06 Lesson Planning[1]

ICELT distance unit 6 LESSON PLANNING

ICELT DISTANCE UNIT 6

Lesson Planning

British Council 20041


Contents

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………. 3

Aims ……………………………………………………………………………….. 3

Reading …………………………………………………………………………… 4

Section One - Lesson Planning……………………………….. ………………. 5

Reflecting on lessons and lesson planning

Variety and balance

Planning interaction

Peer Observation Task………………………………………………… 15

Section Two - Writing Lesson Plans for ICELT ………………………………. 18

Component Two - Teaching

Completing the lesson plan form

Post lesson self-evaluation

Section Three - Methodology Assignment Two …………………………….. 46

Analysing the task

Planning the structure

Assessment criteria

Brainstorming ideas

Drafting and editing

The final draft

References ……………………………………………………………………… 56

Feedback on study skills unit …………………………………………………. 57



Introduction

This unit should guide you towards more effective planning. We shall be considering lesson planning, in general, in section one and focussing on lesson planning for ICELT, in particular, in section two. In section three, we shall be focussing on methodology assignment two - planning beyond the lesson. As this assignment is not due until block two of the course (see course guide for exact dates) you may decide to leave this part until a later date. It is important that you complete the reading for this unit as much of the input on lesson planning is contained in these texts. Ideally, you should do the reading before you begin working on the unit itself and certainly before looking at section two. If you work through the tasks here carefully and conscientiously, it will help you enormously with component two of assessment – Teaching. It would be very useful if you could do the tasks with one or two colleagues – through discussion with colleagues, you will find that ideas and concepts become clearer. If that is impossible, please post your results and comments on the ICELT website forum.

AimsBy the end of this unit you should:

Have an overview of the planning process Be more aware of the benefits of planning Be more aware of the considerations when planning lessons Be able to plan more effectively to meet the needs of your learners Be better able to write clearer, specific aims for your lessons Be better able to anticipate problems your students may have and plan

solutions for these Be better able to complete the lesson plan form used on ICELT Be better able to evaluate your own teaching Be better able to write effective action points following assessed teaching Have a clear understanding of what is expected of you for methodology

assignment two - planning beyond the lesson



Recommended Reading

Scrivener, J. 1994. Learning Teaching. Heinemann. Chapter 5 – Pages 44 to 58 There are tasks within the text and it is highly recommended that you pay due attention to these to make the reading as worthwhile as possible.

Harmer, J. 1998. How to Teach English. Longman.Chapter 12. Pages 121 – 126 There are a number of tasks relating to this chapter on pages 170 to 172 which are worth working though.

Gower, R, Phillips D & Walters S. 1995. Teaching Practice Handbook. Macmillan Heinemann.Chapter 8. Pages 175 – 187.

ELT Forum – Lesson Planning

Additionally for Primary level teachers:Brewster, J., Ellis, G. (with Denis Girard). 2002. The Primary English Teacher’s Guide (New Edition). Penguin. PP 231 - 242

Further Reading

Woodward, T. 2001. Planning Lessons and Courses. Cambridge University Press

Nunan, D. 1988. The Learner-Centered Curriculum. Cambridge University Press.

Ur, P. 1996. A Course in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.Module 15. Pages 213 – 222.

http://www.oup.com/elt/global/teachersclub/teaching/articles/lesson_planning/This website has many useful and interesting articles. This is one on effective lesson planning.


http://www.oup.com/elt/global/teachersclub/teaching/articles/lesson_planning/


Section One

Reflecting on Lessons and Lesson Planning

Task 1 – Metaphors for a lesson

Look at the different metaphors below for describing a lesson, taken from Ur (1991). In your opinion, which one best describes a lesson? There is of course no right answer but it is a useful starting point to this unit to consider how you conceive a lesson. If you cannot find a metaphor which feels right for you, think up your own.

A variety show A conversation Climbing a mountain Doing the shopping A wedding A football game A menu A symphony Cooking a meal Consulting a doctor

Why not share your thoughts and find out what others think on the ICELT website forum?

Commentary on Task 1 – metaphors for a lesson

One answer to the task – remember there are no right answers!

I see the lesson as a symphony. For me it should be a harmonious event with everyone concerned working together to create a satisfying, and shared result. A symphony is enjoyable and has many variations in tempo, volume, tone etc – all these variations lead to a whole and balanced outcome.

Task 2 – A Good Lesson

Think about a good language lesson that you have experienced, either as a learner or as a teacher. Why do you think it was good? Try to identify aspects of the lesson and/or the planning that made it good. Can you list these?

Share your ideas with your colleagues on the ICELT website forum.



TASK 3 – Personal Experience

Think about the following questions –

1. How much time do you usually spend planning lessons and what does this depend on?2. Do you write out your lesson plan and what do you include in it?3. How closely do you follow your lesson plan in the classroom?4. Do you keep old lesson plans and do you refer to them?5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of writing formal lesson plans for assessed

lessons?

Commentary task 3 – Reflecting on Lesson Planning

Advantages of writing formal lesson plansLeads to a more coherent , well shaped lessonForces you to streamline lessons – be better focussedHelps you to anticipate learners’ problems and plan solutionsGives a professional impression to learners (and supervisors)Helps the observer to see where you are coming from Provides a starting point for post lesson evaluation

Disadvantages of writing formal lesson plansCan limit flexibility – you may be tempted to teach the plan rather than the lessonMay mean that you do not respond to learners’ needsMay mean that you do not respond to mood of classMay mean that you do not respond to an issue that is more important to learners than the language aim of the lessonMay mean that you follow your own agenda rather than the learners’.

In general we spend longer on planning when;We are unfamiliar with the class, the materials, the teaching pointWe are less experiencedWe have a demanding class e.g. discipline problems

What is certain is that on ICELT you will be expected to spend a great deal of time planning for teaching, probably much more that usual!



Variety and Balance

In task 2 above, you probably mentioned variety and balance. Most of us enjoy lessons which offer a variety of activities and which are balanced so that we don’t have to concentrate hard all the time. If there is only one activity in a lesson, learners are likely to become bored and this may lead to discipline problems. They will not be able to concentrate properly either and this will not lead to successful learning. A varied lesson is not only more interesting for both the teacher and the learners but is also likely to appeal to a range of learning preferences and will be less tiring and therefore more effective.

Task 4 – Adding Variety and Balance

Brainstorm as many ways as you can of adding variety and balance to lessons. You might find it helpful to think in terms of contrasts, for example:

Individual work versus group workFast moving versus leisurely activities

Reading versus writingPresentation versus practice

Accuracy versus fluencyDesk top work versus moving around the room

Adapted from an idea in Ur (1991).

Share you ideas with your colleagues on the ICELT website forum.



Commentary on Task 4 – Adding variety

Penny Ur (1996) has the following suggestions:

WAYS OF VARYING A LESSON

1. TempoActivities may be brisk an fast-moving (such as guessing games) or slow and reflective (such as reading literature and responding in writing)

2. OrganizationThe learners may work on their own at individualized tasks; or in pairs or groups; or as a full class in interaction with the teacher

3. Mode and skillActivities may be based on the written or the spoken language; and within these, they may vary as to whether the learners are asked to produce (speak, write or receive (listen, read).

4. DifficultyActivities may be seen as easy and non-demanding; or difficult, requiring concentration and effort.

5. TopicBoth the language teaching point and the (non-linguistic) topic may change from one activity to another.

6. MoodActivities vary also in mood: light and fun-based versus serious and profound; happy versus sad; tense versus relaxed.

7. Stir-settleSome activities enliven and excite learners (such as controversial discussions, or activities that involve physical movement). Others, like dictations, have the effect of calming them down. (see Maclennan, 1987)

8. Active-passiveLearners may be activated in a way that encourages their own initiative; or they may only be required to do as they are told.

© Cambridge University Press 1996



You probably came up with a range of different ideas but is it enough just to provide varied activities at random? They also need to be balanced to make sure there is a smooth coherent lesson. Here are some suggestions for ordering components in a lesson from Ur (1991). As you read them consider these two questions:1. Do you agree with the suggestions?2. Are they appropriate in your teaching context or would you need to change some

of them?

a. Put harder tasks first.

In general, learners are more energetic and better able to concentrate in the earlier stages of a lesson, especially long lessons. If a task demands effort and concentration from the learners, it is better therefore to have it in the early stages of the lesson.

b. Have quieter activities before lively ones

It is often quite difficult to calm learners down if they have been engaged in a lively, exciting activity. However, if you have a class in the late afternoon or evening, you may think that an energizing activity early in the lesson is necessary to refresh students and prepare them mentally for learning, especially if they are adults.

c. Think through transitions carefully

It can be disconcerting for learners if the teacher moves rapidly from one activity to another (e.g. reading to speaking, a fast moving game to a listening activity etc). You should think how to move smoothly between different components. Sometimes a simple phrase is enough “Now, we are going to do something different.” Other times you may feel a short transition activity is needed.

d. Pull the class together at the beginning and the end.

Have some sort of routine to begin classes (maybe just greeting students and briefly explaining the lesson aims. Similarly have a short rounding up at the end.

e. End on a positive note.

Make sure the learners leave the class feeling good. What you do depends on the class. You could set an easy-to-achieve task. You might simply summarize the lesson or give a positive evaluation of a task that the class was involved in. You could tell a joke!



Planning Interaction

Have you heard of the terms teacher talking time (TTT) and student talking time (STT) ? By TTT, we mean that the teacher is mainly or only active and the students are mainly or only receptive. STT is the opposite, students are mainly or only active while the teacher is mainly or only receptive.

Most teachers agree that it is important to have a balance of TTT and STT in a lesson. Pair work and group work are often incorporated into lessons in order to achieve this balance.

Task 5 – Pair work and Group work

What are the advantages and disadvantage or using pairwork or group work?

Commentary on Task 5 – Pair work and group work

Here are some general suggestions – share any other ideas you had with your colleagues on the ICELT website forum

AdvantagesStudents learn from each other All the students in the class have the opportunity to practiseStudents can become more independentIt is more comfortable for shy / weak students

DisadvantagesToo noisySeating in classroom is inappropriate for this organisationStudents use SpanishStudents want to listen to the teacher not other students

I feel that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and that careful teacher monitoring can reduce the likelihood of Spanish being used. What do you think?

Task 6 – Interaction Patterns

Look at the following interaction patterns and mark each one as follows:

TT = teacher very active, students only receptiveT = teacher active, students mainly receptiveTS = teacher and students fairly equally activeS = students active teacher mainly receptiveSS = students very active, teacher only receptive



From: Ur, Penny. 1991. A Course in Language Teaching. CUP. Page 228.

Group workStudents work in small groups on tasks that entail interaction: conveying information, for example, or group decision-making. The teacher walks around listening, intervenes little if at all.

Closed-ended teacher questioning (IRF)Only one 'right ' response gets approved. Sometimes cynically called the 'Guess what the teacher wants you to say' game.

Individual workThe teacher gives a task or set of tasks, and students work on them independently, the teacher walks around monitoring and assisting where necessary.

Choral responsesThe teacher gives a model which is repeated by all the class in chorus: or gives a cue which is responded to in chorus.

CollaborationStudents do the same sort of tasks as in 'individual work', but 'work together, usually in pairs, to try to achieve the best results they can.

Students initiates, teacher answersFor example, in a guessing game: the students think of questions and the teacher responds; but the teacher decides who asks.

Full-class interactionThe students debate a topic or do a language task as a class; the teacher may intervene occasionally, to stimulate participation or to monitor.

Teacher talkThis may involve some kind of silent student response, such as writing from dictation, but there is no initiative on the part of the student.

Self-accessStudents choose their own learning tasks, and work autonomously.

Open-ended teacher questioningThere are a number of possible 'right' answers, so that more students answer each cue.

© Cambridge University Press 1996



Task 7 – Interaction and Activities

Look at the following list of activities that students might do in the classroom on their own. Decide what interaction pattern would be most effective for each one and mark them as follows:

P = pair workG = group workI = individual workW = whole class – teacher led

1. doing coursebook grammar exercise2. doing coursebook vocabulary exercise3. reading comprehension4. answering comprehension questions5. preparing arguments for a discussion6. writing dialogues7. brainstorming a lexical field8. doing a revision test9. talking about topics of personal interest10. using a dictionary to research vocabulary11. drilling to improve pronunciation12. role playing a situation

Adapted from Parrott (1993)

Commentary on Task 7 – interaction and activities

These are only suggestions and you might have good reasons for saying otherwise – why not share your ideas with your colleagues on the ICELT website forum?

1. doing coursebook grammar exercise P 2. doing coursebook vocabulary exercise P3. reading comprehension I4. answering comprehension questions P G 5. preparing arguments for a discussion G6. writing dialogues P7. brainstorming a lexical field W G 8. doing a revision test G9. talking about topics of personal interest P G W I (?)10.using a dictionary to research vocabulary P G 11. repetition to improve pronunciation W I 12. role playing a situation P



Classroom ResearchInvestigating students’ attitudes to different interaction patterns.

This task is designed to help you learn more about your learners’ attitude to different patterns of interaction in the classroom.

Devise a very brief questionnaire (maximum five items) to help you discover the attitude of your students towards aspects of different interaction patterns.

You might ask questions to see how the nature of the activity affects students’ preference (see example).

You might compare the responses of different levels or age groups by giving the questionnaire to different groups.

Example:Indicate your preference by marking as follows:

1 = I don’t like this 2 = I quite like this 3 = I like this a lot

In class you sometimes work:- on your own (e.g. silent reading)- with the whole class (e.g. listening to the teacher)- with one other student- with other students in a small group

When you work on a grammar exercise from the book do you like:- working on your own- working with one other student- working with other students in a small group

etcAdapted from Parrott (1993)

When you have collected the data, post your result on the ICELT website forum.



Peer Observation Task

During the course you are required to observe your peers or other ELT professional on a minimum of eight times. This is an essential part of the course and an essential part of your portfolio of assessed work that you submit to Cambridge ESOL at the end of the course. If you do not have at least eight completed observation tasks and observation reports in your portfolio when you submit it, a certificate will not be issued by Cambridge ESOL.

Observing your peers or other teachers is an opportunity to reflect on and learn about both your own teaching and that of others. "Being in the classroom as an observer opens up a range of experiences and processes which can become part of the raw material of a teacher's professional growth." (Wajnryb, 1992.)

You should always approach these observations with a clear purpose in mind and in order to help with this we have provided specific observation focus tasks.

This task requires you to gather data while observing and then you will need to reflect on the data you have and evaluate it in terms of you own professional development. There are three stages:

Pre observation Arrange a mutually convenient time with a colleague If possible discuss the lesson with the teacher Read the appropriate ICELT observation task and do the task suggested on it

The observation Gather the data as indicated on the observation task

Post observation If possible discuss the data you have gathered with the teacher Write a short observation report form Place the originals of the completed observation task and the observation report in

your candidate portfolio. Enter the details on your ICELT/5 form. Observations must be recorded

chronologically on ICELT/5.



PEER OBSERVATION TASK 2: Patterns of Interaction (from Wajnryb, 1992)

Name of Observer: Class:

Date: Time:

Teacher’s signature:

Introduction:In this task you are asked to note down the interaction patterns you observe in a class. For example, who talks to whom, who questions, who responds etc.

Before the lesson:Familiarise yourself with Figure 6.1 – next page (Taken form Wajryb, 1992 and based on Woodward, 1991)

During the lesson:1. Draw up a seating plan and either include the students’ names or number

each position. This means that if students move from their seat during the lesson, their interactions can still be plotted on the diagram.

2. Lines are drawn between the names of the people who are talking to each other. Decide on symbols to represent different kinds of interaction: for example, a small arrowhead can be used to indicate a direct question to a particular person.

3. Start by making one type of interaction. As you develop skill, work out symbols for other kinds of interaction patterns and plot them.

For example:Place and X nest to the teacher when the question asked is open or undirected, e.g. “Does anyone know …..?” “Who can tell me ……..?”

Teacher XXX

Place a slash on the line when a student volunteers a response unprompted, e.g. Paul to teacher________________________________

Students interacting in pairs as directed, e.g. Jaime and Jorge_______________________________

Students interacting without being directed, e.g. Diana and Sonia

_____

Questions asked by students, e.g. Sonia to teacher ?



Learning Journal:

Look at the post observation reflection tasks in Wajnryb, 1992 – pages 108 - 109


TEACHERXXX

Paulo Jaime Jorge Diana Sonia

?

Figure 6.1

16


Peer Observation REPORT: Patterns of Interaction

Observer ……………………………….. Candidate number ………………………

Date of observation …………………… Level of class ……………………………

You should write between 100 and 200 words.This piece of writing is not assessed but it is an essential part of your portfolio.Use the following notes to help you evaluate the observation in terms of you own professional development.Continue on the other side of this page if necessary

Do any overall patterns emerge? Using this observed lesson as a mirror of your own teaching, what comments can you make about patterns of communication that happen in your classes? If there is anything you would want to change? How could you do so?

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This report should be kept in your candidate portfolio



Section 2

Writing Lesson Plans for ICELT

Below you will find notes about the second component of assessment on ICELT – teaching and also the assessment criteria for this component. Read these carefully now so that you are aware of what is expected of you.

Component Two – Teaching

You will teach a minimum of four lessons supervised and assessed by a tutor. At least three of these lessons must be with classes of a size that is considered normal in local conditions.For each lesson you must provide:

A lesson plan which: Specifies the aims and learning objectives and states any important assumptions of

prior knowledge needed for the achievement of aims Describes the procedures planned Includes a description of the language item/skill which the lesson focuses on Is accompanied by sourced copies of the materials to be used

A rationale which Includes a brief profile of the learners and outlines their linguistic and affective needs Explains how the needs of the learners relates to the aims and objectives of the

lesson Provides a clear analysis of any anticipated problems and possible anticipated

solutions

A post lesson evaluationAfter the lesson, you should evaluate your lesson in discussion with your tutor, formulate action points for on-going development and provide a brief written summary of the discussion and the action points



Component Two – Teaching: Assessment Criteria

At PASS level, the candidate can:

1 Lesson Planning a) identify learning objectives appropriate to the needs, age and ability level of the groupb) select and/or adapt materials and/or activities suitable for the learning the learners and the

lesson objectives including, where appropriate, stories, art, music, investigations outside the classroom

c) assign realistic timing to the stages in the lesson d) include an appropriate variety of activity, interaction and pacee) anticipate potential difficulties with language and activitiesf) present plans in language which is clear , accurate (including the appropriate use of

terminology) and easy-to-readg) present materials for classroom use with a professional appearance and regard for

copyright requirements

2 Classroom teaching skillsa) use clear, generally accurate and appropriate language for all aspects of classroom

teaching. b) establish rapportc) foster a constructive and safe learning environment taking into account appropriate learner

and teacher rolesd) set up and manage a range of classroom eventse) maintain discipline, showing sensitivity to individual needsf) maintain learners’ interest and involvement g) teach in a way that encourages the development of learner autonomyh) teach language items effectivelyi) convey the meaning of new language with clear and appropriate context and check

learners' understanding of itj) help learners develop language accuracyk) monitor learners’ language performance and give appropriate feedbackl) identify errors and sensitively correct learners’ oral and written language when and where

appropriatem) make appropriate use of learners’ first or other languagesn) teach language skills appropriately and effectively including literacy where relevanto) help learners develop language fluencyp) use appropriate aids , materials and resources (including the board) effectivelyq) adopt plans and activities appropriately in response to the learners and to classroom

contingenciesr) achieve learning objectives

3 Lesson evaluationa) reflect critically on their plan and their teaching b) review and adapt their practice in the light of this reflection and of the views of tutors,

colleagues and learnersc) set targets for on-going development and where appropriate the next assessed lesson



At MERIT level, the candidate can meet all of the above criteria. In addition classroom performance will give strong and consistent evidence of all-round effectiveness as a classroom practitioner, in terms of qualities such as flexibility, organizational ability, independence of judgement, confidence, rapport with students and support for learning.

At DISTINCTION level, the candidate can meet all the above criteria. In addition, there will be consistent evidence of exceptional ability in terms of the following:

a. breadth of knowledgeb. depth of knowledgec. insight into learners and learning

A few rules to begin with!

Always use black ink when writing your lesson plan – pencil is not acceptable Make sure you complete each section Make sure the administrative information is accurate Give the lesson plan and all attachments to your observer before the lesson The original lesson plan must be kept in your portfolio

The ICELT Lesson Plan Form

You’ll find a blank ICELT lesson plan form on pages 21 - 24

Look at the lesson plan form carefully

Following that you’ll find guidance on completing the ICELT lesson plan form



ICELT LESSON PLAN FORM

Name of teacher: Candidate Number:

Institution:

Date of Observation: DAY MONTH YEAR ________ ________ ________

Time of observation Length of class __________________ ______________

Class/grade: Room:

Number of students: Average age of Students:

Number of years of English study (students):

Level of students (please circle)

Elementary Intermediate Advanced

Lesson Number (please circle)

1 2 3 4Observer:

Aims:

Personal aims:



Assumed knowledge:

Description of language item / skill

Materials :(please include source and attach all materials)



Rationale part 1: Profile of the learners 1. Describe ages and language level of the learners in the group you are going to

teach2. Outline the learners’ linguistic and affective needs 3. Explain how the aims of the lesson are related to learners’ needs outlined in 2

above.

Rationale part 2: Anticipated problems

Anticipated problems Planned solutions



Stage Aim ProcedureTeacher and student activity

Time and interacti

on

Tutor’s comments



Guidance on completing the ICELT Lesson Plan Form

Administrative Information

The first part of the lesson plan form contains essential administrative information - please make sure this is completed accurately

Name Please write your first name and surname in BLOCK CAPITALS here

Candidate number You will be given a candidate number, which you should quote on all assignments and write here.

Institution Please write the institution name and address here in BLOCK CAPITALS

Date Write this in the order indicated e.g. 02 06 04 = 2nd June 2004

Time Write the time that the observation starts and finishes e.g. 09.40 to 10.30

Length The observation should last between 40 and 60 minutes – please indicate the length here

Class / Grade Write here the class name or grade e.g. grade 10 A

Room Please indicate the room which the observer should go to

Number of Students Write how many students you expect there to be in the class – remember each observation should be with class sizes which are normal in your context

Age of students What is the average age of the students in the class?

Years of English study You should indicate approximately how many years students have been studying English. E.g. if you are teaching fourth grade and students begin studying English in third grade, you should write one year here. If you are teaching fourth semester and students begin studying English in first semester, you should write one year here

Level You must indicate level using the descriptions on the form. If the class is described as pre-intermediate by your institution you circle ELEMENTARY

Lesson number Circle the lesson number here. If you have been referred on lesson two and this is a repeat of lesson two, you should circle 2

Observer Write the name of the observer.



Aims

Aims You may usually refer to aims as something different, for example learning objectives, learning goals etc. We shall use the term ‘aims’ on this course. You may want to break your aims down into main aims and secondary or subsidiary aims.

Personal aims this does not refer to what you want the learners to achieve or learn during the lesson but what you want to achieve personally in your teaching. For example, if you have been working on checking instructions effectively – this might be your personal aim for the lesson. This might be related to your action points from your last observed lesson.

Generally, when we teach we go into the classroom with some idea of what we want to achieve. For assessed lessons, the observer will pay a great deal of attention to your stated aims and whether or not these are achieved. (see assessment criteria 2 r). It is therefore vital to express these aims or learning objectives as clearly as possible.

To start you should be clear about the difference between aims and activities and personal aims.

Task 8 – Aims, Activities and Personal Teaching Aims.

Divide the following into: A. Lesson aims (or learning objectives – what you hope the learners to achieve (or learn) during the lesson)B. Personal teaching aims (a feature of your teaching that you want to improve)C. Activities – a means of achieving learning objectives

1. to do a role play of a job interview2. By the end of the lesson the learners will have understood the meaning of eight verb

collocations with money (save, spend (on), waste, owe, invest (in), give away, earn, make) and they will have had the opportunity to use these in a restricted and more authentic way.

3. To try to keep more closely to estimated timings by quickening the pace, particularly during the language clarification stage.

4. To do an information gap activity where learners ask about each other’s daily routines and then give feedback on these

5. To do the reading on page 132 of the coursebook and then go onto to a discussion based on it

6. To keep instructions clear and well staged. Particularly to avoid repeating and rephrasing each instruction and giving them all at once

7. To teach ‘going to’ for future plans8. By the end of the lesson the students will be better able to give a short talk about their

hobby and what it involves



Commentary to task 3 – Aims and ActivitiesA. Lesson aims (or learning objectives – what you hope the learners will achieve (or learn) during the lesson)2, 7 and 8 B. Personal teaching aims (a feature of your teaching that you want to improve)3 and 6 C. Activities – a means of achieving learning objectives1, 4 and 5 are activities

It is very important that you are aware of the differences here in order to write effective aims.

Task 9 – Improving Aims

Look at the three lesson aims form task 3 again (2, 7 and 8) and decide:

Which ones are clearly expressed and why? Which ones could be more clearly expressed and why?

Commentary to Task 4 – Improving Aims

Aim 2By the end of the lesson the learners will have understood the meaning of eight verb collocations with money (save, spend (on), waste, owe, invest (in), give away, earn, make) and they will have had the opportunity to use these in a restricted and more authentic way.

This is clear in some respects: we know that it is a lesson about vocabulary and we know exactly what the vocabulary is and that the learners will be practising it. It is also expressed in terms of outcomes for the learners (By the end of the lesson, the learners will…). However we don’t know whether the practice is going to be written or spoken and it would also be useful to know more about the context in which they will be practising. Will they be relating it to their personal experiences or writing a story using the collocations for example?

Aim 7To teach ‘going to’ for future plans

This is not satisfactory at all. It doesn’t tell us which use and which forms of ‘going to’ are going to be practised (affirmative statements, WH question forms etc). There is no indication of the learner outcomes: Will they be able to use the target form or just understand it? Will they be expected to write it or use the spoken form? What context will they be using it in? It would be almost impossible for an observer to assess whether the aim has been achieved here – the observer would have to conclude that it had not!



We might rewrite the aim in the following way for a group of elementary level teenagers:

By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to ask and answer about their plans for the weekend using ‘be going to + verb’(WH and yes/no questions forms, short answers, positive and negative statements, first and second person singular)

Aim 8By the end of the lesson the students will be better able to give a short talk about their hobby and what it involves

This again is rather wide in scope and needs to be more focussed. It is clear that the learners will be speaking, but how does the teacher intend to help them to ‘better able to’ do the task? We might rewrite this aim to include more important information as follows: By the end of the lesson, the learners will be better able to give a short talk about their hobby and what it involves:This will be done by:1. Focussing on and practising fixed expressions (I really enjoy .., I have been …. For - see

Handout 1 for full list)2. Raising awareness of and practising the division of the presentation into ‘chunks’ and using

rising then falling intonation to show whether an utterance is unfinished or finished.

It is clear from the examples in Task 4 that it is usually more effective to try to write aims from the learners’ point of view.

REMEMBER

Lesson aims need to: Be written from the learners’ point of view Focus on learner achievement (preferably in the real world) Be precise (e.g. Which forms of the verb?, which meaning?, which listening

subskill?, which text type / genre?) Be prioritized (and differentiated between main and secondary aims) Be aims NOT activities Be achievable and realistic, but also challenging

If you are having problems expressing your aims, you might find it helpful to ask yourself these questions:

What is it that learners will be able to do better by the end of the lesson that they couldn’t do at the beginning?

What language will they be using? What skills will they be practising? What is the context?

You will probably have only one main aim, but you may have several secondary aims.



Task 10 – Writing Aims

Look at the examples of aims below. In each pair of aims a) is badly written and b) is better written.

For each pair of aims list the factors that makes b) better written than a)

1. a) to present and practise the present perfectb) By the end of the lesson, learners will have asked / answered about their experiences. This will be done by: Introducing and practising the present perfect simple (second person singular ‘yes/no’

question form – e.g. Have you ever been to Rome?) contrasting this briefly with the past simple used when a definite time is given (e.g. Yes, I

was there last year) giving controlled and freer spoken practice of this

2. a) to practise writing passives of all tensesb) By the end of the lesson, learners will have improved their writing of objective scientific reports by: identifying the overall organization of a typical report (see coursebook p 127 – appendix

1) identifying the prevalent use of passives in such reports doing restricted practice in writing a parallel text

3. a) to introduce and practise the language for shopping and complaintsb) By the end of the lesson, learners will be better able to participate in a semi-formal conversation in shops to complain about goods They will have been introduced to and practised 7 lexical items/phrases to describe

problems with goods (it’s shrunk, the colours ran, it doesn’t work, it’s scratched, it’s got a mark/stain on it, it’s got a hole in it, it’s torn)

They will become more accurate and confident in using phrases they have previously learnt for making requests (I’d like a refund, could I speak to the manager, could you exchange it?)

They will become more aware of the typical discourse patterns of a transactional exchange on this type (greeting – narrative – request – request for further information – conclusion) through listening to an example

4. a) to develop students’ ability to understand conversationsb) Main: By the end of the lesson, learners will have become more confident about their listening skills by being shown that they can infer and pick out key information from an informal, conversation (much of which they will not understand) by identifying the prominent or stressed words and by being given practice in thisSecondary: learners will have revised lexical phrases to ask for clarification (e.g. I’m sorry I didn’t catch that, Could you say that again, please)

5. a) to improve learner autonomy



b) Main: By the end of the lesson, learners will be more independent by being shown how to use dictionaries to discover the connotation of words and by being given practice in identifying connotationsSecondary: By the end of the lesson, learners will have activated some of the vocabulary (personality adjectives) by talking about their own personalities.

Assumed knowledge

In this section you should state:

Language: what language (you assume) the learners already know which is necessary in order to achieve your aims.

Look at aim 1 b from task 5 above:

By the end of the lesson, learners will have asked / answered about their experiences. This will be done by: Introducing and practising the present perfect simple (second person singular

‘yes/no’ question form – e.g. Have you ever been to Rome?) contrasting this briefly with the past simple used when a definite time is given

(e.g. Yes, I was there last year) giving controlled and freer spoken practice of this

If this were my aim I might assume that learners: Are aware of the use of past simple for actions at a specified time in the past Can use the past simple reasonably well Are familiar with the past participle form of verbs (regular and irregular)

Skills: the level of ability learners have with skills and / or subskills which will help with the skills work in the lesson

For example, in the example here I might assume thatLearners are able to ask for and respond to and give personal information using past simple, present simple and ‘going to’



Description of Language item / skill

Here you need to briefly describe the language item or skill.

Look at aim 1 b from task 5 above:

By the end of the lesson, learners will have asked / answered about their experiences. This will be done by: Introducing and practising the present perfect simple (second person singular

‘yes/no’ question form – e.g. Have you ever been to Rome?) contrasting this briefly with the past simple used when a definite time is given

(e.g. Yes, I was there last year) giving controlled and freer spoken practice of this

For this lesson this section might look like this:

MeaningTo express an action in the past that is not specified by timeIt is a good idea to include here (or in your lesson plan procedure) how you are going to check that students understand the meaning. FormHAVE SUBJECT (ever) PAST PARTICIPLE …………..

(second person singular)Have you ever been to Rome?

Pronunciation Have you ever been to Rome?

UseTo ask about experiences. (the distance unit on language awareness will help you to do this better)

Look at aim 1 b from task 5 above:By the end of the lesson, learners will have improved their writing of objective scientific reports by: identifying the overall organization of a typical report (see coursebook p 127 –

appendix 1) identifying the prevalent use of passives in such reports



doing restricted practice in writing a parallel text

For this lesson this section might look like this:

Objective scientific reports tend to be formal and impersonal in tone. This tone is often achieved by the use of the passive rather than active verb forms. In general, since these describe processes the organization of the text starts at the beginning of the process and follows the process. There is often a very brief introduction and conclusion. These reports are also charactised by precision of detail (e.g. 40 days rather than just over a month). They also conform to other aspects of formal writing such as the avoidance of contractions and colloquial language.

Materials

In this section you should list the following List any published materials that you are going to use in the lesson. You

should always acknowledge (source) the author (s), the date of publication, the title, the publisher, and page reference.

For example, Soars, Liz and John. 2000. New Headway Pre-intermediate Student Book. Oxford University Press. P 122. Remember that you should respect copyright law. Make sure you attach a clearly labelled and sourced copy to your plan. Include a reference to and copy of any other worksheets or overhead

transparencies you are gong to use. If you have a number of worksheets you should number them and refer to these numbers in your lesson plan procedure. It is also strongly recommended that you supply a completed version of any worksheets. This will help you to check for accuracy and help the observer to see what you expect.

List any tapes, videos, visual aids or realia you intend to use. (you needn’t attach copies of these!)



The next two sections form your rationale for the lesson:

Profile of Learners Very briefly describe the course (length, frequency of classes, time and

length of lessons, course materials being used etc) You should give a brief description of the class (any skills discrepancies

within the group, issues with group dynamics, discipline etc) and outline what their needs are. You can refer to what you have covered on the course so far here – but only if it is relevant! You might also mention how you will be consolidating work in this lesson in the future – again make sure this is relevant to the lesson.

any individuals in the class who are worthy of special comment (particularly strong or weak students, learning difficulties, discipline problems, attitude, learning style etc).

It is very important to explain how the lesson (content / approach / activities / materials etc relates to the learners’ needs (and learning preferences). You may refer to your reading briefly in this section – make sure that it is relevant.

Anticipated Problems and Planned Solutions

These are problems related to the aims, activities, and materials in this lesson specifically (not general problems with the class– they can be discussed in the section Profile of the Learners). For each problem, you should consider how you are going to deal with it in the lesson. If you think through this section carefully, it will help:

You plan more effectively You feel more confident about dealing with anything that might arise during

the lesson Your observer to see your ability to analyze language systems and skills

It will help you to focus if you go through the following checklist:

Linguistic Problems

MeaningSpecify exactly what part will cause problemsAppropriacyIs there anything that needs pointing out to students (style, formal/informal/ connotation / restrictions to certain social occasions etc.)FormThis could be grammatical form, word order, morphology, associated grammatical patterns (after verbs, conjunctions etc), spelling, punctuation etcPhonologyStress, intonation, sounds, features of connected speech (weak forms, linking) etc. Be specific, for example write any difficult sounds in phonemic script



Effect of SpanishAre there any ‘false friends’ or other confusion relating to Spanish?

Other problemsLevel of skillsIn general, or with certain members of the group there may be very different reading and/or writing speedsSub-skillsAre there any subskills which will be especially challenging for the class (or individuals? (for example, focussing on main ideas in a listening text and ignoring parts that you do not understand)Learning contextLocation, time of day etcLearnersGroup dynamics, discipline etcClassroom managementUnfamiliar activities, complicated tasks

REMEMBER You should be thorough when listing anticipated problems but also

selective. Do not invent unrealistic problems just for the sake of it or to fill the page!

Always focus on your group of learners Always include information about linguistic problems – there are sure to be

some. This is often the area that is neglected! Always write your planned solution for every problem

Task 11 – Anticipating Problems

Look at the following language items and classroom activities. For each one, list the problems you could anticipate and suggest solutions. Remember to refer to your own particular context when doing this.

a) Question tagsb) Fluency work: a discussion on being able to choose the sex of your childrenc) Listening to the news recorded from BBC worldd) Writing a CV for a job with an American company

There are no right answers for this because it depends on the context and group you chose but it would be very useful to discuss your ideas with your colleagues.



The Procedure

When you are writing the procedure for others (the observer and examiners from Cambridge), obviously it must be much more detailed than if you were writing it for yourself. Many teachers just have few brief notes of the main stages of their lesson and can work from that in the classroom – that is not acceptable for an observed lesson on ICELT. The procedure must be clear and logical, legible and, most importantly, the reader should be able to reconstruct your lesson from your plan. This does not mean that you need a word for word script of what is going to happen however! Give enough information so that another competent teacher could easily reconstruct and teach your lesson with your plan. If you prefer to work from brief notes, you can have a simpler plan for yourself.

Stage

Number each stage of the lesson – this is very useful for the observer when commenting on your lesson. You may also wish to give each stage a title such as lead in, presentation etc.

Aim

Each stage of your lesson should have a very clear aim. Once again consider this carefully and make sure you are not confusing aim with either stage or procedure.

Procedure

This should be written in note form and should indicate clearly what the teacher and students are doing at each stage. It is a good idea to include here how you intend to check students’ understanding of new language (completed timelines, concept questions etc) – this both ensures that you think this through at the planning stage and also demonstrates to the observer that you have done so. It is also a good idea to draw a small board plan (either here or attached) – again this ensures that you think this through at the planning stage.

Time and interaction

Time: Indicate the amount of time you intend to spend on each stage / activity in the lesson. Be realistic about this – you should have some idea of how long your students will take to do particular things – so don’t rush them and ensure that they have thinking time when necessary. Often your timing reflects what you perceive as important so you need to make appropriate decisions about this. Of course, timing can go wrong and you need to be flexible in the lesson to make sure that you are responding to learners’ needs, but the observer needs to see that you have thought about timing and allocated realistic times to different activities / stages.



Allocating times can be one of the most difficult things to do – you might find the following helps with this:

Plan backwards: Start with your main learning outcome and decide how long learners will need for that. Look at the lesson aim (from task 5 above) 6 b) By the end of the lesson, learners will be better able to participate in a semi-formal conversation in shops to complain about goodsYou might decide that you will achieve this through a role play and that you will need 15 minutes for this stage for

Learners to plan role play Learner to perform role play Teacher to give feedback and/or do an error spot:

You then need to decide how to get to that point but remember that the last 15 minutes of the lesson are taken.Cut activities: Make sure everything that you do contributes to your main learning outcome. Be ruthless! Sometimes we are tempted to include a particular warmer because it is so wonderful but forget that this takes 10 minutes of class time! Plan for 50 minutes: (if you are teaching a 60-minute lesson. This gives you the freedom to respond to learners naturally during the lesson.Plan flexi-stages: make it very clear on your plan that these are optional stages and will be ignored if you feel there is no time. You cannot miss stages that are essential to achieving your aims!

Interaction: This will help both you and the observer sees the overall balance of the lesson in terms learner-learner and teacher-learner focus. You may use these simple abbreviationsT – S teacher to individual studentT – SS teacher to the class PW pairworkGW 4 groups of 4S – S open pair work etc



Classroom ResearchInvestigating timing of different activities.

This should help you to plan timing better and be more realistic about how long activities take.

Write a detailed lesson plan and teach the lesson. During the lesson write down the actual time on each occasion that you change an activity of begin a new stage of the plan (you could invite a colleague to observe the lesson and ask him or her to do this for you)

You should leave the last column Tutor’s comments empty!

Task 12 – Evaluating Lesson Plans

Read through the following lesson plan and in light of what you have studied in this unit and the assessment criteria evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.

Please note: all names have been changed



Name of teacher: Mary Brown Candidate

Number: 03

Institution: Collegio Queen Elizabeth

Date of Observation: DAY MONTH YEAR

11 09 03

Time of observation Length of class

12.15 – 1.00 45 mins

Class/grade: 1A Room: 201

Number of students: 28 Average age of Students: 9 years

Number of years of English study (students):

2 years

Level of students (please circle)

( Elementary ) Intermediate Advanced

Lesson Number (please circle)

1 2 3 ( 4 )Observer: Michael

Aims:

By the end of the lesson students will be able to: Give each other instructions on how to arrange people

and furniture in a given room of a house Describe the position of items in each room Use cuisinaire rods to organise the contents of the room

following directions given by a peer

Personal aims:

Provide a balance of interaction patterns with maximum participationExplore the use of cuisinaire rods in the language classroomTo manage excess noise / excitement

Assumed knowledge:

Ss are aware of basic prepositions of placeMost of the lexis will be familiarSs are aware of use and form of present continuous



Description of language item / skill

Ss will give each other instructions on how to organise a representation of a room using cuisinaire rods. They will use example sentences with the previously learned vocabulary, prepositions of place family members.

Materials :(please include source and attach all materials)

dolls house and dollscuisinaire rodswall posters ( reminder of cuisinaire rod equivalentsworksheet used by students to give instructions (attachedfloor mat depicting rooms of a house

Profile of learners: describe ages and language level outline linguistic and affective needs explain how learners’ needs relate to aims of the lesson

This class is a group of 28 children. They are elementary level. Three children are functioning slightly below the class level.There is one child who requires special support and materials (he is just beginning to read in L1). He is also very shy and reluctant to participate orally.They enjoy working in groups and benefit from the use of concrete materials as well as other means of visual support.They need practice using the vocabulary learned in the previous lesson to form complete utterances to communicate.

Anticipated problems

Ss might have problems remembering the value of each cuisinaire rod

Ss might find it difficult to use the cuisinaire rods in their current seating arrangement (semi circle)

Planned solutions

There will be wall posters of the equivalents

I will arrange the tables so that two Ss face each other



Ss might have difficulties understanding instructions

Distribution of the rods might cause confusion and lead to indiscipline

T will give short clear instructions and will demonstrate each step

Enough rods will be placed in envelopes so that the activity can be set up quickly



Stage Aim ProcedureTeacher and student activity

Time and interacti

on

Tutor’s comments

1. lead in

2. review

3. controlled oral practice4.demonstration

5. Freer oral practice

6 follow up or homework

Review/ recylce vocabulary

Recycle vocab /language needed for main task

Develop pron on TL

Pre-teach use and equivalents Personalise topic

Develop fluency

Provide an easy quiet task after the intensive practice

Hangman on board. T elicit learned vocabulary (family members, furniture, parts of house

With doll’s house T and Ss will place the dolls in different rooms and positions T asks “Where do you think the sister is?” T places doll where Ss say. Drill sentences eg “mother is in the kitchen

Using rods. T dems how to build her room and place people and furniture.Ss lead her into placing dolls and furniture in each room (rods)Ss in pairs take a picture of a room with a few objects and people in it and will describe it to partner whos eill have to build it using cuisinaire rodsThen swap and vice versaSs draw a picture of their own bedroomIf time in the classroom or homework

T- Ss5 mins

T – SS10 – 15 mins”

T – Ss3 mins

T – SS5 mins

PW20 mins

Indvidual

How many items?



Commentary on Task 12

StrengthsThe administrative information is complete and accurate.The lesson aims are clear and seem appropriate for this age. They are written from the learners' point of view so they are easily measurable when observing.The personal aims are useful and valid.The procedure is mostly clear.Timing for activities is mostly realistic.There is a variety of interaction patterns and the teacher has planned a learner-centred lesson.

WeaknessesAssumed knowledge - this could be more detailed, for example which prepositions do learners know. It is rather vague.Description of language item / skill - this is inadequate. It does not describe either the language or the skills being used and needs more work.Profile of learners - this should be more detailed in places although it does give a fairly good description of some individual differences within the group.Anticipated problems - the teacher has not listed any linguistic problems at all and this surely is necessary in a language lesson.

Making use of your lesson plan

Once you have produced your lesson plan, it is worth considering how to use it in the classroom. Clearly you do not want to follow it slavishly not will you want to diverge from it totally in class – if you do you will not achieve your stated aims! Having thoroughly planned your lesson, anticipated problems, considered timings etc, the key word is flexibility. You should always put the learners first and deal with unexpected learning difficulties that arise. This shows that you are responding to your learners and you will be given credit for this. For example, if learners have not understood new language it is better to go back and clarify for them. If they do not understand what to do in a pairwork activity, it is better to stop the activity and repeat the instructions.

As a teacher you have to make many decisions while executing the lesson. You must be sensitive to the learners and their difficulties and demonstrate your ability to respond appropriately. If this means that you cannot follow your lesson plan exactly then explain why you changed it in your post lesson evaluation. On this point Scrivener (1994) says ‘Prepare thoroughly. But in class, teach the learners – not the plan.”

It is unlikely that you will spend so much time or effort planning lessons once the course has finished. However, we believe that the rigorous and disciplined approach you need to adopt when lesson planning for assessed teaching and assignments on the ICELT course will be of enormous long-term benefit.



Post lesson self-evaluation

After you have taught the lesson your tutor will discuss it with you briefly and then you must write an evaluation of no more than 500 words. This is an essential part of your portfolio and you should do it as soon after the lesson as possible. Look again at the criteria for this

At PASS level, the candidate can:

Lesson evaluationa) reflect critically on their plan and their teaching b) review and adapt their practice in the light of this reflection and of the views of tutors,

colleagues and learnersc) set targets for on-going development and, where appropriate, the next assessed lesson

As a teacher, this is a very valuable activity and may be one of the most useful parts of the course for you because it:

Provides a reflection stage which is necessary in any experiential learning Helps you improve your self-evaluation skills Puts you in control of the evaluation process Acts as a record of your learning and development Enables you to draw conclusions and to set yourself new goals Helps you to find simple practical ways to develop your teaching skills

Your evaluation should not be simply a transcription of the conversation with your tutor directly after the lesson. That is an opportunity to talk through initial impressions – but both you and your tutor will need to reflect on the lesson more fully after some time has elapsed. If you keep a journal during the course, you may wish to write about the lesson in there and you can include as much detail as you like in the journal. However, when you write the evaluation that you hand in it is important to prioristise and pick out the most important points from the lesson.

When writing the self-evaluation try to be objective and to put things in proportion. Comment positively and critically – make sure that your critical comments are constructive though. If something went wrong in the lesson, try to work out why and how you could do it another way to avoid the problem. If part of your lesson went very well, say so but identify why.

Start by giving an overall evaluation of the lesson – was the lesson, in general, effective or not and why. Don’t go through the whole lesson – it is not necessary to comment on every stage of the lesson.

It is much clearer for the reader if you use bullet points and/or headings rather than continuous prose. This also helps you to focus and prioritise so that you mention the



most important strengths and weaknesses. You must avoid simply describing what happened – you must analyse and account for strengths and weaknesses.

Consider both planning and teaching when commenting on strengths and weakness. You can also refer to your reading on the course.

You can decide on what framework you will use for the self-evaluation but we strongly advise you to follow the guidelines suggested here as this will ensure that you are reflecting effectively.

When writing your self-evaluation think of/answer the following questions:

1. What went well?1.1 Why?1.2 How do you know? (give evidence from the lesson, students

production, class atmosphere, etc.)

2. What didn’t go so well?2.1 Why?2.2 How do you know? (give evidence)

3. What were your lesson objectives?3.1 Have they been achieved?3.2 How do you know? (give evidence from the lesson)

4. What were your personal/professional aims?4.1 Have they been achieved?4.2 Give evidence or justify.

5. What would you do differently if you were to teach this lesson again, if anything at all?5.1 Why?

6. In view of your learning experience in this lesson, and your observation of your students, what will your next steps be, what will you do in the next lesson. (your action plan)

Your action plan should contain small-scale, realistic and measurable points. You should say how you are going to achieve these goals. For example, you can name or describe specific strategies, activities, techniques or research.



Task 13 – Writing Action Points

Look at the following action points – none of them is acceptable. How could they be improved?

1. I am going to improve my instructions2. I’m going to give my students more control.3. I’m going to think of drilling more.4. I’m going to be more careful with my timing.

Example:1. I am going to record a lesson next week and investigate why students do not seem to

understand my instructions. I am going to experiment with scripting my instruction in my lesson plan and rehearsing them with a colleague before the lesson.

Commentary on task 13

1. I am going to record a lesson next week and investigate why students do not seem to understand my instructions. I am going to experiment with scripting my instruction on my lesson plan and rehearsing them with a colleague before the lesson.

2. I feel insecure if my lesson is not planned in great detail and sometimes this means that I don’t respond to learners. I am going to plan a short section in my next lesson where the learners can ask me what they want to know about the topic of the lesson.

3. I am going to read more about drilling in Learning Teaching by Scrivener and experiment with it in my next lesson.

4. In my next two lessons I am going to write down exactly how long learners take to do different activities. This should help me to be more realistic about timing for activity types when planning lessons.



Section Three

Methodology Assignment Two - Planning Beyond the Lesson

Analyzing the task

Task 3 a

Here is the rubric for the assignment. Read it carefully and underline the key words.

Outline: You are required to teach and evaluate a language-focussed lesson and complete follow up work.Guidelines:

This must be developed from a language focus lesson (not a skills based lesson)

The lesson may be (but need not be) one of your assessed lessons) Sections 1 & 2 below will probably be about the same length Include the original lesson plan and evaluation with this assignment

1. After teaching and reflecting on the lesson, outline your plan for the next three or four lessons and give a rationale for your plan. For your rationale you should consider one or all of the following issues:

a. what extra practice your learners need in order to develop their skill in using the target language from this lesson

b. how could you help them extend their analytical understanding of the target language from this lesson. (NOTE: could be remedial or extension work with the target language)

c. what language development work would you move onto next and give reasons.

NOTE: you are NOT required to give a detailed description of outline practice activities, extension/remedial work or focus on new target language

2. Select one piece of material and/or one classroom activity that you would use to achieve one of these aims (1a, 1b or 1c) in one of your lessons.

a. explain how you would use the material or organise the activity in order to achieve the aim (NOTE: could be presented as a full lesson plan or a written description/rationale or a combination of both)

b. comment on the difficulties that the learners might have with the materials/activity and how you would help them

c. justify your decisions in 2b and 2c.NOTE: You may use published ELT material or materials from another source. The practice or development may be planned for classroom use, homework or self-study. Include a sourced copy of the material used.



Commentary - Task 3 a

Outline: You are required to teach and evaluate a language focussed lesson and complete follow up work.Guidelines:

This must be developed from a language focussed-lesson (not a skills based lesson)

The lesson may be (but need not be) one of your assessed lessons) Sections 1 & 2 below will probably be about the same length Include the original lesson plan and evaluation with this assignment

1 After teaching and reflecting on the lesson, outline your plans for the next three or four lessons and give a rationale for the sequencing you describe. For your rationale you should consider one or all of the following issues:

a. what extra practice your learners need in order to develop their skill in using the target language from the lessonb. how could you help them develop their analytical understanding of the

target language (NOTE: could be remedial or extension work with the target language)

c. what language development work would you move onto next and justify your choice

NOTE: you are NOT required to give a detailed description of outline practice activities, extension/remedial work or focus on new target language

2.Select one piece of material and/or one classroom activity that you would use to achieve one of these aims (1a, 1b or 1c) in one of your lessons.a. explain how you would use the material or organise the activity in order

to achieve the aim (NOTE: could be presented as a full lesson plan or a written description/rationale or a combination of both)

b. comment on the difficulties that the learners might have with the materials/activity and how you would help them

c. justify your decisions in 2a and 2b.NOTE: You may use published ELT material or materials from another source. The practice or development may be planned for classroom use, homework or self-study. Include a sourced copy of the material used.



TASKRead the assessment criteria for this assignment carefully. Remember if you do not meet ALL of the following criteria your assignment cannot be graded PASS.

Assessment Criteria

PASS level assignments will show that the candidate can:

General Assessment Criteria1. complete the assignment as detailed in the Assignment outline

2. present the assignment in language which is sufficiently clear, accurate and easy to read in relation to requirements of ICELT

3. show knowledge and understanding of relevant theory and principles contained in the ICELT syllabus

4. draw on this knowledge and understanding to evaluate their own strengths weaknesses as English teachers, and to draw up justified plans for their own continuing development as ELT practitioners

5. present materials with a professional appearance

6. include acknowledged references to a limited number of appropriate sources relevant to the theme of the assignment. Each assignment should provide evidence of the candidate having read sufficiently to show his/her understanding of the main points of accepted current theory and the ability to relate these points to his/her classroom practice.

Task Specific Assessment Criteria

a) select (or adapt or design) materials/activities appropriate to the learners' needs, their grasp of the previously taught material and the objectives

b) organise activities in logical sequence and describe the rationale behind this ordering

c) shoe an ability to identify potential problems and offer some realistic possible solutions

d) justify planning decisions reached on the basis of evaluation of their own teaching



Planning the structure

Task 3 b

What do you think would be a good structure for this assignment?How many sections do you think there should be in this assignment?Approximately how long will each section be?

Commentary on Task 3b

Here is a suggested structure for this assignment - you are strongly advised to follow it.

1. Assignment Front PageYou must include a British Council ICELT Assignment Front Cover with each assignment you submit. Assignments given in without this will not be marked. These can be downloaded from the ICELT website.

2. Introduction (200 words approximately)Very briefly describe the language focus lesson (the main aim of the lesson MUST NOT be language skills) that you taught. Very briefly say what was successful and why.

3. Further Practice Needed (200 words approximately)Identify one area that your students still need to further practice on

and / orDescribe briefly how you could help your students to develop their analytical knowledge of the target language

and / orDescribe briefly what language development work you would go on to next

NOTE: you may address just one of these points if you like – you do NOT have to cover all these areas

You may include references to your reading in this section

4. The next lessons (300 words approximately)Briefly describe your plans (in relation to 3 above) for the next 3 or 4 lessons.

Explain what your aims.Explain why you have chosen this sequence.

You may include references to you reading in this section.You DO NOT need to include detailed lesson plans in this section.



5. Description of material or activity and how you would use it in the classroom (350 words approximately)

Describe one piece of material or one of the activities (from 4 above) in more detail. Explain why you have chosen it. Explain how you will use the activity / material in the classroomThis must relate to your learners needs that you identified in 3.This must relate to the lesson aims you have outlined on 4.

This section can be presented as a lesson plan or a written description or a combination of both.

6. Learner difficulties and solutions (200 words)Describe potential difficulties your learners may have with the activity / material and how you will help them with these difficulties.

8. Conclusion (150 words approximately)Explain why you have made the planning decisions outlined in this assignment with relation to your evaluation of your own teaching.

8. ReferencesRemember you MUST include references to your reading in order to pass. These should be written in the style described in distance unit 1.

9. AppendicesFor this assignment you must include:

a copy of your original lesson plan (this should be written on the ICELT lesson plan form) and lesson self-evaluation

sourced copies of the material / activity that you have chosen.

Remember to label appendices clearly and make reference to them in the assignment.



Planning ideas

Consider the language-focussed lesson that you have taught. Reflect carefully on the lesson and think about at least one part of structure that you learners need further practice on. This might be using it correctly, form or and pronunciation for example. Make some notes here.

Can you think of a way of developing your learners' knowledge of the language from the lesson you taught? Make notes here.

What language development work would be appropriate to follow this lesson? Make notes here.



Bearing in mind your notes above - outline you plans for the next two or three lessons - make sure there is balance and variety in your lessons.

Now think about one piece of material or an activity that will help you to achieve the aims outlined above. Write you ideas here. Make sure you say WHY you have chosen it.



You need to describe how you are going to use this activity / material in class - make notes on that here.

Think about your learners. What problems might they have with the material / activity you have chosen? What are you going to do to help them with these problems? Write you ideas here.

Learners' difficulties Planned solutions

Drafting



Write a first draft of your assignment. Remember this is the first draft and you can make changes later. Use the notes you have made above and include references to your reading.

EditingNow you need to look at your writing critically. At this stage it is a good idea to show the writing to your peers, especially if there is somebody on your course who you work closely with.

There are three main areas that you need to consider:

1. OrganisationHave you included headings for the different sections? Introduction / Further Practice Needed / The next lessons / Description of the activity/material / Using the material/activity in class / Learner difficulties and solutions / ReferencesHave you paragraphed your writing appropriately?Is your writing coherent and easy to understand?Have you respected the word limit?

2. ContentHave you answered all parts of the task?Have you included evidence for the points you have made?Do the points you have made refer to the areas mentioned in the task guidelines?Have you included references to your reading?

3. LanguageHave you spelled words correctly? Do you need to check any spellings in a dictionary?Have you used correct punctuation?Have you used a wide range of vocabulary?Have you used a mixture of shorter and more complex sentences?Have you linked your ideas appropriately?Is everything you have written clear for the reader or will some things confuse the reader?Have you written in a fairly formal style?

Finally, are you confident that you have addressed all the assessment criteria?



Writing

Having analysed your draft critically - it is time to type your assignment.

Before you write the final draft - look at criteria 5 again

1. Complete the assignment as detailed in the Assignment outline

2. present the assignment in language which is sufficiently clear, accurate and easy to read in relation to the language requirements of ICELT.*

3. show knowledge and understanding of relevant theory and principles contained in the ICELT syllabus

4. draw on this knowledge and understanding to evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses as English teachers, and to draw up justified plans for their continuing development as ELT professionals

5. present materials with a professional appearance

6. include acknowledged references to a number of appropriate sources relevant to the theme of the assignment. Each assignment should provide evidence of the candidate having read sufficiently to show his/her understanding of he main points of accepted current theory and the ability to relate these points to his/her classroom practice

In order to pass this criterion, make sure you do the following:

Complete the BC ICELT assignment front page accurately

Type your assignment (hand-written is NOT acceptable)

Use 12 point font size (and preferably universal or Ariel font)

Use double spacing

Leave an extra line between paragraphs

Use sub headings within you writing to guide the reader

Use LETTER sized paper

Type your name on each page

Insert page numbers

Make sure your references section is complete and follows the standard laid out in this unit

Make sure your appendices are complete and labelled clearly

Include a word count at the end of the assignment before the references section

References:



Maclennan, S. 1987. Integrating lesson planning and class management. In ELT Journal, 41, 3, 193-7

Parrott, M. 1993. Tasks for Language Teachers. Cambridge University Press.

Ur, P. 1991. A Course in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Scrivener, J. 1994. Learning Teaching. Heinemann.

Wajnryb, R. 1992. Classroom Observation Tasks. Cambridge University Press.

Woodward, T. 1991. Models and Metaphors in Language Teacher Training. Cambridge University Press

FEEDBACK on lesson planning unit



1. How long did it take you to work through this unit?

Less than 6 hours About 6 hours X More than 6 hours

2. In general, how did you find the unit?

Good X OK Poor

3. Was the level of the material?

Too challenging About right X Too easy

4. Please assess the overall presentation of the unit.

Good X OK Poor

5. Please assess the clarity of the writing in the unit.

Good OK X Poor 6. Please write any other comments you have here.

This unit requires a great deal of concentration on the part of the candidate. I should

acknowledge the way to plan lessons way it is suggested in this unit is quite

demanding. Apart from this, I don’t understand why this unit contains the guidelines

for a peer observation task that has been already done (patterns of interaction). On

the other hand, it’s been hard for me to find the description and assessment criteria

for the first TP. In fact, I’ve read through the unit several times, and I haven’t been

able to find anything related to this task. It seems to me like there are too many

things in this unit that might confuse the reader at some point.

Thank you for taking time to complete this form.

We appreciate your comments


Documents

06 Lesson Planning[1]