Concern about classroom observation in foreign language teachers

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. The restlessness and concern that observation in the classroom awakens among teachers is a recurring and well-known theme in literature. Observation during their performance arouses fears and misgivings among teachers, even those with more years of experience. The present work explores the feelings that classroom observation awakens in the teacher. METHOD. A unique case study was conducted with in-depth interviews with 14 professors from the Department of Languages at the University. The objective of the interviews was to understand and study in depth the impact of the observations on the teacher and his/her classroom practice,, and to assess the impact of the feedback on their professional development. A qualitative analysis was carried out using software Atlas.ti 6.2. A first phase of initial coding or “open” coding was carried out to identify the most relevant topics or dimensions., followed by a second phase of deductive data analysis, where theory and literature on teacher observation were used. RESULTS. The results confirm the teachers’ feelings of fear and rejection of being observed, as well as a concern about the lack of clear observation standards and criteria. However, teachers feel a gradual reduction of this concern in the face of continuous exposure to observations. DISCUSSION. In line with the results of previous research, the professors interviewed acknowledge that they have altered their normal behavior by feeling observed. Also, as in other studies, there is a positive change in behavior in the student when feeling observed, which tends to become naturalized as the observation progresses.