Teachers’ interpretation of MOET’s evaluation crit- 123docz.net

Criterion 1: Subject matter knowledge is accurate and scientific.

The teachers shared common ground when stating that subject matter knowledge delivered by teachers must be lexically, grammatically and phonetically accurate. They highlighted that teachers’ presentation of the grammar points or vocabulary in the lesson should be perfectly accurate. However, errors made in their classroom language may be overlooked. For example, Teacher 4 believed that,

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Accurate subject matter knowledge means the accuracy of grammar, pronunciation in teacher’s speech and writing. It’s very important because students only make right sentences when teacher presents accurate grammar or vocabulary.

This was echoed by Teacher 2 that,

Teachers need to give accurate language knowledge such as pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. However, if teachers give wrong pronunciation of a word when they are speaking, this shouldn’t be treated as their inaccuracy of language knowledge . Criterion 2: Subject matter knowledge is systematic and adequate; teaching points are made clear.

Some of the teachers made the point that the delivery of systematic knowledge meant the activities or tasks in the lesson were arranged in the order of difficulty. Easy tasks were dealt with before more difficult ones were tackled (Teacher2, Teacher 3). Besides, a systematic lesson could be understood as the full prescribed stages of the lesson being followed. This was elaborated by Teacher 1 below:

There are three stages in the skill lesson: pre-stage, while-stage and post-stage. In the language focus lesson, the lesson is divided into three phases: Presentation – Practice and Production. In order for a lesson to be systematically adequate in terms of subject matter knowledge, I think teachers should follow all stages in their lessons.

Teacher 5 also understood this criterion as the coverage of everything in the textbook. She said,

I think when the teacher has covered all the activities prescribed for a lesson, it can be understood that knowledge content is systematically delivered .

Classroom teachers are supposed to deliver adequate content to the students. However, according to some teachers interviewed, this does not mean all the matters in a lesson are thoroughly dealt with. Teachers can make some adjustments to the tasks to suit their students’ strengths (Teacher 2, Teacher 3, Teacher 6). Giving explanation for this, Teacher 6 voiced his difficulties when teaching the new text book:

It is impractical to expect teachers to cover all the things prescribed in a 45-minute lesson, especially when there are long and difficult tasks. The important thing is that the teaching points are well-touched. Once the teaching points are made clear to students, the job of teachers should be appreciated .

He went on to put an emphasis on the lesson teaching points:

Teachers are supposed to identify the main objectives of the lesson and spend more time on this. This is the indication of teaching points being made clear.

Criterion 3: Subject matter knowledge is related to real life and educational.

The teachers in this study shared a view that teachers in class needed to relate teaching content to real life, which made it comprehensible to students. In this case, students’ ability to use language for communication purpose would be developed. This was elaborated by three teachers in the interview below.

Teachers need to create a situation which is close to students’ life. This helps students apply what they have learnt to real life. (Teacher 2)

Teachers’ presentation of knowledge in the lesson is not enough. It is necessary for them to help students to relate that knowledge to real life (Teacher 3)

Teachers can create real situations in class, or in students’ life. What associated with students’ real life will aid their comprehension and boost their application of knowledge (Teacher 6).

Criterion 4: Teaching methods are appropriate to the subject and lesson types.

As for the matter of appropriate teaching methods, the teachers interviewed interpreted this differently. For example, Teacher 2 said,

Appropriate method is the good combination of a range of methods in teaching activities. For example, teachers use a range of methods to correct students work or to elicit ideas from them.

However, according to Teacher 6, the use of appropriate methods depended on a number of factors.

To decide what method to take, teacher first needs to identify the main points of the lesson and the students’ language proficiency levels. Students of different levels need different methods so that they can understand teacher’s instructions, take in lesson content effectively, and know how to put the knowledge into practice. Appropriate methods are those which are appropriate to each kind of students .

Teacher 1 also mentioned the language level of students when discussing appropriate methods. According to him, appropriate methods were those used by teachers to assist students in mastering the forms of the language in the lesson. He gave an example of this as follows:

In a speaking lesson when students can not be confident enough to speak, teacher can guide them to write full sentences, so that they look at them and repeat until the form was memorized.

Besides, the teachers also agreed that what method to be used in a lesson depended on the type of lesson. For example, Teacher 6 said,

A skill lesson must follow 3 stages: pre-stage, while-stage and post-stage. In the skill lesson the teacher’s activities should focus on the development of students’ language skills.

Cooperation in learning was also mentioned as an appropriate method. Teacher 3 appreciated the use of pairwork and groupwork in learning activities that,

Appropriate methods are the combination of pair work and group work in learning activity, which can increase the chance for student practice.

Criterion 5: Teaching methods are well combined in teaching and learning activities.

The teachers in this study considered it necessary to use mixed methods in teaching activities. Interestingly, they interpreted the mixed methods as the use of work arrangement: pair work, group work or individual (Teacher 2, Teacher 3); the use of different methods of eliciting when presenting vocabulary (Teacher 2); the use of translation method in reading lesson in which teachers help students to translate comprehension questions into Vietnamese (Teacher 6). From the teachers’ opinions, it can be inferred that the reality of the class with mixed-ability students has exerted a strong impact on their views on instructional methods used in the class. They tended to prefer the methods which they are familiar with and which they think appropriate to their students’

abilities.

Criterion 6: Teaching aids are used effectively and appropriately.

The teachers were all in favour of the use of teaching aids in teaching activities.

According to them, teaching aids should be used appropriately. Teaching aids should help teachers to save time for explanation, should be easy to prepare and can be recycled. The teachers put an emphasis on the need to use teaching aids in teaching; however, they also emphasized that the use should not be abused:

Based on each type of lesson or each activity, teachers can decide what kind of teaching aid is appropriate. For example, in presenting vocabulary to students, pictures can be used as appropriate teaching aids. (Teacher 2)

Teaching aids support teachers, make their explanations clear and save time. They are not luxurious things. Teachers can feel free to carry out an activity without teaching aids if they feel that the use of teaching aids is unnecessary. (Teacher 3) Criterion 7: There is good use of the board; lesson plan is appropriate.

What agreed upon was that good use of the board contributed to a well-organized lesson. The board was used to present the outline of the lesson, which helped to focus students on what they were learning in the lesson. Teacher 4 and Teacher 6 gave out their opinions of these criteria as follows:

In my opinion, appropriate use of the board means the key knowledge content of the lesson should be outlined on the board. This shows what knowledge in the lesson has been delivered to students. (Teacher 4)

Appropriate use of the board shows clearly the steps of the lesson. Everything written on the board must be neat and clear so that students can write down easily.

The headings as well as the activities of the lesson written shouldn’t be confusing . (Teacher 6)

As for lesson plan, what received attention from the teachers were the objectives of the lesson, the procedures and teacher’s and students’ activities. Below are some ways in which teachers understood appropriate lesson plan.

In the appropriate lesson plan, what should be identified are the objectives of the lesson, the teaching aids, the teacher’s activities and students’ activities. What’s more, how the activities are carried out in the lesson should be made clear . (Teacher 4)

In my opinion, in the appropriate lesson plan, there should be clear procedures. The objectives of the lesson as well as the objectives of each activity are clearly defined.

Teachers’ instructions should be clearly stated. The activities should focus on active learning. (Teacher 3)

Criterion 8: Teaching procedures are carried out flexibly; time is allocated appropriately for the activities.

The teachers interviewed emphasized the need to be flexible in handling teaching and learning activities as there were some challenges of teaching new textbooks in the context with prevalent constraints such as teaching facilities or students’ limited English ability.

The flexibility was understood as the way teachers adjusted their instructions according to a particular situation in class.

For weak students, the presentation needs more time than expected. As for good students, some extra activities should be in hands in case pre-determined tasks have been completed. (Teacher 2)

Teachers also thought that it was necessary to allocate time appropriately for each task.

For them, the main activity should receive more time. For example, in a skill lesson, the while-task stage was the main part of the lesson, so more time should be given to this stage. (Teacher 1, Teacher 2, Teacher 5)

Criterion 9: Teacher organizes and guides active learning; the activities are appropriate to lesson types and particular students; students are motivated.

The teachers in this study said that it was necessary to organize and guide active learning corresponding with lesson types and students’ strengths. The indicators of this criterion were given out as follows:

- teacher provides more time for students to practice independently and in joyful atmosphere (Teacher 2, Teacher 3)

- teacher encourages students to give out their own ideas (Teacher 1, Teacher 6).

- students actively discuss the questions in groups (Teacher 5).

- students understand teachers’ questions and be able to answer them successfully (Teacher 1)

The activities organized by teachers should be responsive to a particular group of students. This requires teachers to have a clear picture of their students and be creative, so that tasks are restructured and tailored to suit students’ needs, learning styles and language proficiency levels. This was elaborated by Teacher 2 as follows:

Teachers shouldn’t load weak students with a mountain of tasks, but only main tasks that focus on the most important part of the lesson. The questions asked should be at students’ level and appropriate to the objectives of the lesson.

Teacher 1, who was teaching at a school where students’ language proficiency level was low, provided an example of teacher’s instructions being responsive to students’

strengths.

In a speaking lesson, as my students are not confident with their speaking, I have to guide them to write out the sentences first. Students look at the sentences they have written down and repeat for some time. Only by then can they be confident enough to speak.

Teachers’ opinions indicated that students’ variables such as students’ strengths were really influential in their views on instructional methods.

Criterion 10: Most students understand the lesson, master the teaching points and know how to apply what has been learnt to new situations.

The teachers shared a view that student learning outcome was a sign of a successful lesson. This can be identified by observing students’ participation in the lesson.

A lesson is deemed effective when teachers are able to make students fully involved in every activity; the majority of students practise actively and good practice is generated (Teacher 6)

In a lesson we can observe students learning and know whether teacher has helped to produce good learning outcome. The indicator of good learning outcome is that students are active and work hard. Students are motivated by learning activities and succeed in giving correct answers to teacher’s questions. (Teacher 2)

Teachers’ interpretation of MOET’s evaluation criteria

Criteria for evaluating lesson effectiveness

Teachers’ suggestions about criteria for an effective lesson