Lesson Planning

Domingos Di Lello

Classroom Skills

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” asked Alice.

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cheshire Cat.Lewis Carroll (1963). Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Source: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/03/is-the-cheshire-cat-a-cat/

True or False for You?

I always write a lesson plan for the classes I teach.

True or False for You?

Our students suffer when we fail to plan for them appropriately.

True or False for You?

Nothing ever goes according to my plan, so I don’t write lesson plans.

True or False for You?

What teachers take into the lesson is a proposal for action, rather than a lesson blueprint to be followed slavishly.

True or False for You?

Evidence of teacher planning helps to ensure the students’ confidence in the person who is teaching them.

What is a lesson plan?• It’s a framework for a lesson;• It shows the teacher where to start,

where to finish, and the route to take to get there.

Harmer J. (2007) The Practice of English Language Teaching (4th Edition). Harlow: Pearson Longman.

What is your syllabus type?• Grammatical• Functional • Situational• Lexical• Topics• Tasks

What is the purpose of a lesson plan?• To help teachers identify the goal(s) for

the lesson – what it is they want their students to be able to do at the end of the lesson that they couldn’t do before;

• To give teachers the opportunity to predict possible problems and therefore consider solutions;

• To assure teachers of a balanced and appropriate lesson for the class;

• To provide a structure for a lesson;• To provide a record of what has been

taught;• To help teachers feel more confident.

Thomas S. C. Farrell, (2002) Lesson Planning, in Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice. Edited by Jack Richards and Willy Renandya. Cambridge.

“You could alwayssay the dog ate

your lesson plan.”

What to consider when creating a lesson plan?

• The learning objectives• The content• The teaching /learning activities• The class profile• The timeline• The interaction patterns• The materials• The strategies to check student understanding• The assessment

What are the two important elements of a lesson plan?• lesson variety

• lesson pace

“I need five lesson plan books. Not only do I tend to overplan, but I feel more comfortable with contingency plans.”

What are the conditions of learning?

Gagne’s 9 Events of Instruction (1965)

• Gain attention• Inform learners of objectives• Stimulate recall of prior learning• Present the content• Provide “learning guidance”• Elicit performance (practice)• Provide feedback• Assess performance• Enhance retention and transfer to the job

Tyler’s Rational-Linear Framework (1994):

• specify objectives• select learning activities• organize learning activities• specify methods of evaluation

Richards, J. & Renandya, W. (2002) Methodology for Language Teaching, An Anthology of Current Practice, Cambridge University Press.

Yinger’s Model (1980):• problem conception – in which planning

starts with a discovery cycle of the integration of the T’s goals, knowledge, and experience

• problem formulation and a solution achieved

• plan implementation along with its evaluation

Richards, J. & Renandya, W. (2002) Methodology for Language Teaching, An Anthology of Current Practice, Cambridge University Press.

Madeline Hunter’s 7 Steps (1980s):

• Anticipatory set • Objectives and purpose • Input • Check for understanding • Modeling, Guided Practices• Independent Practices• Closure

The 5E’s Model (1987):• Engagement • Exploration • Explanation • Elaboration • Evaluation

The BSCS Story: A History of the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study edited by Laura Engleman, Colorado Springs: BSCS, 2001.

What are the different formats of a lesson plan?

What criteria should we take into account to evaluate lesson effectiveness?• the class seemed to be learning the material well;• the sts were engaging with the language throughout;• the sts were attentive/active all the time;• the sts enjoyed the lesson and were motivated;• the language was used communicatively throughout;• the lesson went according to plan;• the language was used communicatively throughout.

Can you sequence these activities accordingly?A. Students work in pairs to change present tense verbs into past tense verbs within a paragraph.B. Students write and then present their paragraphs.C. Teacher shows an example of his/her own paragraph and explains his/her weekend, emphasizing past tense verbs.D. Students work in pairs to brainstorm a list of activities that they did over the weekend using past tense verbs.

Learning objective: By the end of the class, the students will be able to write a paragraph about what they did over the weekend, using at least five verbs in the past.C. Teacher shows an example of his/her own paragraph and explains his/her weekend, emphasizing past tense verbs.

A. Students work in pairs to change present tense verbs into past tense verbs within a paragraph.

D. Students work in pairs to brainstorm a list of activities that they did over the weekend using past tense verbs.

B. Students write and then present theirparagraphs.

“Now don’t forget to go on social media

and rate today’s lesson

plan.”

What are learning objectives?• A statement of what students will be

able to do when they have completed instruction and of what is expected of them.

How to write effective learning objectives?• Specific • Measurable • Action-oriented, Achievable • Reasonable, Relevant • Time-boundFirst coined by George T. Doran

How to write effective learning objectives?

• Performance• Conditions• Criteria

Mager, Robert F. Preparing Instructional Objectives. Atlanta: The Center for Effective Performance, 1997.

How to write effective learning objectives?• Audience• Behavior• Condition• DegreeSmaldino, S. , Lowther, D. and Russell, J. (2007) Instructional Media and Technologies for Learning, 9th Edition. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, Inc.

“Please, Mr. Smith, may I ask where

we’re going with all this?”

Have you ever used any of these assessments at the end of a lesson?a. Exit slipsb. Verbal response to an ending questionc. Classroom reflection (Today, I learned...)d. Pop quiz at the end of a lessone. Student writing (paragraph)f. Class surveyg. Some of the aboveh. None of the above

Bloom’s Taxonomy

How to make these objectives effective?Students will practice reading

comprehension.

Students will learn about the passive voice.

Cover page 65.

Correct homework.

How to make these objectives effective?Students will practice reading comprehension.By the end of the class, the students will be able to interpret a reading text by asking and answering questions about the weekend, as well as writing a short paragraph using the simple past.

How to make these objectives effective?Students will learn about the passive voice.By the end of the class, the students will be able to ask and answer questions about manufacturing processes, using the present simple passive voice.

How to make these objectives effective?Cover page 65.

Correct homework.

Why and when should a lesson plan be modified?• Magic moments

• Sensible diversion

• Unforeseen problems

Why do teachers deviate from the original lesson plan?• To serve the common good;• To teach to the moment;• To further the lesson;• To accommodate sts’ learning styles;• To promote sts’ involvement;• To distribute the wealth.

Final Remarks