Cambridge English

Supporting, observing, feedback and assessment

Best practice in support, observation, feedback and assessment

This category breaks down into four sub-categories:

Supporting looks at the ongoing process; it relies on discussion, planned or impromptu, about how to plan, conduct and evaluate training activities
Observing details how to set up, conduct and follow up on observations appropriately
Feedback looks at the process of feedback and how to manage it
Assessment looks at the ability to provide consistent and accurate formal teacher assessment as part of the trainer’s role

From Teacher to Trainer

Discusses strengths and needs with teachers
Suggests general strategies for development
Supports teachers with relevant and up-to-date resources and tools

Autonomous Trainer

Elicits specific strengths and needs from teachers
Suggests clear and appropriate strategies for development based on e.g. dialogue with teachers, co-planning, observation of teaching practice
Actively supports teachers by having them critically engage with relevant, up-to-date resources and tools

Lead Trainer

Elicits individual strengths and needs from teachers throughout training, including nurturing emergent needs
Helps teachers, through negotiation, to define their own clear and appropriate strategies and activities for development
Leads and motivates teachers. Initiates development programmes for teachers. Enables them to engage critically and creatively with relevant, up-to-date resources and tools.

From Teacher to Trainer

Schedules classroom observations
Uses given observation tools appropriately

Autonomous Trainer

Sets up classroom observations with an awareness of different trainer roles before and during observations (e.g. discussion of lesson plan)
Adapts available observation tools where appropriate

Lead Trainer

Plans and sets up classroom observations, with joint agreement of outcomes and practical considerations (e.g. trainer role in classroom)
Designs appropriate observation tools, criteria and documentation

From Teacher to Trainer

Offers general and constructive feedback
Identifies a number of areas for improvement
May avoid negative feedback
Generally relates feedback to available assessment criteria

Autonomous Trainer

Offers clear, constructive and sensitive feedback
Identifies key steps and gives concrete advice for improvement, with some attempt to involve the teacher
Approaches negative feedback sensitively
Generally relates feedback to available assessment criteria and agreed action points

Lead Trainer

Offers clear, constructive and sensitive feedback, using a range of styles
Elicits key steps and concrete strategies for improvement, prioritising a clear development pathway with an achievable number of next steps as appropriate
Uses a range of strategies for dealing with and managing negative feedback
Consistently relates feedback specifically to available assessment criteria and agreed action points

From Teacher to Trainer

Generally applies given assessment criteria accurately to a training situation

Autonomous Trainer

Consistently applies given assessment criteria accurately to a training situation
Critically appraises given assessment criteria and feeds into their development where necessary

Lead Trainer

Critically and accurately applies given criteria to a training situation
Researches assessment tool effectiveness, suggesting modifications as necessary and designing assessment tools for specific purposes, as appropriate