Planning a Lesson

Key 1) Teachers should prepare a lesson plan before teaching.

Concepts 2) Teachers should consider learners’ abilities, interests, learning preferences, and the
institutional program while planning.
3) Teacher should analyze their lesson plans before and after teaching.
4) Lesson plans should include specific information.
5) Objectives should concretely state the communicative objectives of the lesson.

Key Words observable, timebound, objectives, format, type

Learning Learners will:

Outcomes 1) Analyze a lesson plan and identify the types of information found in the plan.
2) Distinguish between well-written and poorly written objectives and re-write the
objectives that are not appropriate.
3) Write a lesson plan that includes the following information: 1. format (individual, pair,
group, class) and type of activity (reading, writing, discussing, etc.) 3. a homework
assignment, 4. timing for each activity, 5. resources, and 6. clear objectives.

Teaching For teachers:

Strategies 1. Information gallery of attitudes about planning a lesson. Teachers should choose the
statement which best expresses their feelings, stand near it and discuss their reasons
for choosing the statement with other teachers who have chosen that statement.
For teachers and university students:
2. Pairs of learners read sample lesson plans and prepare to answer the questions: What
are the parts of this lesson plan? What is the purpose of those parts? Which lesson
plan format do you prefer? Why?
3. Class discussion on the answers to activity #2 and these questions: What do you need
to know before you plan a lesson? What do you need to do before you plan a lesson?
4. Teacher presentation on planning a lesson and the ingredients of a lesson plan.
5. Think-share:learners read a selection of objectives written on a poster and choose the
objectives they think are most effective.
6. Teacher presentation on objectives.
7. Information gallery of objectives. Learners should identify objectives that are not well –
written, identify why they are not well-written, and re-write them.
8. Learners report their answers (#2 = not achievable in one lesson, not specific; #3 = no
communicative use; #5 = activity is classroom orientated, not real life; #6 = no
communicative use.
9. Learners write lesson plans based on their preferred format (homework).

Check For teachers:

Yourself • Do you write a lesson plan for every lesson? Why or why not?
• How did you learn to write a lesson plan at the university? Is this format comfortable
for you? Would you like to change the format in some way? How?
For university students:
• Do you think your teachers write lesson plans for every lessons? Why?
• What problems do you think you might have writing lesson plans for practice teaching?

Resources • Outline of Planning a Lesson

• Information Gallery of attitudes about lesson planning.
• Information gallery of objectives
• Lesson Plan Format A, Lesson Plan Format B

Resource • Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to

Center Language Pedagogy. White Plains, New York: Addison Wesley Longman. pp. 149-162.
References • Doff, Adrian. 1995. Teach English: A Training Course for Teachers. New York:
Cambridge University Press, pp 93-101; 269-277.
• Cruickshank, Donald, et al. 1999. The Act of Teaching. Boston: McGraw Hill College
pp. 147-155.
• Probst, David. 1997. Same Old Dog, New Tricks: Planning as Friend Not Foe. English
Teaching Forum, October, 1997, pp.47-51
(http://exchanges.state.gov/forum/vols/vol35/no4/p47.htm)

Introduction to Teaching Methodology Planning a Lesson, Page 1

 • Scrivener, Jim. 1994. Learning Teaching. Oxford: McMillan Heineman, pp. 44-5.

Outline of Planning a Lesson

I. What make a lesson plan?
A. It is important for teachers to prepare a lesson outline or plan before teaching.
B. A teacher should decide what and how she will teach before the lesson.
C. If a teacher is well prepared she will be able to cope with unexpected circumstances.
II. What preparation should a teacher make before planning a lesson?
A. Before planning, teachers should know what they are teaching and why.
1. Lessons should focus on helping learners develop communication skills – not finishing the
curriculum, memorizing grammar rules or learning to transcribe words.
B. They should consider learners’ ability, age, learning preferences, interests, available resources,
previously taught information and the institutional program.
What should be included in a lesson plan?
A. The following ingredient are included in most lesson plans:
1. Objectives – what learners will accomplish during the lesson.
2. Resources – photocopies, tape recorders, markers, cards, books, etc.
3. Timing – how much time will be spent on each activity.
4. Activity format and type – will the activity be done individually, in pairs, in groups or as a class.
5. Activity type – reading, writing, discussion, role playing, debating, etc.
6. Questions the teacher will ask.
7. The theme of the lesson.
8. The date.
9. The level or group of students.
B. Teacher may also include the following:
1. Homework assignments, review activities.
2. Stages of the lesson (preparation, presentation, practice).
3. Instructions, information that will be written on the blackboard.
4. Mini-activities for learners who finish before others.
5. New vocabulary or grammar structures.
6. Number of students.
7. Page numbers for activities in the book.
8. Criteria for evaluating learners’ mastery of the subject.
III. How should I write an objective?
A. Objectives should clearly and concretely state the purpose of the lesson.
B. Teaching objectives have two parts:
1. The new information, structure, vocabulary or skill (the geography of Great Britain, present
perfect tense, words that describe personality, writing a well-organized paragraph).
2. The communicative use of the information, structure, vocabulary or skill (give a 10-minute
presentation, write a dialog about a job interview, describe their best friend, write a paragraph
about ecological problems in our city).
a. The objective should specify a use that is similar to real life communicative use (give a
presentation), not a classroom activity (do exercise A, p. 56).
3. Example format: Learners will do some communication with some information skill or structure
(Learners will give a 10-minute presentation about the geography of Great Britain).
C. Objectives should also have the following characteristics:
1. Observable – you can observe if the learners have met the objective.
a. Verbs like read, write, discuss, debate, identify, match, list, describe, recognize,
summarize, design, classify, ask, answer, create, plan, pronounce, and compare are often
used in objectives because they are observable actions.
b. Verbs like learn, understand, know, improve and think are not observable actions.
2. Timebound – they can be achieved in one lesson.
a. “Learners will improve their speaking skills” is a semester or year objective, but it is not
achievable in one lesson.
3. Specific – exactly what skill, information, vocabulary or structure and exactly what use.
IV. The Lesson Plan
A. After writing the lesson plan teachers should check to be sure that it is well planned.
1. Teachers may check that the lesson communicates objectives to the learners, that it is well
sequenced, has a balance of teacher and learner-centered activities, etc.
B. After teaching the lesson, teachers should make notes on the lesson plan about what was effective,
what was not effective and strategies to make the lesson more effective next time they teach it.
C. Then they should file the lesson for future reference.

Introduction to Teaching Methodology Planning a Lesson, Page 2

 I always write a very detailed lesson plan, and
I am very strict about following it.

I’ve been teaching for fifteen years and already

know how and what to teach at every lesson
without writing a lesson plan.

I’m more comfortable if I make a lesson plan,

but if the plan doesn’t work, I’ll try something
else.

I don’t like to write lesson plans, because it

seems like no matter how well I plan, the
lesson always changes when I am in the
classroom.

I only write a detailed lesson plan when I have

to teach an open or demonstration lesson
because I know that everyone will look at it.

Introduction to Teaching Methodology Planning a Lesson, Page 3

1. Learners will describe their home using new
vocabulary and next to, in, between, by, on,
over.

2. Learners will improve their speaking and

listening skills.

3. Learners will study questions, negatives and

affirmatives in past indicative.

4. Learners will make a ten-minute presentation

about the geography of Britain using
information from the text.

5. Learners will identify the differences between

/δ/ and /θ/ and will correctly product these
sounds while reading a short text aloud.

6. Learners will use future tense with “will” and

“going to” correctly.

7. Learners will learn the rules for past perfect

tense and correctly answer questions in
Exercise #5, p. 127.

Introduction to Teaching Methodology Planning a Lesson, Page 4

Lesson Plan Format A
Objectives usually go at the beginning of
Seventeen Babies at Once/Giving Advice with Should
the lesson plan.– They
40 minutes
should have two
parts: 1) the new structure, vocabulary,
Date: September 23, 2003 skill or information, and, 2) what learners
Class: Groups 6A, 6B will do with it in a communicative context.

Objectives:
1. Learners will make recommendations using the auxiliary verb should and information from the text
Seventeen Babies at Once.

New Structures and Vocabulary:

1. Giving advice with the auxiliary verb should. You don’t have to list new structures or
vocabulary, but it might be useful.
Materials:
1. Photocopies of the text Seventeen Babies at Once – one copy for two learners.
2. Role cards.
3. Poster with the following sentences:
o The McDuane’s friends gave them this advice before the babies were born.

You should prepare.
The format

First you should ask your mother and grandmother for good advice.

You should buy baby clothes(individual, pair,
and baby bottles.
group,

Then you should prepare a place forclass)
the baby to sleep. If you specifically

You should rest and get plenty of sleep – you’ll be tired. list materials, the
next time you teach
1. Individual Writing: Big Families, Small Families – 3 minutes the lesson it’s easy
• Write the following sentences on the blackboard. to know what you
• Ask learners to think and write their answers: need.
o Is it better to have a large family or a small family? Why?
o What are the advantages
The type ofofactivity
having(reading,
a large family?
writing,
o What are the advantages of having a small
listening, brainstorming, family?
etc.).
2. Class Discussion: Big Families, Small Families – 5 minutes
• Ask the pairs to share their answers and write them in a table:

Advantages of a Large Family Advantages of a Small Family

3. Pre-reading Question: Seventeen Babies at Once - 2 minutes

• Write the following questions on the blackboard.
• Ask the learners to look for the answers as they read the text.
1. What are the mother and father’s names? The babies names?
The theme or topic
2. What is the father’s name? Where does he work? of the activity.
3. Did the family know they would have seventeen babies?
4. Who helped the family?
5. When were the babies born?

4. Individual Reading: Seventeen Babies at Once – 5 minutes

• Ask learners to read silently for 5 minutes. Timing
• While learners are reading, write the examples sentences for activity #10 on the blackboard.

5. Class Discussion: Pre-Reading Questions – 5 minutes A brief description of how

• Ask learners to report their answers to the pre-reading question. the activity will be
• Write learners’ answers on the blackboard by the questions. developed. This will
remind the teacher of what
6. Individual Reading: Giving Advice – 4 minutes she needs to do or say.
• Give learners 4 minutes to read the poster (#2 on the list of materials)

7. Teacher Presentation: Analysis of Giving Advice with Should – 5 minutes

• When you tell someone that it is good for them to do something, it is called advice.

Introduction to Teaching Methodology Planning a Lesson, Page 5

• The sentences you read on the board are examples of advice for someone who is going to have a baby.
Including
• Can you find the verb in each sentence? (underline the verbs as learners identify them) as part
instructions
• What are the parts of the verb? (write on the board) of the lesson plan
• Let’s make a rule for giving advice: can help teachers

What is the first part of the verb? plan how to explain

What is the second part of the verb? the task clearly.

What comes before the verb?
o person+should+verb (write this formula on the blackboard)
• Can you make some examples using this rule?

8. Group Work: Giving Advice to the McDuanes – 5 minutes

• I’d like you to work in groups of three.
Working and reporting use different
• Each group will have a spokesperson, a writer and a timekeeper.
perceptual styles and have different
• I’ll give you role cards.
focuses of attention. It is easier to
• You should quickly think about what problems the McDuane family would have with seventeen babies.
check centeredness and perceptual
• Then each group will write 2 sentences of advice to help solve those problems.
styles if working and reporting are
• You’ll have five minutes to work.
recorded separately on the lesson plan
• Then I’ll ask you to read your sentences to the class.
• Before you begin working, please choose a spokesperson to present your work to the class.

9. Report Answers: Advice for the McDuanes – 5 minutes

• Ask each group’s spokesperson to report their advice to the class.
• Correct the learners’ sentences if necessary.

10. Homework Assignment: Giving Advice – 1 minute

• Write on the blackboard:

Imagine that your friend has a problem
1. Please describe the problem
2. Then write 5 sentences of advice for her/him.

17 BABIES AT ONCE!
ONCE
TELEVISION OFFERS $3 MILLION MOVIE DEAL!

By ANNE VICTORIA/Special Correspondent

A woman in Rhode Island surprised doctors - she had 17 babies in one day.
Doctors say the 12 boys and 5 girls are fine. Doris, McDuane, the babies’ mom is tired but
happy after having 17 babies in four hours on Sunday, November 5, 1994. On April 1, 1993 Kristen
Sorenson had 15 babies, but Mrs. McDuane had more babies - two more babies.
Doctors thought Mrs. McDuane was very fat. They did not know why. “We though she was
eating too much. We told her not to eat so much food,” said her doctor. “But she got fatter and fatter -
58 pounds fatter.” The doctors didn’t know Mrs. McDuane was fat because of the babies.
“She is fine. We want her to be in the hospital for a week so that she can sleep. It is very hard
to have 17 babies said the hospital.
Mrs. McDuane had the babies in four hours. Two babies, Eugene and Lisa, were very small,
and doctors thought there were problems. Eugene and Lisa are fine now. The babies’ dad, Andrew
McDuane is not fine. McDuane works in a gas station. He said “I’m very very very surprised.” “The
doctors said that maybe Doris had more than one baby. I though maybe four babies, so I got four baby
beds. When the nurse said there were 17 babies, I was so surprised. But I think Doris and have love for
17 babies.”
When the McDuanes’ friends heard about the babies they gave the McDuanes clothes, food,
toys and things for the babies. “People gave us many things,” says Doris. “There are many good people.
I want to thank my friends.”
Television wants to make a movie about the McDuanes - all 19 of them. “We’re thinking about
it,” says Doris.

Adapted from Weekly World News, November 29, 1994

Introduction to Teaching Methodology Planning a Lesson, Page 6

Introduction to Teaching Methodology Planning a Lesson, Page 7
Lesson Plan Format B
Date: September 23, 2005 Class: 6A, 6B Topic: Seventeen Babies at O
Objectives
1. Learners will make recommendations using the auxiliary verb should and information from the text

Materials New Structures a

1. Photocopies of the text Seventeen Babies at Once – one copy for two 1. Giving advice w
learners.
2. Poster with the following sentences: The McDuane’s friends gave them
this advice before the babies were born: You should prepare. First you
should ask your mother and grandmother for good advice. You should buy
baby clothes and baby bottles. Then you should prepare a place for the
baby to sleep. You should rest and get plenty of sleep – you’ll be tired.

Teacher Learners
1. Writes the following sentences on the blackboard: • Write answers
• Is it better to have a large family or a small family? Why? notebooks.
• What are the advantages of having a large family?
• What are the advantages of having a small family?
2. Writes answers on the blackboard in the form of a table. • Discuss answe
partner.
• Make notes.
3. Writes the following questions on the blackboard: • Read the ques
• What is the mother’s name? Where does she work?
• What is the father’s name? Where does he work?
• What are the babies’ names?
• Did the family know that they would have seventeen babies?
• Who helped the family?
• When were the babies born?
4. • Read the text s
• Look for the an
reading questio
5. Asks learners to report their answers to the pre-reading questions. • Report their an
Writes learners’ answers on the blackboard. reading questio
6. • Read and anal
example writte
7. Helps learners make a grammar rule by asking the following questions: • Re-read and a
• When you tell someone that it is good for them to do something, it is called examples.
advice. • Make some ex
• For example, the sentences you read on the board are examples of advice for structure.
someone who is going to have a baby.
• Can you find the verb in each sentence? (underline the verbs as learners
identify them)
• What are the parts of the verb? (write on the board)
• Let’s make a rule for giving advice.

What is the first part of the verb?

What is the second part of the verb?

What comes before the verb?

person+should+verb

Introduction to Teaching Methodology Planning a Lesson, Page 8

 • Can you make some examples using this rule?
8. Divides the learners into groups of three. • Write 2 senten
Gives the following instructions: and Mrs. McDu
• I’d like you to work in groups of three. should + verb.
• You should quickly think about what problems the McDuane family will have. • Report their wo
• Then each group will write 2 sentences of advice to help solve those
problems.
• You’ll have five minutes to work.
• Then I’ll ask you to read your sentences to the class.
• Before you begin working, please choose a spokesperson to present your
work to the class.

9. Writes the homework assignment on the blackboard: • Copy the home

• Imagine that your friend has a problem their notebook
1. Please describe the problem.
2. Then write 5 sentences of advice for her/him.

Introduction to Teaching Methodology Planning a Lesson, Page 9