spanish-american institute
215 West 43 Street  ● 
NYC, NY 10036  ●  212.840.7111 
●  fax: 212.719.5922  ● 
www.sai2000.org  ● 
info@sai2000.org   http://www.facebook.com/studentclub
To: All Faculty and Staff ~ «FirstNAME» «LastNAME»
From: Dante V. Ferraro, President
Intensive English Language and Business Department Chairs
Re: Classroom Observations
Date: January 10, 2012
Classroom Observations  
In the next few weeks, Department Chairs and their associates will conduct classroom observations. Copies of the observation forms used in English/ESL and non-ESL classes are attached.
The criteria for teaching observations criteria are based on the Institute’s Standards of Good Practice in ESL Teaching and the Institute’s English-in-Context: Teaching English in Computer Education. Given the school’s primary emphasis on teaching English language skills in all classes, non-ESL faculty as well as ESL/English faculty should review these standards.
This is to be a constructive, collegial activity during which we are able to work together to improve the quality of instruction in all our classes.
Annual Professional Development
Plans
Following the observation, we will schedule a meeting to discuss the observation and to update your an annual professional development plan.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you
Associated Documents: (some attached, some you have received already, some will follow --- al available on the web @ www.sai2000.org)
English
Class Observation Form
Non-ESL
Class Observation Form
Standards of Good Practice in ESL Teaching
English-in-Context: 
Teaching English in Computer Education  
Spanish-American Institute
English Class Teaching Observation 
2012
| Faculty Member:          «FirstNAME» «LastNAME» | |
|  | Course & Time:                          ESL                               | 
| Observation Date:    | Number of Students Present:               | 
| Observer:                     | Observer's Signature:   | 
Rating
Scale:  1=unsatisfactory, 2=needs
improvement, 3=satisfactory, 4=very good, 5=excellent, NA/NO-not applicable or
not observed
| CONTENT | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA/NO | 
| Used content appropriate to the syllabus and the assigned textbook
  according to the Institute’s Standards
  of Good Practice in ESL Teaching.  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Used content appropriate to the lesson. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Used content appropriate to the class. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Related material to prior knowledge. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Demonstrated command of subject matter. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Explained items clearly and effectively. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Assigned appropriate homework. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| ORGANIZATION and
  INSTRUCTION | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA/NO | |
| Explained purpose of lesson clearly.  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Demonstrated evidence of lesson planning. |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Engaged class in holistic writing activities. |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Engaged class in holistic reading activities. |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Engaged class in holistic listening activities. |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Engaged class in holistic speaking activities. |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Used effective transitions |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Used active learning strategies |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Used varied teaching strategies |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Used class time effectively |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Discouraged "bitting.”  (*Bitting=accepting little bits of answers instead of
  encouraging full sentence responses that demonstrate understanding of the
  question.)   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Kept teacher’s “voice” to a minimum so that the primary speakers were
  students engaged in active communication with each other. |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Allowed wait-time for question responses.  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Involved several students in each question. |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Arranged classroom effectively to encourage
  student communication with each other (not from student to teacher).   |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | 
| Used blackboard sparingly, if at all. 
   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Involved everyone in the class. |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Communicated expectations clearly to students, including
  participation levels.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Collected homework and provided feedback.  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| INSTRUCTOR-STUDENT INTERACTION | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA/NO | 
| Created a student-centered classroom, not a
  teacher-centered one.  (In a student-centered classroom, the teacher
  facilitates learning through the use of active teaching strategies that
  requires student  engagement with each
  other.)
   |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Addressed students by name |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Required students to engage in answering their own  questions. 
  (Did not allow student
  questions to divert attention away from the lesson.)   |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Encouraged student interaction. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Moved around the classroom. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Observed individual student work. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Determined when students were confused |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Helped students who needed assistance but did not provide them with
  the “answers.”   |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Provided students with positive feedback |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Held students' attention. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
SUMMARY:  
RECOMMENDATIONS: 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Faculty Member’s Signature: 
_________________________________Date___________________
                                                    «FirstNAME» «LastNAME»
Observer's
Signature:              _____________________________
Date: _______________
Spanish-American Institute
Non-ESL Course Teaching Observation 
2012
rev. 20110901
| Faculty Member:      «FirstNAME»
  «LastNAME» | |
|  | Course & Time:                 | 
| Observation Date:        | Number of Students Present:   | 
| Observer:   |  | 
Rating
Scale:  1=unsatisfactory, 2=needs
improvement, 3=satisfactory, 4=very good, 5=excellent, NA/NO-not applicable or
not observed
| CONTENT | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA/NO | 
 | ||||||
| Used content from the textbook unit and content  appropriate to the syllabus.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
| Incorporated objectives with primary attention to using English
  language skills.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
| Incorporated unit’s application objectives.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
| Incorporated “Critical Thinking” activity (or equivalent if
  not using DDC text).   |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
| Incorporated “On Your Own” activity  (or equivalent if not using DDC text as
  required by textbook and syllabus).     |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
| Incorporated “Online Resources” research (or equivalent if not
  using DDC text as required by textbook and syllabus) . |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
| Incorporated final project development.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
| ORGANIZATION and
  INSTRUCTION | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA/NO | |||||||
| Demonstrated evidence of lesson planning consistent with the
  syllabus and with student needs with primary attention to incorporation of
  English language skills objectives.  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Facilitated student learning instead of giving students the
  answers.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Engaged students in reading for comprehension.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Engaged students in paraphrasing (explaining textbook sections
  orally and/or in writing).   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Engaged students in summarizing directions orally and/or in
  writing. |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Engaged students in writing activity connected with developing
  “On Your Own” activity and individual projects (or equivalent if not using
  DDC text as required by textbook and syllabus).   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Engaged students in speaking activity connected with
  developing “On Your Own” activity and individual projects (or equivalent if
  not using DDC text as required by textbook and syllabus) |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Determined when students were confused.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Encouraged student questions.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Moved around the classroom and observed each student's work at
  least once each class period.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Kept daily or weekly written summaries of each student’s academic
  progress.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| Took attendance while students were engaged in learning
  activities.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||
| INSTRUCTOR-STUDENT INTERACTION | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA/NO | 
 | ||||||
| Made effective eye contact and addressed students by name. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
| Communicated expectations clearly to students.   |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
| Held students' attention. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
| Had good rapport overall with students. |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
 | ||||||
SUMMARY and RECOMMENDATIONS: 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Observer’s Signature and Date:
____________________________________________
Faculty Member’s Signature and Date:  ______________________________________
                                                                                                    «FirstNAME» «LastNAME»