Bilingual Classroom Observations Guidelines
Analytical report on a bilingual classroom based on a minimum of two 2.5 hour-long
observations and analysis of a bilingual classroom. It is ideal to observe two separate lessons of
the same teacher teaching a different subject (e.g., one language arts class, one math).
Write a report based on both your observation and connections to theories and research
discussed in class. Readings, discussions and theories reviewed during the semester MUST be
integrated into the paper (limit 10 pages). You must use the formatting outlined on the syllabus
and properly cite using APA format.
Please use the outline below to structure your report. Discuss the following and make
connections to theory and research. You may use the attached survey to help guide you in your
observation but you do not need to report on all of the bulleted points.
It is essential that you move beyond the purely descriptive. For each aspect you observe
in the classroom you should find a relevant connection to research and theory
I - STUDENTS/CLASSROOM/SCHOOL
A- Describe the school, students, neighborhood and family background of the
students. What does the climate tell you about how language and general education are
regarded in the school? How might what you observed be contrary to your
beliefs/philosophies about working with students and the role of bilingual ed and
schooling in society? Are opportunities for enrichment, such as access to gifted and
talented programs and after school programs, the same for the emergent bilingual
population as for the rest of the school population?
For example, describe:
 Student background information
 School setting
 Grade
 Language(s) of the children
 Teacher
 Cultures represented
 Physical Environment
 Physical set-up of the room
 Traditional Centers
 Open Classroom
 Other
B- Describe the model of bilingual instruction of the school and classroom. How
might the bilingual ed model in the classroom mediate the experiences and perspectives
of students about schooling? How might it affect their language learning and their
bilingualism in particular?
For example, describe:
 Evidence of use of two languages
 Labels
 Children's work
 Language use among children
 Language use during formal lessons
C- Describe the linguistic environment of the classroom and school. Do you notice a
difference in language use outside of the classroom as opposed to inside the
classroom? What language do students use to initiate an interaction with the teacher?
Fellow students?
For example, describe:
 Evidence of use of two languages
 Labels
 Children's work
 Language use among children
 Language use during formal lessons
 How/When the two languages are used
 Praising, Reprimanding
 Code switching
 Concurrent Translation
 Translanguaging
D- Evidence of multiculturalism and family involvement
For example, describe:
 Use of children's cultures (specific examples)
 Is there evidence of parental involvement or of communication with parents?
II OBSERVATION OF LESSON
A- Preparation
 Content objectives for students
 Language objectives for students
 Supplementary materials used
 Adaptation of content and language
 Activities that integrate lesson concepts
B- Instruction
 Concepts explicitly linked to students’ background experiences
 Links between past learning and new concepts
 Key vocabulary emphasized
C- Comprehensible Input
 Speech appropriate for students’ proficiency
 Explanation of/directions for academic tasks clear
 Adaptations of the task to fit students’ level of ability
 Techniques to make content concepts clear
 Use of multiple modes (oral language, written language, visuals) to make
meaning clear
D- Strategies
 Explicit focus on strategies students use/explicit teaching of a strategy
 Opportunities for students to use strategies
 Use of scaffolding techniques, assisting and supporting student understanding
 Teacher uses a variety of question types
E- Interaction
 Interaction between teacher/student and among students
 Grouping configurations support language and content objectives of the lesson
 Provides wait time for student responses
 Opportunities for students to clarify key concepts in L1
 Opportunities for negotiation of meaning
F- Practice/Application
 Provides hands-on materials and/or manipulatives
 Provides activities for students to apply content and language knowledge
 Uses activities that integrate all language skills (reading, writing, listening, and
speaking)
 Provides independent activities to see if students can do task without
assistance
G- Lesson Delivery
 Content objectives supported by lesson delivery
 Language objectives supported by lesson delivery
 Students engaged
 Pacing of the lesson appropriate to the students’ ability level
 Review of key vocabulary
 Review of key content concepts
 Feedback to students on their output
 Differentiation of instruction/assistance/task
H- Assessment of Instruction
 Checks for understanding (of instructions, of information, etc.)
 End-of-lesson informal or formal assessment of content/language objectives
III RECOMMENDATIONS

What recommendations might you have for improving practice in the
classroom generally? What might you recommend for the benefit of the
program overall?
Bilingual Classroom Observation
Exemplary
Part 1
Diversity of student
populations, families
and communities
(Part 1 a)
Foundations of bilingual
education
(Part 1 b)
How children develop
and the relationship to
learning
(Part 1 c & d)
Neighborhood, school, and classroom
setting are clearly and
comprehensively described with
relevant and rich details. Supporting
outside information is included.
Children’s cultures and language are
clearly, comprehensively, and richly
described and made evident with
relevant examples. Strong connections
to theory and research are made.
Model of bilingual instruction is noted
and strongly supported with research
and evidence. Students’ perspectives
and experiences are clearly illustrated.
Children’s and teacher’s language use
is clearly and comprehensively
described and many examples are
provided.
Children’s cultures and language
are clearly described, relevant
examples are given. Relevant
references to theory and research
are made.
Model of bilingual instruction is
noted with some supporting
evidence. Students’ perspectives
and experiences are illustrated.
Children’s and teacher’s language
use is clearly described, examples
are provided.
Unacceptable
Neighborhood, school, and
classroom setting are
described, but more details
are needed for clarity.
Description of the
neighborhood, school,
classroom and/or children’s
cultures is vague or
incomplete.
Children’s cultures and
languages are described, but
examples lack relevance.
Some discussion of research
and theory.
Model of bilingual instruction
is noted without evidence to
support it.
Children’s cultures and
language use is alluded to
vaguely. Weak or irrelevant
discussion of research and
theory.
Model of bilingual
instruction is unclear to the
reader.
Children’s and teacher’s
language use is described, few
examples are provided.
Little reference is made to
language use in the
classroom and no language
samples are provided.
Few connections are made to
first and second language
acquisition theories.
Relevant discussion of parent
involvement and integrating family
culture in the classroom.
Brief discussion of parent
involvement and integrating
family culture in the
classroom.
Aspects of evidence-supported
instruction is well described and clearly
connected to theory/research.
Theoretical concepts are explicitly and
appropriately interwoven throughout
the paper.
Aspects of evidence-supported
instruction is noted with
supporting evidence Theoretical
concepts are
present throughout the paper.
Aspects of evidencesupported instruction is noted
without evidence to support
it. Theoretical concepts are
sporadically interspersed.
Aspects of evidencesupported instruction is
unclear to the reader. No
mention of theory or
misinterpretation of
theories.
Cogent, creative recommendations for
classroom improvement are made.
Relevant and practical
recommendations for classroom
improvements are made.
Recommendations for
classroom improvement are
disconnected or unrelated.
Recommendations made
for the classroom are poor
or absent.
Deep and relevant discussion of parent
involvement and integrating family
culture in classroom aligned with
theory is presented.
Part 3
Recommendations
Neighborhood, school, and
classroom setting are clearly
described with relevant details.
Marginal
Relevant connections are made to
first and second language
acquisition theories.
Well-defined and relevant connections
are made to first and second language
acquisition theories.
Part 2
Observation of
evidenced-based
practices in teaching
Proficient
Limited connections are
made to language
acquisition theories.
Incomplete discussion of
parent involvement and
family culture in the
classroom.