An Action Research and Development
Project in teacher education
by the City College Birmingham CELTA
team
2
part-time CELTA courses run
concurrently.
 2 or 3 trainees teach ESOL classes each
morning.
 Peers and trainer observe and make
notes.
 We all meet immediately after for
feedback.
 In
September we started using a handheld camcorder to record every TP.
 Trainees
 We
took turns to hold the camera.
watched parts of the film on a TV or a
smart board as part of group feedback.
We were looking for a way of re-visiting
significant events when :
 trainees
failed to remember, notice or
record them.
 trainees needed more evidence to be
genuinely willing to re-evaluate them.
 there was limited awareness of learners
and their learning while teaching or
observing.
A
general aim: “ To discover the most
beneficial uses of using the films during
the feedback session for both trainer and
trainees.”
A
more specific aim: “ To evaluate the use
of a video recording of teaching practice
in helping to sensitise trainees to the
experiences of the learners.”
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The need –the camera to
support a writing disability.
The beginning – too systematic
and over-use of camera,
resulting in camera-dominated
feedback.
The evolution – used more
selectively to highlight a
balance of good practice and
development need beneficial
to whole group.
The present – further
development possible to
maximise use as disability
support and feedback tool.
 Gap
fill – video
used for
illustration of
good practice.
 Trainee’s
feedback – video
used to show
developmental
areas.
 Trainee’s
anecdotevideo shows good
example of students
engaged, trainee’s
body language
relaxed.
 Trainee follow on –
video shows lengthy
teacher-fronted
eliciting.

The beginning:
-Feedback - led by film or notes?
-Feedback - led by trainer or
trainees?
-How much do we watch?
Sometimes too much, sometimes
too little.

Now:
A better balance worked out with
short video clips used for
exploring 2 or 3critical moments
highlighted or unnoticed by
trainees. These moments
identified during observation or
feedback.
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A ‘running relay quiz’ of
reading comprehension
questions.
She reported
‘disappointment’: she saw
no change of pace, a lot of
‘cheating’, other procedural
problems.
We watched video and saw
students very busy and
engaged with the text.
Success!
We discussed ways this
‘relay’ could be tweaked.
Aims: develop gist
reading skills.
 Trainee sets students a
time limit but no gist
task. He knew they
were taking too long.
 We watch students
reading – we see them
carefully finger
tracking word by word.
 We discuss alternative
ways of setting a gist
task up.
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1st Entry 1 lesson, after 3
hours at E3.
Trainee gives instructions.
She withholds materials to
avoid distracting students –
an E3 practice.
She checks her instructions.
We watch and listen to
students– no response to
checking question. She
decides to hand out
materials. We see students
beginning to work out task.
We discuss ways of setting
up tasks with E1 students.
“Did you find the camera distracting?”
I thought I would, for the first couple of
minutes it was a bit...
Not really, at first it
was strange being
recorded but
eventually it became
something that I
didn’t even notice.
I was distracted for the
first few lessons...
On the whole, no.
I tend to be so
involved in what
I’m doing...
Not when I’m
teaching, but I
do when I have
to hold it.
“Did you see anything unexpected watching other
trainees on film?”
No ,I didn’t notice anything
too unexpected.
..we could sometimes see
some ..trainees tend to stay
with one student group during
the monitoring and don’t really
move around.
I noticed where their
eye contact was and
how only one table
had the trainees’
attention.
I also noticed how the more
vocal students seem to have
their views and answers heard
more...
It’s been more useful to
see what the students
are doing and how much
they are on task...
“When watching the students did you see anything
unexpected?”
It is interesting to have
a more leisurely look
at how they react to the
teaching. You can gain
more of an insight into
what works and what
doesn’t
That some were less interested
in some activities and couldn’t
be bothered to do anything.
I can get a
better idea
about the
reluctant and
disruptive
students.
We could see how
students interact or
sometimes seem to
be completely
disinterested in the
lesson...e.g. a
student playing with
her mobile phone.
I saw what was
really going
when I was
teaching – how
much students
were engaged.
No.
Get the co-operation and goodwill of the ESOL class.
Tell those filming what you want them to film.
Make sure you have somewhere to store the film
files.
 Select film clips thoughtfully in feedback.
 Earmark events in your running record for viewing.
 Use the film for positive as well as negative aspects
of the lesson.
 Use the film in feedback, but don’t be led by it.
 Be flexible and responsive when selecting clips of
film.
 Make a copy of the film available for the trainees.
 Play back on a smart board, if you can.
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Don’t give up too early: be ready to persevere and
experiment – it takes a while to find the most
satisfactory way to use films.
 Don’t try to do the filming and playback yourself.
 Don’t expect the film to highlight all the issues
equally successfully: it’s good at helping to answer
particular kinds of questions or illustrating particular
types of issues.
 Don’t stop the filming during a trainee’s session but
film continuously until a trainee has finished,
otherwise you end up with too many clips to navigate
in feedback.

A good memory prompt for trainees and trainers.
Trainees often spot details of learner involvement
more readily on film. They tend to watch the trainee
teacher more in the classroom.
 Trainees can be guided in reflection on ‘successful’
and ‘unsuccessful’ events without obviously
imposing trainer’s views.
 Trainees notice personal mannerisms which can be
dealt with without too much personal comment.
 Camera holders often notice learners in ways they
don’t when making notes as observers.
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Technical hitches (quirks of software, quirks of TV
booking system) can delay, prolong or sabotage
feedback.
Feedback can take too long.
Camera holders don’t always film the events you want
to view – it’s a bit serendipitous.
It takes time and effort to organise: recharging camera,
deleting earlier film, extension cables, TVs brought into
classroom, finding useful clips, rewinding and
searching for clips in non-sequential order.
Trainees can rely too much on the film as a memory
prompt: if there’s a technical hitch, feedback is more
difficult.
Feedback can easily become too trainer-led.
Feedback can become too occupied with what is just
visible and lose the bigger picture.
We are continuing to film because it’s still felt
to be valuable in:

prompting memories of events in the
lesson;

raising awareness of the learner at the
centre of the teaching;

providing additional evidence in exploring
successful and not so successful events.