Publisher Description

Classroom Observation explores the pivotal role of lesson observation in the training, assessment and development of new and experienced teachers. Offering practical guidance and detailed insight on an aspect of training that is a source of anxiety for many teachers, this thought-provoking book offers a critical analysis of the place, role and nature of lesson observation in the lives of education professionals. Illustrated throughout with practical examples from a range of education settings, it considers observation as a means of assessing teaching and learning and also as a way of developing teachers’ skills and knowledge. Key topics include: The purposes and uses of lesson observation The socio-political and historical context in which lesson observation has developed Practical guidance on a range of observation models and methods Teacher autonomy and professional identity Performance management, professional standards and accountability Peer observation, self-observation and critical reflection Using video in lesson observation. Written for all student and practising teachers as well teacher educators and those engaged in educational research, Classroom Observation is an essential introduction to how we observe, why we observe and how it can be best used to improve teaching and learning.

This book provides an account of classroom observation in a historical and educational perspective. Drawing on extracts from classic studies in this field, Dick Allwright reviews the development of research and experiment since the 1970's. The book thus not only provides a background to recent research, but also identifies areas for future development. Stress is laid on the link to be made between practice and research and it is argued that policy-making. either at classroom or institutional level, is heavily dependent on descriptive accounts of classroom reality.

"Each chapter examines the development of one system or method, describes its field testing, includes solid research on reliability and validity, weighs its strengths and limitations, and (in some cases) includes the actual tool discussed. A careful compilation of critical information, this book will help educational stakeholders choose the most effective systems and methods for assessing literacy outcomes, identifying methods that work, and highlighting directions for change."--BOOK JACKET.

Students learn more—and with more joy—when lessons connect with their lives and interests while challenging them to stretch and grow. In this book, you'll find practical, ready-to-use strategies for creating active and exciting lessons. You'll learn about: Partnering and grouping students for optimum learning Using interactive learning structures such as Maître d' and Swap Meets to support active learning Incorporating acting, drawing, debating, and more into daily lessons while still meeting rigorous learning goals Infusing lessons with choices in what or how to learn to increase students ownership of their learning Incorporating student self-assessment tools to help children monitor and evaluate their own work and identify ways to improve their learning Filled with lesson plans, precise directions for interactive learning structures, planning guides, and more!

Now in its third edition, this classic text remains the seminal resource for in-depth information about major concepts and principles of the cultural-historical theory developed by Lev Vygotsky, his students, and colleagues, as well as three generations of neo-Vygotskian scholars in Russia and the West. Featuring two new chapters on brain development and scaffolding in the zone of proximal development, as well as additional content on technology, dual language learners, and students with disabilities, this new edition provides the latest research evidence supporting the basics of the cultural-historical approach alongside Vygotskian-based practical implications. With concrete explanations and strategies on how to scaffold young children’s learning and development, this book is essential reading for students of early childhood theory and development.

This book introduces the construct of teacher adaptive practices, extending existing research on teacher adaptability into classroom practices. It identifies specific teaching practices that constitute the just-in-time adaptation during lessons that provides opportunities for students’ critical and creative thinking. 278 classroom observations of teachers resulted in a summary of teaching behaviours that constitute teacher adaptive practices. Based on these findings, the book develops a practical teacher improvement program.