lesson planning- version 2- 08-09 doc

• Principles for writing an effective lesson plan • The criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of a lesson plan... • A lesson plan is the detailed plan of a lesson with its aims, co

LESSON PLANNING

LESSON 2

• Principles for writing an effective

lesson plan

• The criteria for evaluating the

effectiveness of a lesson plan

Questions for discussion

• 1 What is a lesson plan?

• 2 Why do we need a lesson plan?

• 3 When can we go without a lesson plan?

• 4 Can we have the same lesson plan for different classes?

• 5 What are the main components of a lesson plan?

• 6 Why and how should we allow for flexibility in a lesson

plan?

• 7 Why and how should we use ready-made lesson plans?

• A lesson plan is the detailed plan of a lesson

with its aims, content, activities, teaching aids, and time allocation for a particular group of learners, prepared by the teacher before the actual teaching

Why do we need a lesson plan?

• Planning gives Ts the opportunity to predict

possible problems and therefore consider solutions

• Planning helps make sure that lesson is

balanced and appropriate for class

• Planning gives Ts confidence

• Planning is generally good practice and a

sign of professionalism

• Add your reasons: …

What makes good planning?

3 MAIN things T needs to consider before going into the class to teach a lesson:

• The AIM of the lesson

• The CONTENT of the lesson (i.e what LANGUAGE

is taught and SKILLS are practiced in the lesson)

• The PROCEDURE of the lesson (i.e what are the

main STAGES and what to DO at each stage)

Besides, T also needs to allow for FLEXIBILITY and VARIETY

Aims of the lesson

When do you

When does your

friend

get up?

eat breakfast?

go to school?

finish school?

go to bed?

sleep?

In the morning

In the afternoon

In the evening

At night

When do you clean your teeth?

meet your friends?

play games?

learn English?

“What are you going to teach today”?

• Teacher A: “We’re doing Lesson 15 It’s question

and answer practice using a substitution ”

• Teacher B: “We’re going to practice present simple

questions with “When …” and time expression.”

• Teacher C: “We’re going to practice asking and

answering questions using the present simple, so that Ss learn to talk about everyday activities and when they do them.”

Contents of the lesson

Language (vocabulary and structures):

Qs to ask:

• What new words are introduced?

• Which are most important?

• What new structures are there?

• What other structures are practiced?

Skills: Qs to ask:

• What skills are developed in the lesson?

• Which is practiced most?

(If possible, the lesson should include practice of MORE THAN ONE skill)

Stages of a “what” lesson

1 Presentation: T presents new words/ structures, gives examples, writes them on the board, etc

2 Practice: Ss practice using words/ structures in a controlled way (e.g making sentences from prompts) Practice can be oral or written

3 Production: Ss use language they’ve learnt to express themselves more freely (e.g talk/ write about their own lives and interests, to express opinions, etc.) Production can also be oral or written

Stages of a “how” lesson

• Pre-stage: T elicits vocabulary related to the topic

and pre-teaches new vocabulary and new structures

if appropriate T elicits answers about the topics

• While-stage: Ss do tasks

• Post-stage: Ss summarize the topic in the written or

spoken form, or discuss the topic further, or discuss another related topic Ss might also practice the new grammar and vocabulary further

Can you identify the stages of the following

lesson?

“Well, first we talked a bit about deserts, and what’s like to travel across a desert Then we read a text about an explorer who’s crossed every desert in the world, and Ss answered Qs on it In the text, there were several examples of the present perfect tense

I wrote some on the board, and I gave a few more examples orally Then we did a grammar exercise in the textbook After that, I asked Ss to make up their own Qs using “have you ever …”? to ask each other”

• Why?  Things don’t go as planned in most lessons

• How?  (1) Build in some extra and alternative tasks and exercises; (2) Branch away from the plan when necessary

Variety:

• Why?  (1) To get and keep Ss engaged and interested; (2)

To cater for individual differences

• How?  Vary your techniques, materials, and activities

Components of a lesson plan

• Level, class or date for reference purposes

• Overall time for the lesson

• Aims

• Teaching Aids

• Anticipated problems

• Procedure of lesson (stages, time allocation,

activities, techniques, interaction types, etc.)

• Comment/ Evaluation (can be added for

future reference)

Your checklist when writing a lesson plan

• Do I have a clear aim? Is this aim valid in

terms of my learners’ needs?

• Can this aim be realistically achieved with

the particular group of learners I’m going to teach in the time allowed?

• Do the activities designed for the lesson

match and help to achieve this aim?

• Are the activities sequenced logically

enough?

Your checklist when writing a lesson plan

• Is there sufficient variety in techniques,

activities, and materials used?

• Is the lesson as a whole adequately

paced and appropriately timed?

• Is there enough learner talk?

• Do I allow for flexibility (e.g have

backup activities, be ready to go with the flow, etc.)

“There’s no ‘correct’ way to write a lesson plan, although a good lesson plan should give a clear picture of what

T intends to do in the lesson”

(Doff, 1988, p 101)

Adapting ready-made lesson plans

• Why?  To suit your Ss

• How? Think about these Qs:

– How do the techniques, activities, and

materials suit my Ss?

– What to add, change, replace, and/ or

leave out?

Thank you for your attention!