Teachers' and inspectors' perceptions of an effective English lesson = Nhận thức của giáo viên và thanh tra về một giờ dạy tiếng Anh hiệu quả

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
DEPARTMENT OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES









BY: LÊ THANH CƯỜNG




TEACHERS’ AND INSPECTORS’ PERCEPTIONS OF
AN EFFECTIVE ENGLISH LESSON

NHẬN THỨC CỦA GIÁO VIÊN VÀ THANH TRA VỀ MỘT
GIỜ DẠY TIẾNG ANH HIỆU QUẢ


Minor Programme Thesis



Field: Language Teaching Methodology
Code: 601410

HA NOI – 2010

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
DEPARTMENT OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES

BY: LÊ THANH CƯỜNG




TEACHERS’ AND INSPECTORS’ PERCEPTIONS OF
AN EFFECTIVE ENGLISH LESSON

NHẬN THỨC CỦA GIÁO VIÊN VÀ THANH TRA VỀ MỘT
GIỜ DẠY TIẾNG ANH HIỆU QUẢ


Minor Programme Thesis



Field: Language Teaching Methodology
Code: 601410
Supervisor: Lê Văn Canh, MA

HA NOI – 2010


iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Declaration. i
Acknowledgements. ii
Abstract iii
Table of contents. iv
PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale. 1
2. Research questions. 3
3. Methods of the study 3
4. Scope of the study 3
5. The design of the thesis 3
PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1. Effective teaching 4
1.2. Teaching evaluation 7
1.3. Observation as a tool to evaluate teaching 9
1.4. Criteria for evaluating lesson effectiveness 10
1.5. Summary 13
CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY
2.1. The context 15
2.1.1 An overview of present curriculum and textbooks in upper-secondary school
context ……………………………………………………………………………… 15

2.1.2. Observation and teaching evaluation practice in upper-secondary context 15
2.2. The participants 16
2.3. Method of data collection 17
2.4. Data analysis 17
2.4.1. Teachers’ perceptions 18

v
2.4.1.1. Teachers’ general perceptions of MOET’s evaluation criteria 18
2.4.1.2. Teachers’ interpretation of MOET’s evaluation criteria. 18
2.4.1.3. Teachers’ suggestions about criteria for an effective lesson 24
2.4.2. Inspectors’ perceptions 26
2.4.2.1. Inspectors’ general perceptions of MOET’s evaluation criteria 26
2.4.2.2. Inspectors’ interpretations of MOET’s evaluation criteria 26
2.4.2.3. Inspectors’ suggestions about criteria for an effective lesson 30
2.4.3. Convergences and divergences between teachers’ and inspectors’ perceptions
2.4.3.1. Convergences 31
2.4.3.2. Divergences 33
2.5. Discussion of the findings 34
PART C: CONCLUSION
1. Conclusions 38
2. Implications 39
3. Limitations of the study and suggestions for further research 40

References……………………………………………………………………………41…
Appendices……………………………………………………………………………I-V

1
PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
We are living in a changing world in which new developments are affecting every

aspect of life. Now is the era of global integration with “new social movements that
requires special considerations” (Canagarajah, 2006, p.24). In this context English has
occupied its unrivalled position of a language used as a medium of international
communication. English becomes “one of the most important means for acquiring access
to the world intellectual and technical resources” and it “enables learners to access more
advanced and up-to-date resources than they can in their native language” (Canh, 2003,
p.36). The important role of English language in the modern life highlights the need for
enhancing the quality of English language learning and teaching. More and more
researchers, scholars, educational administrators and teachers are taking interest in the
matter of effective English teaching. The factors that help to promote effective teaching
then have received increased attention.
Classroom observation is a common practice in every school. It captures information
about how teachers deliver their lessons and it is considered as the most commonly used
tool not only for evaluating teachers but also for fostering their profession development
(Minhis, as cited in Office of Institutitional Analysis & Planning [OIAP], 2007).
According to O’Leary (as cited in Leshem & Bar-Hama, 2008), “classroom observation
has occupied a prominent role in terms of its use as a tool by which to jugde and
subsequently promote good practice” (p.261). However, it is becoming more of a challenge
to teaching evaluation through classroom observation in the present picture of language
learning and teaching. The picture now is very complicated as contextual factors such as
different objectives, resources, support for professional development, student motivation,
etc …are influential in teaching process (OIAP, 2007). This should be taken into account
when teaching evaluation is carried out.
It should be noted that a number of problems arising in the practice of evaluating
teachers’ teaching have been identified by lots of researchers. According to Bath (as cited
in Sawa, 1995), conventional teaching evaluation often manifests itself as “a meaningless
ritual, or even worse, it becomes a recurring occasion to heighten anxiety and discomfort
among teachers involved” (p.2). This may emerge from the fact that observers tend to use
themselves as a standard and they observe impressionistically (Sheal, 1989). This is echoed

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by Bailey (2002) when he states that teachers have sometimes felt like objects whose
behaviour and key decisions were shaped by dominant views of observers who may not be
aware of the daily practice of a particular language classroom. Leshem and Bar-Hama
(2008) also mention the same problem when they point out that observations tend to be
subjective and are based on the observers’ own teaching approach, which can create biased
results.
In upper-secondary schools in Vietnam, the evaluation of teachers’ teaching is carried
out on a regular basis. The most important source of information used to the evaluation is
collected by means of classroom observation which has received increased concern from
educational administrators, inspectors and teachers themselves. This is because criteria for
evaluation are not specific, and evaluation is, therefore, more subjective and based on the
evaluators’ intuition. Also, teaching evaluation in upper-secondary school context is facing
challenges on account of considerable changes in language teaching. The new textbooks
with new guidelines on teaching have been introduced into this educational environment in
replacement of the old-fashioned ones. The evaluation of teachers’ performance in class,
however, has not yet responded well to the change. What guides inspectors’ evaluation of
teachers’ performance is a set of general criteria for lesson evaluation regulated by the
Ministry of Education and Training (MOET). These criteria for teaching evaluation have
been administered for all subjects, so they potentially lack subject sensitivity element. It
should be noted that sensible teaching evaluation with constructive comments from the
observers can exert positive impact on teachers’ teaching skills. The quality of teaching
evaluation, to a large extent, depends on teachers’ and inspectors’ perceptions of what
constitute effective teaching. This matter has been researched in the field of language
teaching. For example, Griffits (2004) considers teacher perceptions very important as they
potentially influence the effectiveness of teaching process.
From the reasons mentioned above, it is urgent and necessary to explore the viewpoints
that teachers and inspectors hold about criteria for an effective language lesson. Up to now,
there has been little research into this thought process in upper-secondary school context.
This study is intended to move toward that goal. It is hoped that the findings of the study

will make a positive contribution to the improvement in teaching evaluation practice in
high school context, which is of great significance to teacher professional growth.


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2. Research questions
The research questions which guide this study are as follows:
- What are teachers’ and inspectors’ perceptions of an effective English lesson in
upper-secondary school context?
- What suggestions are made on the criteria for evaluating an English lesson in upper-
secondary school context?
- What are the implications for language teaching and teaching evaluation practice in
upper-secondary school context?
3. Method of the study
The qualitative research method was adopted for this study to explore the upper-
secondary school teachers’ and inspectors’ perceptions of an effective lesson. Specifically,
semi-structured interviews with teachers and inspectors were undertaken to collect data for
analysis and discussion.
4. Scope of the study
The study focuses on discovering teachers’ and inspectors’ perceptions of an effective
English lesson in Hai Duong provincial upper-secondary school context. Aspects explored
center on the evaluation criteria for an effective lesson mandated by MOET.
5. The design of the thesis
The study is divided into 3 parts. Part A is an introduction to the research, in which
matters such as rationale, method of study and research questions are presented. Part B is
the development of the study in which there are 2 chapters, chapter 1 and chapter 2.
Chapter 1 reviews the relevant literature on the matters of effective teaching, teaching
evaluation, observation and criteria for lesson effectiveness. Ideas from the researchers in
the field have been discussed to create a theoretical framework for the study. Chapter 2
presents the context of the study, the participants and data collection method. This is

followed by the analysis of the data collected and discussion of the findings. Part C
provides conclusions of the study findings and the implications for language teaching and
teaching evaluation in upper-secondary school context. Also, in this part, the limitations
and suggestions for further research are included.




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PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
This chapter reviews the relevant literature on teaching evaluation. It first discusses
what effective teaching is, then teaching evaluation. This is followed by a discussion of the
limitations of evaluating teaching solely through classroom observations. Finally, criteria
for evaluating teaching are reviewed.
1.1. Effective teaching
Effective teaching is the topic that concerns lots of researchers, educational
administrators and teachers. What discussed below is the matter of effective teaching in
terms of teaching materials, teaching methods, class management and student learning
outcome.
Teaching materials
Teaching materials are among the components that constitute effective teaching.
Teachers need materials to carry out their instructional practice. Effective teaching needs
good materials. Researchers are currently putting a great emphasis on the use of
meaningful materials in a language class. According to Siser (2008), meaningful materials
are the ones that are relevant to students, reflecting real life issues and problems. The more
meaningful materials are to students, the quicker and easier they will be learned. In
addition to this, the content embedded in materials should be varied, natural and authentic,
so that students feel they are working on tasks in real life (Kusuma & Powell, 2004).

Rivers (2003) also voices his favour of the use of materials that focus on the use of natural
language. He states that it is good to provide students with practice in using the language
for everyday life communication. This is opposed to the unnatural types of drills and
practice exercises which are still widely used in many teaching contexts.
Learners in different contexts vary in their learning styles, language proficiency or
learning needs. Rivers (2003) says that learning and teaching are shaped by student needs
and objectives in particular circumstances. Therefore, materials should be designed to care
about learners’ particularities. They should not be too challenging to students in terms of
linguistic knowledge but should be interesting enough to motivate them in their learning.
Similarly, Martin (2005) encourages teachers to take the responsibilities of adapting

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materials to suite their learners. According to him, teachers need to add, for example, extra
necessary language knowledge or topics if their students want or need.
Teaching methods
Effective teaching results from the way the lesson is delivered to students. This
requires teachers to have good instructional skills to make it easy for students to attain the
target language knowledge as well as to develop their language skills. Pellino (2009)
identifies four loads as barriers to meaningful instructions, namely cognitive load, culture
load, language load and learning load, and that it is the job of the teacher to lower these
barriers, helping students to overcome them. Appropriate techniques need to be devised to
construct understanding, and reinforce their interest in their learning process. Obviously, to
teach effectively, teachers need to be flexible in their delivery of the lesson. What guides
their teaching practice is not only the body of theoretical knowledge in the field of
language teaching but also the reality of their classroom. According to Rivers (2003)
teachers should develop and strengthen their own way of proceeding in relation to the
needs and individual strengths of their students in their own context. It is teachers who
have control over their decision making process, which vary with changing circumstances.
In a similar vein, Martin (2005) emphasizes the need to make changes to the lesson plan
because learners vary in learning backgrounds and language proficiency. Teachers should

modify activities and the tasks if they realize that they are far from being appropriate in the
class. In other words, teachers should be sensitive to their particular students. This is
echoed by Sizer (2009) when he states that good teaching does not mean fixed teaching
and that teachers should be flexible with changing circumstances. According to him,
successful teaching does not mean all matters in the lesson are fully covered. In some
particular teaching situations, the lesson delivered is still considered effective even though
the teacher cannot go through all the tasks and activities intended to be dealt with.
A single best method may not exist in modern language teaching environment.
Effective teachers know how to combine different methods in their teaching in order to
yield good learning outcome. According to Ganguly (2003), effective teachers use
techniques that best serve the learning styles of their students. Students not only learn by
being exposed to learning opportunities but they also need to be explicitly taught what
important for them to know. What can be inferred is that direct or indirect explanation is
not effective on its own. In fact, the combination of the two is a fair solution. Rivers (2003)

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is also in favour of the combination of methods in teaching. According to him, no method
claims to stand on its own in modern language learning and teaching environment.
Researchers also focus on the importance of moving from simple tasks to complex
ones in class. Students will feel learning more rewarding if they have the opportunity to
master the simple concepts first, then complex ones. However, the final goal of every
language course is that students know how to use language they have learnt for different
purposes in communication (Martin, 2005). The practice of grammar structures with
isolated meanings does not prepare the learners for meaningful use of language. Instead,
language practice should be close to real communication. According to Rivers (2003),
teachers should provide students with opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to
new situations. Similarly, Martin (2005) puts an emphasis on the need to proceed from
more controlled activities to less controlled ones in the class.
Class management
Class management is one of the important aspects that determine the success of

teaching. What is meant by effective classroom management is that teachers are aware of
their different roles in class. They should take a suitable role at each stage of the lesson and
should be flexible in what they do to keep class activities not only in discipline but also in
relaxed atmosphere. According to Yen (2006), the good language teacher should realize
that the language teaching does not merely go in hand with the mastery of grammar rules
and expansion of vocabulary but there are also many important tools that affect or even
promote language teaching. For example, some knowledge of psychology brings about not
only behaviour success at mastering language, but also cognitive success and increased
confidence. Kusuma & Powell (2004) make the same point when stating that what teachers
are encouraged to do is to set up a positive classroom environment that will support future
interaction and collaboration between teacher and students and between students
themselves. It is for sure that the positive classroom environment is one of the decisive
factors that contribute to satisfactory learning outcome. Martin (2005) postulates that
students will learn more easily in the environments in which anxiety is lessened and self-
confidence and self-esteem can be developed. Similarly, Kusuma & Powell (2004) state
that students learn best if they are in a classroom where they feel safe and confident to
attempt new tasks.

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How teachers guide their students to tackle the tasks is another aspect of good class
management. Good instructions help students understand about their tasks and know what
to do. Martin (2005) emphasizes that teachers should make instructions short and clear and
should demonstrate rather than explaining whenever possible. Besides, he highlights that
the matter of teacher talking time and student talking time should be taken into
consideration. Generally, teachers are advised not to talk too much. Most lessons should be
student-centered, not teacher-centered. Obviously, students need time to take in the
knowledge and practice for language use.
Teachers with good class management skill often pay attention to students of different
language proficiency level in the class. Slow students need classroom activities broken into
manageable parts while fast learners are in favour of those with some degrees of challenge

(Martin 2005). Kusuma & Powell (2004) says that effective teachers understand their
students and know the standards their students are expected to achieve. They closely
monitor each student’s achievement and provide their students with regular feedback on
their performance to enhance their learning outcome. To motivate students and keep them
interested in the lessons, Kusuma & Powell (2004) also advise teachers to reward desired
learning with praise. Effort made by students should be rewarded because praising desired
learning outcomes will be a source of encouragement for their learning.
Student learning outcome
Learning outcome in learning process is an integral part of effective teaching.
According to Berman (2003), teaching cannot be deemed effective unless significant
learning takes place and that, it is appropriate to expect student learning to be the primary
measure of teaching effectiveness. The Senate Committee on Teaching and Learning
[SCOTL] (2002) also emphasizes the importance of student learning in evaluating
teachers’ quality of teaching. They state that a vital job of teachers is to provide beneficial
learning experience for students and promote their development as learners. This view is
supported by Kerby et al. (2002) when they believe that effective teaching occurs when
students gain knowledge. A study conducted by Shaw and Young (as cited in OIAP, 2007)
also indicated that excellent instructions consistently received very high ratings on the
concern for student learning and genuine respect for students. Ingvarson and Rowe (2007)
have a similar view when pointing out that by successful teaching we mean that the
learners actually take in what delivered by teachers.

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1.2. Teaching evaluation
Teaching evaluation is one among a number of tools that are used to assess the quality
of instructions, to improve instructional practices and to promote teacher professional
growth (Jahangiri & Mucciolo, 2001). In school environment evaluation serves two
purposes: to improve teacher’s instructions and to provide information for personnel
decisions in a school system (Gowan, 1975).
The practice of evaluating teaching has undergone lots of great changes over the past

few decades and continued to be on high agenda due to changes in views on language
teaching and learning (OIAP, 2007). Bailey (2002) also assumes that current changes in
linguistics and language pedagogy have contributed to new developments in observation
and evaluation practices. This reality indicates a need to ensure that evaluation is
responsive to the teaching culture (the teaching styles which are generally deemed
effective for that particular teaching context), the socio-cultural classroom context, the
characteristics of the students, etc. (Murdoch, 1998). Professionals in the field have
highlighted the importance of context in teaching evaluation. According to Malderez
(1999), context decides the choice of materials as well as methods adopted in class. Gowan
(1975) and Murdoch (1998) consider that evaluation needs to be designed for the context
in which it is used, sensitive to local conditions. Thus, it is necessary is to leave room for
teachers to be inventive and creative with their own teaching strategies.
Shulman (as cited in Sawa, 1995) insists that evaluation should know the subject
matter, pedagogy, and classroom characteristics of the teachers being evaluated as well as
take into consideration the fact that experienced and excellent teachers can devise
instructional methods that theorists and researchers can neither explain nor anticipate.
Similarly, SCOTL (2002) announces that the criteria for evaluating teaching vary between
disciplines and within disciplines and should take into account the level of the course, the
instructors’ objective and style, and the teaching methodology employed.
As for the appropriate focus of evaluation, Tsai (2008) said that teacher evaluation
should identify and measure the instructional strategies, professional behaviours, and
delivery of content knowledge that affects student learning. However, the focus should be
oriented more towards teacher development rather than teacher evaluation (Seal, 1989).
Evaluation should be carried out in such a way that it creates a beneficial impact on
teachers’ teaching. Therefore, a cooperative and interactive relationship between teachers

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and observers should be established (Tsai, 2008). According to Murdoch (1998), a
transparent and open discussion of key classroom issues and the features of excellent
teaching will help promote teacher professional growth. This is shared by Baker and

Westrup (2002) when they believe that teaching repertoir will be enriched by positive
comments from colleagues and education supervisors, which focus on helping teachers to
realize what needs to be brought into full play, and what needs to be improved in their
performance.
When considering the role of supervisors, Murdoch (1998) say that supervisors are, on
the one hand, facilitators of professional development, and on the other hand, assessors of
the quality of teachers’ work. To establish effective supervisory relations, Gitlin and Smyth
(as cited in Sawa, 1995) emphasizes that supervisor needs to move away from what termed
as the “dominant” view of teacher supervision, according to which, supervisor operates as
an “expert” with a mandate to prescribe the features of good teaching and diagnose at the
weaknesses of teachers. They go on to say that this approach fails to grant teachers with
some degrees of independence on their own way to satisfy the learning needs of their
students, develop their own classroom teaching skills and take responsibility for their own
professional development.
1.3. Observation as a tool to evaluate teaching
Classroom observation is a process by which an observer records the instructor's
teaching practices and student actions in class sessions, and then discuss the observations
with the instructor (Malderez, 1999). The importance of observation is obvious in the
development and assessment of teachers’ teaching. Observation can help us to get a picture
of educational situations, assess the quality of educational practices and make suggestions
for improvements (Malderez, 1999). This assertion is supported Seal (1989) when he states
that observations can provide useful feedback to teachers and can improve the overall
effectiveness of the teaching and learning process.
Problems of classroom observation
A number of researchers voice their opposition to the use of observation in promoting
the performance of teachers. They maintain that observation tends to be subjective based
on the observer’s own teaching approach and that observation tends to be seen as
judgemental, and one more aspect of administrator “power”. Therefore, it is not a means to
boost teaching effectiveness (Richards, 2004). Most observations are for teacher-

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evaluation purposes. Consequently, teachers generally regard observation as a threat. This
leads to tension in the classroom, and tension between teachers and observers during
feedback meeting (Bailey, 2002)
Suggestions for improving observation practice.
According to Sheal (1989), ELT classroom observations nowadays have put an
emphasis on the need to hold more developmental than judgemental view in classroom
observation. The main purpose of observation is not to grade teachers’ teaching, but to
work with the teachers to explore and identify the can-be-improved points as well as the
positive aspects in a class, thereby promoting their critical thinking and professional
growth. Following are suggestions on observation that have been made by a number of
researchers:
- Focus should be oriented more towards teacher-development rather than teacher
evaluation. Useful feedback should be provided to teachers so that the overall effectiveness
of the teaching and learning process can be improved.
- Classroom observers should be trained in their ability to evaluate teachers’
performance (Sheal, 1989).
- Voice of those observed should be heard (Wajnryb, 2001)
- A cooperative and interactive relationship between teachers and observers should be
established.
- Teachers are encouraged to make the alternatives as long as they lead to effective
teaching (Tsai, 2008).
1.4. Criteria for evaluating lesson effectiveness
The criteria for evaluating lesson effectiveness have been discussed by lots of
researchers in language teaching. Martin (2005) focuses on teachers’ instructional
methods, their mastery of subject matter knowledge and their classroom management skill
when measuring lesson effectiveness. According to him, a lesson is considered as effective
if teachers:
- strive to motivate and engage all their students in learning.
- acknowledge individual differences and devise a range of practice activities and

presentation strategies to suit their abilities and learning styles.
- use a range of pedagogies in teaching.
- encourage student responsibility.

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- have mastery of their teaching content.
- provide a safe environment in which students are encouraged to take part in every
learning activity with comfort.
- monitor progress and provide feedback for students to make progress in their
learning.
- build positive relationships between teachers and students.
In a similar vein, Davies and Pearse (2000) focus on the teachers’ knowledge of
language, their command of practical English, students’ needs and their practice for
language use. According to them, successful teachers usually:
- have a practical command of English, not just a knowledge of grammar rules.
- use English most of the time in every class, including beginners’ classes.
- think mostly in terms of learner practice, not teacher explanations.
- find time for really communicative activities, not just practice of language forms.
- focus their teaching on learners’ needs, not just on “finishing the syllabus or course
book”
According to Kerby et al. (2002), in order to yield successful lessons, teachers have to
show some qualities. They should:
- have the ability to motivate and inspire students in diverse ways.
- prepare students for the role of life-long learners.
- be familiar with multiple instructional techniques.
- use effective visual aids.
- incorporate means of generating interest in the classroom.
- avoid interrupting the students, acknowledge students with appropriate feedback.
Several researchers have brought forward the criteria for an effective lesson based on
student-centered approach. According to this approach, students take a central role in

learning process. Thus, a lesson is deemed effective when teachers focus on learners and
their learning. Chickering and Gamson (1989) emphasize what teachers need to do to
better students’ learning outcome. Their criteria for an effective lesson mostly focus on
learners. Teachers’ performance is measured by their ability to:
- encourage students
- encourage co-operation among students
- encourage active learning

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- give prompt feedback
- emphasize time on tasks so that students have enough time for their practice of new
language items
- communicate high expectations so as to encourage students to make effort in their
learning
- respect diverse talents and ways of learning
Ur (1996) also provides some criteria which mostly focus on student learning. The
criteria are as follows:
- The class seemed to be learning the material well.
- The learners were engaging with the foreign language throughout.
- The learners were attentive all the time.
- The learners enjoyed the lesson, were motivated
- The learners were active all the time
- The lesson went according to plan
- The language was used communicatively throughout
Doff (1988) suggests a set of criteria for evaluating lesson effectiveness in the forms of
questions. His criteria focus on the aim and procedures of the lesson, teacher’s instruction
and class management skill, their teaching manner, their use of visual aids and student
learning:
- Is the aim of the lesson clear?
- Does the teacher write clearly on the board?

- Do students participate actively in the lesson?
- Does the teacher do a variety of activities?
- Are the stages of the lesson clear?
- Does the teacher have clear pronunciation?
- Does the teacher use visuals appropriately?
- Does the teacher speak naturally?
- Does the teacher encourage students to ask questions?
- Does the teacher encourage real use of language?
- Does the teacher seem interested in the lesson?
The document of the ELTTP project, which was implemented from 1998 to 2002 with
the objectives of improving teachers’ teaching skills, goes into much detail when bringing

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forward the criteria grouped in four main aspects for evaluating lesson effectiveness. The
criteria include Teaching the lesson, Management and Control of the class, Student
learning and Involvement, Teacher’s manner and Use of English. Following are the
indicators of the criteria:
+ As for Teaching the lesson, the teacher is expected to:
- start the lesson clearly and provide clear stages to the lesson
- use the lesson plan appropriately with appropriate timing of the activities.
- use a good balance of English and Vietnamese
- The activities used are successful with the use of a variety of media, blackboard and
other visuals
- Use a variety of questioning strategies and apply several techniques to deal with
errors
+ In terms of Management and Control of the class, the teacher should
- monitor the class, maintain eye contact with the class and respond to students
- use a variety of work arrangement
- elicit from the students; make sure his voice level is loud enough
+ As for students learning and involvement, teacher’s performance is measured for his

ability to
- establish a rapport with the students, involve them in every activity of the lesson and
keep them interested
- maintain a good balance of teacher talking time and student talking time
- consider the feelings of the students, encourage them with their learning and praise
for their effort.
+ As for Teacher’s manner and Use of English, the teacher is highly appreciated when
he:
- seems relaxed and confident
- is flexible to suit a particular situation.
- gives a good model of English
- uses English naturally, e.g. can answer students (unexpected) questions
1.5. Summary
In summary, effective teaching depends on a number of significant elements such as
teaching materials, teaching methods, classroom management and student learning

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outcome. The evaluation of teaching by means of classroom observation should take these
into account. To serve teachers well, the premium focus of observation and evaluation
should be on teacher professional growth. A cooperative relationship between observers
and teachers are expected with their working together for the improvement in teachers’
pedagogical practice. The reviews of criteria for evaluating teaching indicate that the focal
points are mostly on teachers’ knowledge and their instruction and management skills, the
use of teaching aids and student learning. Teachers are supposed to master instructional
skills, to have good knowledge of pedagogies, to adopt good teaching manner and to be
able to create active learning atmosphere in class. What also emphasized are their
flexibility of using the instructional methods; their monitoring the students’ progress and
their interest in motivating students to learn.

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CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY
Introduction
This chapter presents the study. It begins with information about the context of the
study including the information about the participants and the method used for data
collection, i.e. the interviews. The most important part of the chapter is the presentation of
data analysis, which is followed by a discussion of the research findings.
2.1. The context
2.1.1 An overview of present curriculum and textbooks in upper-secondary school
context

Recent trends for international integration have exerted a strong impact on Vietnam’s
educational development strategies. As the result, there have been a lot of changes in
educational field in general and in language teaching in upper-secondary schools in
particular. The most remarkable change is the implementation of new English curriculum
and textbooks at secondary education level. It was an effort made by MOET to enhance the
quality of English learning and teaching in upper-secondary schools. These new textbooks
were written based on modern teaching approaches, namely the Learner-centered
Approach and Communicative Approach (Van et al., 2006). There are two main lesson
types in the textbooks: the skill lesson (which focuses on the development of the four
skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing) and the Language Focus lesson (which
focuses on the presentation and practice of pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar points
of the unit)
2.1.2. Observation and teaching evaluation practice in upper-secondary school
context
Teaching evaluation is a common practice in every school in Vietnam. It is carried out
every school year to evaluate the quality of teachers’ teaching. Teachers’ teaching is
assessed based largely on the information collected by means of classroom observation.
For the evaluation, each teacher has at least two lessons observed by his/her colleagues (at
the school level) or by educational inspectors (at the provincial level). At the provincial
level, the observers of the teachers’ lessons are educational inspectors who are appointed
by the Department of Education and Training (DOET) to act as representatives of the
Department with a job to examine and evaluate the pedagogical work of teachers.

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The evaluation of teachers’ lessons is carried out according to the evaluation criteria
for lesson effectiveness mandated by MOET. This set of criteria has been used for all
subjects in secondary school context for a long time. The criteria consist of five main
aspects of the lesson to be gauged that include Teaching content, Teaching methods,
Teaching aids, Class management and Learning outcome. Each main aspect consists of
some more criteria (See Appendix 3).

Observing and evaluating teacher performance is a hard and complicated work
(William, 1989; Richards, 2004). In Vietnam’s upper-secondary schools, the practice is
getting more and more challenging due to the changes in language teaching and learning,
especially the changes in curriculum and textbooks which entail new guidelines on
teaching methods. In addition, as there is only a single set of criteria used for assessing
lessons of various subjects, it is open to question whether the teachers’ understanding of
the criteria is congruent with that of the observers. This should be taken into account as
divergences in interpretation of the criteria potentially lead to disagreement between
observers and teachers.
2.2. The participants
There are two groups of participants in this study: the teachers and the inspectors who
evaluate teachers’ teaching.
Six teachers, three males and three females, have taken part voluntarily in the semi-
structured interviews. These teachers vary in terms of age, training backgrounds and
teaching experience. Their age ranges from 27 to 49 with one teacher over 40, one below
30 and four from 30 to 35. The teacher who has the most teaching experience of all has
taught English for 15 years. The teacher who has the least teaching experience has taught
English for only four years. They teach in a number of schools in the province including
public and private schools. As for training backgrounds, two of the teachers have full-time
university degrees in foreign language teaching, and the other four have part-time
university degrees. All of them have attended training sessions in relation to the
implementation of new English curriculum and textbooks organized by DOET. Apart from
that, they have little opportunity for in-service training courses for professional growth.
There are two inspectors taking part in the study. These inspectors, who are above 50,
have much experience in language teaching. Both of them have full-time university
degrees in foreign language teaching. They have worked as provincial educational

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inspectors for more than 15 years. However, they have hardly any chance to be trained in
the matter of teaching evaluation. What they have in hands are some written documents on

general regulations on teacher evaluation and the criteria for evaluating teaching issued by
MOET.
2.3. Method of data collection
Interviews have been used by a lot of researchers as an effective research method
which allows for gaining insights into one’s thinking about an issue concerned. In this
study, semi-structured interviews have been conducted to explore teachers’ and inspectors’
perceptions of an effective lesson. The questions focus on the aspects of the lesson
prescribed in MOET’s evaluation criteria, which have been used as guidelines for
evaluating teachers’ teaching in secondary schools for years. The questions are aimed at
uncovering the general views teachers and inspectors hold about the evaluation criteria,
their interpretation of the criteria and their suggestions for criteria for an effective lesson.
The teachers and the inspectors were informed of the focus of the interviews in advance,
which gave them some time for preparation. The talks were conducted in Vietnamese to
help the teachers and the inspectors express their viewpoints at ease. The contents of the
interviews were then transcribed and analyzed.
2.4. Data analysis
Data were mainly analysed according to 10 evaluation criteria prescribed by MOET.
These criteria are summarized as follows:
Criterion 1: Subject matter knowledge is accurate and scientific.
Criterion 2: Subject matter knowledge is systematic and adequate; teaching points are
made clear.
Criterion 3: Subject matter knowledge is related to real life and educational.
Criterion 4: Teaching methods are appropriate to the subject and lesson types.
Criterion 5: Teaching methods are well combined in teaching and learning activities.
Criterion 6: Teaching aids are used effectively and appropriately.
Criterion 7: There is good use of the board; lesson plan is appropriate.
Criterion 8: Teaching procedures are carried out flexibly; time is allocated
appropriately for the activities.
Criterion 9: Teacher organizes and guides active learning; the activities are
appropriate to lesson types and particular students; students are motivated.

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Criterion 10: Most students understand the lesson, master the teaching points and
know how to apply what has been learnt to new situations.
2.4.1. Teachers’ perceptions
2.4.1.1. Teachers’ general perceptions of MOET’s evaluation criteria
Generally, the teachers agreed that the criteria covered important aspects of a lesson
and helped to orientate teachers’ performance towards effective teaching. Regarding the
value of the current criteria for evaluating teaching, Teacher 1 said in the interview that,
I think the criteria can orientate teachers’ work. Teachers can base on them to prepare
their lesson better.
In a similar vein, Teacher 2 believed that the current criteria were appropriate to the
evaluation of teaching English.
The criteria address necessary aspects of a lesson, appropriate to the English subject
as well as other subjects. Teachers can rely on the criteria to adjust their teaching for
the better. I think the lesson will be successful if the requirements in the criteria are
met.
However, most of the teachers interviewed stated that some criteria were not explicit
enough and that there need to be appropriate indicators of some criteria when used to
assess an English lesson. For example, Teacher 6 and Teacher 4 stated that,
The criteria need to be elaborated. For the criteria to be appropriate to the evaluation
of an English lesson, some criteria should be added such as teacher’s flexibility in
teaching activities or teacher and student interaction in the lesson. (Teacher 6)
The criteria need to be concrete so that they can help teachers understand about the
requirements for a good lesson. (Teacher 4)
2.4.1.2. Teachers’ interpretation of MOET’s evaluation criteria.
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:

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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:

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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)