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

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


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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


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

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

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

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)

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

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.


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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?

- 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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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 semistructured 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

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

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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

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