Lesson observations in sub-Saharan Africa: bringing learners into focus

ABSTRACT This article considers different approaches to lesson observation and their potential for understanding and evaluating classroom practice in sub-Saharan Africa. We start with a critical appraisal of Teach, a recent World Bank initiative. The evidence and assumptions underpinning this teacher-focused instrument are considered alongside its affordances and limitations. Following this, we review evidence from school-based research from the region to identify four salient aspects of conditions for learning: the use of languages; the role of peers; the use of resources to support learning; and differentiated support. An alternative framework for lesson observations is proposed as a means of developing understandings of these conditions through a spotlight on the activities of individual learners; learners’ interactions with teachers and peers; and the classroom environment. In conclusion we consider how this framework may be used alongside existing instruments for deeper insights into the nature and quality of education in the region.