Instructor:PamelaKimario

Dates:9/16/15:FifthsemesterSwahili(Advanced)&2/16/16:SixthSemesterSwahili(Advanced)

Thefollowingnotes&evaluationsarebasedonthetwoobservationdatesindicated.

Notesfrom9/16/15
1) Theclasswasgreat!
2) Environmentandclassmanagement:Studentsareengaged,comfortableparticipating,makingmistakes,
initiatingtalkwithteacherandeachother,etc.Pamelaisprofessional,prepared,managestimewelland
keepsthingsmovingthroughoutclass.
3) Onesuggestionforimprovementistobesuretoendontimeandnotgoover.Asecondsuggestionis
settingtimelimitsforactivities.
4) Languageuse:ThestudentsspeakinSwahiliabout99%ofthetimeandPamelausesSwahili100%ofthe
time.Studenttalktimeisabout7080%ofclasstime.StudentshaveextendeddiscourseinSwahiliboth
witheachotherandwiththeteacher.
5) Activities:Lessonwasfocusedondescribingcharactersandrecallingexamplesfromafilmwatchedat
home.Studentspreparedaparagraphaboutthemaincharactersandreaditatthebeginningofclass.
Discussionfollowed.Thefinalactivitywastowriteaboutandthentalkaboutcharactersthathadnotyet
beendiscussed.Gooduseofclasstimeforspeakingpractice,usedawritingactivityfollowedbyspeaking
togivetimetothinkandthentalkaboutatopic.

Notesfrom2/16/16
1) Excellentteaching.
2) Ambiance&Style:Calm,generallyquiet(asinnotloud,butstudentsarespeakingalot)class;Pamelais
pleasant,professional,andfriendlywithstudents;Studentsremainengagedandparticipateforentireclass
period
3) Lessonfocusesonpresenting&analyzingthemesfromatextpreparedbeforeclass.Vocabulary&
languageskillsareviathediscussion.
4) Pamelausesboardspacewell.
5) Mostactivitiesinvolveteacherstudentinteraction.Thisisnormalinsuchasmallcourse,butshecould
createsomemorestudentstudentinteractionsNoteshemayalreadydothisinclass.Thisisonlybased
onthisparticularclassday&Ididnoticethatstudentsfeelcomfortableengagingeachotherandthe
teacher.
6) Pamelaiswellawareofstudentsandworkstokeepthemallinvolvedindiscussionbycallingon
individualsandaskingthemtocommentonorrespondtootherstudentsanswers.
CHECKLISTOFPERFORMANCECRITERIA

Key: 0=notobserved/observable/applicable
1=needslotsofimprovement
2=needssomeimprovement
3=adequate
4=goodperformance
5=excellentperformance

Expectationsaretailoredtothecourselevel,thestudents'proficiencylevel,theteacher'slevelof
experience,anddepartmentalandprofessionalgoodpractices.

Inclasslanguageuseandparticipationpatterns

__5__ theteacherusesthetargetlanguage(orEnglish)when/whereappropriate
__4__ theteacherholdsandrelinquishesthefloortostudents,asappropriate
__5__ theteacherallowsappropriatetimeforstudentstorespond
__5__ theteacherusescleargesturesandappropriatedurations&directionsofgaze,e.g.,tosignala
student'sturn,thedesireforrepetition,etc.
__5__ theteacheruseshis/hervoiceappropriately,e.g.,raises/lowersvolumes,asappropriate,
projectssoundintoappropriatedirections;speaksclearly,etc.
__5__ theteacherencouragesorfocusesonthecontent,accuracy,style,speed,orrelevanceofstudent
contributions,asappropriate
__5__ thestudentsusethetargetlanguageasmuchaspossible
__5__ themajorityofstudentstakeparticipatory(andnotjustreactive)roleswhenandasappropriate
(e.g.,nottodistracttheclass)
__5__ somestudentsinitiateexchangeswiththeteacherorotherstudents

Lessonplanningandactivities
[Pleaseknowthat"activity"referstoallteachingevents,whetherapresentationbytheteacheror
teacher/studentIRF(Initiation/Response/Feedback)sequencesorpeerwork.]

__4__ theactivitiescontributetoclearandappropriatelearninggoals
__4__ theactivitiesareclearlypresentedanddescribed;oralandwritteninstructionsareclear
__4__ thereisanappropriatenumberofactivities
__5__ theactivitiesofferanappropriatevarietyofparticipationformats(e.g.
teacher/studentled;languagereception/production;open/closed;onewayortwoway
informationexchange;withanoral/writtenlanguagefocus)
__4__ thenumber(wholeclass,group,pair,individualstudents)andtype(teacher,students)
ofparticipantsineachactivityisappropriatetotheactivity'sformatandgoals
__5__ theteachermodifiesactivitieswhen/asappropriateduringclass
__5__ theactivitiescomewithappropriatesupportingmaterials(e.g.,handouts,
overheadprojection,props,etc.)whennecessary
__4__ theactivitiesareaccompaniedorprecededbynecessaryinformationandpreparatory
work(e.g.,regardingbackground,terminology,grammar,vocabulary,discoursestructures)
__5__ thestudentsandteacherarephysicallypositionedtocarryout(e.g.seated,
standing,moving)theactivitiesefficientlyandauthentically
__5__ theteacherensuresthatstudentsstayontaskandprovidesongoingsupportduring
tasks

Generalorientation

__5__ theteacherleadstheclassinanappropriatemannerandtoanappropriatedegree
__5__ theteacherbehavesprofessionally,e.g.,arrivesandleavesontime;addresses
studentsinanappropriatemanner;provideswellpreparedmaterialstothestudents,etc.
__5__ theteacherhasappropriateexpectationsofthestudents,caresabouttheirneeds,and
providesappropriatechallenges
__5__ therelationshipbetweenteacherandstudentsappearsrespectfulandencouraging
__5__ relationshipsamongstudentsappearrespectfulandencouraging
__4__ thelessonfollowstheoverallcoursegoalsandprinciplesofCommunicativeLanguageTeaching,
suchassetforthintheNationalStandards
(e.g.,http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3392)

Observedby:
AmyClay
aclay@wisc.edu
AssistanttoDr.KatrinaDalyThompson,AssociateProfessor&DirectorofAfricanLanguages
DepartmentofAfricanLanguages&Literature