Lesson planning
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Опубликовано 25.01.2015 - 16:47 - Волкова Елена Михайловна

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Lesson planning and use of resources for language teaching

Planning and preparing a lesson or sequence of lessons.

How to identify and select aims?

Aims describe we want learners to learn or be able to do at the end of the lesson, a sequence of lessons or a whole course. Aims may focus, for example, on a grammatical structure or a function, on the vocabulary of a particular topic, or on developing a language skill. Aims, especially for younger learners, may not always focus on particular areas of language. For example, the aim of a lesson could be listening to a story for pleasure or encouraging a positive attitude towards the foreign language. To identify and select the most appropriate aims, we need to ask ourselves these key questions: what do my learners already know? What do they need to know?

A main aim, like the one above, describes the most important thing we want the learners to achieve in a lesson or sequence of lessons. For example, we may want learners to understand and practice using new language; to reinforce or consolidate the use of language they already know by giving them further practice.

As well as a main aim, a lesson may also have subsidiary aims. Subsidiary aims show the language or skills learners must be able to use well in order to achieve the main aim of the lesson. Subsidiary aims usually contain language that is already known to the learners.

In addition to the main aim and subsidiary aims, a lesson plan will also include a number of stage aims, describing the particular purpose of each stage of the lesson.

In addition to learning aims, we may also want to think about our personal aims as teachers. Personal aims show what we would like to improve or focus on in our teaching way.

How do we identify the different components of a lesson plan?

A lesson plan is a set of notes that helps us to think through what we are going to teach and how we are going to teach it. It also guides us during and after the lesson. We can identify the most important components of a lesson plan by thinking carefully about our learners, what we want our learners to do and how we want them to do it.

Lesson plan components
Class profile	Who are we planning the lesson for?
Timetable fit	How is the lesson connected to the last lesson and the next one?
Main aim(s)	What do we want learners to learn or to be able to do by the end of the lesson?
Subsidiary aims	What else do learners need to be able to do during the lesson to enable them to achieve the main aim?
Stage aims	What is the purpose of each stage of the lesson?
Personal aims	What aspects of our own teaching do we want to develop or improve?
Assumptions	What do we think learners already know or can already do related to the aims?
Anticipated problems	What may learners find difficult in the lesson?
Teaching aims, materials, equipment	What should we remember to take to the lesson?
Procedures	What are the tasks and activities for each lesson?
Timing	What length of time will we need for each stage?
Interaction patterns	In which ways will learners work at different stages, i.e. individually, in pairs, in groups, as a whole class?
Homework	What further work will learners need to do before the next lesson?

Some lessons plans may not include all of these components. But when we’re planning lessons, it’s always important to ask ourselves these questions.

How do we consult reference resources?

Reference resources are all the sources of information about language and about teaching that we can refer to for help in lesson preparation. They include reference materials, such as dictionaries and grammar books, books and articles in teachers’ magazines about language, supplementary materials in a course book such as phonemic charts or lists of irregular verbs, and websites on the internet. Supplementary materials are books and other materials we can use in addition to the course book. They include skills development materials, grammar, vocabulary and phonology practice materials, collections of communicative activities, teachers’ resources and web materials. Supplementary materials may also come from authentic sources (e.g. newspaper and magazine article, video, etc.). We use supplementary materials and activities:

- to replace unsuitable material in the course book;

to provide something that is missing from the course book;
to provide supplementary materials for learners’ particular needs and interests;
to give learners extra practice or skills practice;
to bring something different to our lessons.

Here are some of the possible advantages and disadvantages of using various kinds of supplementary materials:

Supplementary materials	Possible advantages	Possible disadvantages
Class library of readers	- Encourages extensive reading/ reading for pleasure - Gives learners confidence -Allows learners to choose	- Need for range of levels to suit different learners - Content may not be motivating for older learners
Skills practice books	- Focus on individual skills	- May not fit course book/ syllabus
Teacher’s resource books/downloadable worksheets	- New ideas for lessons	- May not suit lesson aims
Websites	- Variety of lesson plans	- Sometimes difficult to find the right material for the learners - School may not have enough computer stations - Learners may not have computer skills
DVDs	- Provide visual context - Source of cultural information - Show body language	- Equipment may not always be available - Language may not be graded (suitable for the level of the learners)
Language practice books	- Extra practice - Learners can work alone without teacher’s help	- Repetitive exercises - Little or no context
Electronic materials	- Motivation - Familiar technology for learners	- Difficult for teacher to control how learners are working - Little or no human feedback
Games	- Enjoyment - Language practice	- May not be suitable for older learners - Preparation may take a long time - Classroom management may be complicated

Teaching aids are the resources and equipment available to use in the classroom, as well as the resources we can bring into the classroom. They include interactive whiteboards, computers, CD players, DVD players and overhead projectors, visual aids, realia and the teacher himself! We select and use aids by thinking carefully about the main aims, the subsidiary aims and stage aims of a lesson, and then choosing the most appropriate aims.