Enhancing Literacy Instruction Through Peer Observation
Bob Nash
EDLD 655 University of Oregon, Summer 2011
Introduction
For the past three years my school has had a SIP goal of
improving literacy instruction across the curriculum. This
goal was developed in response to the changing
characteristics of the school. Our poverty rate had climbed
from 35% to over 50%. Our writing and reading scores were
declining. And fewer of our students were going on to
college. As a staff we were aware that we needed new tools
to help our students be successful.
To accomplish this goal, a variety of activities have been
employed:
1. On-going professional development activities to increase the
staff ability to improve student literacy.
1. Formation and training of a staff literacy team. The team
has acted as primary trainers.
2. Periodic classroom walkthroughs focused on literacy
instruction.
3. Teacher literacy goals.
4. Completion of a monthly form documenting the frequency of
use of literacy strategies.
My Plan
My plan for having teachers conduct peer observations is the
following:
1. Conduct one peer observation of another teacher
approximately each of the first three quarters of the school
year.
2. The observing teacher would choose which teacher they would
observe.
3. Each observation needs to be of a different teacher.
4. During each observation, complete the observation rubric and
reflection form.
5. The rubric is the same used in the walkthroughs, and focuses
on student engagement, academic rigor and scaffolding.
6. Teachers could do this on a prep period or if they choose have
an administrator cover one of their classes. (Preliminary
discussions with staff this spring indicate that most would be
willing to use prep periods.)
7. After the observation the observer would meet briefly with the
teacher and go over their observations.
8. The focus of this activity is for the observer to witness effective
strategies employed by the teacher and reflect on their own
skills and tools.
Resource Impacts
Percentage of graduates going on to four year colleges
Resource impacts:
45
40
1. This proposal requires no increase in staffing or any increased
budget requirements.
2. This proposal does not require any additional missed
instructional time.
3. Teachers would need to devote 3 prep periods or teaching
periods during the school year for this.
4. Administration would have to cover for teachers who chose to
use teaching periods. With 25 teachers this would amount to
75 total possible periods periods during the year. In
preliminary discussions with staff, most have indicated that
they would be willing to devote three prep periods to this.
35
30
25
1996
2004
20
2011
15
10
5
0
Percentage of free and reduced lunch students
60
50
40
30
1996
2004
2011
20
10
Staff support of this literacy improvement and the activities to
achieve it have been very good. In order to more successfully
achieve this SIP goal, I would like to increase the authentic
conversation and collaboration among the staff about effective
literacy strategies.
Options for achieving this goal
Other options to accomplish increased staff communication
and reflection about effective literacy strategies might
include:
1. More staff development opportunities.
2. Development of electronic communication among the
staff.
3. Increase the frequency of walkthroughs.
4. Increased instructional coaching time.
While these alternatives might help accomplish the goal of
increased collaboration and better communication among the
staff, none would have the direct impact of peer observations
and most would involve a loss of class time, and/or increased
demands on the budget. Staff development sessions would
require more missed class time, and depending on who is
doing the training, and money from the budget. Walkthroughs
would require sub costs and planning time. Increased
instructional coaching time would require increased budget
resources.
Also none of these strategies are as authentic as real
classroom observations, and create the one-on-one sharing
of ideas and techniques that peer observations would.
Research indicates that peer observation is effective, doesn’t
require a great deal of training, and is generally well
accepted by participants (Kohut, 2007)
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Focal points of improving literacy
1. Classroom goals clearly communicated by the teacher to the
students.
2. Emphasis on student engagement-everyone does everythingno cognitive vacations.
3. Explicit vocabulary instruction. Repeated exposure to new
words in multiple contexts. Embed academic language in
student prompts.
4. Challenge students to write and think beyond the obvious.
Structure student responses to take a position, evaluate,
synthesize.
5. Focus on reading comprehension strategies. Use direct and
explicit instruction to show students how to use
comprehension strategies.
6. Utilize lots of quick formative assessment. Use review as
formative assessment.
7. Relate concepts to student experience.
8. Student reflection on metacognition. Have students analyze
what is effective for them.
Data
Outcome Projections
Percent meeting or exceeding on statewide assessments
90
The following data would be used to help assess the effectiveness of
peer observations:
80
1. Increased staff collaboration and reflection on literacy.
2. Increased student success in class.
3. Statewide assessment scores.
4. Graduation and drop out rates.
5. Attendance rates.
70
60
50
3-D Column 1
2008
2009
40
2010
30
20
10
0
reading
math
writing
Sources:
Kohut, G., Burnap, C., and Yon, M. (2007) Peer Observation of
Teaching: Perceptions of the Observer and the Observed. College
Teaching. 55. 19-25.
Stillwell, C. (2009) The Collaborative Development of Teacher
Training Skills. ELT Journal. 63. 59-67.
Yon, M., Burnap, C., and Kohut, G. (2002) Evidence of Effective
Teaching: Perceptions of Peer Reviewers. College Teaching. 50 104110.