Self review questionnaire for Academic Management

Mária Matheidesz

The students' perspective - Managing Teaching

Placement

1. Are students tested for placement?
_______YES_____ NO

2. Is the placement reliable?
_______YES_____ NO

3. Does it include an oral test?
_______YES_____ NO

4. Do students learn in homogeneous groups?
_______YES_____ NO

5. Is it possible to move students to other groups?
_______YES_____ NO

6. Can the system of placement be presented in a coherent and transparent way?
_______YES_____ NO

Level system and curriculum

1. Do teachers have a copy of the level system or do they know where to find it?
_______YES_____ NO

2. Do teachers have enough information about students' level before the courses start?
_______YES_____ NO

3. Do teachers know exactly what students will have to achieve in order to move up one level?
_______YES_____ NO

4. Do students know what they have to achieve in order to move up one level?
_______YES_____ NO

5. Is the course programme available in writing?
_______YES_____ NO

6. Is the level system and the curriculum presented in a coherent and transparent way?
_______YES_____ NO

Syllabus and scheme of work

1. Is the syllabus specified by reference to units of a coursebook?
_______YES_____ NO

2. Does the syllabus refer to all these areas: functions, grammar points, vocabulary items,
topics?
_______YES_____ NO

3. Is the syllabus available to the teachers?
_______YES_____ NO

4. Is there a scheme of work proposed by the school management?
_______YES_____ NO

5. Do teachers keep record of their work?
_______YES_____ NO

6. Is the syllabus and teachers' scheme of work available in a coherent and transparent way?
_______YES_____ NO

Teaching materials

1. Is there a resource library available for teachers?
_______YES_____ NO

2. Does the selection of the resource library and of supplementary material aid lesson preparation?
_______YES_____ NO

3. Does the selection of the resource library and of supplementary material aid professional development?
_______YES_____ NO

4. Are the resource library and supplementary materials coherently organised?
_______YES_____ NO

5. Are the books and materials easily accessible?
_______YES_____ NO

6. Is the system of use for the resource library and supplementary materials clear and transparent?
_______YES_____ NO

Exit testing and certification

1. Are exit tests suitable for the assessment of students' progress?
_______YES_____ NO

2. Are there different skills tested?
_______YES_____ NO

3. Are the tests available for teachers at the beginning of the course?
_______YES_____ NO

4. Do students receive a certificate at the end of each course?
_______YES_____ NO

5. Is the certificate used for reference at enrolment for the next level?
_______YES_____ NO

6. Are both students and teachers well informed about the system of testing and certification?
_______YES_____ NO

Students' feedback

1. Is there a students' questionnaire handed out at the end of courses?
_______YES_____ NO

2. Is there a students' questionnaire handed out during courses?
_______YES_____ NO

3. Are students' feedback sheets filed?
_______YES_____ NO

4. Are comments taken into account?
_______YES_____ NO

5. Is students' feedback used in teachers' evaluation?
_______YES_____ NO

6. Are both students and teachers informed about the use of students' feedback?
_______YES_____ NO

The teachers' perspective - Managing the teaching staff

The Academic Manager

1. Is the AM qualified and experienced enough for the job?
_______YES_____ NO

2. How many teachers does s/he manage ?
_______YES_____ NO

3. Do teachers know when and how they can approach the AM with problems?
_______YES_____ NO

4. Is his/her level of authority clear to everybody?
_______YES_____ NO

5. Is there enough time allocated for the AM to carry out all the necessary tasks of his/her the job as AM?
_______YES_____ NO

6. Are there headteachers or co-ordinators to help the AM?
_______YES_____ NO

Selecting and supervising teachers

1. Are teachers selected by on sufficient evidence of their professional competence? (CV, interview, observation)
_______YES_____ NO

2. Are all your colleagues competent and well prepared for their jobs?
_______YES_____ NO

3. Are there regular lesson observations carried out by competent professionals?
_______YES_____ NO

4. Is feedback given after lesson observation?
_______YES_____ NO

5. Is it clear both to teachers and to the AM what lesson observations and feedback are used for?
_______YES_____ NO

6. Is there a coherent and transparent system for assessing teachers' work?
_______YES_____ NO

Training and development

1. Is there a Training and Development Plan available?
_______YES_____ NO

2. Is it communicated and implemented?
_______YES_____ NO

3. Does it take teachers' real needs into account?
_______YES_____ NO

4. Are there possibilities for internal training?
_______YES_____ NO

5. Are there possibilities for external training?
_______YES_____ NO

6. Is teachers' professional development registered?
_______YES_____ NO

Evaluation

Each YES counts 1 point. The total is 54.

Over 44:
You can be reassured, the academic management in your school is under control.

33 - 43
No reason for major worries, but review the areas with too few YESs.

Under 32
Review the academic management of your school.