task(s) and a plenary

Starter: Instructions given before registration for students to write (spell) out numbers 1-20 in French. This was implemented as a settling
activity and completed in the students’ French spelling books, and not related to the tasks of the lesson. The lesson itself didn’t follow any
main – plenary structure but consisted of working through a series of tasks in the French textbook.

Teaching and learning strategies; subject knowledge

Teaching and learning strategies are all taken from the textbook. XX’s subject knowledge is fantastic though.

Behaviour management strategies

Not really needed as students were well behaved and on-task.
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Assessment methods
All work is completed in the students’ French workbook, these are kept by XX at the end of each lesson and marked.

Use of other adults in the room and how this affects the dynamics of the lesson
N/A

Relationships with students

XX has a really good rapport with the students but there was an overlying vibe that the textbook is holding back the learning, rather than
supporting the learning.

What the students learnt in the lesson (were the learning objectives and success criteria met?)
Only a low minority of the students could actually achieve the learning objective by the end of the lesson. However, it’s difficult to tell
whether this is because of a lack of confidence or a genuine lack of learning.

Any other relevant points noticed in the lesson

N/A