Contacting the ELI Instructor

After you complete the Course Observation Request form, an ELI team member will contact you with information about classes open to observations and current class schedules. Choose a class you are interested in observing and contact the teacher directly to schedule a specific date for your visit. It is a good idea to contact the instructor at least 48 hours in advance. Some class days are not appropriate for observation (when a test is being given, for example). If the teacher declines, ask if it is possible to observe at another time. 

On the Day of the Observation

On the day of the observation, remember: you are a guest in class, and you should behave as such. Academic courtesy demands that you:

1. Arrive early. Introduce yourself to the instructor if time allows, or take a seat towards the back or side of the room.
2. Turn off your phone. Do not check your messages during class. Many instructors have policies against phone use for their own students. At the very least it is a distraction – at the worst, it is an insult to the instructor and the students. If you plan to use technology for notetaking purposes, be sure to get the instructor’s approval before the class.
3. Do not talk or join in the class unless invited to do so by the instructor. Resist the impulse to answer questions directed to the class or add information you think might be pertinent. Sometimes an instructor might ask you to introduce yourself and/or participate in the class by working with a group or being a language partner; at other times, the instructor might need you to simply observe and not participate. Let yourself be guided by the instructor’s wishes. You are, of course, free to take notes.
4. Thank the instructor when the class is over. This is also the appropriate time to ask any questions you have about the class or make an appointment to do so at a later time. The instructor may want to share his or her rationale for certain activities or behaviors that occurred during class. The information you gather during this interview should help you contextualize any observation reports you may be planning to write. Plan to allow about 5-15 minutes for this conversation.

If you have never observed a class before, don’t be nervous. Most professional instructors are used to having visitors in their classes and expect to be observed regularly for a variety of reasons (performance assessment, teacher training, general interest, etc.). It is understood that on the particular day you observe, you may see a lesson that is exciting and engaging or you may see a lesson that doesn’t really “work.” All classes have off days, but even these are an opportunity to learn more about the dynamics of the classroom, teacher strategies and student behavior.