Evaluation

Faculty of Arts, Education & Human Development

Assignment Cover Sheet

Group members: Phan Đình Tuấn  (Leader)    (ID: 3902491)                                     Trần Ngọc Hà                        (ID: 3902499)                                     Lâm Tân Khánh                     (ID: 3902438)                                     Trần Thị Thanh Phụng          (ID: 3902503)                                     Phạm Thị Ngọc Duyên          (ID: 3902486)                                     Võ Vân Hải                              (ID: 3883019)
Unit Code: AED5008	Unit Title: EVALUATION
Assignment Title: MODIFICATION OF TEACHING EVALUATION                CHECKLIST FOR VATC TEACHERS
Name of Lecturer: Dr. Mark Vicars		Date Submitted: 27. 2. 2012

Plagiarism and Collusion

Plagiarism is a practice that involves the using of another person’s intellectual output and presenting it as one’s own’. This includes the presentation of work that has been copied, in whole or part, from other sources (including other students’ work, published books or periodicals, or unpublished works or unauthorized collaboration with other persons), without due acknowledgement.

Student Declaration I declare that this assignment is original and has not been submitted for assessment elsewhere. I declare that this assignment is my own work and does not involve plagiarism or collusion. I give my consent for the electronic version to be examined by relevant plagiarism software programs. I have made a photocopy or electronic copy of my assignment, which I can produce if the original is lost for any reason. Signed:                                                                    Dated:  27. 2. 2012

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION …………………….………………………………...……….. 3

II. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE ADJUSTMENTS

      1. Teacher’s Manner………………………………. ………………….………...4

      2. Teacher’s Performance …………………………. ………………….……….5

      3. Teacher’s Management …………………………. ………………….……….5

      4. Student’s Learning and Involvement…………. ………………….………….5

III. CONCLUSION …………….……………………….…………………………..6

REFERENCE ……………………………………………….……….………………7

APPENDICES

      Appendix 1: Original Teaching Evaluation Form ….………….……..……….8

     Appendix 2: Adjusted Teaching Evaluation Form …………….….…………13

     Appendix 3: Components of Professional Practice .……………………….…18

MODIFICATION OF TEACHING EVALUATION CHECKLIST

FOR VATC TEACHERS

I. Introduction

Teacher evaluation has been a subject of a growing interest and special attention nationwide, especially, when Vietnam has been carrying out education reforms. Effective teacher evaluation plays an important role in improving the teaching and learning quality. Danielson (2011) claims that two basic purposes of evalutating teachers are to ensure teacher quality and to promote professional development (p. 36-37). In the Vietnamese classroom contexts, teacher evaluation focuses on measuring the quality of teaching and learning English as a foreign language (EFL) and raising the EFL teachers’ awareness in their teaching development process. In other words, teacher evaluation is thought as “a tool to promote teacher professional growth and measure teacher effectiveness in the classroom.” (Mathers, C., Oliva, M., Laine, S.W.M., 2008, p.3)

In order to gain specific educational goals, most of language schools have their own ways and methods to evaluate their teachers. At the English Center of Vietnamses American Training College (VATC ) and VATC Vocational College, the teacher evaluation is integral to the effective management of EFL teaching and learning. To evaluate teachers, the school authorities ask  four experienced teachers to observe a teacher performance in the classroom and give feedbacks through the teaching evaluation form (see Appendix 1, pp. 8-12). The results of the evaluation will be based on to rank the teacher quality and to make decisions on the teachers’ salary, promotion, dismissals... In this way, it is a type of summative evaluation. Moreover, this form was designed in 2010  and has been used for evaluating EFL teachers. It consists of four evaluation categories and the observer’s comments and suggestions which can help teachers enhance their practice. This form can be refered as a standard which the teachers can follow to meet the school requirements and get professional development opportunities. That is to say, it is also a type of formative evaluation as well. This combination of the two types is a powerful tool to serve the purposes above (Mathers, C., Oliva, M., Laine, S.W.M., 2008, p.4)

II. Justification for the adjustments

The Components of Professional Practice, developed by Danielson 1996, is a useful structure for teacher evaluation. It includes four domains with twenty-two components for evaluating teachers effectively. The four domains are: (1) Planning and Preparation, (2) The Classroom Environment, (3) Instruction, and (4) Professional Responsibilities (see Appendix 3, p. 18). Based on this structure and the Vietnamese context and culture, we make some changes to the teaching evaluation form so that it could be more suitable at VATC. The four categories in the form are generally clear and relevant  to the general standard. Each category contains of different sub-categories or items with five levels of performance such as excellent, good, satisfactory, below average and unsatisfactory. We accept many of their items. However, it will be contextually and culturally better in the context of Vietnam if some changes in items 3, 5, 8, 9, 13, and 18  are made. (see Appendix 2, pp. 13-17)

1. Teacher’s manner

In this category, we think the criterion of item 3 (see Appendix 1, p.8) is unnecessary,  ambiguous and should be removed from the checklist. It is very hard to know “How good is enough? And How good is very good?” (Danielson, 2000). Moreover, teaching job is valuable and teachers are highly respected in Vietnam. Teachers are considered as good examples for learners. Teachers are always thought perfect in their behaviors, manners, dressing… So their appeareance and dressing have to be publicly accepted and it is one of the school regulations. Another important point is that education leaders had better pay rigorous attention to how and what a teacher teaches and does for learners instead of what she or he looks like. As presented above, one of the main purposes of teacher evaluation is to measure teacher professional effectiveness.

2. Teacher’s performance

In this category, what to teach and how to teach (the content and teaching methods) of the lesson are mainly required. However, items 5, 8 and 9 imply one common thing: a good lesson plan. Items 5, 8 and 9 can be combined into one: The lesson plan is well – prepared with accuracy of the content, appropriate timing and clear stages. The marks of this item should be worth 15 because a well - prepared lesson plan is a vital preparation for a good teacher performance. This combined item also stresses that the planning and preparation help teachers avoid being off the track.

3. Teacher’s management

            Item 13 should be dismissed because this criterion is very ambiguous and general. Therefore, there could be more than one possible interpretation. Besides that, other items are useful enough to control the class. In this category, we would like to add one item: The teacher creates a good learning environment. It is important because both the teacher and students will feel comfortable and confident to teach and learn effectively. It establishes “a culture for learning”, manages “classroom procedures” and “student behavior”, and organizes “physical space” (Denielson, 1996). It is very difficult to create such a good environment in an English classroom and to keep it going on to the end of the lesson is much more difficult. Students, especially young learners and teenagers, are very easy to lose their attention and interests in the lesson.

4. Student’s learning and involvement

The most important responsibility of teachers is to ensure that students learn. That is why an effective teacher evaluation should consider the effectiveness of student learning or student learning outcomes as the success of teacher’s performance (Mathers, C., Oliva, M., Laine, S.W.M., 2008, p.7). This can ensure a long term motivation for student learning, too. Learning is a process and its learning outcome shows whether that process is working or not. In order to highlight the importance of this item, we would like to double its marks.

.  

III. Conclusion

Our experience indicates that these changes to the teaching evaluation form makes the EFL teaching and learning culturally and contextually better in Vietnam. We emphasise two things: Firstly, it is remembered that the fundamental change in the teacher evaluation process requires a rethinking of the principals’ role (Derrington 2011, p. 53), training professional evaluators (Danielson 2011, p. 38) and especially modifying the old checklist/ evaluation form to identify teachers’ strengths and weaknesses and use them as guidelines for improvement (Leshem & Bar-Hama 2007, p. 1). Secondly, evaluation results must be a major factor in final decisions on employment about teachers. “In the teacher – development - centered evaluation process, classroom observation is only one component” while many other sources of evaluation still use such as the teachers’ self-reflection, conversational learning time with peers, student achievement data and stakeholder feedback (Derrington 2011, p. 52). To ensure good teaching, the evaluative criteria should include all the important aspects of teaching and not be limited to only a part of what teachers do in the classrooms (Danielson 2000, p. 208). So, it is unfair if the principal of the VATC schools decide the teachers’ promotion and salary when he only bases on the data on the teaching evaluation form.

( 1,184 words)

REFERENCES

            Danielson, C., 2000. A Blueprint for Teacher Evaluation: Teacher Evaluation to Enhance Professional Practice, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, N.J.

            Danielson C., 1996. Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching. Alexandria, VA. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Danielson, C., 2010. Evaluations that Help Teachers Learn. Educational Leadership, vol 68, no. 4, pp. 35-39.

            Derrington, M.L., 2011. Changes in Teacher Evaluation: Implications for the Principal’s work. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, vol 77, no. 3, pp. 51-54.

            Leshem, S. & Bar-Hama, R., 2007. Evaluating Teaching Practice. ELT Journal Advance Access, pp. 1-9.

            Mathers, C., Oliva, M., Laine, S.W.M., 2008. Improving Instruction through Effective Teacher Evaluation: Options for States and Districts (Issue Brief). Washington, DC: National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1

ORIGINAL TEACHING EVALUATION FORM

                                                                 

TEACHING EVALUATION FORM

Teacher’s name: ……………………… Date: ………………. Textbook/Type of lesson: …………. Skill(s) focus: ……………………….

Observer’s name: …………………. Time: …………….      Room: ………. Class level/Branch: …………………. No. of students: …………..

Please circle the suitable answer for each category. If you have any other comments and suggestions, please write on the lines underneath.

CATEGORIES	LEVEL
	Excellent	Good			Satisfactory	Below Average		Unsatisfactory
I. Teacher’s manner.
1.       The teacher is confident and relaxed.	5	4			3	2		1
2.       The teacher’s voice & pronunciation are clear.	5	4			3	2		1
3.       The teacher’s appearance and dressing is good.	5	4			3	2		1
II. Teacher’s performance.
4.       Warm-up activities are relevant and efficient.	5	4			3	2		1
5.       There are clear stages to the lesson.	5	4			3	2		1
6.       The teacher uses useful activities with the help of teaching aids.	5	4			3	2		1
7.       The teacher is creative and flexible in achieving the lesson target.	5	4			3	2		1
8.       The lesson is well-prepared with accuracy.	5	4			3	2		1
9.       The timing is appropriate.	5	4			3	2		1
10.    The teacher checks students’ comprehension regularly.	5	4			3	2		1
11.    The teacher uses good techniques to deal with errors.	5	4			3	2		1
III. Teacher’s management.
12.    The teacher gives clear instructions.	5		4	3			2		1
13.    The teacher manages the class well.	5		4	3			2		1
14.    The teacher keeps good eye contact with the students.	5		4	3			2		1
15.    The teacher elicits from the students.	5		4	3			2		1
16.    The teacher encourages and praises the students appropriately.	5		4	3			2		1
IV. Student’s learning and involvement
17.    There is a good balance between Teacher speaking Time (TST) and Student Speaking Time (SST).	5		4	3			2		1
18.    The students are able to complete the tasks given.	5		4	3			2		1
19.    The teacher cares about the feelings of the students.	5		4	3			2		1
20.    All the students are involved in the lesson.	5		4	3			2		1
TOTAL

Ratings:

      91-100: excellent                          81-90: very good                                          71-80: good   

                              60-70: satisfactory                                              < 60: unsatisfactory

Stages	Teacher’s activities	Students’ activities	Comments / Suggestions
…………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… ……………….………….. …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… ………………………… …………… ………………………… …………… …………………………	……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………	……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………	………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………. ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………...

Overall comments:

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APPENDIX 2

ADJUSTED TEACHING EVALUATION FORM

                                                                 

TEACHING EVALUATION FORM

Teacher’s name: ……………………… Date: ………………. Textbook/Type of lesson: …………. Skill(s) focus: ……………………….

Observer’s name: …………………. Time: …………….      Room: ………. Class level/Branch: …………………. No. of students: …………..

Please circle the suitable answer for each category. If you have any other comments and suggestions, please write on the lines underneath.

CATEGORIES	LEVEL
	Excellent	Good			Satisfactory	Below Average		Unsatisfactory
I. Teacher’s manner.
1. The teacher is confident and relaxed.	5	4			3	2		1
2. The teacher’s voice & pronunciation are clear.	5	4			3	2		1
II. Teacher’s performance.
3. Warm-up activities are relevant and efficient.	5	4			3	2		1
4. The teacher uses useful activities with the help of teaching aids.	5	4			3	2		1
5. The teacher is creative and flexible in achieving the lesson target.	5	4			3	2		1
6. The lesson is well-prepared with accuracy of the content, appropriate timing and clear stages.	15	12			9	6		3
7. The teacher checks students’ comprehension regularly.	5	4			3	2		1
8. The teacher uses good techniques to deal with errors.	5	4			3	2		1
III. Teacher’s management.
9. The teacher gives clear instructions.	5		4	3			2		1
10. The teacher keeps good eye contact with the students.	5		4	3			2		1
11. The teacher creates a good learning environment.	5		4	3			2		1
12. The teacher elicits from the students.	5		4	3			2		1
13. The teacher encourages and praises the students appropriately.	5		4	3			2		1
IV. Student’s learning and involvement
14. There is a good balance between Teacher speaking Time (TST) and Student Speaking Time (SST).	5		4	3			2		1
15. The students are able to complete the tasks given.	10		8	6			4		2
16. The teacher cares about the feelings of the students.	5		4	3			2		1
17. All the students are involved in the lesson.	5		4	3			2		1
TOTAL

Ratings:

      91-100: excellent                          81-90: very good                                          71-80: good   

                              60-70: satisfactory                                              < 60: unsatisfactory

Stages	Teacher’s activities	Students’ activities	Comments / Suggestions
…………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… ……………….………….. …………… …………… …………… …………… …………… ………………………… …………… ………………………… …………… …………………………	……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………	……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………	………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………. ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………... ………………………………...

Overall comments:

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APPENDIX 3

COMPONENTS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation Domain 1 (Planning and Preparation) includes comprehensive understanding of the component to be taught, knowledge of the students’ backgrounds, and designing instruction and assessment. Its components are: 1a. Demonstrating knowledge of content and pedagogy 1b. Demonstrating knowledge of students 1c. Selecting instructional goals 1d. Demonstrating knowledge of resources 1e. Designing coherent instruction 1f. Assessing student learning Domain 2: The Classroom Environment Domain 2 (The Classroom Environment) addresses the teacher’s skill in establishing an environment conductive to learning, including both the physical and interpersonal aspects of the environment. Its components are: 2a. Creating an environment of respect and rapport 2b. Establishing a culture for learning 2c. Managing classroom procedures 2d. Managing student behavior 2e. Organizing physical space

Domain 3: Instruction Domain 3 (Instruction) is concerned with the teacher’s skill in engaging students in learning the content, and includes the wide range of instructional strategies that enable students to learn. Its components are: 3a. Communicating clearly and accurately 3b. Using questioning and discussion techniques 3c. Engaging students in learning 3d. Providing feedback to students 3e. Demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities Domain 4 (Professional Responsibilities) addresses a teacher’s additional professional responsibilities, including self-assessment and reflection, communication with parents, participating in ongoing professional development, and contributing to the school and district environment. Its components are: 4a. Reflecting on teaching 4b. Maintaining accurate records 4c. Communicating with families 4d. Contributing to the school and district 4e. Growing and developing professionally 4f. Showing professionalism