Background information for undertaking an observationBackground information about the class and lesson is important in undertaking anylesson observation. This can be collected from the teacher using a sheet such as thatshown in Observation focusIt is important that there is a focusfor any observation in order to obtain maximum infor-mation. What you decide to observe depends on the stage of your ITE course, theteaching skills you are finding particularly challenging, for example voice variation, orperhaps an aspect of pupil learning that you are being encouraged to put into effect, suchas skill progression. See Chapter 4 on other ideas about what to observe.What you observe could include:the lesson plan and stages of the lesson from the moment the pupils arrive to theirdismissal from the changing rooms at the end;how the teacher ensures safe participation by the pupils at all times;the teacher’s use of such skills as verbal and non-verbal interaction, positioning,use of praise and reprimand; how the pupils respond to the challenges set by the t