Abstract:
This paper aims at investigating the attitudes of a group of teachers of English in higher
education in Sri Lanka towards peer observation of teaching (PO). Simultaneously, it
highlights the significance of practising PO as a method of teacher evaluation and assessment
when teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) at tertiary level. Thus, the prime
objective of this study is to point out PO as an important concept of TESL at higher education
institutes. Moreover, this study contributes positively towards changing the preconceived
perceptions towards peer observation of teaching by discussing the impact of peer
observation towards enhancing English Language Teaching (ELT). To achieve all these
objectives, a survey was conducted with a group of fifty teachers of English from several
universities and higher education institutes in Sri Lanka. Also, they have been following a
Post Graduate Diploma on TESL at a leading state university in Sri Lanka. Both quantitative
and qualitative data were gathered from the participants from questionnaires and informal
interviews. Accordingly, majority was found to prefer PO as its feedback is constructive and
supportive. Furthermore, most accept that PO promotes cooperation and teamwork among the
colleagues making them to reflect on themselves to be more innovative in ELT. Thus, the
majority considers PO as an effective method of observation that expands the professional
development in TESL. On the contrary, a few participants consider PO to be inconvenient
and embarrassing when they get observed by their peers while teaching in the classroom. In
conclusion, the study recommends PO to be an effective teaching strategy that facilitates both
the observed and the observer to achieve professional development while the learners too
benefit from it.
