Lesson Planning

Lesson Planning

1. What Are the Essential Components of a Lesson Plan?

   • Enabling objectives are the basic skills and the life skills that are necessary to accomplish the objective.
   • Materials and equipment should be identified and secured well before class time to ensure that activities can be carried out as planned. These may include realia, visual aids, teachermade handouts, textbooks, flip chart and markers, overhead projector, tape recorder, etc.
   • Activities generally move from more controlled to a less structured or free format. They should be varied in type and modality .
   • What Are the Stages of a Lesson?
     • Warm-up/Review—encourages learners to use what they have been taught in previous lessons
     • • Introduction to a new lesson—focuses the learners’ attention on the objective of the new lesson and relates the objective to their lives
     • Presentation—introduces new information, checks learner comprehension of the new material, and models the tasks that the learners will do in the practice stage
     • Practice—provides opportunities to practice and apply the new language or information
     • Evaluation—enables the instructor and learners to assess how well they have grasped the lesson

2. What Are Some Practical Considerations in Planning Lessons?

   • Sequencing—Do the activities move logically so learners are progressively building on what they already know? Do the activities flow well? Are transitions between activities smooth?
   • Pacing—Are activities the right length and varied so that learners remain engaged and enthused?
   • Gauging difficulty—Do the learners have enough skill and knowledge to do the planned activities? Are the instructions clear?
   • Accounting for individual differences—Do the activities allow for learners of varying proficiency levels to receive extra attention they might need, whether below or above the norm? Are all students actively involved?
   • Monitoring learner versus teacher talk—What is the balance between learner talk and teacher talk? Does the lesson allow a time for learners to interact, producing and initiating language?
   • Timing—Was the amount of time allotted for each part of the lesson sufficient? If the planned lesson finishes early, is there a backup activity ready? If the lesson wasn’t completed as planned, how can the next class be adjusted to finish the material?