Planning Lessons and Courses

Planning Lessons and Courses

1. Planning is a thinking skill

   • There are a number of general areas to think about
     • * Atmosphere: visualise the characterisitic and imagine the experience of the lesson
       • * The Learners: engage, enjoy and benefit from it?
         • * The aims: achieve or hoping to achieve
           • * The teaching point: subject matter of the lesson or languages will be studied.
             • * The Challenge: challenge the learners
           • * Classroom management: what are you saying, sitting stage take minutes, working in the class
       • * The tasks and teaching procedures: things the learners will do, what use and sequence come in
         • * Materials: what they will use?

2. How do people learn language?

   • Exposure - it comes from a text that is realistic
   • Authentic exposure - it is being used fairly naturally.
     • Reading magazines, books,etc. Listening to recordings, radio,etc.
       • Output - makes the load on the learner less demanding
         • Authentic output - Speaking or writing
           • discussions meetings
           • small talk writing a postcard
           • negotiations chatting in class
         • Restricted output - that makes the load on the learner less demanding
     • Watching English videos or news. Living where the language is used.
   • Restricted exposure - simplified graded language

3. Sequencing lesson components - Focus on language study.

   • Restricted exposure
     • Clarification
       • Restricted output
         • Use language for themselves
       • Focus in on a piece of language
     • Get to see or hear examples

4. Formal Lesson Planning

   • Expected to produce a written lesson plan for each lesson taught
   • Length of observation (planning)
   • We have to write important details
     • Teacher's name Observer's name Class name
     • Room Date Lesson start time
       • Lesson aims
         • The material you use The activities that will be done
           • The teaching point The topics or contexr The aims of the lesson
         • Achievement aims
           • A very short section on "challenge"
           • Alternatives to formal planinng
             • You haven't got the time
             • It doesn't seem an economic or helpful way
             • A brief "running order"
               • Flow chart
                 • Possible running orders and routes
     • Lenght of lesson (minutes) Observation start time