Lesson Planning Guide
Lesson Planning Guide
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behaviors that result in improved student learning. If these behaviors are key to successful language
learning, then teachers must ensure that these behaviors are consciously planned for in each lesson.
This guide provides a framework for thinking about the elements essential to foreign language lesson
plans and guidelines for developing plans that reflect theory and practice in language education today.
Before You Begin
Lessons are parts of a unit. Each unit lasts for a period of time, and each lesson contributes to bringing
the learner to the end goal and objectives for the unit. Most units culminate with some form of
assessment. In the course of the unit, individual lessons each have an objective that is a step toward the
units larger goals. Often, teachers will assess student progress toward the units end goals as part of
each lesson.
Units of instruction are packages of instructional material that are derived from a course syllabus or a
curriculum guide. Depending on the length of the instructional period, a syllabus or curriculum may
have many units. For example, in schools, the instructional period is a year, and a curriculum may have
as few as four units, as many as eight, or even more. In contrast, a one-week summer program may
have just one unit. A school curriculum may cover just one academic year or several years.
For the purposes of this guide, a lesson is defined as a single class session (learning episode) lasting no
more than ninety minutes. Longer blocks of time will involve several learning episodes and lesson
plans.
What Matters in Lesson Planning? Strategies Common to All Disciplines
Effective teachers in all disciplines plan lessons. Much of their planning requires attention to features
of lessons that have been shown to make a difference in student learning, whether the subject is
mathematics, art, or foreign language. Other aspects of lesson planning are discipline-specific.
In this guide, we look at a number of factors teachers consider as they develop lesson plans. First, we
look at those that are common to all disciplines, and then we will look those that are specific to foreign
language instruction. Some factors are organizing principles, some are critical features of effective
lessons, some are teacher behaviors, and some are instructional decisions that reflect student
characteristics. All are important for planning and implementing lessons that lead to student learning.
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The concept of backward design is commonly accepted as an organizing principle in development of
curriculum. It consists of three basic stages:
Stage 1: What should students know and be able to do?
Stage 2: How will students demonstrate what they know and can do?
Stage 3: What activities will students experience to prepare them to demonstrate what
they know and can do?
Backward design planning is found in a growing numbers of curriculum documents and even textbook
materials throughout the United States.
Recently, the idea has emerged that the backward design concept can also serve as an effective
organizing tool for planning lessons, regardless of the subject matter. Backward design allows the
teacher to think clearly about desired outcomes, what students need to know to get to those outcomes,
what the outcomes will actually look like when demonstrated, and what instructional steps are needed
to reach the outcomes. Following these steps of backward design, as outlined in the STARTALK
Lesson Plan Template, allows teachers to think clearly about learning targets and what it will take to
reach them.
Stage 1
Using the STARTALK Lesson Plan Template, the teacher must first think about two things: (1) what
will students be able to do at the end of this lesson, and (2) what must they know in order to do that?
Since lessons occur within a unit context, everything the teacher includes in the lesson plan is housed
under the umbrella of the units theme, learning targets, and knowledge base. This means that the
learning targets for a particular lesson can come directly from the unit plan or may need to be
unpacked to include a number of subtargets that are in service to a bigger, more inclusive target.
However the teacher arrives at the focus of the lesson, the target(s) should be attainable within the
scope of the lessons available time, and they should be stated in student-friendly language. Learning
targets that speak to the needs and interests of students are more likely to capture their energy and
commitment.
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Stage 2
How will we know that students can do what we targeted as the lessons objectives? How will they
know that they can do what was targeted? The only way teachers will know if the learning targets have
been hit is if students show what they have learned to do.
Lessons are parts of units. How we assess students at the end of a lesson may be different from how we
assess students at the end of a unit. During the course of each lesson, the teachers job is to determine if
students have met the target of the lesson and also monitor progress toward the goals and objectives of
the whole unit. Therefore, the teacher needs to know whether or not the students can do what was
targeted. The concluding activity of the lesson may accomplish this task for the teacher. Alternatively,
the teacher may ask students to prepare an exit slip that provides the necessary information. Simply
put, Stage 2 of the lesson plan is that all-important opportunity for the teacher to see if the students
were able to achieve the lessons intent and if modifications are needed for the next day. Additionally,
this part of the lesson is a chance for students to recognize what they can do now that they couldnt do
at the start of the lesson as well as demonstrate to them that they are using language that has
meaningful purpose in the real world. Checking for student learning does not need to take a long time,
nor does it not to be a complicated process.
Here is an example of Stage 2 for a lesson plan:
Stage 1: What will students be able to do at the end of this lesson?
You will be able to figure out and tell someone how to use the public transportation system in Beijing
to get from one part of the city to another.
Stage 2: How will students show what they know and can do?
As a closing activity, students will give the teacher directions* on how to get from Point A to Point B
using the Beijing public transportation system.
*Students may text, e-mail, or handwrite this information to give it to the teacher.
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Stage 3
Deciding which activities will enable students to demonstrate the lessons learning target and the order
in which they will unfold is the heart and soul of Stage 3 in the backward design lesson planning
process. Historically, this aspect of instructional design is what has constituted lesson planning for most
teachers. In this process, however, its connection to carefully thought-out learning objectives better
insures that everything the teacher and students do during the lesson is (1) connected, (2) has a clear
purpose, and (3) advances the learning goals.
As teachers start to plan activities that will enable students to meet the learning targets identified in
Stage 1, following the process below can go a long way towards ensuring that the lesson plan will lead
to the desired results.
Step 1: Brainstorming
In considering the activities for Stage 3 of the lesson plan, ask yourself these questions:
What are two or three ways that might work for achieving the learning target(s)?
What do I like and not like about each of those possibilities?
What do I know about learning in general and language learning in particular that leads me to
believe that these activities will be effective?
Step 2: Asking Some Tough Questions
Once teachers have narrowed down their choices based on answers to the above questions, some
additional questions must be considered. Do the activities you have selected do the following:
Give students a reason for needing to or wanting to pay attention and be on-task
Provide students with an authentic (real world) purpose for using language
Make the learnernot the teacherthe active participant
Engage all students as opposed to just one or two at a time
Provide sufficient opportunities for input before expecting output
Provide multiple, varied opportunities for students to hear new words and expressions in highly
visualized contexts that make meaning transparent
Represent the best use of instructional time
Take an appropriate amount of time considering the age of the learner
Include enough variety to enable a lively pace for the lesson
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Vary in the level of intensity and physical movement from one to the next
Step 3: Putting It All Together Into a Teaching Plan
To help teachers navigate through the process of designing lessons that focus on achieving the learning
targets set out in Stage 1, use of the Stage 3 Lesson Plan Organizer might prove useful, at least in the
initial stages of conceptualizing a backward design lesson plan process.
The organizer leads teachers through a process in which they determine
which learning target or objective the activity addresses,
a name or tag for the activity,
if the activity involves presentation or practice of new material or previously introduced content,
why the activity is being placed in a particular spot,
who is doing the activity (teachers or students),
how much time will be set aside for the activity,
which mode the activity addresses (interpersonal, interpretive, or presentational),
which of the four skills it practices (listening, speaking, reading, or writing), and
the discourse level the activity requires (words, sentences, or paragraphs).
Clearly, no teacher would have the time to complete such an organizer for every lesson that they
design. The purpose, therefore, of the organizerand of all of the process steps laid out for Stage 3is
to initially lead teachers through a thought process that eventually becomes second nature as they think
through determining the activities of the actual lesson plan.
Earlier in this document, a number of lesson features and instructional strategies that are generally
accepted within the field of education were set forth that should always be considered in designing
lessons. More information about these concepts can be found in Appendix A. These elements should
always be envisioned as overarching the lesson design process.
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Further Reading
Brookhart, S. M. (2008). How to give effective feedback to your students. Alexandria, VA:
ASCD.
Council of Chief State School Officers. (2008). Attributes of effective formative assessment.
Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers. Available at
http://www.nycomprehensivecenter.org/docs/form_assess/AttributesofEffectiveFormat
iveAssessment.pdf
Marzano, R. J ., Pickering, D. J ., & Pollock, J . E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works:
Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA:
ASCD.
Sadler, D. R. (1989). Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems.
Instructional Science, 18, 119140.
Student-Centered Instruction
In student-centered classrooms, students frequently interact with peers in pairs or small
groups. Curriculum themes or topics may be selected to align with student interests. Students
may have choices about what they learn, the learning experiences that will lead to instructional
goals, and how they will show what they have learned.
Further Reading
For a review of research on cooperative learning, see the following resource:
Marzano, R. J ., Pickering, D. J ., & Pollock, J . E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works:
Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA:
ASCD.
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To read about choice boards as a means of addressing student interests, see the following
resource:
Smith, G., & Throne, S. (2009, December 4). Tic-tac-toeing with choice boards in any
classroom. http://www.istecentral.com/2009/12/04/tic-tac-toeing-with-choice-boards-
in-any-classroom
Brain-Compatible Instruction
Recent research into how the brain learns has highlighted the importance of planning brain-
based lessons. Brain research suggests that it is helpful for students to learn in low-stress
environments, that the brain responds to novelty and strong positive emotions, and that
periodic movement of the bodys limbs increases blood flow to the brain and therefore
enhances brain function.
One finding of brain research, in particular, that has serious implications for lesson planning is
the primacy-recency effect: Learners remember best the first part of a learning episode. The
next best-remembered is the last part of a learning episode. Students remember least what
comes in the middle. The primacy-recency effect has major implications for determining
where to place the activities that make up the lesson plan.
Further Reading
For information on brain research and instruction, see the following sources:
J ensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Sousa, D. A. (2006). How the brain learns: A classroom teacher's guide. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press.
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For further information on the primacy-recency effect, see the following source:
Cafarella, J . (n.d.). Primacy-recency effect. Available at
http://sciencegnus.com/Primacy%20Recency%20Effect.pdf
Differentiation
Teachers address the needs, abilities, and interests of students by using a variety of strategies
that make content accessible to learners. They provide choices that allow students to determine
their own learning pathways or different options to demonstrate their learning.
Further Reading
Bosch, N. (2008). A different place. http://www.adifferentplace.org/classroom.htm
Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all
learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Tomlinson, C. A., & Imbeau, M. B. (2010). Leading and managing a differentiated classroom.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Available at
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108011.aspx
Motivation
Motivation is an inner drive that pushes students to work toward their goals. Motivation is
believed to be responsible for paying attention, investing effort in learning, and persistence
when tasks are challenging.
Further Reading
Borich, G. D., & Tombari, M. (2006). Motivation and classroom learning. In Educational
psychology: A contemporary approach. Available at
http://www.edb.utexas.edu/borich/pdfdocs/chapter7.pdf
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Drnyei, N. (1998). Motivation in second and foreign language learning. Language Teaching,
31(3), 117135.
Gardner, R. C., & Lambert, W. E. (1959). Motivational variables in second-language
acquisition. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 13, 266272.
Gardner, R. C., & Tremblay, P. F. (1994). Motivation, research agendas, and theoretical
frameworks. Modern Language Journal, 78(3), 359368.
Scaffolding
Instructional scaffolds are a technique in which teachers enable students to successfully
acquire new concepts or to accomplish challenging tasks by providing students with supports
such as guidance, modeling, and resources. Teachers frequently model for students, carry out
the task along with students, and gradually have students carry out the task on their own. (This
technique is also called I do/we do/you do.)
Further Reading
For original discussion, see the following resources:
Lipscomb, L., Swanson, J ., & West, A. (2008, February 5). Characteristics and critical
features of scaffolded instruction. In Scaffolding. Available at
http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Scaffolding#Characteristics_and_Criti
cal_Features_of_Scaffolded_Instruction
Wood, D. J ., Bruner, J . S., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal
of Child Psychiatry and Psychology, 17(2), 89100.
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For information about scaffolding with graphic organizers, see the following resource:
Cammarata, L. (2005, February). Instructional scaffolding with graphic organizers. The
Bridge. Available at
http://www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/acie/vol8/2005BRIDGE8.2.pdf
Developing Mentally Appropriate Practices
As children grow from the early grades through high school, their social, psychological, and
cognitive abilities mature. Teachers take into account these maturational characteristics as they
plan and implement instruction.
Further Reading
Education.com. (n.d.). Developmentally appropriate practice.
http://www.education.com/definition/developmentally-appropriate-practice
NAEYC. (n.d.). Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). http://www.naeyc.org/DAP
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. (n.d.). Developmentally appropriate practices.
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/instrctn/in5lk5.htm
Blooms Taxonomy
First described by Benjamin Bloom, the taxonomy has evolved from a description of learning
objectives to a means of classifying the level of thinking that certain types of questions or
tasks demand of students. Higher order thinking or tasks are those that require students to
analyze, evaluate, or create; lower order tasks involve knowing (remembering), understanding,
and applying.
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Further Reading
Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R., Airasian, P. W., Cruikshank, K. A., Mayer, R. E.,
Pintrich, P. R., Raths, J ., & Wittrock, M. C. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning,
teaching, and assessingA revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives.
Boston, MA: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.
Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon,
Pearson Education.
Closure
Lessons end with an overview or summary of the objectives of the lesson and what students
learned during the lesson. Frequently, students provide this information by responding to
teacher questions, summarizing with peers in pairs or small groups, or indicating verbally or
nonverbally whether they feel they have met the lessons objectives.
Further Reading
DeBacker, T. K., & Crowson, H. M. (2009). The influence of need for closure on learning and
teaching. Educational Psychology Review, 21(4), 303323. Available at
http://www.springerlink.com/content/57431024120v5539/fulltext.pdf
Hunter, M. (1982). Mastery teaching. El Segundo, CA: TIP Publications.
Wolf, P., & Supon, V. (1994, February 22). Winning through student participation in lesson
closure. Available at http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED368694.pdf
Stage1LearningTargets(asmanyorasfewasneeded)
1.____________________________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________________________
Addresses
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