Speaker
Description
Teacher observation is a common way of evaluating teaching quality and supporting teaching excellence in English language education contexts in Viet Nam. As observation typically involves pre- and post-observation discussions between teachers and trainers or managers, the ways in which these conversations are conducted can strongly influence how teachers perceive both their own teaching and the observation process itself. Supportive trainer talk can encourage reflection, confidence, and professional growth, while overly directive or poorly phrased feedback may negatively affect teachers’ engagement and responses to observation. As teachers may also differ in how they prefer strengths and areas for development to be communicated, trainers need to make thoughtful and flexible choices in the language and feedback approaches they use.
This interactive professional development session explores how trainer talk and feedback practices can support teacher development during pre- and post-observation discussions. Participants will discuss the role of observation within their own contexts and examine observation categories based on Wajnryb’s (1992) Classroom Observation Tasks. Drawing on Gebhard’s (1984) supervision models, they will also explore and practise a range of trainer talk and feedback approaches used in pre- and post-observation meetings. Through guided discussion and collaborative activities, participants will reflect on how different supervision choices may influence teacher reflection, autonomy, and professional growth.
Participants will leave the session with greater awareness of how trainer talk shapes teachers’ experiences of observation, along with practical strategies to support teacher reflection and professional development.
Biography
Celestyna (Cela) Losiak is an Academic Coordinator at the British Council in Ho Chi Minh City, where she contributes to local professional development programmes by designing and delivering INSETTs, experimenting with CPD cycle formats, and supporting teaching excellence through involvement in product design, teacher observation processes, and participation in focused life-stage groups. Her professional interests include reflective practice, teacher development, collaborative learning, and the role of feedback in English language teaching contexts. She holds the Trinity DipTESOL qualification and is currently completing an MA in Professional Development for Language Education, with a focus on trainer development and management and on strengthening the impact of CPD through reflective and dialogic approaches to teacher learning.
| Affiliate type | Others |
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