Monterey Institute of International Studies Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, & Language Education

EDUC 8505: INTRODUCTION TO CLASSROOM OBSERVATION Fall 2010

Class location: Class day/time: Instructor: Office location: Office hours: Email address: Casa Fuente CF434 Fridays 10 am 12 pm (see schedule below for specific meeting dates) Patricia Szasz Kinnoull C214 By appointment patricia.szasz@miis.edu

Course Description This one-unit course in classroom observation is designed as a pre-practicum course for developing TESOL/TFL candidates skills in and understanding of observation as a fundamental professional development and research activity. As such this course has seven main goals: 1. to provide you with frameworks for observing language teachers, language learners, and the interaction among them; 2. to provide opportunities for guided practice in observing classes; 3. to develop your skills in observing and in recording data generated during observations; 4. to prepare you to conduct yourself professionally before, during and after class observations; 5. to develop your skills in providing perceptive and constructive feedback to others; 6. to introduce you to language classroom research; and 7. to familiarize you with some of the requirements of graduate school writing. The course will also provide an introduction to some of the major observation instruments used in language teacher training, supervision, and classroom research. A number of experiential assignments will be completed in class, so it is important that you attend each class meeting. Additional make-up observations outside of class will be required for any that are missed. This course lays the foundations to prepare you for observation tasks they will encounter in a number of your MA classes (e.g., Sociolinguistics, Principles and Practices, Practicum, Applied Linguistics Research, Teacher Supervision, etc.). Class activities will include reading assignments, discussions, role plays, video viewing, use of various observation instruments, transcript analysis, and actual live observations of teaching/learning events.

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Monterey Institute of International Studies Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, & Language Education

Readings There is one required text for the course: Ruth Wajnrybs (1992) Classroom Observation Tasks, published by Cambridge University Press and available from almost any online book store (e.g., Amazon, Borders, etc.). Please acquire this book prior to the start of class. Ill also put some readings on e-reserve for you in the library from Allwright & Bailey (1991) Focus on the Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press. Moodle Site We will be using the Moodle course management system to access course materials and communicate between classes. To log in to the Moodle, you will need to use the enrollment key objectivity typed in lowercase letters. Assignments In completing the one-unit Introduction to Observation, you will observe and document ten teaching/learning events (approximately ten hours of actual observing time). These observations will be compiled and submitted in an online Observation Notebook in two installments (see below schedule for details). This notebook will provide a record of your initial and subsequent observation experiences for your MA coursework. (A separate handout will be provided with details about this assignment.) This is a graded course and late assignments will be graded down for every day they are late e.g., an A- paper will receive a B+ and so on). If portions of the notebook are missing or submitted later, this will also affect the grade. With the exception of the first write-up, and one later report (chosen by you), reports MAY NOT be revised and resubmitted for a higher grade, so it is important that you do your best work at the original submission of each assignment. Assessment: At the end of this course, you will receive a letter grade. Your work will be weighted as follows: Attendance and participation First Notebook Submission Final Notebook Submission with Reflection 10% 40% 50%

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Monterey Institute of International Studies Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, & Language Education

Course Schedule You are expected to have completed all assignments/readings prior to the beginning of class on the due dates listed below. Any non-Wajnryb readings can be found on e-reserve at the library. Written assignment due dates are printed in boldface. W = Wajnryb text
Date 9/10 Topic Course introduction

A&B = Allwright & Bailey text

Reading W pp. 1-26 and skim the rest of the book A&B pp. 1828 Relevant Tasks Assignment Due Read syllabus and come to class with any questions.

9/17

Observing Learning Outside the Classroom Paper Due Treatment of oral errors Input and interaction

Observing Learning Outside the Classroom paper is due. Bring a hard copy of the paper to class.

10/1

A&B pp. 98113 A&B pp. 139151

W: 2.3, 2.4, 5.5 A&B: pp. 96-97

Required observation task to be done in class.

10/15

W: 2.5, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.5 A&B: pp. 152-156

Required observation task to be done in class.

10/29

First Notebook Submission Due

11/19

Receptivity

A&B pp. 158165

W: 1.1, 1.2, 3.1 7.1-7.15 A&B: pp. 166-167

The Observation Notebook with your first five observations is due. The notebook should contain five observations reports and should adhere strictly to the assignment requirements. (See checklist for details.) Be prepared to tell us about your favorite observation and what you gained from it. Required observation task to be done in class.

12/10

Final Notebook Submission with Reflection Due

The entire Observation Notebook, including the two page reflection, is due. The notebook should now contain all ten observation reports and should adhere strictly to the assignment requirements. (See checklist for details.) Be prepared to tell us about your favorite observation and what you gained from doing these.

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