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Lesson Planning Guide

Prepare to teach English as a foreign

language by developing the habit of writing
and following a detailed lesson plan
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Contents

Overview 4

Building a Lesson Plan 5

Why does this approach work? 6

Building a lesson plan 7

Warm-up/review 11

Aims 12

Presentation 12

Controlled practice 13

Freer practice 14

Production 14

Follow-up 15 Things to watch out for 23

Wrap-up 16 Needs analysis 24

Pre-planning preparation 17 Aims of the lessons 25

Resources 18 Potential problems 29

Determining the levels of the students 19 Anything else to consider 32

WALT and WILF 21 Lesson planning tips 38

Timing 22 Sample lesson plan 40

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Building a lesson plan

The lesson should always follow a logical progression. If it does, the students will
have a much clearer idea of where they are going. To produce a fairly logical lesson
plan, you just need to remember this:

Presentation

Overview
Once you know who you are teaching, what you are teaching and why you are Practice
teaching, the next step is to figure out HOW you are going to teach your lesson.
Lesson planning is the first component of successful teaching. No matter how well
you believe you can teach without preparation, the students will be aware of the
difference in quality of a planned and an unplanned lesson.
Many experienced teachers, once they have methodology set in their mind, write
only a minimally structured lesson plan as they will have developed a set routine
Production
for how they approach each lesson.
New teachers however should develop the habit of rigidly writing and following a
detailed lesson plan for at least the first 6 months to a year. This will require some Students will progress in English if each and every lesson follows these stages.
real discipline, but it will pay off in terms of your skill development over time. The amount of time allocated to each stage varies. Factors include the length of
the lesson, the level of the students and (to a lesser degree) the aim of the lesson.
Sit down after each class and take a few notes about what went well, what went
wrong and how you might have done a better job. This will help you to refine your PPP (presentation, practice, production) is not the only teaching method. As you
skills. Even very experienced teachers put some serious thought into problems that progress in your teaching career you may use other approaches and adapt your
occurred during class and how they might best be corrected. lesson plans to suit these. However, PPP is a great place to start.
Save every lesson plan you write. If you teach a certain book or certain topics Let’s relate the PPP formula to boiling an egg.
repeatedly to students of similar levels (and you will), you’ll find you need only to
• Someone explains to you how to boil an egg, hopefully accompanied with a
put a little polish on the lesson, drawing from the notes that you wrote after the
short demonstration. (Presentation)
previous class.
• Students go through the various stages of boiling an egg under supervision from
This book focuses on building a lesson plan, and looks at what should be included
the instructor. Students repeat the stages until they are confident. (Practice)
in a plan to help you deliver effective lessons. It is for new teachers who want a
good starting point and experienced teachers who feel they need more structure • Students boil an egg unsupervised. (Production)
in their classes.

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Why does this approach work? Building a lesson plan

There may be some of you who learnt how to swim by literally being thrown in at Here is a lesson plan template you can follow:
the deep end. This may work, but there is also the possibility that you may drown
or that you may never go swimming again. Generally speaking, our psyches revolve Teachers Name
heavily around feeling at ease. This is true in any learning environment.
The presentation section is there to arouse interest and motivation in the students. Date of Lesson
It also has the function of convincing the students that there is a reason to be there
and that they will benefit from the lesson. Time and length of
Once the language has been presented, it needs to be modelled, so both the lesson
student and the teacher are clear that the practice stage will go smoothly. This Level of Class
involves using the language in a controlled context and will generally involve lots (ie Beginner):
of repetition to ensure the students have learnt the target language. It is essential Number of Students
that their understanding of the language is checked thoroughly.
The practice stage is there for two main reasons: Make up of the class:
(ie age, nationalities,
• It enables the students to practise the language without feeling embarrassed, mixed abilities?)
ensuring their confidence levels rise rather than fall
Aims of the lesson
• It enables the teacher to identify and address any potential problem areas
before the students produce the language freely. The practice stage will
undoubtedly include repetition and constant checking by the teacher.
The production stage of the lesson is when the students use the new language in a
free environment, whether in a discussion, a role-play or a presentation. It should
Secondary aims of the
not be rushed, and a key part of the production stage is feedback. Whatever form lesson
this takes, there should always be time at the end of the lesson to go through what
has been produced, addressing any errors and checking that the students have
understood what they have been taught.

WILF
Presentation
WALT

Practice
Continued next page ...

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Assumptions about Timing Stage / Interaction Reason for How it went

the class Procedure doing the (record)
activity

Anticipated
difficulties

Strategies to
overcome difficulties

Materials to be used

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The lesson plan template is divided into two parts. The first two pages are what you Warm-up/review
need to think about to help you prepare, and the final two pages are the stages and
procedures that you will follow during the lesson. What?

To start, we will look at the stages and procedures. These are used to divide the This is the first part of the lesson, where you say hello, return homework, and give
lesson. Different activities will need to be planned for each stage/procedure. It is the students an easy warm-up exercise preferably related to the day’s topic. This is
advisable to set out your reasons for doing each activity as this will help you to also a good time to review the previous week’s lesson. The warm-up should be an
understand if the activity is suitable or not. easy, fun activity that gets the students actively using English and talking to each
other. Don’t ask your students very teacher-centred questions such as, “What did
the stages/procedures that should be included in every lesson: you do this week?”.
• Warm-up/Review Why?
• Aims (this stage does not require activities but it is useful to include it in the • A warm-up activity relaxes the students and helps to build their confidence in
stages/procedures so you do not forget to write the aims on the board) speaking English
• Presentation • It gets the students thinking and speaking in English
• Controlled Practice • It creates a positive learning environment in which the students will feel
• Freer Practice comfortable taking risks
• Production • It provides an opportunity to introduce that day’s target language and to lead
into the lesson theme
• Follow-up
• Wrap-up Points to consider

You should also comment on the interaction for each activity (see page 32) and the The warm-up should be
timing (see page 23). fairly easy so that the
students feel confident
Finally, there is a section for you to write down how the lesson went. Completing in using English. If it is
this will help you with future lessons. too hard, you may set a
stressful mood for the
whole lesson.
This is a good opportunity
to teach some of the day’s
vocabulary in a gentle,
low-pressure situation
and to get the students
thinking about the topic.
You need this time to
organise yourself whilst
the students are doing
something constructive.

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Aims Controlled practice

What? What?
Go over the day’s topic and structures on the board and, if possible, tie them into Controlled practice activities give the students a chance to practise the language
what has been studied over the previous weeks. that has just been presented. They allow the students to manipulate and become
familiar with the language, without putting it into a context or situation. You should
Why? actively monitor and correct at this stage of the lesson.
• The students see what they are going to learn, thus giving them a sense of
Why?
purpose
• It gives students a chance to practise the key language points
• It focuses both the teacher and the students
• Teachers can correct any problems
• It sets the agenda for the day
• Teachers can check students’ understanding
• It increases student motivation
• It reinforces and helps cement the language points for the students
• Writing the aims on the board will help you with both timing and pace
Points to consider
Points to consider
These exercises should focus on the language by itself, rather than putting it into
If you have a clear lesson plan, this part should be easy. Writing the aims on the
a role-play or extension exercise. Students shouldn’t be worrying about other
board will help you with timing and pacing your lesson.
information, but simply the language points being taught that day. This is the time
that students need to cement the language so that they can use it competently in
Presentation the exercises that follow.

What?
This is the most teacher-centred part of the lesson. You present your students with
the necessary language and structures for the day’s lesson. It is important at this
stage of the lesson to elicit from the students what they already know.

Why?
• It provides the students with the necessary tools to successfully complete the
later communicative, fluency-based activities
• It gives the students new information

Points to consider
Although this section of the lesson is teacher-centred, it is important to elicit from
the students what they already know. This is important, as students can only take on
so much new information in one lesson. In order for you to teach the right amount,
you need to know from which point they are learning new material and how much
is revision.

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Freer practice Points to consider

What? At this point you should merely be giving the students ideas to work with and
allowing them to use the language as they feel appropriate. Also, you can get
Now that the students are feeling more comfortable with the language, you put it away from focusing heavily on the target language and start including additional
into a context. However, it is unrealistic to expect the students both to concentrate language that the students know. The aim here is to allow students to use language
on using the language naturally and effectively and to come up with a situation or in as natural and fluent a way as possible within the confines of the class.
information for a role-play. So give the students a standard situation to work with
and provide them with all the appropriate information.

Why?
Follow-up
• It provides additional practice of the structures or target language
What?
• It is a transitional stage, leading to the free and personalised use of the target
language in the production stage of the lesson All productive activities need to be concluded with a follow-up that brings
the students back together as a group. It offers the class a chance to hear what
• Points to consider other students/pairs/groups discussed and the problems or successes that they
At this point students need to practise using the language fluently in a natural encountered in the activities. This is the time for you to give feedback, correction
context. However, they are not yet confident enough to think of the context and and encouragement.
use the language freely. Therefore, it is up to you, as the teacher, to provide
Why?
the information that the students need to practise the target language, such as
discussion questions or a role-play scenario. • It helps the students to remember the objective of the activity
• It brings the students back together as a class
• It gives the students a sense of achievement
Production
Points to consider
What?
It is important to bring the class back to the group as it feels much more natural and
During the production stage, you offer students opportunities to use the target gives the previous exercise a sense of purpose. Simply stopping the students and
language in a free and personalised way. The language is internalised and students saying goodbye does not give proper closure to the lesson.
are able to produce and use it at will. The focus at this stage of the lesson is fluency
and mimicking, as closely as possible, the authentic use of language outside the
classroom. You should act as a monitor and facilitator and delay feedback and
correction until the activity is concluded.

Why?
• It ties the lesson together
• It personalises the target language
• It enables the students to interact naturally
• It builds confidence

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Wrap-up Pre-planning preparation

What? The first two pages of the lesson plan template focus on pre-planning preparation
(see pages 5 and 6).
The wrap-up draws the lesson to a close. Bring the class back together and recap
the objectives, target structures and vocabulary studied that day. You can tie in the This section explores the information that you need for good pre-planning
day’s lesson with previous and later lessons. Summarise the objectives of the lesson preparation, and also looks at other factors you should consider for effective lesson
and what students have learnt. This is also the time to set homework and talk about planning.
the next lesson.
Information gathering
Why? In an ideal world, teachers have all the information they need at their disposal
• It brings the lesson to a close when they are constructing their lesson plan. The result being that the lesson can
be tailored around the composition of the class to help get the most effective
• It lets the students see how the lesson objectives were met and gives them a results from the lesson. Unfortunately, this information is not always available.
sense of achievement However, if you ‘do your homework’ before you plan, you can get a good deal of the
• It prepares the students for the next lesson information that you need.

Points to consider The information you require:

This is the time to pass on necessary administration and to give the students a few
words of encouragement.

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Resources Determining the levels of the students

There are some resources that are generally available at most schools. English levels in the four skills
The class roll The level of the students is clearly a key issue. It is not just their overall level of
English that matters: students are bound to have strengths and weaknesses when it
If there is such a thing in the institution in which you find yourself, refer to it to get
comes to English. This means that levels in grammar, writing, listening, reading and
an idea of the number of students who will turn up for your class, their nationalities
speaking all need to be ascertained.
and attendance patterns.
A student’s level of English may depend on their background, their previous
The staff and other teachers exposure, if any, to the English language and how long it has been since they last
If you are new to the school, talk to the existing personnel to get as much information used English. For example, different cultures often have different approaches to
as possible about the students and how enrolment works. The existing teachers language learning. In many countries, spoken English does not rate highly on the
may have taught the class in question before and therefore will be able to pass on teaching agenda. Times are changing however and recently oral communication
handy information. There may also be student files that could contain all sorts of has gained importance. Therefore, when a student last used English is important.
useful information for you.
Confidence levels
The students The students’ levels of confidence are also important. Stereotypically, students
If possible, talk to the students to find out a little about their background, the from certain countries have more confidence in their abilities than others but these
length of time they are studying, their reasons for studying and their level. If this stereotypes cannot always be relied upon.
isn’t possible before the first lesson, use subsequent lessons to find out as much as Logistically, the number and personalities of the students will need to be considered
you can about the class. Lessons can then be tailored around the individuals in your in relation to the dynamic of the classroom. Whether the classroom is small, large,
class. open plan or of fixed furnishing will have an impact on the activities performed.
Why is this information important to know? Similarly, if the class is rather active, activities involving getting up and moving
around will have maximum results. Also, what is the layout of the classroom? What
The lesson’s success will largely hinge on one question: did the students learn what resources and equipment are available to you?
you wanted them to? The age of the students, as well as their backgrounds and their
reasons for studying, will have an effect on the interest generated by the lesson.
Obviously, some lessons will work better with certain ages than others; attention
spans vary according to age; students from different backgrounds are interested
in different things; and the context of the lesson will be of more interest if it ties in
with the students’ reasons for studying.

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Choosing aims WALT and WILF

In any lesson it is essential to have clear and focused objectives. One of the most WALT
important things for any teacher to consider is why they are teaching a particular
topic. Clear goals and aims provide a framework for the teacher to select and WALT stands for 'we are learning to…’ and is the purpose of the lesson, the aim. This
evaluate the potential value of an activity: will it help the students achieve the aim is what the students are learning.
of the lesson?
WILF
It is also important that the students can see what they are going to learn, what they
WILF stands for 'what I’m looking for…’ and is connected to the productive activity.
are learning and what they have learnt. The lesson’s aims should be presented on
It is what the teacher wants the students to be producing at the end of the lesson.
the board. This keeps both the teacher and student focused.
Example
consider presenting aims from the following areas:
• We Are Learning To - Use the past simple tense
• What I'm Looking For - To write a story in the past simple form using pictures
Grammar and function This shows you and your students that the aim/purpose of the lesson is for students
to use the past simple tense and at the end of the lesson you want them to do this
by writing a story in the past simple form using pictures.
Correction It’s a great idea to include WALT and WILF on the board so that the aim and what
you want the students to achieve are both clear throughout the lesson.

Discussion skills

Vocabulary

Idioms

Cultural topic

Aspects of culture & customs

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Timing Things to watch out for

The typical timing problem for upper level classes is to try and cover too much Try everything
material. Consequently, you spend too much time at the beginning of the lesson
practising and presenting the material and end up with almost no free practice Don’t rule out certain activities just because you think the students in question
time at the end of the lesson and a very rushed review and wrap-up. won’t appreciate them. A little game of Simon Says, for example, can prove to be
a great short activity to get the students enthused. Such activities can work well if
One possible solution is to give yourself a cut-off time during the lesson at which classes are dragging or students are lethargic.
point you switch to the free practice exercises regardless of how far you have
got through the earlier exercises. You will soon learn how much material is an Use your imagination
appropriate quantity to teach in a lesson. It is also useful to have several possible
Just because you don’t have a whiteboard or IWB (interactive white board), it doesn’t
stop points during the earlier part of the lesson.
mean that you can’t do ‘board work’. White sheets of paper work just as well and
It’s a good idea to estimate the timing for each stage/procedure. There is a section they have the added benefit of being easier to write on. You can also put them up
on the lesson plan template to write this in. Writing the times will help you to around the room. Similarly, just because you only have one student, it doesn’t mean
monitor how the lesson is progressing and ensure that you allow adequate time for they can’t do a role-play. They can practise two roles for the price of one. Some
each stage/procedure. students do wonderful impersonations of the opposite sex!
You will be dealing with very different individuals, so be open to learning and
listening. The lesson will go much better of you personalise it.

Lesson length and timing

One essential piece of information is the length of the lesson. How many minutes
are you going to be teaching for? Factors that may destroy your perfect lesson
include: late comers, school meetings, changeover of the classes if the school day
involves moving from one class to another, and classes running over time if there is
no break between classes. As you get to know your students and the environment,
you’ll get a pretty good idea of how long you actually have for ‘pure teaching’ in
the class. The time of day that the class is held will also have an impact as students
are human too. The ability to retain and use new information, not to mention a new
language, will vary as students’ attention spans rise and fall throughout the day.

Checklist
Here is a checklist of points to consider before you make your lesson plan.

• Students’ motivations • Level appropriate • Length of lesson

• Students’ needs • Aims • Number of students
• Age appropriate • Resources available
• Background • Length of course

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Needs analysis Aims of the lessons

Use this checklist to help you plan appropriate content for your lesson. Defining the aims
Why is the language needed? Once you have established a rough idea of who and where you are going to teach,
the next crucial question for your lesson plan is: what are you going to teach?
• For study
Think back to a time when you learnt a skill. Generally any good lesson, whether it
• For work
is a history lesson, a piano lesson or a scuba-diving lesson, has an aim to it. What did
• For training you learn in a particular lesson? For example, in a scuba-diving lesson, the aim may
be as simple as putting on your gear, or it may be as complex as using a compass
• For a combination of these
under the water.
• For some other purposes (examination, promotion and so on)
A lesson can be deemed a success, generally, if the students have learned what
How will language be used? you wanted them to learn. The aim of the class has been met. Of course, the list of
possible aims for an English lesson is extensive. Here are a few examples:
• Medium: speaking, writing, reading, etc
• Introducing a grammatical point
• Channel: telephone, face-to-face, etc
• Developing reading skills
• Types of text or discourse: academic text, lectures, informal conversations, etc
• Raising awareness of aspects of phonology
What will the content areas be?
You may consider these aims to be rather vague, but the idea is not to be specific.
• Subjects: medicine, commerce, environment, etc The target language will specify exactly what is being taught. Despite the apparent
• Level: technician, postgraduate, secondary school, etc vagueness, it is essential that the aims are met as this will have an immediate effect
on the lesson. Tied in with this section are any sub-aims, if you feel the need for
Who will learner use the language with? them. For example, the aim of developing reading skills may have the sub-aim of
skimming.
• Native or non-native speakers
• Level of knowledge of receiver Things to think about

• Relationships: teacher, colleague, superior, etc Don’t go overboard on the number of aims
It’s often easy to forget how long it can take to digest and, more importantly,
Where will the language be used?
correctly use, new material. It is far better to leave the classroom 100%
• Physical setting: office, lecture theatre, hotel, workshop, etc certain that the students have fully achieved one aim successfully, rather than
several aims vaguely. There is nothing wrong with concentrating on one point,
• Human context: alone, meetings, on the telephone, etc
as long as the students achieve something and the material was detailed and
• Geographical context: in own country, abroad, etc lesson-appropriate.
When will the language be used? Don’t over-estimate your students
• Concurrently with the course or subsequently There is nothing worse for a learner than feeling overwhelmed and out of their
depth. Pitching an aim that is unrealistic in relation to the level of the class will
• Frequently, seldom, in small amounts, in large chunks have several negative effects for students. It will damage the students’ confidence

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and make it impossible for them to produce the target language. It is also likely to What is the lesson based around?
lead to a larger number of errors in other areas of the language, as their general
Whatever you are teaching, whether it be a grammatical structure, a set of new
confidence drops.
words or even reading skills, it is essential to have a theme to the lesson. In other
Never forget the students’ needs words, what is the lesson about? What is the context of the lesson? If you have
learnt a language before, you will remember that a lesson with a theme is much
As mentioned earlier, the lesson’s success can generally be related to the
more digestible than one without. It gives the students an answer to their frequent
accomplishment of the aim. However, clearly the aim of the lesson has to relate to
question: what are we studying today?
the individual students. What are the students’ needs? Choose materials, topics and
ideas that will appeal to the students whilst still helping them to learn the English The make-up of the students will play a large role in the decision of what theme you
that they need. will use: consider what interests them and what theme will help them to learn the
material more effectively. For example, if students are interested in sports, basing a
What is the target structure or vocabulary?
lesson around sports will enhance their motivation.
Tied in with the lesson aims is the actual target language or vocabulary that you
How does the lesson fit into the timetable?
are going to teach.
Most language institutions have regular attendees, whether they attend for a week
For example, establish whether you are going to teach a single point or contrast
or a year. Some students may miss the odd lesson but it can generally be assumed
grammatical points. If you are teaching a grammatical structure, it is of paramount
that your class will consist of a core group of students attending regularly.
importance to have a set of examples of the target structure around which the
lesson will be based. With this in mind, you must consider the broader picture: namely, where does each
lesson fit into the whole course? Generally, the human mind works logically. We
If the lesson’s aim is to teach vocabulary from a particular theme, consider precisely
function more efficiently if things form an orderly pattern. This goes for language
which words you want the students to produce at the end of the lesson. Be specific.
learning too. When planning a lesson, it is important to demonstrate a pattern to
It is possible to combine the two areas of target structure/vocabulary within the
your students. Basically this involves answering two main questions:
domain of an aim.
• What have your students learnt before?
• What are they going to learn next?
Many teachers follow a course-book, especially if students have access to it. This
enables students to ‘know where they are at.’ Of course, there are drawbacks
to this approach: namely, some students will race ahead in their own time and
subsequently find lessons boring. This can be avoided with mixing it up a bit without
disrupting the logical approach. As with everything, course-books vary: there is no
single format for what you teach and when. For example, some curricula in various
books or institutions teach the present simple before the present continuous - the
differences are stylistic and not crucial.
The theme and function of the class is another important area to consider. For
example, it is rather strange to expect the students to learn how to order food in a
restaurant if they have yet to learn how to greet the restaurant staff. Making logical
choices will make lessons easier for both students and teachers.

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What do students already know? Potential problems

Considering what the students already know affects the success of the lesson. This How are you going to organise your students?
is clearly easier if you have taught the students for a while. You know what you’ve
Throughout the three main stages of the lesson, it is essential to consider how you
taught them and what they’ve grasped. When teaching, elicit as often as possible
are going to organise the students to get maximum results. Here we are talking
so you know whether or not they’ve remembered what you did in previous lessons.
about the dynamics of the activities, and abbreviations are usually used to show the
If you are unsure what the students already know, use the resources around you: interactions, as follows:
the other teachers and any paperwork relating to previous lessons. Also use the
• TS = Teacher Student
students themselves. They will be able to tell you whether or not they have learnt
something before. • SS = Student Student (pair work)
What materials do you have at your disposal to make the lesson work? • SSS = Student Student Student (group work)
Generally speaking, classes vary in their dynamics quite significantly. We have • TTT = Teacher Talking Time.
considered the actual size and layout of the class but now we will look at the
The presentation stage is going to include much more TTT than the production
materials on offer to you, the teacher, and then, the students.
stage. Make sure you keep this in mind when planning the timing of the activities.
In every lesson plan, it is beneficial to list what materials you are going to use. Remember you want to focus on SS and SSS activities the most.
The list can be used as a final checklist just before you start the lesson: do you
Different students flourish in different kinds of environments, so varying the
have everything you need with you to teach the lesson you’ve planned to teach?
dynamics will help to ensure full class participation.
Different things should stimulate different students. It is, therefore, advantageous
to use as wide a range of materials as possible. Not only will it mix the lesson up
a little, it’ll also mean you have a better chance of getting the most out of each
individual student.
Materials that could be used include flashcards, magazines, DVDs/CDs and other
objects. By using a range of materials, you will trigger students’ thought processes
and not waste time by talking too much.

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Student difficulties and how they may be overcome Teacher difficulties and how they may be overcome
However good a teacher you are, at some point you will face difficulties. This Just as important as thinking of ways to overcome students’ difficulties is thinking
will not be such a problem if you have thought about the potential problems and of potential problems you may have and how they can be overcome.
identified ways to solve them as part of your lesson planning.
Running out of material, or having too much
The easiest way of predicting potential problems is to look at the lesson from a
This is a common problem as it is very difficult to know exactly how long each
student’s point of view. This is also where their background plays a part. If they
and every activity will take. Obviously as you get to know your students and your
are from a country where the native grammatical structure is different to English,
teaching style better, you’ll get a more accurate idea of how long certain tasks are
problems are likely to arise with grammatical structures.
likely to take. It’s clearly better to have too much that too little, like in any situation,
If their native language phonology is different to English, then problems will arise whether it be preparing for a dinner party or packing for a holiday.
in this area. Their previous exposure to English may also lead to certain difficulties.
Always plan your lesson as if it were going on for longer than it actually is. In this
For example, if they have only learned in a teacher-focused environment, they may
way you will have activities on hand if you go through the lesson more quickly
find oral communication difficult, which will affect the success of any oral work.
than expected. It is more beneficial if this additional material is put into different
Many potential difficulties can be avoided or overcome with advance preparation. categories (presentation, practice, production). In doing this, you will have further
Think of questions you can ask to check that students understand what you want material if they don’t understand the language, if they need more practice or if they
them to (CCQs). Teachers often ask, “do you understand?” and are rather surprised could handle extended practice.
when, despite many a blank look on the student faces, no one says, “no”. Generally,
The students are not showing any interest
unless learners are confident in themselves and not worried about standing out as
“the one who doesn’t understand”, they will not admit to their lack of understanding. This is something that can happen to anyone at any time. It doesn’t even
Similarly, if you foresee a problem with phonology, have a few words written down necessarily relate to the lesson being taught (for example a student might
to give the students a little bit more practice. have a hangover or difficult personal circumstances). Although you may
not be the cause of the problem, you need to have possible solutions.
To review, the difficulties can be categorised into conceptual (the meaning),
Again, think of activities that will act as fillers for the lesson, whether it be at the
structural (the grammar) and phonological (the pronunciation). The students’
start, middle or end of the lesson.
culture may also come into play when carrying out certain tasks. For example, some
students may not be used to working with people of the opposite sex, or they may A student asks a question that you don’t know the answer to
be intimidated by working with students of different ages to themselves. This can
Whether it is a question relating to the content of a lesson, English in general
be overcome by explaining clearly how your classes work from the start. Then there
or any question the students may throw at you, you need to be prepared. If the
should be minimal inhibitions. If it has a drastic effect on the students’ production,
question relates to the content of the lesson, hopefully you will have identified it as
be understanding and give them time to adjust.
a potential problem when planning the lesson so you will have an answer. Even if
it isn’t relevant to the lesson, you must not ignore it. You need to judge whether it
can be dealt with quickly and clearly, whether all students have the same question
and how you explain the answer without adding to the list of questions. Remember,
everyone is human. Don’t give an inaccurate or incomplete answer; students will
be much more grateful if you admit that you don’t know and then return with the
answer at a later date.

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Anything else to consider Upper and lower levels

One further consideration is the importance of feedback at the end of a lesson. It is The way a teacher approaches upper level classes is quite different from lower level
important for the teacher to give and get feedback. Ask yourself: classes. This is due to the differences in texts and in students’ needs. Intermediate
classes may require a combination of both upper and lower level approaches,
• Did I achieve my aims?
depending on the level of the class.
• Did the students master and produce the language unassisted?
We will look at some factors that should be taken into consideration when teaching
• Can the students use the target language in the real world? upper level classes and give some teaching guidelines. We will also look at the
most commonly defined levels, which are:
These questions are your chance to evaluate the lesson from a content point of
view. If the answers are definitely yes, well done! If you’re not sure, then ask yourself
why. Make notes on the lesson and be willing to review it in the future. Also, ask 1
Beginner
yourself if there was anything you would have done differently as this will help your
future lesson planning.
On a more general level ask yourself the following: Elementary 2
• Did I enjoy the lesson?
• Did the students enjoy the lesson? 3
Pre Intermediate

Enjoyment is a huge factor in learning. Importantly, it’s not just the enjoyment of
the students. If you do not enjoy the lesson, chances are the students won’t either.
They feed from your energy. If you did enjoy the lesson, good! Why did you enjoy
4
Intermediate

5
the lesson? If not, then why not? What do you need to address for future lessons?
Getting feedback from your students is valuable. Don’t be afraid to ask them what Upper Intermediate
they think. They are paying customers and have a right to have an input into their
lessons.
Teaching can be a daunting prospect, but if you prepare well, never forget the
Advanced 6
individuals and make it relevant to both you and the students, it will be much more
enjoyable.
Different types of classes
It is important to consider the different types of classes that a teacher may come
into contact with.
Within general English courses there are a wide range of abilities. The planning
and skills necessary for a class of beginners vary considerably from those required
for an upper level class. If you choose to take your teaching skills abroad, you may
encounter a whole new range of teaching environments, including teaching English
to children, conversation-only classes, private lessons, exam preparation and so on.

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Beginner Until this level students have relied on a structured approach to learning conversation
The Beginner level is perhaps one of the most difficult to teach as students have no – drills, repetition and so on. At the PI level, students should become more accurate
(or very little) previous knowledge of English, making it difficult for them to respond and fluent with the basic structures they learned in Beginner and Elementary. At
to anything but very simple questions. Students are able to communicate through this level, students are just beginning to use their English more independently.
gestures and a few isolated words. They are starting to cope with most daily situations, such as shopping or making
reservations, and to express their opinions and discuss topics at a simple level.
At this level, you should teach concrete vocabulary (ie things that can be seen and
touched). Topics typically covered at this level include numbers, the alphabet, Teach Intermediate students to use higher level structures in their speech (eg
nationalities, jobs, vocabulary of possessions and vocabulary linked to daily passive voice, reported speech, conditionals, etc). Work with them to ensure
routines. You should also teach students very basic grammar, such as the present that their active and passive vocabulary increase considerably, with many more
tense of ‘to be’, present simple questions, negatives and affirmatives. colloquial expressions. Help students to develop sentences that are longer and
more complex and to respond with several sentences at one time. Give students
Practice and repetition are key at this level for students to start to ‘own’ a bit of the opportunities to talk about themselves and others and their environment; equip
language and it is important that you do not cover too many language points too them to start talking in detail about their impressions and opinions and to give
quickly. some support for their ideas.
Your role, as the teacher, is crucial at this level: if students develop the basics early PI students should be able to understand if you speak simply and clearly.
on, their language learning experience will go much more smoothly and quickly at
higher levels.

Elementary
Elementary students can express basic survival needs and participate in some
routine social conversations, although they still struggle often. As their vocabulary
is limited to common words used in familiar situations, they can typically deal
with only very limited day to day activities and do so by asking and responding to
questions using simple learned phrases.
As with Beginners, repetition is crucial in helping the students to build confidence
with the language.

Pre Intermediate
The Pre Intermediate (PI) level bridges the gap between the lower levels of Beginner
and Elementary and the upper levels of Intermediate and Advanced. In general, the
lower levels are concerned with the expression of basic facts related to everyday
life, while the upper levels focus on the discussion of abstract topics. The PI level
consolidates and expands skills learned in the lower levels while introducing higher
level skills needed for upper levels.

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Intermediate Upper Intermediate

Intermediate is a rewarding level to teach. Generally, the students have been Upper Intermediate students generally have an effective command of the language
studying English for a number of years and may have travelled or lived overseas. and are able to cope in quite demanding situations. Whilst they may make mistakes
They are at an important point in their language learning because they usually can in accuracy, communication is rarely hindered.
speak quite well, making reasonably complex sentences and using more abstract
At a low level, students need to break through the barriers to reach comprehension.
vocabulary and idioms. They have a large passive vocabulary and are reasonably
When this happens, students feel great success and achievement. Upper Intermediate
fluent.
students rarely have trouble with comprehension or making themselves understood
It is important, however, to remember that they are only Intermediate level and they and so, as with Intermediate students, often feel like they are no longer learning
have to make an important leap before they can become advanced communicators. and have reached a ‘plateau’.
They still need guidance and structured practice of new language, functions
As the teacher, it is important that you continue to motivate the students and
and vocabulary. They must also be exposed to freer practice and discussion, and
remind them that they are indeed learning as much as they did at the lower levels.
encouraged to take more responsibility for communicating.
Encourage them to use their English accurately and eliminate the common errors
The challenge for the Intermediate teacher is to help students make that leap of that they make daily.
self-motivated learning. They may have been very dependent on teachers in the
past, they may have just been promoted from PI level, or they may have been in Advanced
Intermediate level for a number of years. Whatever their background, it is important Generally, Advanced students have been studying for a number of years and may
that you help students constantly reassess and reconfirm their purposes for studying have lived and travelled overseas. They can speak English at length, using complex
English and motivate them towards continued and consistent study and practice. sentences (with some errors).
Try to break down the teacher-student pattern and include everyone in the Advanced students have a good active vocabulary and a wide passive vocabulary.
conversation. Interjections and advanced active phrases are important. Try to get However, they may use some fossilised pronunciation and grammar. They can talk
students to agree or disagree with each other. Expansion of new vocabulary is about controversial or abstract topics.
also important. Try to use any new vocabulary as much as possible and encourage
students to use more difficult synonyms instead of basic vocabulary.

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Lesson planning tips • Assess needs

Remember, lesson planning will help you teach with confidence. If you think about Periodically take time to think through your particular learners' needs. Think about
what you are teaching (activities) and how you are teaching (stages and procedures) cultural factors as well as language deficiencies. This can help you prioritise what
you will ensure there is a clear structure for every lesson. you choose to study. Are any of your students dealing with culture shock? What kind
of language skills might help alleviate it? Try asking the students themselves what
Here is a summary of our top tips: they would like to learn.

• Keep a log
• Plan additional activities
After each class, write a brief log of what you did. Include notes about what worked
Always have one or two additional activities in case the material you've selected or didn't work with ideas for improvement. Write down specific page numbers you
doesn't take all the time you thought it would. How would you fill an extra ten covered in a textbook. You could also keep your lesson plans collected together,
minutes? Twenty minutes? making sure to write notes on them about the success of various activities and
whether you modified the lesson during the class.
• Build on previous material
Try to continuously practice material that you've covered recently. It's often
possible to teach the same theme several sessions in a row, and this can help to
ingrain vocabulary and concepts.

• Balance the challenge of content and activity

If your content is challenging, choose activities that are relatively easy to do like
fill-in-the-blank exercises or guided discussion questions. If your content is fairly
simple, try more challenging activities like role-plays or problem-solving.

• Create your own materials

Build your own library of materials to support your lessons. You can find several
ideas in the lesson preparation section of this guide. Be creative. If you invest some
time into developing and collecting materials, you'll cut down on your preparation
time when you are actually planning lessons.

• Centre lessons around the student

Keep the focus on the learners and minimise the time you spend talking as a teacher.
In other words, make the lesson as interactive as possible. Focus on communication.

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Sample lesson plan

This is how your lesson plan should look:

Teachers Name
Sue Jones Assumptions about
the class
Students will be unfamiliar with the new language
Students will have a basic knowledge of some animal
Date of Lesson 07th August 2013 vocabulary

Time and length of 9am – 10am (1 hour) Anticipated 1. Students may be familiar with the new language and find the
difficulties
lesson lesson boring.
Level of Class Beginner 2. Problem student (Wing Chuk Shin) may be very disruptive
(ie Beginner): during the production stage and not use the material provided
appropriately.
Number of Students 14
3. Students may be sleepy as the lesson is in the morning
Make up of the class: 5-7 year olds, Chinese, majority are beginners although some
(ie age, nationalities, Strategies to 1. If students find the lesson too easy/boring then I will expand
appear to be early elementary overcome difficulties
mixed abilities?) the language (add more unusual animal vocabulary, introduce
“What are they?” and use other objects in the classroom and
Aims of the lesson To enable students to ask questions and introduce different not just animal vocabulary)
animals using
2. I will pair Wing Chuk Shin with an older, mature student
“What is it?” and ensure they are seated near the teachers table so they
“It’s a _______” are monitored carefully. An alternative could be to restrict the
material students have on their table at one time.
Secondary aims of the To enable students to understand and use unusual animal 3. The lesson will start with an energetic task and throughout
lesson
vocabulary – jellyfish, starfish, octopus, sea horse the lesson I have planned activities to ensure they have fun and
keep motivated.
WILF What I’m looking for is students to be confident in asking and
introducing animals and other objects Materials to be used Flashcards, plastic bags – cut into strips, paper plates, scrap
paper, scissors, glue and colouring pencils
WALT We are learning to ask and introduce different animals

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Timing Stage / Procedure Inter- Reason for doing the How it went 20-25 Production SS 1. To strengthen students
action activity (record) motivation by allowing them
mins Make an animal.
5-7 Warm up SS 1. As the lesson is first thing to work with a partner on a
in the morning it is a good In pairs get students to make fun task
mins Animal ladder race. Put idea to re-energise them and their own animal. Get students 2. To allow students to use
students into two teams and get them out of their seats to write their name on the
draw two ladders on the the presented language freely
back. around the classroom
board. Students take it in 2. To review existing animal
turns to write the names of vocabulary and get them When finished all students
animals on each ladder rung. thinking about the topic of wander around the class
The first team to finish are the animals asking each other “What
winners. is it?” and answering “It is
_______”.

5-7 Presentation T-S To introduce new animal When students have finished
mins vocabulary and how they can asking/answering then put
Using flashcards present and ask/introduce them everyone’s animals in the
drill new animal vocabulary. middle of the room and get
Ask the question “What is students to vote for their
it?” and encourage students to favourite.
reply with “It’s a ______” and
repeat the word.
5-7 Wrap up S A quiet activity to bring the
Write question and answer on mins class together, sitting down
the board. Odd one out and using old and new animal
Hand students worksheet that vocabulary
has pictures and/or animal
8-10 Practice T-S To check students understand words and they have to circle
mins the new animal vocabulary the odd one out
Put the flashcards around the and how to use the language
classroom. Get students to introduced in the presentation
ask “What is it?” and respond stage
with an animal. Fillers Bingo T-SS To re-use old and new animal
(if vocabulary
Students have to run to that In groups students complete
picture and say “It’s a ______”.
needed) the bingo grid with names of
The first student to reach the animals. Teacher calls out the
picture and say the correct name, if they have they cross
answer is the winner. out. The first group to cross
out all animals calls BINGO
and they are the winners.

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