Introduction

A lesson is a set length of time during which the student can either be
introduced to a new teaching point, ie an aspect of the language that is new to
him/her, or improve a skill, ie reading or writing - where new lexical items
(vocabulary) may be introduced.
It is important that what the student is presented with responds appropriately
to his/her needs at the time. As the lessons progress the teacher will come to
have a clearer idea of the student's level.
Each lesson has to be planned, written as a document used for guidance, and
executed carefully according to the plan. A simple plan and straightforward
approach will yield a higher level of success in terms of a more positive
response from the students. The latter must find what the teacher does,
particularly the explanations, as easy to follow as possible.
Planning means:

1. being aware of the time you, the teacher, have to deliver your lesson
and to achieve your aims.

2. specifying what your aims for the lesson are and how you intend to put
over your teaching point(s) in a coherent manner.

3. dividing your lesson up into stages starting with an introduction and

leading to a further exploitation of the teaching point(s). You, as the
teacher, should have an idea of how long each stage will last.

4. being aware of what the students will be doing at each stage (reading,
writing, taking part in group work, listening to a tape etc.)

5. choosing suitable situations and activities to exploit the teaching

point(s);

6. being aware what lexical items are likely to be used by the students in
these situations.

No teacher will present a given teaching point in the same way as another.
One teacher may make more use of a textbook than another who might only
include textbook material as a last resort. Planning inevitably involves
rejection of ideas whatever the source may be as well as acceptance of them.
Stages of a Lesson
1) Introduction
At this first stage of the lesson it is the teacher's function to set the scene and
arouse the students' interest. This involves some teacher talk - kept to a
minimum throughout the lesson - with the students being invited to make a
small contribution, say of vocabulary that may be needed later in the lesson.
This small but vital input on the teacher's part should not exceed five minutes,
sometimes two minutes will suffice (LTTT - limit teacher talking time). To
generate interest whilst (s)he is talking the teacher may make reference to a
visual aid(eg a picture, photo or any object brought into the classroom). An
approach such as this will ensure the students' interest is captured whereas
the "today we are going to talk about …" approach removes the mystery and
the element of surprise from any lesson.
2) Presentation
Once interest has been stimulated you can proceed with almost any piece of
linguistic material eg a story, a song, a text, an advertisement or a short
relevant excerpt from a tape or video). Here you are laying the foundations of
the lesson. Students will respond to some form of presentation and cannot be
expected to talk unless there is something which has gone on in the
classroom that has given them the stimulation to make them speak.
3) Exploitation
This is the stage where the student gets the opportunity to use the new aspect
of language in a suitable context. It is important not to let the student loose
straightaway with the language 'in private'. The practice they are offered
should be controlled and undertaken 'in public' before their peers. For
example, the students might be asked to repeat an aspect of new language
chorally or individually. Teacher-led drills are appropriate at this point where
the students can apply the rules contained in an example to further questions.
As the lesson progresses the teacher's guidance diminishes and he/she
assumes more the role of a monitor of pair and group work. At the end of this
a representative of the pair or group can at the teacher's request feed back to
the rest of the class the results of their discussion.
Before the lesson the teacher should fully familiarise him (her) self with the
plan and once the lesson has started the plan should serve as an occasional
point of reference.
It is prudent to ensure you have enough material and something 'up your
sleeve' to conclude the lesson in case you complete what you have planned
sooner than expected. A short activity such as a song or a game reflecting
what has been learned may be an appropriate way to end.

BUILDING A LESSON PLAN

A successful lesson is dependent on good planning. The easiest way to plan a
lesson is to first identify your objectives, ie what you want to teach, then plan
your lesson around the warm-up, presentation, practice and production
(exploitation) stages of a lesson.
Here is a guide to a basic lesson plan..

BUILDING A LESSON PLAN

Warm-up
What? This is the first part of the lesson where you say hello, return
homework and perhaps review previous lessons and generate interest. A
warm-up should be a fun and easy activity.
Why?
 relaxes students
 generates interest and focus
 can act as a lead-in to the session’s main theme
 gets students talking in English
Points to consider:
The warm-up should be fairly easy so that students feel relaxed and confident
using English. At this stage you can introduce some of the lesson’s
vocabulary and start to get students to think about the topic

BUILDING A LESSON PLAN

Objective
What? Introduce the day’s topic and structures on the board, and if possible
tie them in to what has been studied in previous lessons.
Why?
 students can see what they are going to learn – gives them a sense of
purpose
 increases student motivation
 ensures that you do not get distracted from meeting the objectives
Points to consider:
It may help you with pacing and timing the lesson.

BUILDING A LESSON PLAN

Presentation
What? This is the most teacher-centred part of the lesson. The teacher
presents the students with the necessary language and structures for the
lesson. It is important at this stage to elicit previous knowledge. At this stage
chorusing the structures can be used.
Why? - it provides students with the necessary tools to complete the later
communicative, fluency-based activities.
Points to consider:
Although this part of the lesson is teacher-centred it is important to elicit from
the students what they already know. This is important because students can
only take in so much new information in one lesson; by finding out how much
the students already know you will be able to judge the right amount for that
lesson.

BUILDING A LESSON PLAN

Controlled Practice
What? This stage gives students the opportunity to practice what has just
been presented. It allows students to practice and get accustomed to the
language before trying to use it in a context or situation. The teacher should
actively monitor and correct.
Why?
 practice and reinforce the key language points
 teachers can correct any problems
 teachers can check students’ understanding
Points to consider:
Students should practice manipulating the language that has just been
presented. The exercises should focus on the language points and not
introduce any other information (eg role-play exercises). The students need to
cement the language so that they can use it competently later.

BUILDING A LESSON PLAN

Freer Practice
What? Now that the students feel more comfortable with the language they
should be given the opportunity to put it into a context. However, it is
unrealistic to ask the students to concentrate on both the new language and to
have to think of a situation or information for a role-play. So give students a
standard situation, with all the appropriate information for them to work with.
Why?
 it provides extra practice in using target language
 it is a transitional phase leading to freer and personalised use of the
target language in the production stage
Points to consider:
At this stage the students need the opportunity to practice the language in a
natural context. However, they are not yet confident enough to think of the
context and use the language freely. Therefore the teacher should provide the
discussion questions or role-play scenario or whatever information the
students need to practice the target language.

BUILDING A LESSON PLAN

Production (Free Practice)
What? Students are now offered the opportunity to use the target language in
a free and personalised way. The language is internalised and students are
able to produce and use it appropriately. The focus at this stage of the lesson
is fluency and mimicking, as far as possible, authentic language outside the
classroom. The teacher acts as facilitator and monitor, and should delay
feedback until after the activity.
Why?
 it ties the lesson together
 it personalises the target language
 it enables students to interact naturally
 it builds confidence
Points to consider:
At this point you should only be giving students ideas to work with, and
allowing them to use the language as they feel appropriate. Also you can
encourage the introduction of other language that the students know. The aim
is to let the students use the language in as natural and as fluent a way as
possible within the classroom.

BUILDING A LESSON PLAN

Follow-up
What? Students are now brought back together as a group. It provides the
opportunity for feedback and reflection and encouragement.
Why?
 it helps students remember the objective of the activity
 it brings the students back together as a class
 it provides a sense of achievement
Points to consider:
This is preparation to finish the lesson. Students need the opportunity to feed
back and ask any questions.
 

BUILDING A LESSON PLAN

Wrap-up
What? This brings the lesson to a close. Provide a quick recap of the
objectives, target structures and vocabulary studied that day. Tie in the lesson
with previous or later lessons. Summarise the objectives of the lesson and
what the students have learnt. It is time to set homework and talk about the
next session.
Why?
 it brings the session to a close
 it lets students see what they have achieved and gives them a sense of
achievement
 it prepares the students for the next lesson

CHOOSING OBJECTIVES
It is essential to have clear objectives, and to be clear about not only what you
are teaching but also why you are teaching it. Clear objectives provide a clear
framework for the teacher to select and evaluate the potential value of
activities. Objectives should be written on the board and shared with students
so that they can see what they have learnt by the end of a lesson.
Your objectives for a lesson can focus on different areas, for example:

 Grammar and function

eg giving advice - ‘If I were you

 Correction
eg a specific focus such as definite and indefinite articles, combined
with general consistent correction.

 Discussion Skills
eg agreeing and disagreeing.

 Vocabulary
Introduced so that students become familiar with and are able to use the
words.

 Idioms
Introduced so that students become familiar with and are able to use them

 Specific reading / listening /writing skills

Introduced to develop specific skills eg predictive skills, listening / reading
for gist / writing stories focussing on the correct use of past simple and
past continuous
 

NEEDS ANALYSIS
The following should be considered:
Why is the language needed?
 for work, for study, for an examination, for travel, for promotion etc.

How will the language be used?

 Medium: speaking, writing, reading

 Channel: eg telephone, face to face
 Types of text or discourse: eg academic texts, lectures, informal
conversations, technical manuals etc

What will the content be?

 Subjects: general, specific eg law, medicine, business etc

 Level: secondary school, postgraduate, layman, technician etc
 tailored to students’ interests

Who will the learner use the language with?

 native or non-native speakers

 level of knowledge of the receiver eg professional, student, layman
 relationship eg colleague, superior, teacher, relatives

Where will the language be used?

 physical setting eg office, hotel, school etc

 human context eg alone, meetings, on the telephone, presentations
 context eg in own country, abroad etc

When will the language be used?

 frequently, seldom
 concurrently with the course or subsequently

AIMS OF THE LESSON

Defining the aims: You need to be clear with the aims; a lesson can be
deemed a success if the students have learnt what you wanted them to learn.
Your aims for a lesson may be to introduce a grammatical point, to develop
reading skills or raise awareness of aspects of phonology etc.
Do not be over ambitious and introduce too many aims for one lesson;
students need time to digest and be able to use new language correctly.
Do not overestimate or underestimate your students; you must gauge and aim
the lesson at the right level for your class.
Whatever you are teaching (eg a grammar structure, a set of vocabulary or
reading skills etc), it is essential to have a theme for the lesson; a lesson with
a theme is a lot more digestible than one without. You should consider what
interests your students and what theme would help them to learn the material
more effectively. Another thing to consider is function, eg complaining - this
gives students a reason for studying.
Examples of lesson aims:
By the end of the lesson the students will be able to:
 talk about their daily routines
 ask others about their daily routines
 use adverbs of frequency (ie sometimes, usually, often, occasionally,
never)

By the end of the lesson the students will be able to:

 understand idioms related to work
 use work related idioms appropriately in conversation

By the end of the lesson the students will be able to:

 Write a simple text about their experiences using appropriate linking
devices (ie and, but, so)
 Use appropriate linking devices within a simple written text to indicate
the chronological order of events (ie first, then, after, later)

HOW TO ORGANISE THE STUDENTS

It is important when planning a lesson to consider how you are going to
organise the students to maximise the effectiveness of the lesson.
First we can consider Student Talk Time (S.T.T.), and then Teacher Talk Time
(T.T.T.). Of course the aim of any lesson is to maximise S.T.T., however,
during the presentation stage of the lesson, for example, there is going to be
more T.T.T. than during the production stage.
We also need to consider the role of the students and the teacher during each
activity, eg the teacher's role during an activity might be observation of
individuals, groups or pairs, or more active presentation or feedback to the
class. Remember to vary the dynamics of the group to encourage the
participation of all students.
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS
However experienced a teacher you may be, at times difficulties will arise. If
these difficulties have been considered before the lesson and contingency
plans drawn up, you will be in a better position to deal effectively with the
problems.
The easiest way to predict potential problems is to look at the lesson from the
students' point of view; this is where it is beneficial to have a good
understanding of your students and their backgrounds.
There are, of course a whole host of potential problems but, with a little
preparation, many of them can be overcome.
With regards to comprehension difficulties, the answer is to have concept
checking questions at hand. Think of questions that you can ask to check that
students understand what you are teaching.
Similarly, if you see a problem with phonology, have a few words written down
to give students further practice.
Apart from difficulties with concept (meaning), structure (the grammar) and
phonology (pronunciation), you may experience problems related to cultural
differences. For example in some cultures students may not be used to
working with members of the opposite sex, or they may not be used to having
to express opposing opinions etc. When handled gently and carefully these
problems can be overcome; it is important to explain how your classes work
from the start.
Students not showing interest: this can happen to even the most experienced
and inspiring teacher; it doesn't necessarily reflect on the lesson being taught.
Consider possible extenuating circumstances, eg tired students, personal
problems etc. It is essential therefore to always have standby material which
can be used if the main material is not going well. Always be ready to listen to
your students and be flexible; it is better to leave an activity (with the option of
returning to it at a later date) than to continue with an activity that is clearly not
working.
Students asking questions that you don't know the answer to: If students have
questions that relate to the content of the lesson, hopefully you will have
identified them as potential problems and will therefore have ready answers.
However, other questions unrelated to the lesson may arise. When this occurs
and you do not know the answer, remember that everyone is human. You
may be able to deflect a problem by telling students that you will deal with it
later, hence giving yourself the opportunity to prepare your answer. Of course
it is better to admit to students that you don't know an answer rather than to
try to adlib and waffle your way through it, which will only confuse students
more.

TIME MANAGEMENT
The timing of your lessons is an area which should be built into your lesson
plan, to guide you during your lesson, and to avoid running out of materials, or
conversely being unable to finish what you have planned due to lack of time.
Write estimated timings for each activity in your lesson plan. Timing is
something you will find easier as you get to know your students, and also as
you gain experience.

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
To be an effective teacher it is important that we honestly review and evaluate
our teaching. We should consider:- was the lesson effective?
 were the aims met?
 were the students able to master and produce the language?
 did the students enjoy the lesson?
 how could the lesson have been improved?
 was there enough S.T.T.?
Also, do not be afraid to ask for the students’ honest feedback on activities
and lessons - this feedback can be invaluable. This can be done in the format
of an anonymous questionnaire.

EXAMPLE LESSON PLAN 1 – Group/Class Teaching

Self Check 1
Why is it important to plan a lesson?

Self Check 2
Write a lesson plan for a group of beginners on the use of the prepositions
on/in/at. Refer to the grammar unit. Make sure you PRESENT the language
point; then you get the students to PRACTISE (maybe in more than one
activity); then allow the students to PRODUCE the language.

EXAMPLE LESSON PLAN 2 – One to One Teaching

This is the scenario. A student has decided that he/she would like to attend a
British university. Their standard of English is quite good but in order to get it
up to university entrance standard they have decided to supplement school /
college lessons with a weekly one-to-one lesson. This is likely to be a fairly
long term arrangement so you will get to know each other very well. As the
selection of, and application to, a university can be a lengthy procedure, you
have decided to concentrate on this in the early stages.
Level: Upper Intermediate.
Lesson duration: 2 hours
Aim: To guide student through a typical university prospectus.
Object: To enable the student to make an informed choice when applying for
university entrance.
Assumptions: Student has chosen his/her subject and has a long list of
suitable universities.
Expected problems: Student is unfamiliar with collating information from a
range of prospectuses and handbooks.
Materials: Two or three prospectuses.  Atlas/maps. Tourist brochures.  Grid.
Warm-up (10 mins): General chat about everyday matters. Teacher speaking
more freely than he/she would in a class situation. This helps to build social
skills and the vocabulary used when making small-talk.
Introduction (20 mins): Discuss with student what he/she might be looking
for in a British university (other than a suitable course).  Allow student to lead
the discussion as far as possible.
[Teacher to make notes and also have a list of suitable ideas to prompt
student if necessary].
Look at geographical situation of the universities under consideration. Look
through tourist information.
Presentation (15 mins): Produce two or three prospectuses. Show how they
all differ in layout. Begin to look at sections which address the particular
concerns expressed in the Introduction.
[Teacher's note: unlike a class situation where you have prepared a lesson on
a specific structure with pre-prepared materials, in this instance to a large
extent you are letting the student dictate the material to be covered. Therefore
it is important that you have familiarised yourself with all those aspects which
you envisage the student will want to discuss. Naturally of particular concern
will be information for international students].
Practice (10 - 15 mins): Give student photocopied pages of information for
International Students to read through and ask him/her to highlight anything
he/she doesn't understand or items of particular interest.
[Teacher's note: try to anticipate problem areas and prepare remedial
materials].
Teacher: Whilst student is reading, put the kettle on and make a drink.
B R E A K (10 mins): Coffee and a chat. Once again let the student lead the
way unless you have something specific you wish to discuss but keep it light.
Possibly look more closely at the tourist material to give the student an idea of
what is available in the vicinity of the university.
Practice (20 mins): Go through the reading material and test understanding.
At this stage you can address any problems encountered
Production (20 mins): Introduce the idea of formulating a chart to enable the
student to compare the pros and cons of several universities.
Using the pre-prepared grid, extract information to complete a comparison
table. Get the student to suggest suitable column headings.
Suggestion for comparison table:

Situation No of Type(s) of English language

foreign accommodatio lessons/assistance
City/Town/Rural
students n

Mancheste
r

York

East
Anglia

Homework: Read through other prospectuses and enter information onto

grid.

Self Check 3
What are the significant differences between lessons for groups and those for
individuals?