The National Study of Writing Instruction - University at Albany

Summary of Classroom Observation
(Use as much space as necessary for each question.)
School: __________________ Date: ___________
Grade: ____________
Subject area: _______
Track (circle one): AP, high achieving, average, low achieving, mixed
Number of students: ________
Length of class (minutes): ________
Observer: ________________________
Physical features of classroom, seating arrangements, displays.
Describe the lesson (apparent purpose, unique features, types of reading, apparent continuity with
previous and succeeding lessons).
List any specific types of writing that students were engaged in (include general types of writing, as well
as discipline-specific types of writing, such as lab reports, explanations of problem solving steps in math,
or response to literature). If students were taking notes, describe whether this was copying from the
board or dictation, or free form.
Describe any explicit teaching of structures or strategies for any of the types of writing students were
expected to do.
Describe any uses of technology, including word processing.
List academic (i.e., disciplinary) vocabulary used during the lesson. Describe any explicit teaching
(including modeling or correcting) of such vocabulary.
Describe any incorporation of other approaches from Writing Next:
� Strategy instruction
� Summarization
� Careful setting of goals for writing assignments
� Sentence combining
� Inquiry based activity
� Process-oriented activity (prewriting, drafting, revising, peer editing, teacher editing,
publishing/sharing of work)
� Study of models
� Grammar instruction
� Use of rubrics for evaluation or self-evaluation of writing