Learning Languages Classroom Observation Tool
Teacher: ___________________
Date: ___________ Time: ___________
Room: ____________________
Year Level: ______________________
Language___________________
Context___________________________
Students
What is the focus for these students?
Why has this learning been chosen?
What evidence (data, teacher
observation, self and peer assessment,
student reflections) has informed
this?
Students
What is the focus for these students?
Why has this learning been chosen?
What evidence (data, teacher
observation, self and peer assessment,
student reflections) has informed
this?
Teacher
What particular component or aspect
of learning languages are you working
on and why?
Observer
What is the evidence the observer,
and you, would hope to see and hear
from your students?
Is there anything that you want the
observer to focus on and support you
with?
Students you would like the observer
to talk to about this learning...
Developed by Dee Edwards and Paul Neveldson, Team Solutions, November 2010
Room environment...
Can you see support strategies for the use of formulaic
expressions in the target language?
(e.g. please, thank you, hello, goodbye, numbers, sayings, as well as
posters, speech bubbles, flash cards, table mats, labels and learning
centres )
Can you see language specific to the current
target language context as well as the focus of the
wider classroom learning programme?
Comments
Y/N
Y/N
(e.g. for example topic words are in the target language)
Can you see genuine and authentic evidence of cultural
aspects of the target language country, that connect to
the language learning that is occuring in the classroom.
Y/N
(eg images, news, appropriate captions, labels, and questions)
Can you see evidence of comparison and contrast
between the culture and language of the target
country, Te Reo and Me Ona Tikanga, and any
other known cultures and languages.
Teacher planning...
Is there a progressive and developmental overview
for the Learning Languages programme that is
revisionary and reflective of students own goals for
learning?
Does the Learning Languages programme have
Communication as its emphasis with indirect
contribution of the Language and Cultural Knowledge
strands ?
Does the unit planning describe what Learning
Languages Achievement Objectives are being
focused on? (Is this reflected in the Learning Intentions and
Y/N
Comments
Y/N
Y/N
Y/N
Outcomes?)
Does unit planning show alignment to Ellis’s Principles of
Instructed Second Language Acquisition?
Y/N
Do the students have a meaningful context that
encourages them to engage with the target language?
Y/N
Does daily planning show evidence of planning for the
explicit teaching of the Key Competencies?
Y/N
Developed by Dee Edwards and Paul Neveldson, Team Solutions, November 2010
Is there a logical path between the programme, unit
planning, daily planning and student work?
Y/N
Are there reflective comments in the daily planning
for the different classes/groups within each day?
Y/N
Is there evidence of differentiation?
(e.g. grouping, individual programmes)
Can students be observed interacting with and using
the support strategies promoting target language use
around the classroom?
Y/N
Y/N
(eg this could include student use of, posters, posters, speech
bubbles, flash cards, table mats, labels and learning centres)
Student’s e-portfolio/booklets...
Comments
At a minimum, there are records of students’ own learning
that are inclusive of their goals and the achievement
objectives (including relevant self and peer assessment)


that determine their ability to communicate using the target language.
show evidence of the students’ ongoing learning in
relation to their learning goals and the
Achievement Objectives of this learning area?
Y/N
Y/N
(e.g. Communication, Language Knowledge, Cultural
Knowledge)


show evidence of the implicit development of the
Key Competencies through a Learning Languages
context.
demonstrating an increasing range of use of the
target language (i.e. this does not refer to testing of
discrete vocabulary but rather the development of
students' formulaic repertoire)
Y/N
Y/N
Optimally, there will be student e-portfolios that will be
used to provide evidence of all of the above, as well as
being more appropriate to showing

evidence of communicative use of target language in
meaningful contexts
Developed by Dee Edwards and Paul Neveldson, Team Solutions, November 2010
Y/N
Teaching and learning...
Are the learning intentions and outcomes shared and
discussed with students?
Y/N
Does the learning and teaching deliberately focus on
and promote opportunities for students output and
interaction in the target language?
Y/N
Is there a high level of student-centered engagement
in the classroom? (e.g. use of pair and group tasks where the
Y/N
focus is on communication)
Can students talk in an informed way about how their
engagement with the target language is beneficial to
them both now and in the future?
Y/N
(eg by learning another language I am able to …..)
Is there evidence of explicit teaching of literacy
strategies using second language contexts?
Assessment...
Is there evidence of the success criteria being clearly
communicated and explained to the students for each
unit?
Is the Success Criteria reflective of the
Proficiency Descriptor at the appropriate curriculum
level and based on the achivement objectives of the
Communication strand only. (i.e the two supporting strands are
Y/N
Comments
Y/N
Y/N
only assessed indirectly through their contribution to the
Communication strand)
Is there a clear link between unit planning, daily
planning and the success criteria?
Y/N
Is there ongoing evidence of formative assessment in
students e-portfolios?
Y/N
(e.g. tracking throughout the cycle, goal setting, feed-back/feedforward, comments, self and peer assessment)
Can the students talk about where they see themselves
in relation to the success criteria and their own
learning?
Y/N
Developed by Dee Edwards and Paul Neveldson, Team Solutions, November 2010
Note the
time at
the start
and end of
the lesson
and at
regular
intervals.
Record the use of formulaic language thrughout the
lesson.
Developed by Dee Edwards and Paul Neveldson, Team Solutions, November 2010
Observer's Inquiry
Note the
time at
the start
and end of
the lesson
and at
regular
intervals.
Record the use of formulaic language thrughout the
lesson.
Developed by Dee Edwards and Paul Neveldson, Team Solutions, November 2010
Observer's Inquiry