Harshini Lalwani

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47133/tegc_ch25  

ABSTRACT

A good lesson is like a delicious meal—enjoyable and valuable with the right combination of ingredients, in a relaxed environment among people we like and who make us feel comfortable. Good lessons are usually planned very carefully with specific elements that teachers include to make learning as motivating and relevant as possible for the students. In this chapter, you will learn about several factors that influence decisions when writing a lesson plan within the framework of a syllabus and for a particular group of students. You will learn about practical realities that influence the lesson planning process. You will also learn how to do effective lesson planning in preparation for effective teaching. 

Keywords: lesson planning, effective teaching, curriculum, syllabus, motivation, relevancy

How to cite this chapter: 

Lalwani, H. (2023). Preparing to Teach Through Effective Lesson Planning. In V. Canese & S. Spezzini (Eds.), Teaching English in Global Contexts, Language, Learners and Learning (pp. 301-311). Editorial Facultad de Filosofía, UNA. https://doi.org/10.47133/tegc_ch25

INTRODUCTION

If someone asks you about a perfect lesson that you experienced, either as a teacher or student, you will probably think about a lesson that produced powerful learning. Such lessons rarely occur spontaneously. Depending on one’s teaching background and the setting, good teachers always have a plan. The plan might be a detailed format required for observation or evaluation, simple notes in a notebook, or a list of activities in the teacher’s head. Whichever format you use for lesson planning, be sure to have first developed your plan before entering the classroom.

Well-designed plans offer many benefits. Such plans can

• provide a structure for the learning process to evolve and a framework for working within the institutional curriculum,

• give you an opportunity to evaluate lesson activities to be developed and the order in which these activities are most effective to meet learning goals,

• ensure that the needed lesson materials are available and prepared in advance,

• help you make best use of limited time,

• prepare you to anticipate possible problems during the lesson and handle such problems,

• allow for effective classroom management and interaction,

• position you to consider needs of individual students and how to meet these needs,

• allow you to critically evaluate objectives reached and make future plans,

• supply you with a written teaching record for future reference, and

• give you confidence and, also, guide related professional development activities.

At the beginning of your career, it can be difficult and time-consuming to write detailed lesson plans. However, as you teach more and acquire “tried and tested strategies and activities” (Budden, 2008), lesson planning will become easier and faster.  

BACKGROUND

The Centre for Teaching Excellence (2022) described a lesson plan as “the teacher’s roadmap of what students need to learn and how it will be done effectively during class time” (para. 1). However, before starting to write a lesson plan, consider the following teaching-related factors and understand how these factors can influence your lesson planning efforts.

Learners 

Learners are at the core of the learning process. Therefore, the more you know about your students, the better you can reach them during your lessons. Adjust your lessons based on student age, language level, and educational and cultural backgrounds as well as the different ways your students learn English. Young learners may prefer lessons with dynamic games, but adult learners often prefer more grammar. If you are teaching in a school, you will probably encounter different language levels and learning abilities at the same grade level and in the same classroom. Your lessons need to be fair and equitable for all students (Centre for Teaching Excellence, 2022). So, think of varied ways to communicate with your learners and differentiate the tasks to accommodate their needs. To ensure that your lessons are motivating, consider individual student interests and group dynamics (e.g., who works well with whom). Gathering this information might seem intimidating at the start of an academic year. However, with time, you will be able to gather and use this knowledge naturally during your planning process.

Institutional Curriculum

Every educational institution has a vision of what students should achieve by the end of their educational journey and how they will get there. Some schools require students to take an international language exam (e.g., TOEFL or IELTS) upon finishing their program. Other schools might emphasize literacy and literature. Yet others might follow a task-based or inquiry-based approach. What you teach and how you teach must align with your institution’s vision, philosophy, and syllabus. These, in turn, must be reflected in your lesson plans. 

Practical Realities

English is taught and learned in a wide range of contexts, and these differ greatly regarding human resources and teaching materials. Some institutions might have challenges with internet connectivity, making it impossible to access online videos. Other institutions might have complicated processes to make photocopies and to print teaching materials. Conversely, you might be at an institution where each student has a laptop or other type of digital device. Another concern might be sufficient space to move around and do activities (e.g., play games) inside the classroom or in the hallway. When planning your lessons, make practical decisions about your activities to ensure having adequate space. Also, make sure that you have gathered all needed materials far in advance of starting your lesson.

MAJOR DIMENSIONS

Now that you have basic knowledge about lesson planning, select your main learning objective for a specific lesson. Consider doing this by identifying a core standard from the institutional (or state) curriculum and breaking it down to “create objectives for each individual lesson based on … (this) curriculum and knowledge of … students’ capabilities (Drexel University, n.d., para. 10). Based on your course-based curriculum, outline lesson objectives that explain what learners will be able to do and that are achievable within the allotted time. Write your objectives in simple language understandable by everyone involved. These objectives “must be specific, outcome-based, and measurable, and they must describe learner behavior” (Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy Center, n.d., para. 3).

After writing your instructional objectives, make detailed decisions about your lesson. Harmer (2019) narrowed this decision-making process to content, language, skills, activities, and assessment. Following are descriptions for each of these aspects.

Content

Content refers to the topic that you select based on your learners’ cultural background and interest. Textbooks provide a wide variety of topics targeted at specific age groups. However, as the teacher, you are in a privileged position to judge whether the textbook topics will motivate your learners or not. If you find a topic to be inappropriate, choose another topic. However, be careful to pick a topic that matches well with the language function that you are required to teach. For example, if the language function is giving directions, choose a dialogue for your adult class where a tourist is asking for directions. Or, if this is for a children’s class, choose a story about a treasure hunt. The topic you choose must be well supported by activities. The most interesting topics can be boring if activities are not varied and well-paced. Similarly, a potentially boring topic can be made interesting and dynamic with the right choice of activities.

Language

Language refers to vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. When planning your lesson, decide which language feature(s) to introduce and be practiced by students. This can be words and phrases for a specific purpose such as seeking information or making a request. Combine this vocabulary with a grammar feature such as reported speech or passive voice. To support the targeted vocabulary and grammar features, consider including specific pronunciation features such as intonation or weak forms. What you decide may come from the course syllabus (e.g., next item in lesson progression) or from your classroom assessment of what these learners need (e.g., an identified learning gap). 

Skills

Skills refer to reading, writing, listening, and speaking. If you wish, focus on one specific skill for a given lesson. However, to give students practice in two or more skills, consider taking an integrated skills approach. After identifying the skill(s), choose one or more subskill(s) that are relevant to your activities. For instance, for the speaking skill, are you looking for overall fluency or the correct pronunciation of a particular sound? Your decision about skills is codependent on lesson content and accompanying activities. 

Activities

Activities refer to what you want your students to do in class. After you choose your activities, establish an order that fits your implementation plan. This order must align with student age and language development. For example, at the elementary level, teaching core vocabulary comes before reading a passage. Identify a pace for each activity to keep learners engaged. For instance, young learners respond well to the “stirrers and settlers” pace (Ritter, 2021). Select an interaction pattern (e.g., teacher-led, student-led, pair work, group work) that matches your learning aims and learner needs. Also anticipate time for extended explanations, engaging discussions, and unanticipated occurrences.

Assessment

Finally, assessment refers to determining how well students understood the lesson and have learned the content. When deciding how to assess, consider taking different approaches such as at specific stages in the lesson and/or towards the end. Well-selected assessment techniques will demonstrate how well your learners have acquired targeted knowledge and skills. Assessment also provides feedback for planning future lessons.

Preplanning Process

The above aspects are interrelated with each other during the preparation process of lesson planning. As such, they form part of the planning cycle illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1

The Planning Cycle

Note. Based on ideas compiled from The Practice of English Language Teaching (5th ed.) by J. Harmer, 2019, Pearson.

In Figure 1, the planning cycle starts with background information about the learner, institutional curriculum, and practical realities. This cycle then moves to decisions about lesson objectives, which are based on content, language, skills, and activities. The next step is planning the lesson, and the final step is assessment. If needed, the planning cycle returns to objectives and again moves through each of these steps.

PEDAGOGICAL APPLICATIONS

After making decisions during the planning cycle, put your plan into writing. Generally, institutions where you work will provide a lesson plan format that all teachers must use. This format will contain basic components of a good lesson and provide an organizational structure for preparing and using your lesson plan, describing your decisions (if required), and sharing with your supervisor. To facilitate teacher supervision, institutions usually have all teachers use the same planning format. Formal lesson planning in this type of prescribed format can also support the institution’s efforts to provide ongoing teacher development.

Part of a lesson plan format is provided below. Its entire format is provided in the appendix.

Figure 2

Sample Lesson Plan Template

Note: Adapted from the lesson plan template of the Instituto Stael Ruffinelli de Ortiz-English (Provider of the Certificate TESOL Teacher Training Course for Trinity College London).

Lesson plans may not necessarily include all interaction patterns and assessment questions that you have planned nor be described in a detailed manner. Instead, daily plans might entail one or more of the following: general overview of objectives, list of planned teaching activities, sequence for doing activities, quick notes on time distribution, and general information about assessment. For effectively preparing lesson plans, remember that their overall aim is to make good use of available time for teaching in a way that is effective and rewarding for you and your students. When planning your lessons and especially when using your institution’s lesson plan format, prepare for success by following these tips: 

• Have clear objectives and keep activities focused on the aim.

• Include a brief introduction as the first activity and share lesson aims with students. At the end, provide a wrap-up activity that summarizes the main ideas. 

• Start with familiar activities and then introduce new and more difficult activities. Scaffold difficult tasks by dividing into smaller steps with simple instructions.

• Vary activities in tempo, interaction, skills, difficulty, topic, and mood to reach all learners and engage them throughout the lesson.

• Plan brief assessments at several points in your lesson to determine what has been achieved just in case you run out of time before the final assessment.

• Plan approximate time for each activity. Think about what to do if an activity takes longer than planned or finishes early. For example, if the lesson takes longer than anticipated, omit a later activity. If the lesson flows more quickly than anticipated, include an extra activity.

• Anticipate problems (e.g., equipment, learner interaction, difficult concepts), add contingencies to your plan, and explain how potential problems will be resolved.

• Allow time for learning to take place. Plan post-lesson activities for learners to consolidate information learned.

• After the lesson ends, identify parts that were effective and enjoyable. Also identify activities that did not go as planned and that should be changed for future implementation. Write your reflections on your lesson plan so that you can find them the next time you use this lesson.

• Lastly, remember that a lesson plan is not a rulebook. In other words, it does not need to be followed exactly. If the lesson is not going as planned, put the lesson plan aside and transition to something that has already worked well for you.

In this chapter you learned about preparing to teach by doing effective lesson planning. You learned to consider your learners, institutional curriculum, and practical realities and then to incorporate content, language aspects, skills, activities, and assessment. With a lesson plan template as your guide, you are now ready to start planning effective lessons.

Here are some key concepts from this chapter on lesson planning:

• Planning gives you a clear view of how to use class time to maximize learning.

• Before you start to plan, carefully consider your learners’ profile, your institutional syllabus, and available resources.

• During planning, consider the topic and targeted language aspects, skills, and activities as well as interaction patterns, timings, and learning assessments. 

• Include strategies that are effective and enjoyable for you and your students. 

• Your lesson plan can be informal or formal, depending on its purpose. Formal plans must follow a format provided by your institution. Informal plans can be lists or notes. 

Based on what you have learned about lesson planning, discuss these questions with your partner or in groups and make notes for future reference:

1. What are the common characteristics and interests of children, teenagers, and adult language learners where you teach? How will this influence your lesson planning? 

2. What resources are available at your institution? Make a list of materials, equipment, space, library books, and other resources. Discuss creative ways to use resources in your lessons.

3. How can you assess students when reading, writing, listening, and speaking? 

To practice what you have learned about lesson planning, do the following:

1. Examine a language teaching textbook from your institution or another institution. Choose a reading or listening passage and develop a lesson plan for your current class or a fictitious class at the age and language level suggested in the book.

2. Consider possible problems that could occur when teaching this lesson. Think of insights from your former experiences as a teacher or student. Plan how to solve these problems.

3. Share your lesson plan with a colleague and ask for feedback.

To expand your knowledge about lesson planning, visit these websites:

• Assessment. https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/simple-assessment-strategies/  

• British Council. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/assessment-learning  

• Differentiated instruction strategies. https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/differentiated-instruction-strategies-examples-download/  

• Lesson aims. https://thebestticher.wordpress.com/2016/11/14/learning-objectives/  

• Lesson plan elements, Department of State for the United States. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BqR7wUje_4  

• Lesson plan guide. https://premiertefl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Lesson-Planning-Guide.pdf  

• Lesson planning 101: Mapping activities for a clear path to learning. https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/lesson_planning_101-pre-recording_0.pdf  

• Lesson plans for teaching English. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/planning-lessons-and-courses/articles/lesson-plans  

• Strategies for effective lesson plan writing. https://crlt.umich.edu/gsis/p2_5 

Aspects of lesson planning are also addressed by other chapters in this book: 

Chapter 5 Building Relationships With Language Learners by S. Montiel

Chapter 18 Teaching English in Different Contexts by R. Díaz

Chapter 22 Strengthening Communication Through Classroom Discourse by K. Buckley-Ess

Chapter 35 Developing Critical Thinking Through Inquiry-Based Learning by V. Canese

Chapter 36 Task-Based Approach With Adult Learners by I. Giménez and C. Rolón

Chapter 43 Strategies to Teach Integrated Skills by L. Fuller

Chapter 46 Introduction to Language Assessment by N. Kuhlman

Budden, J. (2008). Lesson planning. Teaching English, British Council. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/lesson-planning 

Centre for Teaching Excellence. (2022). Lesson planning. Singapore Management University. https://cte.smu.edu.sg/approach-teaching/integrated-design/lesson-planning 

Drexel University. (n.d.). How to write a lesson plan as a student teacher. School of Education. https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/how-to-write-a-lesson-plan/ 

Harmer, J. (2019). The practice of English language teaching (5th ed.). Pearson.

Ritter, J. (2021, March 1). Using stirrers and settlers with young learners: Why, how, what, and when. World of Better Learning; Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2021/03/01/using-stirrers-and-settlers-with-young-learners/ 

Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL) Center. (n.d.). TEAL center fact sheet no. 8: Effective lesson planning. Access Resources for State Adult Education Staff: Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS). https://lincs.ed.gov/state-resources/federal-initiatives/teal/guide/lessonplanning 

Harshini Lalwani has a master’s degree in business administration, a Licentiate Diploma in TESOL, an ELT Management Certificate, a Young Learners Centre Management Certificate, and an e-moderator's certificate. She has been an IELTS examiner for British Council-UAE. She provides training for Trinity College London’s Cert-TESOL and Teaching Young Learners Extension Certificate courses. Harshini provides training for in-service teachers in private and public schools and works as an independent ESL consultant providing services to various institutions in Paraguay. Harshini has also served as a board member of Paraguayan Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (also known as PARATESOL), an affiliate of the TESOL International Association, for which she served as President in 2020-2022. 

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1925-5600  

Email for correspondence regarding this chapter: harshini.d.lalwani@gmail.com

Cover Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash