ABSTRACT
Lesson study is a collaborative approach to professional development that originated in Japan. Translated from the Japanese words jugyou and kenkyu, it is a process in which teachers collaboratively plan a lesson, observe it being taught and then discuss what they have learnt about teaching and learning. In order to explore issues of ‘translation’ it is important to understand both lesson study’s surface features and underlying rationale. Several researchers have written about the challenges of adopting lesson study in non-Japanese contexts but there is very sparse literature on the nature of implementation in the United Kingdom (UK). Lesson observation has been ‘done to’ rather than ‘done with’ teachers, reducing ownership and autonomy, both key features of effective professional development, and leading teachers to see it as a threatening unsupportive process. The national culture shapes the education system, which in turn shapes the professional development approach of schools.
