Enhance high-quality instruction with the use of these classroom observation tools
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Research has shown that the factors that have the greatest effect on student learning are the teacher's social and instructional interactions with the student—how the teacher interacts with the student while delivering instruction and the quality of the instructional methods.
As states begin to prepare their applications for Race to the Top funding, you can demonstrate your program's commitment to high quality instructional strategies with the use of two highly regarded classroom observation tools:
- The Classroom Assessment Scoring System™ (CLASS™), which measures teacher–student interactions in general, and
- The Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation Tool (ELLCO), which measures interactions specific to language and literacy learning
Programs can use these tools to identify class- or system-wide strengths and develop plans for making systematic improvements. They can use the results to plan for training aimed at improving teacher knowledge and implementation of effective instructional strategies.
CLASS
Researched for over 10 years in more than 3,000 early childhood settings, CLASS was developed to objectively measure the quality of teacher–student interactions. For programs seeking to improve the quality of their classroom offerings, it provides a standardized tool for assessing classroom-level factors that are amenable to intervention. (To see what CLASS measures, be sure to download the sample overview above.)
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CLASS measures 10 dimensions in 3 domains: Emotional support
Classroom organization
Instructional supports
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3 ways to use CLASS to enhance student learning
1. CLASS can be used to provide teachers with direct feedback about their actual classroom practices. Teachers can be observed and provided with feedback at regular intervals during the school year. Using CLASS in this way allows teachers to get feedback about the dimensions of their teaching that are associated with more positive social and academic development for students.
2. CLASS can be used as a training tool for preservice teachers by providing them with a framework for understanding the components of their teaching that really matter for students as well as by providing a mechanism for systematic feedback and support throughout their training and early careers.
3. CLASS can also serve as the basis for new models of in-service training that break away from the traditional workshop model by focusing on providing teachers with ongoing, flexible, individualized, and collaborative support to improve the interactions with students.
ELLCO
ELLCO was first developed in 2002 to observe and rate the quality of language and literacy instruction in classrooms.
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ELLCO measures 18 dimensions divided into 5 domains, and includes a teacher interview: Classroom structure
Curriculum
The Language Environment
Books and Reading
Print and writing
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ELLCO K–3 helps build better literacy programs by assessing the quality of both the classroom environment and teachers' practices. With ELLCO, educators gather the essential data needed for professional development and program improvement that lead to better literacy outcomes for young children. (See the sample ELLCO pages above.)
3 ways to use ELLCO to enhance student learning
1. ELLCO can be used as a professional development tool to help teachers build their understanding of the essential features of language and literacy learning that will enhance their own classrooms. It offers evidence-based practices that support students' language and literacy development in the primary grades and is explicitly designed to provide a continuum that can help teachers see where they are now and where they want to go.
2. ELLCO can supplement staff development efforts. For instance, many schools are using literacy coaches to improve reading proficiency. In such cases, the tool can be used to make initial assessments and track changes over time. ELLCO offers a common set of practices that teachers and coaches together can use to note progress and identify other areas that require more attention.
3. Schools are beginning to adopt a study-group approach as an alternative to more traditional workshops. In such settings, teachers gather regularly to explore a common issue relevant to their practice, sometimes orchestrated by a specialist from the district. ELLCO can serve as a basis for organizing such professional conversations when the topic is literacy. By using various sections of the tool as a springboard for discussion and the exchange of ideas, ELLCO can be a practical aid in teacher development.
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Whether programs are hoping to qualify for Race to the Top funds or simply working to improve instructional quality, incorporating CLASS and ELLCO will get them started in the right direction toward making gains in student achievement.
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