TRAINEE

HANDBOOK

Berlitz Instructor Qualification Program – Trainee Handbook – 00-01-10-2013

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 PARTICIPANT HANDBOOK

Handouts Pages:

- 5 Class Principles 3
- 6 Steps for ideal Class Preparation 4
- The Class Cycle 5-6
- Learner Centered Goals 7-8
o Opening & Wrapping up
o Signposting language
- Teaching Cycle according to proficiency level 9
- Presentation Techniques 9-12
- QFS Techniques 13-14
- Verb Tense Cycle 15-19
o Lead in questions
- Correction Techniques 19-20
- Listening Activities 21
- Task Structure 22-23
- Review Chapters 24-25
- Learning Cycle 26
- Pace Management 27-29
- E-Ped. Cards guide 30-36
- Lesson Observation Form 37-38
- Lesson Observation Guidelines 39-53

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 5 Classroom Principles

Goal oriented, lively instruction,

focused on student’s needs

Exclusive use of the target language

Maximum student participation

Students learn through listening and

speaking, supported by reading and writing

Grammar as a means of communication

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 6 STEPS FOR IDEAL CLASS PREPARATION

Step 1: Check the Ped. Card for:

• Pace Lines: Make sure the group/students are on pace. If not, look for special
instructions or notes on this or see the SL
• Make sure the letters/happy face cards are ready and give them to the students.
• Check the last point taught and the goal of the lesson.
• Check if any Homework was assigned.

Step 2: Get your material ready before class begins:

- Pedagogical card - Instructor Manual
- Illustration Book - Audio CDs (& track #)
- Marker - Eraser
- Black ink pen - Copies if needed

Step 3: Consult the Instructor Manual and:

• Keep in mind the communicative goal and prepare warm up questions.
• Prepare the lesson goal statement.
• Prepare your Lead-in questions, questions for comprehension and vocabulary,
examples, statements for repetition and the extra questions for controlled and less
controlled practice.
• Prepare tasks for Performance following the PTP cycle.
• Prepare enough points for the duration of the class.(Less Ch/ Pt Ch)

Step 4: Check Room Chart:

• Verify size, number of chairs, audio visual equipment available and working,
tidiness, lights, ventilation, etc.
• Be ready and wait for your students in your assigned classroom 5 min before the
class starts.

Step 5: TIDY UP AFTER CLASS!!

• Erase the board
• Throw away cups, pieces of paper etc.
• Leave the chairs organized

Step 6: After class write Instructor Comments in case of:

• Level deficiencies
• Class Abnormalities
• Disruptive behavior
• No shows
• Consistent late arrivals
• Customer service issues
• Non-compliance with pace
• Student(s) speak(s) Spanish constantly
• Student(s) are speaking on the phone, not allowing to cover material, requesting
unauthorized reviews, etc…

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 The class Cycle

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 The class Cycle
(Detailed)

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 Learner Centred Classroom
Best Practice
Have warm up questions to lead to the goal
Use the word ‘Goal ’
Write the goal on the white board
Tailor the goal to be relevant and motivating for the
student
•What should the opening include?
The opening should help the student to briefly confirm the previous lesson goal and check that
they have retained the vocabulary and structures covered. This is particularly important if today’s
lesson builds on something from last time.
This allows us to confirm achievement of what was learned, and to reinforce the students’
perception of the progress they have made.

•How can we make it more personalized?

It should be as personalized as possible, thus the importance of writing a specific goal in the
comments.
E.g. if the lesson goal was to “give the status of a project” and the previous instructor wrote the
name of the student’s project in the comments we can use this information to review the goal of
the previous class by asking “So how is the Madison project coming along”. This would be more
relevant to the student than just asking so what can say when talking about a project.

•What is the purpose of the wrap up?

To refer back to the lesson goal set and have the students confirm that it has been achieved? At
this stage the students should give you the steps or process they would need to follow to achieve
the goal we were covering in the lesson (like a short summary) Students will then leave the class
not only with knowledge of words, expressions, structures but most importantly with the
knowledge of how to use those in real life situations

•How can we confirm if the student has reached the goal?

Using signposting language. E.g. “So today our goal was to book a flight”. “Now that YOU have
given me the steps how do YOU feel about it? Are you able now to book a flight?”

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 Setting Learner Centered Goals
SIGNPOSTING
STAGE OF THE CLASS SIGNPOST LANGUAGE

Introducing the topic The subject/topic of our class today is

We’re going to talk about ...
The topic today is…

Reviewing the key points of last So last class you learnt how to…
lesson During last session you work on how to…
Last class you were able to…

Setting Expectations regarding the I’m going to divide the class into four parts.
structure and flow of the class There are a number of points I'd like to make.
Basically we have 3 main activities…
We will start by…then… and finally….
Let's begin/start by ...
First of all, I'll... … and then I’ll go on to …
Then/ Next ...
Finally/ Lastly ...

Making correction Strategies clear Now that we are going to practice, I am going to be correcting
to students right after I hear a mistake…..
Since this is the time that you perform the language freely, I will
be making the corrections only at the end of your presentation…..
We are going to focus now on correcting your pronunciation..

Making the purpose of each activity Let’s listen to the track to check understanding
clear Let’s practice those new words
Let’s repeat all together
Let’s practice using this activity (activity from the book) …

Confirming achievement of lesson To sum up, now you can ……

goals To summarize now you are able to ……..
Right, let's sum up, what can you do now Mr. XXX?
In conclusion you are ready now to……

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 Presentation Techniques
NAMING

• The "naming" technique is used for any introduction that can be accomplished simply
by pointing to an object or an illustration (e.g. the instructor points to a book, says a
"book", and student repeats).
• This technique can be used for objects, colors, numbers, countries, etc.
• Visual clues provide a clear context.

GESTURE

• Is categorized as part of the "Naming" technique in that gestures visually "name" the
new information, providing clearer context. Gesture can be used with any
presentation technique

To introduce "big"
I: Canada is a (arms stretched) big country
S: Canada is a big country

Gestures can help teach position, size, word order, and question form, and are very
useful when giving instructions (e.g. "Repeat", "Stop"). Verbs, prepositions, and
adjectives can be acted out as they are taught. Tenses will be clearer if gestures are
used along with the verbal time cues (e.g. "yesterday" = point behind you)
Gesture can be used to prompt corrections and complete answers, and to motivate
and encourage the learners.

CONTRAST

• Contrast is most often used to introduce opposites. The term being introduced is the
opposite of a word the student already knows.

For example, to introduce "small" when the student already knows "big":
I: Is Canada a big country?
S: Yes, it is.
I: Is Cuba a big country?
S: No, it isn't
I: (Ah!) Cuba is a small country.
If a student knows either item in the following pairs, contrast can be used to
introduce the other item: big/small, rich/poor happy/sad, short/long, up/down,
on/under, with/without, fast/slow, open/close, arrive/leave, put on/take off, in front
of/behind, etc.

• Contrast can be used to introduce new nouns: for example to introduce "department
store" when "bank" is already known:
I: Is Davivienda a bank?
S: Yes, it is.
I: Is Harrods a bank?
S: No, it is not.
I: Harrods is not a bank, Harrods is a department store.
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ELIMINATION

• Using the elimination technique, the instructor asks a series of questions bringing a
negative answer, creating a situation where the new vocabulary can be introduced
logically in context.

For example, to introduce "knife":

I: Do you cut bread with a glass?
S: No, I don't.
I: Do you cut bread with a fork?
S: No, I don't.
I: Do you cut bread with a plate?
S: No, I don't.
I: Right! You don’t cut bread with a glass, with a fork, with a plate; you
cut bread with a knife.
• This technique is also used to introduce key questions, i.e.: who, which, where,
whose, what color, when, why, how, how long, etc.

Here is the elimination technique used to introduce "What...?"

I: (pointing to a book) Is this a telephone?
S: No, it’s not.
I: Is it a newspaper?
S: No, it’s not.
I: Is it a pen?
S: No, it’s not.
I: Ok, then What is it?

• The repeated series of negative questions creates a tension - a need to know - which
is resolved in the final introduction statement.

SUBSTITUTION

• The substitution technique is used to introduce words and structures synonymous

with a known word or structure.

For example:
Adjectives
I: Is Cuba a small country?
S: Yes, it is.
I: Right or, Cuba is a small country OR a little country.

Verb Tenses: Introducing a verb in the passive voice when the present tense is
already known.
I: Do people speak English in England?
S: Yes, they do.
I: People speak English in England; OR English is spoken in England.

• Substitution can be used to introduce pronouns, and synonyms: e.g. he, she, etc.;
ours, theirs, hers, etc.; big-large; can - to be able to; should - be supposed to; etc.

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BUILD-UP

• With the Combination or build-up technique the student is led from known concepts,
"A" and "B," to the new concept, "AB".

To introduce the relative pronoun "who":

I: Is Ms. Smith a teacher?
S: Yes, she is.
I: Does she work for Berlitz?
S: Yes, she does.
I: Ms. Smith is a teacher who works for Berlitz.

• This technique can be used to introduce: "a red book", "Mr. Morgan's house", "we",
"us", "our", "them", "their", "have something done", "neither... not ", "but", etc.

DICTIONARY (BUILD UP)

• Using questions rather than an explanation, the instructor gives the student the key
characteristics or defining qualities of the new word. This technique may be short or
long depending on the concept introduced.

To introduce “hangout” (i.e., a place where people gather informally to talk, drink,
and eat):
I: Do football fans go to Buster’s before and after games?
S: Yes, they do.
I: What do they do there?
S: They eat, drink, and talk about the game.
I: Do they talk to their friends and other patrons?
S; Yes, they do.
I: Do they enjoy going there to relax and have fun?
S: Yes, they do.
I: Buster’s is a favorite hangout for football fans, before and after
games.

To introduce “overbooked” (write on the board: Seats: 200 – Ticket Sold: 250)

I: Where is this plane going?

S: It’s going to Madrid.
I: How many seats do they have on this plane? (Refer to the board)
S: They have 200 seats.
I: How many ticket dis Avianca sell for this flight to Madrid? (Refer to
the board again)
S: They have sold 250 tickets for that flight to Madrid.
I: Can ALL the passengers seat in the plane?
S: No, they can’t.
I: Ok so the flight to Madrid is overbooked.

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 Questions from students

QFS allow the student to use the interrogative form, an essential part of daily conversation.
QFS may be elicited by one or more of the following techniques:

Question-Answer-Answer-Question (Q-A-A-Q)

I: What’s this?
S: It’s a pencil.
I: (cue)*It’s a book
S: What’s this?

* The cue may be a gesture, first word of the question, or the instruction, “Question?”

Remember that the instructor answers the student’s questions! (Or their partner’s if
they’re working in pairs).

Question-Answer-Question (Q-A-Q)

I: What were you doing yesterday afternoon?

S: I was working.
I: Ask him about this morning at 9:00am
S: What were you doing this morning at 9:00am?

Answer-Question (AQ):

I: It’s a book. (cue)

S: What’s this?

By varying the stress, the AQ technique can be used to elicit different questions from the
same sentence/answer:

I: I went to the bank on Monday.

S: Where did you go on Monday?
I: I went to the bank on Monday.
S: When did you go to the bank?

“Negative statements” can also elicit questions:

I: I didn’t have eggs for breakfast.

S: What did you have?

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 Indirect Questions

I: Ask me what I did yesterday!

S: What did you do . . .?

I: Ask me if I have a car!

S: Do you have a car?

This technique can be simplified by placing the question in direct speech:

I: Do I have a car?
S: I don’t know.
I: Ask me! Do you....
S: Do you have a car?

GENERAL INSTRUCTION

I: And now you ask the questions!

(Actual word cues may be written on the board to guide students)

Tease Answer (TA)

I: * (Cue)
S: What’s this?
I: It’s a bus, but it’s not red.
S: What color is it?
I: It’s blue, but it’s not American.
S: What kind of bus is it?
I: It’s a German bus, but it’s not in Germany.
S: Where is it? Etc.

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 Verb tense Ed. 2006

PRESENT PAST FUTURE

SIMPLE I. 3 Pt 3 I. 9 Pt 3+7 II. 1 Pt 4 (will) II.

I.10 Pt 11(review) 10 Pt 11 (going to)

PROGRESSIVE I. 4 Pt 13 I. 11 Pt 5 III. 5 pt 3
IV.1 Pt 8 (review)

PERFECT III. 4 Pt 5 IV. 9 Pt 9 X

PERFECT III. 9 Pt 5 X X
PROGRESSIVE

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 Verb tense Ed. 2013

PRESENT PAST FUTURE

I - 1 (Am/Are) Pt 1
I - 2 (Is / Have) Pt 1/Pt 4 I - 10 (Regular verbs) Pt 8 II - 1 (Will) Pt 9
SIMPLE
I - 5 (Other verbs) II - 2 (Irregular verbs) II - 3 (Going to) Pt 5
II - 1 (Review)

I – 4 Pt 9
PROGRESSIF I - 6 (Future meaning) II – 7 Pt 5 III – 5 Pt 2
II - 1 (Review)

III - 1 (before, since, for, in) Pt 1

III - 2 (yet, already) Pt 7
PERFECT IV – 10 Pt 6 X
III - 9 (lately, recently) Pt 2
III - 10 (just, by + date) Pt 2

PERFECT
IV – 7 Pt 2 X X
PROGRESSIVE

How to introduce a tense?

Here are some examples of lead in questions to introduce various tenses, those are just
suggestions and remember that you need to have a total of 3 statements for:

Simple Past / Simple Future

Example of that tense:

o He moved to France last year
o They will go on vacation on December

When do we use it and what the rules are?

o Used for actions or events completed at a definite time in the past
o for repeated or habitual past actions or conditions

Lead-in:
“Does the receptionist use the phone every day?” - Y
“Ok she uses the phone EVERY DAY, so yesterday she used the phone”

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 Past/Future progressive

Example of that tense:

o He was playing basketball from 6 to 7 pm
o She will be working all next week

When do we use it and what the rules are?

o Used to talk about an action that took place in the past / future
o That started and ended at a specific point or period in time
o The focus is on the duration of the action

Using IB 1a and write the time line on the board:

Yesterday Now
….. …….
6PM 7PM 8PM 9PM
KAREN & ELLEN
ANN
MICHAEL

Lead-in:.
“What time is it?” - It’s 6:00 o’clock
“Is Ann reading the newspaper now?” – Y
“Did she read the newspaper yesterday? – Y
“What time did she start?” - 6:00pm
“What time did she finish?” – 8 pm
“Did she read it for just 1 second?” – N
“OK, so last night she was reading the newspaper from 6 to 8pm”

Present Perfect

Example of that tense.

o I have travelled to many different places.

When do we use it and what the rules are

o Used to talk about an action that took place in the past
o That has relation or connection with the present (thus the name of the tense)
o The time in each it occurred has no relevance
o That might occur again in the future but nothing is certain

Draw a line on the board:

_ _ _

USA Japan Australia Now

Lead-in:
“Did Oscar travel to the United States? - Y
“Did he travel to Japan?” - Y
“Did he travel to Australia” – Y
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 “Does he like to travel?”- Y
“Will he travel again? – Y/N (we don’t know..)
“So Oscar has travelled to 3 different countries so far (in his life)”

Present Perfect Progressive

Example of that tense.

o I have been living in this apartment for 2 years.
o They have been working on this project since yesterday.

When do we use it and what the rules are?

o Used to talk about an action that took place in the past
o That is still happening or continuing in the present
o The focus is on the duration of the action

Draw a line on the board:

6:00am

2 Hours

Lead-in:
“Are they playing football? - Y
“Did they start 2 hours ago?” - Y
“So they have been playing football for 2 hours”

“What time did the teacher start working today?” - 6:00am

“Is the teacher still working now?” - Y
“Ok, so the teacher has been working since 6:00am”

Past Perfect

Example of that tense.

o I have been living in this apartment for 2 years.
o They have been working on this project since yesterday.

When do we use it and what the rules are?

o Used to talk about an action that took place in the past
o That is still happening or continuing in the present
o The focus is on the duration of the action

Draw a line on the board:

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 6:00am 7:30am Now

Eat Arrive to work

Breakfast

Lead-in:
- What time did you arrive to work yesterday?- 7:30am
- What time did you eat breakfast? – 6:00am
- What did you do first? – Eat breakfast
- What did you do second? – Arrive to work
- So, Mr ___ had already eaten breakfast when he arrived to work

Correction Techniques for Accuracy

Mistakes – Something natural, e.g. a slip of the tongue.

Error – Fossilized mistake

1) Self-correction: (watch body language!!)

Select the most appropriate technique to help student self correct.
a. Excuse me? / Try again / Almost / etc…
b. Repeat up to the mistake, but not the mistake itself.
c. Repeat the question emphasizing on a key element (word or tense.)
d. Use gestures
e. Give options
f. If it’s a pronunciation mistake don’t forget to have them put the word back
into the original sentence
When they self correct we praise them in a culturally appropriate manner.

If it didn’t work then we move to:

2) Peer-correction: Another student helps you correct the mistake.
a. To 1st Student we say “LISTEN!” and have Student 2 help us with the
correction. We praise the 2nd student if the mistake was corrected.
b. We go back to student 1 and have him repeat and we praise him.

If it didn’t work then we move to:

3) Teacher correction:
a. The teacher provides the correct answer
b. Then have the whole class repeat chorally the correct answer X 2.
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∆ Only for pronunciation mistakes will we go from self-correction directly to teacher
correction.
Remember to actually say “Pronunciation” and then repeat the student’s answer up to
the mispronounced word when doing self-correction.

∆ Corrections have to follow this order to be effective. Depending on the students’ profile,
overall progress and specific program being taught, it may sometimes be advisable to go from a
Self-Correction straight into a Teacher Correction.

Correction Guidelines

• Never say no and never repeat a student’s mistake.

• Show the learner where the mistake is.
• Maintain a positive attitude: SMILE!
• Practical corrections.
• Correct every single mistake related to the core material of the lesson!
• Corrections should help students THINK!
• Praise, praise, praise!
• Structural mistakes: correct the whole sentence.
• Pronunciation mistakes: correct the word in isolation, then have them repeat the
complete answer.
• Corrections for fluency take place during post task and the focus is also on the
core material of the lesson.

TECHNIQUES ARE NOT OPTIONAL!!!

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 LISTENING ACTIVITIES

Procedure:

- All the listening activities which have the text displayed in the student book will
follow the same pattern:
o C (close)
o C (close)
o O (open)

- For the other listening activities which don’t have the text displayed will follow the book
instructions. Keeping in mind that the track can only be played a maximum of 3 times (so
the instructions in the manual that say play as many time as possible have to be
disregarded)

C C O cycle (for listening activities in which the text is displayed on the students’
page):

1. Warm-up: The instructor conducts a warm-up activity prior to the listening in order to
get the students familiarized with the situation and provide clear context. This is done
through mixed questions.

2. First C: Prior to the first listening, the instructor lets the students know they will be
listening to a conversation and gives instructions for the students to close their books
or cover the dialogue.
The instructor tells the students they should pay attention to the general idea of the
conversation and asks 2 or 3 general comprehension questions that they should
answer once the first listening is over.

After the first listening, the instructor asks the same questions s/he asked in point
No. 3. The students should answer without opening their books.

3. Second C: With books still closed, the instructor then tells the students they will
listen to the same dialogue once again, but this time they will pay attention to the
details of the conversation. Then s/he proceeds to ask 2 or 3 detailed comprehension
questions that students will answer after the second listening.

If the students ask to listen to the dialogue once again, the instructor may play it one
more time with books closed.
After the second listening, the instructor asks the same questions as and students
answer.

4. O Open: The third listening is conducted with books open, so students can read
along and confirm their answers. The instructor answers any questions that students
might have about the dialogue and presents new vocabulary and/or expressions.

IMPORTANT
• If the students request the dialogue be played again, the instructor is allowed to do
so, only once again. The maximum amount of times the CD can be played during
CCOC cycles is 6.

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 What is a Task?

A task is a feature of everyday life – in daily life, a task might be shifting a wardrobe from
one room to another or planning the budget for the next financial year. In the classroom,
communication is always part of the process, whether the task involves creativity, problem
solving, planning, or completing a transaction. Students become actively involved in
communication and focus on achieving a particular goal. They have to comprehend,
negotiate, express ideas, and get their message across in order to reach that goal. Brining
tasks into the classroom puts the focus of language learning on the meaning and the goal,
rather than on the form of communication.

These are some examples of language tasks:

Topic: ON-LINE BANKING

1. Role play
Role A: You’re a bank manager. A customer is knocking at your door. Please see what
he/she needs.
Role B: You’re a customer of the bank. You’re not sure what kind of transactions and on-
line services the bank offers. Ask him/her all the necessary questions to get the
information.

2. Debate
Students take a position on their own or teacher assigns it at random. They look for facts to
defend their position. They need to convince a third party (Teacher or other student)
For: On-line banking is safe and fast.
Against: On-line baking is dangerous.
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 3. Discussion
Students express their opinions, in a respectful way about the question written on the board.
No agreement is needed.
Question: Do you think that on-line banking makes people’s lives easier?

4. Interview
Students should ask questions (preferably in pairs) about the items written on the board.
Teachers may warm-up with QFS.
Items: bills, transactions, balance, safe.

5. Story telling
Each student is given the chance to tell us a story following the questions written on the
board. Teacher should take the time (no more than 2 min per student)

Questions: When was the last time you went to the bank? What did you do there? What
happened? How long did it take you to run your errand? Could you have done it more
quickly on-line?

6. Presentation
Each student is given the chance to present the info required to answer the questions on the
board. (no more than 2 min per student)

Info: Tell us about the on-line services your bank offers. Do you use them? Why or why
not?

7. Pair work
Students work together to outline a document and then interchange ideas with the other
pairs.

Document: Create an on-line customer service survey.

8. Problem solving
Role A: You are a bank employee. You are in charge of savings and checking accounts.
You don’t know much about credit cards. It’s lunch time and you are the only one available.
A customer is coming in. Offer him/her some help.
Role B: You are a customer of the bank. You are very disappointed because you bought a
book on line, you paid for it with your credit card and they charged you the book twice. You
had already contacted the call centre but they did not fix the problem. You need this
situation to be solved ASAP.

9. Game
Pictionary – One student draws the transactions on the board for the others to guess them.
Teacher writes them in a list on the board. Then ask: which of these activities are
available on-line? Transactions to be drawn: Open a savings account, pay credit card, pay
the utilities, buy a book, etc.

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 Chapters 6 and 12 are review chapters (after 12 the TEST is given for the level)

The Pre-Task of any of the review activity needs to be more extensive since it has possibly been
weeks since they saw that material in the normal chapter. It is OK to have students open their
books while the Pre-task is being conducted, in order to allow the chance to recall what was seen in
each chapter.

Note that each of the activities covers exactly the same topics and objectives; they simply cover
them in different ways.

Example:

Activities / Chapters 1 2 3 4 5

Focus on Language X X X X X 1st Lesson

Objectives Ladder X X X X 2nd lesson

X

Action Module X X X X X 3rd lesson

Your Turn X X X X X 4th lesson

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 Objective ladder:
Review vocabulary and expressions – fluency oriented
Objectives should be clustered and Tasks conducted through PTP.
Starting from the bottom up:
- Combine more than 1 objective in one question, asking them to do a sort of summary, we
also have to choose a specific chapter and conduct a performance using those
objectives (debate, problem solving, discussion, etc…) in order to have fluency based
activity

Action Module:
Using the role card from the student book – fluency oriented
- As a role play you have to conduct a Pre-Task to review the vocabulary and expressions
that might be needed for the action module.
- Have them read the title of the action module to start the mind map
- Have one student read role card A (silently) and another one Role card B (silently) we
don’t want the students know what will be in the other person’s role (as in real life)
- Have them act out the action module adding some more questions to it.
- Have them then switch roles, whisper etc… to have all the students involved.
- Do a Post-Task with corrections on the board.

Your turn:
Do a kind of summary, interview, and include Questions from Students - fluency oriented
- Have all the students read the A part of each segment.
- Have them choose one
- Give them 5 min to prepare reminding them that this needs to be as presentation, not just
a series of answers one after the other. They have to give you as much details as possible.
- Remind them to look for the vocabulary and expression in the corresponding chapters.
- Have them do their presentation.
- Tell the other students that they need to prepare 2 or 3 questions to ask at the end of their
classmates’ presentation.
- Take notes during the presentation and the questions session.
- Do a Post-Task.

Another fun way of handling this activity will be to write or make a copy of the Your Turn
questions and cut them in strips of papers. Then have the students drawn one. Here we will not
give them any time to prepare they will have to do their presentation right away and the other
students will grade each other on fluency, use of the vocabulary, imagination, etc…

Focus on language:
Grammar review - grammar oriented
- Follow the instruction in the IM or change the rules to your liking or adapt them to the
students’ level.
- You could also use the focus on language page from the SB and ask Qs to practice.

Magazine Lesson:
- Should be conducted as per the pre-established lesson plan
- Important to remind the students that they shouldn’t worry if they don’t understand all the
words in the article since the aim here is to for them to get the general idea.

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 BERLITZ LEARNING CYCLE

• Introduction
The Berlitz Learning Cycle is the follow-up and support structure that exists in order to ensure
that students successfully achieve the overall level of proficiency and specific learning objectives
that are set forth for their language program. It is a series of different activities that are not
instructional in nature, but rather serve as moments to provide information, guidance or feedback
our students, receive feedback from them, make adjustments to their learning process, or
establish commitments.

In short, the Learning Cycle is the systematic tool that Berlitz uses to guarantee that students
have a successful learning process.

• Structure
The Learning Cycle is comprised of the activities from the chart below. Please note that this is
only a brief summary; more detailed information about each activity will be shared later in this
document.

Activity Conducted Purpose

To provide students with important information about the
During the first lesson of any new
Orientation Lesson program that they are beginning, including methodology,
program
program requirements, and study recommendations

During the first six lessons of any To confirm that each student has been placed in the
Confirmation of Placement
new program appropriate level, group, schedule, etc.

Around the end of the first

To provide students with information on how to register on
Web Induction chapter of any program with a
the webpage and complete the activities therein
web component

To grade student’s performance on the 5 different criteria

Grading of Student’s
At the end of each chapter (using the grading scale provided) that would be then
Performance
reflected on their Feedback and Progress Report.

To give students feedback on their performance, including

At the 25%, 50% and 75% marks
Feedback Session attendance, punctuality, compliance with homework,
of each level
strengths, areas to improve and recommendations

To confirm that each student is advancing according to the

Level Inspection At the end of each chapter
expectations of their program

To receive feedback from students about their program and

Counseling Visit In the middle of each level identify any aspects that need to be improved or actions that
need to be taken

To evaluate students’ level of the more analytical skills of

Exam At the end of each level the language that have been developed through the
homework during the level

To provide students with a report of their performance

Progress Report After completion of the level during the level, including attendance, punctuality,
compliance with homework, and performance scores

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 Pace Management
Pace overview

When we talk about "pace", we refer to the speed at which we advance through the material with a
particular program—the number of lessons that are required per chapter, level and module.
Pace is important because when students enroll in a program at Berlitz, what they really pay for is a
certain number of lessons in order to finish their program.
Basically, pace management is cost management. If we end up delivering more lessons than were
established for the program, Berlitz will end up paying for those extra lessons.
In order to comply with the total number of lessons sold for each program, the only thing that we
need to do is follow the pace lines on the ped cards.
As an instructor, it is your responsibility to stick to the pace that has been established for each
program and take any necessary actions to speed up or slow down when the group is behind or
ahead of pace.

Situations affecting pace

The following situations can affect the pace of a program:

Solutions for pace situations

▪ Behind pace, caused by students
In these cases, it is the responsibility of the Service Leader to take actions with the student(s).

▪ Behind pace, caused by Berlitz (instructors / management)

If there are any issues regarding the students' level, the Service Leader is responsible for taking the
appropriate actions. However, it is the instructors' responsibility to keep the Service Leader well
informed of anything that requires action.
From the instructor's point of view, there are few key aspects that are very easily taken care of:

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 - Make sure you are aware of the pace situation
- Prepare class appropriately
- Stick to what you prepared
- Start class on time, even if there is only one student and do not sit around waiting for
more students to arrive before starting class. In addition to slowing down pace, this
rewards students who arrive late and punishes those who are punctual. In the case that
all students arrive late, please write an Instructor's Comment.
- Limit the checking of Homework, the review and goal setting to 5 minutes, maximum

• Cluster 2 or more related points with similar objectives into one PP Cycle.
CLUSTERING:
Lead –in
Statements for repetition For point 1
Control

Lead – in
Statements for repetition For point 2
Control

Lead – in
Statements for repetition For point 3
Control

Mixed questions for the 3 points

• Cluster 2 or more related points with similar objectives into one PTP Cycle. This can be
very useful to cluster a Listening Activity with a normal point.
• If you know that you will not be able to introduce all the language items listed in the
manual, choose the ones that are the most essential to achieving the language
objectives of the class. Keep in mind that language items in the manual that do not
appear in the Student Book are probably not so essential and could be skipped.
• When deciding on what activities to conduct during the class, go for activities that are
more straightforward, rather than activities that take more time to set up, explain, etc. If
the manual has various activities that focus on the same goal, conduct only the one that
is most productive or make up your own. Some activities might be a lot of fun to do, but
sticking to pace and achieving goals in the class is a lot more important.
• Use the proper teaching cycle (see page 9 of this document) according to the level and
the students’ understanding. Don’t duplicate the practice activities, choose one from the
regular teaching cycle or one from the book but DON’T conduct both.

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• Stop to consider what you are doing in your class.
Ask yourself if what you are doing is necessary to achieve your goals in the class. If something does
not contribute towards the communication objectives of your class, don’t do it.

When teaching, you need to have good analytical skills and make decisions based on your criteria
more than just relying on what the manual says to conduct your class. Remember that our students
are people, not machines, so we cannot simply follow steps and hope that they learn.
We must be flexible and adapt what we do in class to our students and their needs, always
keeping in mind the objectives of the class.
There are some other easily remembered strategies:
• For words that are presented for a listening activity only conduct the presentation phase
(up to control) and ask a couple of mix questions.
• The same process should apply to the words that are in the “Warm up” of each Unit.
• Reduce CCOC Listening Activities to COC, CCO or even CO if necessary.
• The “Consolidation activities” and “Review activities” points that are at the end of the
chapter should not be covered unless the students are on pace.
• The “Use your English” and “Reading Practice” that are also at the end of the chapter
should ALWAYS be assigned as extra practice for the student.
• Cover points such as Culture Corner, Media Mix, Pronunciation Plus and On the Web
through a short discussion lasting no more than 3 or 4 minutes.

▪ Ahead of pace, caused by Berlitz (instructors / management)

The main question you should ask yourself when a program is ahead of pace is why that program is
ahead? Basically, there are two answers to this question:

1. The program is ahead because we are failing to deliver the program completely.
2. The program is ahead because the students are above-average performers.

If they are ahead because we are failing to deliver the program completely, the solution is simple:
implement the appropriate steps and techniques during class and make sure that students are
getting all the practice and performance necessary.

If they are ahead because they are simply above-average performers, then what we need to do is
include additional activities or find ways to extend (productively) the time spent on the current
activities.
Some simple ideas for slowing down the pace of a group are:

• Conduct extra review of previously seen material;

• Conduct extra review of anything they have issues with during the lesson;
• Have students repeat Role Plays after corrections in order to implement feedback;
• Conduct extra "workshops" on things such as pronunciation, intonation, questions, etc.;
• Bring extra material that is relevant to the topic at hand (approved by SL).

In summary, it is your responsibility to ensure that you cover the right amount of material in every
class. In this document we have provided some of the tools that will help you do that. The key thing
to remember when planning for class is to make an active effort to stick to pace or remedy pace
situations.
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 E-Ped. Cards
Where to go to log in: [Link]
Username: first [Link] name
Default password: id number

What will I find in the Berlitz Intranet?

- Schedule
- Pedagogical Cards
o Class preparation
Previous material covered
HW to be checked
Comments
Pace
Learning Cycle activities
o Post class registration
Material covered during the class
Attendance / tardiness / HW compliance
HW Assigned
Learning Cycle activities
Students’ performance

On the home screen you’ll find the schedule of your classes.

When you teach at a company you will see a green lesson (travel lesson) and by scrolling over
the travel lesson you will see the address of the company.

To access the lesson just click on the lesson and the Ped-card will open on a new window.
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OR follow this path:
Program
Group
Pedagogical Card
Select the center and enter the name of the group
Click on View

Upon entering the group’s Ped-card you will find the information on the LAST point and sub
point that was covered by the previous instructor as well as info about the HOMEWORK:

LEVEL - CHAPTER - POINT – Sub Point

In this case: Level 3 Chap 2 Point 11 Performance

HW legend:

Blue Means Book HW

Green: Means Web HW

Pink: Means Book & Web HW

You will also find information about the students’ attendance and compliance with HW
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Attendance:
o Y = Student attended
o N = Student did NOT attend
o Y10 = Student attended but was 10 min late or left 10 min early

HW Compliance:
o B = DID book HW
o NB = DID NOT DO book HW
o W = DID web HW
o NW = DID NOT DO web HW

As well as PACE information

This means that during this lesson the instructor NEEDS to FINISH the chapter. (BE 3 Chap. 3)

And also LEARNING CYCLE activities:

Some of the learning cycle activities will be:

o Orientation lesson
o Confirmation of placement
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 o Web induction
o Feedback session
o Level inspection
o Level check
o DVD & Magazine (review lessons)

In order to register your lesson you need to click on the LESSON NUMBER and that will take
in that lesson.
You will enter the LAST point that was covered in that lesson, any comments you want to
leave for the next instructor as well as information about the students’ attendance, and
tardiness

If you have HW to check you will see a message in the yellow box reminding you to check HW
And you will register the students’ compliance with HW

o B = DID book HW
o NB = DID NOT DO book HW
o W = DID web HW
o NW = DID NOT DO web HW
In the lesson where you need to finish a chapter the system will ask you to grade the students’
performance:

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You will grade each student on a scale from 0.5 to 5 on (refer back to the grading criteria to know
which grade to allocate):

o Comprehension
o Fluency
o Pronunciation
o Structures
o Vocabulary

If you have to conduct a learning cycle activity you will find, after entering in that lesson some
support documents in the yellow box that can be downloaded.

The downloadable documents are:

o Orientation lesson guide
o Orientation lesson form (to be signed by the students)
o Web induction guide (New Berlitz English 1-4 Technology Component)
o Web induction form (to be signed by the students)
o DVD lesson plans
o Magazine Lesson plans

When you need to do a confirmation of placement (during the first 6 lessons of any new
program):

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The options to choose from are:
o Lower Level
o Good for the level
o Better than current level

When you need to conduct a Feedback session and Level Inspection

To be able to print the Feedback form, click on the FB next to each student and print the PDF
file, one for the student to keep and one for him/her to sign.

Choose the language:

o Spanish for levels 1 & 2
o English for levels 3 & up

During the Feedback session you will have to give them some additional recommendations on
how to improve the areas they have to work on.
For the Level inspection the options are the same as the ones for the confirmation of placement:

o Lower Level
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 o Good for the level
o Better than current level

When giving the exam you need to register the exam score

Click the box next to each student’s name and enter the exam score it will be then
generated automatically on their progress report. This one will be delivered to the students by the
Service Leader.

If you have any questions or doubts please ask your Service Leader since the
information entered will affect:
the preparation of the next instructor
The report the students will receive

So it is VERY important for ALL the information to be accurate.

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 Lesson Observation form

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 Key conditions for successful language learning
• Meaningful exposure to target language
• Opportunities to use target language to communicate
• Balance between activities focusing on accuracy and activities focusing on fluency
• Motivation to learn

Principles of the Berlitz Method

1. Goal-oriented, lively instruction
2. Maximized student participation
3. Exclusive use of the target language
4. Students learn through speaking and listening, supported by reading and writing
5. Grammar taught as a means of communication

The central questions of a lesson observation are relatively straightforward: “Was the
lesson effective? Did the instructor successfully teach new language skills to the student?
Were the language skills taught useful for the student in view of his or her needs and
study goals?” To decide whether a lesson was effective, we need to assess what went
well, and in what areas the instructor’s performance could be improved

These two lists describe, in general terms, what happens in a good Berlitz lesson. To
make an accurate evaluation, the Lesson Observation Form is divided into 14 detailed
points. These are further subdivided into a number of yes/no questions that focus on the
observable behaviors that lead to optimum instructor performance in the lesson.

Reading this document and scoring an instructor’s performance

The following pages describe each of the 14 points and their sub-questions in detail. At
the top of each page is a general description of the most important elements of each of
the points, as well as this point’s connection to the key conditions for successful language
learning and the 5 principles. Below that, each sub-question is examined and the decision
criteria are given for answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Finally, at the bottom of the page, there is a
description of the behaviors observed that warrant an overall grade for the point of
Exceeds Expectations (E), Meets Expectations (M), Needs Development (N) or
Unacceptable (U). In many cases, the instructor will fulfill some of the conditions from
more than one column – it is then up to the observer to decide which overall grade best
reflects the instructor’s performance regarding that point in the lesson observed.

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 Goal-oriented, lively instruction is a key principle of the Berlitz Method. The
Point 1 lesson goals are determined by the students’ level, learning preferences,
interests, and overall study goals. Activities build upon the students’ previous
Goal-oriented knowledge of structure and vocabulary, and focus on developing their real-life
instruction language skills. Setting a clear goal also ensures that the lesson has structure
and that progress is measurable, with the goals acting as milestones.

Did you set a clear goal?

Students stay motivated and process information better Y Y: Goal clearly expressed. Student buy-in gained.
if they know what the goal of the lesson is. Setting and N: Goal not expressed or not clearly expressed. No buy-
confirming the lesson goal by getting buy-in from the in from students evident.
students, gets the lesson off to a good start.

Did you write it on the board or on paper?

This confirms that the students understand the focus of Y Y: Goal written.
the lesson. It is used later for confirming achievement of N: Goal not written.
the goal once completed.
Was the goal Customized
For the lesson goal to be motivating it must be relevant Y Y: Goal customized to learners’ specific interests and
to the students’ study goals, interests and specific needs.
learning needs. We achieve this by customizing the goal. N: No customized goal set. The goal was not relevant to
learners’ personal interests and needs.
Did you stay on topic by relating the activities and tasks to the goal of the lesson?
Did you avoid tangents?
For activities and tasks to be useful they need to tie in Y Y: All lesson activities were related to the lesson goal.
closely with the goal set for the lesson and with the The instructor brought the students back to the topic in
students’ overall study goals. case of tangents.
Often, opportunities will present themselves to discuss N: A significant amount of class time was spent
topics not relevant to the lesson goal. It is the covering topics that were not relevant to the goals of
instructor’s responsibility to keep the lesson focused on the lessons. Tangents were allowed to run or even
the goal. encouraged.
Did you achieve the goal
Achieving the goal set at the beginning is the key to an Y Y: Goal achieved.
effective lesson. N: Goal not achieved.

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 One of the key conditions for successful language learning is the learning
Point 2 environment. We keep students motivated by making the lesson fun, lively and
engaging. The instructor is the catalyst in creating an atmosphere conducive to
Motivating learning. The atmosphere is friendly, but not personal, professional but relaxed.
learning Students feel free to make mistakes and take risks with the language, confident
environment that they will receive the guidance, correction and feedback they need. The
instructor is energetic, patient and responsive in accordance with RATER
principles
Did you create a comfortable atmosphere conductive to learning?
The atmosphere in an effective lesson is comfortable andY Y: The atmosphere in the lesson was professional,
relaxed, without being too informal. The instructor sets friendly, comfortable, and conducive to learning.
the tone of the lesson appropriate for the class. N: The atmosphere in the class was not appropriate or
not conducive to learning. The student was not relaxed
and comfortable, or was too relaxed.
Did you focus on the students’ learning needs and preferences using adequate praising?
All students have different strengths and weaknesses. Y Y: Class activities were chosen or adapted to work on
We motivate students to learn by adapting the lesson to areas needing improvement. Understanding of the
their needs and their learning preferences. If an activity students’ learning needs and preferences clearly
is too easy, it is boring. If an activity is too difficult it is evident.
frustrating and becomes de-motivating. N: Activities were taken straight from the book, with
little or no attention paid to the students’ needs and
preferences. Activities were either too easy or too
difficult for the student.
Did you use motivating communication strategies, liveliness, positive body language, students’ names,
and tone of voice?
The energy in the lesson comes from the instructor. Any Y Y: The instructor and the lesson were energetic and
topic can be interesting and stimulating when the engaged the students. Students’ names used
instructor uses communication strategies that engage appropriately and effectively
the learner. N: The instructor came across listless, disinterested, or
not animated. The lesson lacked sparkle. Little or no
use of student names.

Were you friendly, patient, empathetic and encouraging?

In order to learn, students must feel comfortable playing Y Y: The atmosphere in the lesson was professional,
with the language and not be afraid to make mistakes. friendly, comfortable, and conducive to learning.
The instructor makes this possible by being friendly and N: The atmosphere in the class was not appropriate or
open. We are patient when students make errors or not conducive to learning. The student was not relaxed
mistakes, or have other difficulties. We encourage and comfortable, or was too relaxed.
students by congratulating them on their achievements
and challenging them to take the next step.

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 Presenting new language to students is a central part of any language lesson.
Point 3 One of the key elements of the Berlitz Method is the way we present new
language, in context and without translation, using a variety of presentation
Presentation of techniques. These techniques make the meaning of the new language
new language immediately clear, without the need for translation. Practice then helps the
students become comfortable using the new language in full sentences and
realistic situations. New language is presented in relation to the language the
student already knows, allowing students to increase their knowledge in a
structured and logical manner. New structures are presented in the same way,
as expressed in the fifth principle of the Berlitz Method: Grammar is taught as a
means of communication. Questions are used to make the presentation of new
language a dialogue rather than a monologue.
Did you interactively elicit the language students already knew?
To keep the lesson learner-centered, it is important to Y Y: Interactive techniques used to find out what the
find out what language the students already know. students already knew before presenting new language.
Interactive techniques like lead-in questions, N: Language items presented with no or ineffective
brainstorming etc. help us do this. effort to find out what the students already knew.

Did you present new language in context, using appropriate and interactive techniques to make the
meaning clear and repetitions when needed?
New language is presented in the context of the overall Y Y: Questions used in lead-in to presentation.
theme of the lesson or the chapter. Questions to elicit N: Questions not used in lead-in, or lead-in not
use of related forms the student already knows prepare performed
the student for the meaning of the new form. This
dialogue then allows us to make the meaning of the new
form clear.
Was grammar taught in the context of a communicative activity avoiding explicit grammar
explanations?
Teaching grammar in isolation is not very useful. What Y Y: Grammar taught communicatively, in the context of a
makes a particular pattern useful is what the student speaking activity.
can do with it. Presentation techniques, such as N: Grammar taught alone or explained, without a focus
contrast, present the new form in context of other forms on its communicative use, or without reference to other
previously covered. Communicative activities give the related forms.
student opportunities to use the new form and
understand their value.

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 In order to ensure that every in-class activity has the maximum possible benefit
Point 4 on the students’ language skills, we must set up each activity carefully. We
must make sure that the students have all the necessary language elements to
Activity Set up take part in the activity, and that these elements are either reviewed or
(Practice and presented. We also set a specific task for each student to accomplish. In
Performance) speaking activities this ensures that the dialogue is purposeful and realistic. In
listening, reading and writing activities, it creates purpose, as in real-life
situations, and helps to build real-life skills. We also make clear how the activity
is related to the goal of the lesson, and therefore the goals of the student.
Did you create purpose in all speaking, listening, reading and writing activities and use the appropriate
cycle?
Setting a task or objective before an activity provides focus Y Y: Objectives set prior to activities to create
and helps the student see the value of the activity e.g. purpose.
setting comprehension questions before students listen to N: Objectives not set, not set clearly or
the CD or before they read a text; setting roles, goals and appropriately, or set after activity.
end conditions before a speaking activity.

Did you review or present all the material necessary for students to communicate successfully?
Is there some specific language the students need to Y Y: Necessary vocabulary and structures reviewed or
effectively participate in the task or activity. If so, we either presented.
review it to ensure it is fresh in students’ minds, or present N: Necessary vocabulary and structures not,
it if it is new. partially or ineffectively reviewed or presented.
Practice: Did the lesson have an effective balance of controlled and less controlled practices?
The initial practice phase immediately following the Y Y: Controlled and less controlled practice clearly
presentation of new language is when the new language is evident, well set up and run.
first internalized. An appropriate balance of controlled and N: Too much or too little focus on either controlled
less-controlled practice is vital in building the students’ or less controlled practice. Practice activities poorly
proficiency and confidence with the new language. set up or run.
Performance: Did you use the appropriate cycle for performance (PTP cycle)?
The fact of interactively reviewing, setting the scene and Y Y: The steps of the PTP cycle were followed.
expectations assure the understanding, on the students’ N: Some steps of the PTP cycle were skipped or not
part of what is expected. The pre-task should not only help followed
them review the new language but also language items that
were presented in previous chapters or levels. The fact of
not interrupting the students during their performance will
place them as close to a real life situation. And the post task
will show them that now they are able to use these new
language items to achieve a real life goal.

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 In order to keep the lesson interesting, challenging, and therefore motivating, a
Point 5 Berlitz language lesson will have a rich mix of activities. Students leave an
effective lesson with the feeling that they have worked hard and learned a lot. We
Mix of tasks regulate the challenge of the lesson by choosing our starting point carefully, and
and activities by moving smoothly from easier to more challenging activities. We regulate the
mix of activities to focus on all four skills, always remembering that all activities,
whether involving listening, reading or writing, should lead on to a speaking
activity. Finally, the pace of the lesson is important in regulating the challenge:
how quickly we move from one activity to the next; how much time we spend on
practice or repetition to confirm the language has been internalized before
moving on. Too little, and the student will not learn, and will not be able to
complete the subsequent activities. Too much, and the lesson will be boring and
repetitive.
Did you appeal to the students’ learning preferences and keep their attention by using a variety of
activity types, making any adjustments to the ones proposed in the IM?
A good Berlitz lesson engages the students with a Y: A variety of activity types used in class.
variety of activities. A listening task could be followed by N: All in-class activities were of the same or similar
a speaking task, then a summary and a role-play, type.
analysis, feedback, correction and a second iteration. By
making each activity different from the last we engage
and stimulate the students.

Was there a smooth progression from easier to more difficult activities?

An effective lesson moves smoothly from easier tasks Y: Activities built up naturally towards the main
through more difficult ones towards achievement of the functional goal. There was a smooth progression from
main functional goal. This allows students to make one activity to the next. Transitions were smooth.
progress step by step and build up to activities that N: There was no progression. Activities appeared to
would have been too difficult for them at the start of the have been strung together at random. Activities were
lesson. either too difficult and/or too easy. Transition was not
smooth.

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 One of the key conditions for successful language learning is the balance in the
Point 6 lesson between activities that focus on accuracy and activities that focus on
fluency. The Berlitz Method ensures this balance by focusing on one or the other
Balance of in different phases of the lesson. This is true whether we are following a PPP
accuracy and structure: Presentation, Practice, Performance, or a Task-supported learning
fluency approach. Activities focusing on accuracy have a higher degree of instructor
control, with interruption for correction, and repetition of the new language until its
use is mastered. Activities focusing on fluency are handled differently. Students
are presented with a situation or task that is more open, and allowed to speak at
length without interruption or help from the instructor. Correctly balancing these
two types of activities, and effectively running each, is the cornerstone of the
lesson’s structure.

Was there an effective balance in terms of class time at accuracy and fluency?
An effective lesson includes activities that focus on both Y: Good mix of both skill activities.
skill areas. We focus on accuracy during Presentation, N: Focus on either accuracy or fluency at the expense of
Practice, Pre-task & Post-task phases and fluency during the other.
the Production/ Performance or Task.

Was the pacing of the class appropriate?

An effective lesson pacing gives the student enough time Y: Pacing appropriate for level and for students.
in each phase of the lesson to achieve the goals of that N: Pacing too fast or too slow for level or for students.
phase. The instructor manages the pace of the lesson to
maximize learning effectiveness.

To make progress, students need to be given constant feedback. Feedback is

Point 7 either supportive (praise) or corrective (correction). Supportive feedback
confirms when a word or structure has been used correctly or when a task or
Feedback: activity has been successfully completed. Corrective feedback highlights when
praise and a word or structure has been incorrectly used or when a task or activity was
Correction flawed in execution. There are a variety self-correction and instructor correction
techniques. Which techniques are the most effective in any given situation will
depend on the type of activity, the students’ learning style and preferences,
cultural proclivities, and the instructor’s skills. Correction must be given with
sensitivity and empathy, and at the appropriate point in the teaching cycle.
Failure to do this runs the risk of overwhelming the student and de-motivating
them. Without effective feedback, a learner is unable to change and improve
their language use.

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Did you provide appropriate corrections for both accuracy and fluency activities?
When students errors or mistakes during accuracy we Y: Correction provided during accuracy and at the end of
correct them on the spot. When they make errors or fluency activities. Students responded positively.
mistakes during fluency activities we correct them at the N: Correction during accuracy or at the end of fluency
end of the performance in order not to interrupt the flow activities (or both) were not provided.
and to have them be as close to a real life situation
where the instructor will not be there to help them.
Did you use appropriate correction techniques?
Understanding the difference between errors and Y: Correction techniques used were appropriate and
mistakes is important. Errors result from lack of effective. Students responded positively.
knowledge of the correct form; mistakes from slips of N: Correction steps were not followed. Too much or too
the tongue, lapses of concentration etc. Different little correction done. Timing of the correction
correction techniques will be more effective depending inappropriate e.g. during a fluency activity. Students
on which is being addressed. didn’t respond to the techniques used or techniques
were ineffective.

Managing student expectations ensures that students get the most out of the
Point 8 class activities. Adult learners need to understand why they are performing each
activity, what they are learning, and how they have progressed over the course
Managing of each lesson. To do this, the instructor signposts each activity, and gives clear
Expectations instructions to ensure that students know what is expected from them in that
phase of the lesson. Managing expectations effectively, including setting and
achieving a learner-centered goal, means that students don’t leave a lesson
thinking, “well, that was fun, but what did I learn?”

Did you set expectations regarding the flow of the lesson?

For all students, even at lower levels, a clear lesson Y: Expectations clearly set and understood by students.
outline will help them understand where the lesson is N: Expectations not set or not set clearly.
headed.

Did you make the purpose of each activity clear (signposting)?

For the students to get the most out of an activity they Y: Purpose of activities made clear and understood by
need to understand its purpose. The instructor makes it students.
clear to the students what is coming next and why - N: Purpose of activities not communicated or not
without getting too technical. Typically this is done communicated clearly.
through the regular use of a limited range of markers.

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Did you give clear instructions?
Clear instructions are the key to an effective task or Y: Clear instructions given and understood by students.
activity. Make sure the students know what their role is N: Instructions not communicated or not communicated
and what they have to do prior to each activity. Simple, clearly.
unambiguous instructions will work best.

One of the key principles of the Berlitz Method is maximized student

Point 9 participation. The instructor creates the conditions for successful language
learning by maximizing the opportunities in class to use the language. In a
Student Talk good Berlitz lesson the students are speaking at least as much as the
Time (STT) instructor. In one-on-one lessons, the ratio ITT:STT should be at least 50:50.
In group classes it will be even more heavily weighted toward the students.

Did you maximize Student Talking Time?

Our aim is to get the students to speak as much as Y: The ratio ITT:STT was appropriate for the lesson
possible. We do this through our choice of activities, format.
especially those focused on fluency, and the N: There was too much ITT.
effectiveness with which we set them up. For the same
reason we don’t interrupt fluency-focused activities with
corrections.
Was the focus on the students at all time during the lesson?
Remember that the focus of the lesson should at all Y: Focus of the lesson was on the students at all times.
times be on the students, not the instructor. The All activities were directed towards getting them to
instructor’s job is to be the catalyst and facilitator in speak more.
creating opportunities for the students to speak. N: Instructor spent too much time talking about
him/herself or about his/her opinions.

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 Although all the other points in this guide are relevant to both one-on-one
Point 10 (private) classes and group classes, there are a number of additional points
that apply to group classes only. In group classes, we use a variety of
Group handling techniques, especially group and pair work activities to effectively increase
skills STT. Through effective class management we ensure that all members of the
group spend an equal time.

Was the mix of group-work and pair-work appropriate and effectively managed?
This is a vital element in effective group lessons. Pair- Y: Mix of individual, group and pair work was
work and group-work activities give students the appropriate and effective.
opportunity to work together and to simulate real-life N: Too much or too little group and pair work.
communication. They are essential for maximizing STT.
Choosing the right mix and managing them well is the
key to an effective group lesson.
Did you ensure equal participation from all group students?
The instructor makes sure that quieter or less confident Y: All students participated about equally in all activities.
students have as many opportunities to speak as their N: Some students were allowed to speak much more
louder or more confident colleagues by e.g. calling on than others.
them by name; assigning roles; setting a time limit on
individual contributions.

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 The opening and wrap-up of each lesson includes some very important steps.
Point 11 At the beginning, the instructor reviews the key points and goal from the last
lesson (or previous session). This often provides a useful segue to the current
Lesson lesson. The instructor also checks that the homework assigned has been
opening and completed. The theme of today’s lesson is introduced, and a goal set
wrap-up interactively. The instructor may also outline the lesson plan.
At the end of the lesson, there is a summary of the main points. Homework is
assigned. Most importantly, we confirm that the lesson goal or goals have been
achieved. And finally, we fill in the Pedcard with all relevant information from the
lesson and thank the students.
Did you review the key points from the last lesson?
Briefly confirm the previous lesson goal and check that Y: Key points and goal reviewed.
the students have retained the vocabulary and N: Key points and/or goal not reviewed, or not
structures covered. This is particularly important if effectively reviewed.
today’s lesson builds on something from last time.
Did you check and assign the homework?
At the beginning of the lesson check that the homework Y: Hwk checked at the beginning, set at the end.
from the previous session was done. At the end of the N: Hwk not checked and/or not set.
lesson set any homework required.
Did you or did you have the students summarize the key points of the lesson?
This is important for confirming achievement of what Y: Key points summarized.
was learned, and to reinforce the students’ perception of N: Key points not summarized.
the progress they have made to have them give you a
short summary what was seen during the lesson (short
list).
Did you record all the required information on the Pedcard?
Typically this would be attendance, lateness, lesson Y: All required Pedcard information accurately recorded.
goal, last point taught, any homework assigned, the N: Pedcard information incorrect/incomplete.
homework completed etc.
Did you confirm achievement of the lesson goal?
Refer back to the lesson goal set and confirm with the Y: Achievement confirmed.
students that it has been achieved? N: Achievement not confirmed.

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 When an instructor teaches a class for Berlitz, they are representing Berlitz.
Point 12 The customer’s opinion of Berlitz is based to a large degree on the attitude
and professionalism the instructor exhibits. It is important that the instructor
Professionalism arrive on time, with all the necessary material, fully prepared to teach the
lesson, that he/she is dressed appropriately for class, and that he/she uses all
equipment in the lesson smoothly and efficiently.

Did you start and finish the lesson on time?

Punctuality is a key point in professionalism. It Y: Lesson began and ended punctually.
demonstrates respect for the students and their time. N: Lesson began late and/or finished early.

Did you bring all the relevant materials to class?

The instructor should have everything necessary, correct Y: All relevant material brought to class.
IM, CD, IB etc, at the time the lesson is scheduled to N: Some material missing.
start.

Were you dressed appropriately?

For more information of local dress codes, see country Y: Instructor dressed appropriately.
guidelines. N: Instructor dressed inappropriately.

Did you use all the equipment, CD player, DVD player, Illustration book, whiteboard, etc, smoothly and
effectively?
Using CDs and the CD player, DVD players and TVs; Y: Equipment used smoothly and efficiently.
effective use of the whiteboard or note pads, are all part N: Equipment not used well.
of maintaining a professional image.

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 All communication in the classroom takes place in the language being taught – the
Point 13 target language. This maximizes the students’ exposure to the target language, and
also maximizes their opportunities to develop real life comprehension and
Target language communication skills. Exclusive use of the target language is a key principle of the
Berlitz Method.
Did you use the target language throughout?
Y: Instructor spoke exclusively in the target language.
Instructor only responded to questions and statements in the
target language. Students were encouraged to explain
around language gaps, paraphrasing sentences and
describing missing vocabulary still in the target language.
N: Instructor used another language in class, or offered
translations. Instructor responded, verbally or nonverbally,
to statements or questions not in the target language. Little
or no effort made to help students express themselves in the
target language.
Was the language used level appropriate and correct?
Y: Instructor used correct and level appropriate language
throughout the lesson, using more challenging language in
higher levels.
N: Instructor didn’t use level appropriate language or didn’t
challenge higher level students. Language used was
incorrect.

Point 14
Other Observations
Were there any other observations about the lesson you feel are relevant to the evaluation?

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Sub-questions
Each of the points on the lesson observation form is divided into a number of sub-
questions. The purpose of the sub-questions is to:
• Define the observable behaviors that describe a job well done
• Set the expectation with the instructor that the observed behaviors provide the basis
of the evaluation
• Make the evaluation process more consistent, fair and transparent (and less
subjective)
• Make it easier to grade each point
• Make it easier to evaluate what the instructor did well
• Make it easier to decide in which area the instructor’s performance needs
improvement, and so come up with the recommendations for improvement
• Help decide what SMART goal to set
These sub-questions are all closed questions. They are answered either yes (Y) or no
(N). Some of them will be easy to answer e.g. “Was the goal customized?” Or “Did you
start and finish the lesson on time?” Most will involve a judgment call on the part of the
observer e.g. “Did you use appropriate and effective correction techniques?” Or “Did you
maximize student talk time?” In all cases yes (Y) means the instructor did so consistently
at all relevant points throughout the lesson. No (N) means the instructor did so
inconsistently, partially, at some times but not at others, or not at all.

Grading the points

The lesson observation form guidelines describe the observable behaviors for each grade
of each point. The sub-questions are there to make it easier to decide which grade is
appropriate. Points are graded Exceeds Expectations (E), Meets Expectations (M), Needs
Development (N) or Unacceptable (U). We focus on the observable behaviors to avoid the
evaluation becoming too subjective. Observable behaviors can be defined in terms of
knowledge, skills and attitude. For detailed behaviors for each point please refer to the
guidelines. Broadly speaking, the grades can be described as follows:
• Exceeds Expectations (E): observed behaviors demonstrate exceptional
knowledge, skills and attitude
• Meets expectations (M): observed behaviors demonstrate good knowledge, skills
and attitude
• Needs development (N): observed behaviors demonstrate below standard
knowledge or skills or attitude
• Unacceptable (U): observed behaviors demonstrate significant lack in knowledge or
skills or (positive) attitude

Relationship between the Y/N sub-questions and the grade

By definition we need to be able to answer yes to each sub-question to meet expectations.
In many cases however, the instructor will fulfill some of the conditions from more than
one column – it is then up to the observer to decide which overall grade best reflects the
instructor’s performance regarding that point in the lesson observed. These are the
guidelines for how the Y/N sub-questions are used to help decide an overall grade for the
point:

Exceeds Expectations (E) all sub-questions answered yes (Y). In addition, the
instructor clearly exceeded expectations in more than one of the areas described in
the Exceeds Expectations column of the lesson observation form guidelines. Specific
details of where and how the instructor exceeded expectations, in terms of
knowledge, skills or attitude must be clearly indicated in the notes space for that
point

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 Meets Expectation (M) all sub-questions answered yes (Y). In addition, the
instructor may have exceeded expectations in one of the areas covered by the sub-
questions
Needs Development (N) one or more sub-questions answered no (N). In addition,
the instructor may have demonstrated no more than one behavior as described in the
unacceptable (U) column of the lesson observation form guidelines. Specific details of
where and how the instructor failed to meet expectations (in terms of knowledge,
skills or attitude) must be clearly indicated in the notes space for that point
Unacceptable (U) all or most sub-questions answered no (N). In addition, the
instructor demonstrated more than one behavior as described in the unacceptable (U)
column of the lesson observation form guidelines. Specific details of where and how
the instructor failed to meet expectations (in terms of knowledge, skills or attitude)
must be clearly indicated in the notes space for that point
Overall Score
Exceeds Expectations (E) 5.00–4.00:
The instructor demonstrated exceptional knowledge, skills and attitude in
some or all key areas (Points 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 13) of the lesson.
5.00 perfect or as near to perfect as makes no difference
4.50–4.75 very strong indeed; exceeded expectations (E) in a significant number of key
areas (Points 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 13); all other points (M)
4.00–4.25 strong; exceeded expectations (E) in some key areas (Points 1, 3, 4, 7, 9,
13); all other points (M)

Meets expectations (M) 3.75–3.00:

The instructor demonstrated the expected level of knowledge, skills and
attitude in the lesson.
3.75 well on the way to (E); all points (M); one or two maybe even (E)
3.50 met expectations in all areas; all points comfortably (M)
3.25 solid, if unspectacular; all points (M) or scraping (M); no more than one (N)
3.00 overall acceptable; most points (M); two points may be (N) but none that
seriously impaired the lesson’s effectiveness

Needs development (N) 2.75–2.00:

The instructor’s performance was below expectations in some significant areas
in terms of knowledge or skills or attitude
2.75 close to (M) overall, but (N) on more than 2 of the key areas (Points 1, 3, 4,
7, 9, 13)
2.25–2.50 some significant problem areas; a considerable number (more than three)
points (N)
2.00 poor; lots of (N) points

Unacceptable (U):
0 The instructor’s performance fell far short of the expected standards in one or
more key areas. Free conversation, haranguing students, being patronizing or
condescending, making disparaging or offensive remarks, use of non-target
language, would all be sufficient individually or in combination to make the
lesson unacceptable.

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