We have received several questions regarding how to write a good lesson plan.

We went ahead and asked our

experts, did some research, and have included some tips and guidelines below.
To begin, ask yourself three basic questions:
Where are your students going?
How are they going to get there?
How will you know when they've arrived?
Then begin to think about each of the following categories which form the organization of the plan. While
planning, use the questions below to guide you during each stage.
Goals
Goals determine purpose, aim, and rationale for what you and your students will engage in during class time.
Use this section to express the intermediate lesson goals that draw upon previous plans and activities and set the
stage by preparing students for future activities and further knowledge acquisition. The goals are typically
written as broad educational or unit goals adhering to State or National curriculum standards.
What are the broader objectives, aims, or goals of the unit plan/curriculum?
What are your goals for this unit?
What do you expect students to be able to do by the end of this unit?
Objectives
This section focuses on what your students will do to acquire further knowledge and skills. The objectives for the
daily lesson plan are drawn from the broader aims of the unit plan but are achieved over a well defined time
period.
What will students be able to do during this lesson?
Under what conditions will students' performance be accomplished?
What is the degree or criterion on the basis of which satisfactory attainment of the objectives will be judged?
How will students demonstrate that they have learned and understood the objectives of the lesson?
Prerequisites
Prerequisites can be useful when considering the readiness state of your students. Prerequisites allow you, and
other teachers replicating your lesson plan, to factor in necessary prep activities to make sure that students can
meet the lesson objectives.
What must students already be able to do before this lesson?
What concepts have to be mastered in advance to accomplish the lesson objectives?
Materials
This section has two functions: it helps other teachers quickly determine a) how much preparation time,
resources, and management will be involved in carrying out this plan and b) what materials, books, equipment,
and resources they will need to have ready. A complete list of materials, including full citations of textbooks or
story books used, worksheets, and any other special considerations are most useful.
What materials will be needed?
What textbooks or story books are needed? (please include full bibliographic citations)
What needs to be prepared in advance? (typical for science classes and cooking or baking activities)
Lesson Description
This section provides an opportunity for the author of the lesson to share some thoughts, experience, and advice
with other teachers. It also provides a general overview of the lesson in terms of topic focus, activities, and
purpose.
What is unique about this lesson?
How did your students like it?
What level of learning is covered by this lesson plan? (Think of Bloom's Taxonomy: knowledge,
comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, or evaluation.)
Lesson Procedure
This section provides a detailed, step-by-step description of how to replicate the lesson and achieve lesson plan
objectives. This is usually intended for the teacher and provides suggestions on how to proceed with
implementation of the lesson plan. It also focuses on what the teacher should have students do during the
lesson. This section is basically divided into several components: an introduction, a main activity, and closure.
There are several elaborations on this. We have linked to some sample lesson plans to guide you through this
stage of planning.
Introduction
How will you introduce the ideas and objectives of this lesson?
How will you get students' attention and motivate them in order to hold their attention?
How can you tie lesson objectives with student interests and past classroom activities?
What will be expected of students?
Main Activity
What is the focus of the lesson?
How would you describe the flow of the lesson to another teacher who will replicate it?
What does the teacher do to facilitate learning and manage the various activities?
What are some good and bad examples to illustrate what you are presenting to students?
How can this material be presented to ensure each student will benefit from the learning experience?
Rule of Thumb # 1:
Take into consideration what students are learning (a new skill, a rule or formula, a concept/fact/idea, an attitude,
or a value).
Choose one of the following techniques to plan the lesson content based on what your objectives are:
Demonstration ==> list in detail and sequence of the steps to be performed
Explanation ==> outline the information to be explained
Discussion ==> list of key questions to guide the discussion
Closure/Conclusion
What will you use to draw the ideas together for students at the end?
How will you provide feedback to students to correct their misunderstandings and reinforce their learning?
Follow up Lessons/Activities
What activities might you suggest for enrichment and remediation?
What lessons might follow as a result of this lesson?
Assessment/Evaluation
This section focuses on ensuring that your students have arrived at their intended destination. You will need to
gather some evidence that they did. This usually is done by gathering students' work and assessing this work
using some kind of grading rubric that is based on lesson objectives. You could also replicate some of the
activities practiced as part of the lesson, without providing the same level of guidance as during the lesson. You
could always quiz students on various concepts and problems as well.
How will you evaluate the objectives that were identified?
Have students practiced what you are asking them to do for evaluation?
Rule of Thumb # 2:
Be sure to provide students with the opportunity to practice what you will be assessing them on. You should
never introduce new material during this activity. Also, avoid asking higher level thinking questions if students
have not yet engaged in such practice during the lesson. For example, if you expect students to apply
knowledge and skills, they should first be provided with the opportunity to practice application.
General Rule of Thumb:
Your plan should be detailed and complete enough so that another teacher knowledgeable in your subject matter
could deliver the lesson without needing to contact you for further clarifications. Please do not forget to edit and
spell check your work before submission to the Educator's Reference Desk Collection.

Time -- we only have so much of it. The effective teacher cannot create a single extra second of the day -- any
more than anyone can. But the effective teacher certainly controls the way time is used. Effective teachers
systematically and carefully plan for productive use of instructional time.
One of the primary roles that you will perform as a teacher is that of designer and implementor of instruction.
Teachers at every level prepare plans that aid in the organization and delivery of their daily lessons. These plans
vary widely in the style and degree of specificity. Some instructors prefer to construct elaborate detailed and
impeccably typed outlines; others rely on the briefest of notes handwritten on scratch pads or on the backs of
discarded envelopes. Regardless of the format, all teachers need to make wise decisions about the strategies and
methods they will employ to help students move systematically toward learner goals.
Teachers need more that a vague, or even a precise, notion of educational goals and objectives to be able to
sequence these objectives or to be proficient in the skills and knowledge of a particular discipline. The effective
teacher also needs to develop a plan to provide direction toward the attainment of the selected objectives. The
more organized a teacher is, the more effective the teaching, and thus the learning, is. Writing daily lesson plans
is a large part of being organized.
Several lesson plan outlines will be presented. You as a teacher will probably begin by choosing a desirable
outline and sticking fairly close to it. Planning and classroom delivery innovations usually come once you are in
the classroom with your own set of learners, have developed your own instructional resources, and have
experimented with various strategies. Although fundamental lesson planning elements tend to remain
unchanged, their basic formula is always modified to suit the individual teacher's lesson preparation or style of
presentation.
The lesson plan is a dreaded part of instruction that most teachers detest. It nevertheless provides a guide for
managing the learning environment and is essential if a substitute teacher is to be effective and efficient. Three
stages of lesson planning follow:
Stage 1: Pre-Lesson Preparation
1. Goals
2. Content
3. Student entry level
Stage 2: Lesson Planning and Implementation
1. Unit title
2. Instructional goals
3. Objectives
4. Rationale
5. Content
6. Instructional procedures
7. Evaluation procedures
8. Materials
Stage 3: Post-Lesson Activities
1. Lesson evaluation and revision
Lesson planning involves much more than making arbitrary decisions about "what I'm going to teach today."
Many activities precede the process of designing and implementing a lesson plan. Similarly, the job of
systematic lesson planning is not complete until after the instructor has assessed both the learner's attainment of
the anticipated outcomes and effectiveness of the lesson in leading learners to these outcomes.
One final word. Even teachers who develop highly structured and detailed plans rarely adhere to them in lock-
step fashion. Such rigidity would probable hinder, rather than help, the teaching-learning process. The elements
of your lesson plan should be thought of as guiding principles to be applied as aids, but not blueprints, to
systematic instruction. Precise preparation must allow for flexible delivery. During actual classroom interaction,
the instructor needs to make adaptations and to add artistry to each lesson plan and classroom delivery.
Planning a Lesson
Set Lesson Goals
Lesson goals are most usefully stated in terms of what students will have done or accomplished at the
end of the lesson. Stating goals in this way allows both teacher and learners to know when the goals
have been reached.
To set lesson goals:
1. Identify a topic for the lesson. The topic is not a goal, but it will help you develop your goals. The
topic may be determined largely by your curriculum and textbook, and may be part of a larger thematic
unit such as Travel or Leisure Activities. If you have some flexibility in choice of topic, consider your
students interests and the availability of authentic materials at the appropriate level.
2. Identify specific linguistic content, such as vocabulary and points of grammar or language use, to be
introduced or reviewed. These are usually prescribed by the course textbook or course curriculum. If
they are not, select points that are connected in some significant way with the topic of the lesson.
3. Identify specific communication tasks to be completed by students. To be authentic, the tasks
should allow, but not require, students to use the vocabulary, grammar, and strategies presented in
the lesson. The focus of the tasks should be topical, not grammatical. This means that it may be
possible for some students to complete the task without using either the grammar point or the strategy
presented in the first part of the lesson.
4. Identify specific learning strategies to be introduced or reviewed in connection with the lesson. See
Motivating Learners for more on learning strategies.
5. Create goal statements for the linguistic content, communication tasks, and learning strategies that
state what you will do and what students will do during the lesson.
Planning a Lesson
Structure the Lesson
A language lesson should include a variety of activities that combine different types of language input
and output. Learners at all proficiency levels benefit from such variety; research has shown that it is
more motivating and is more likely to result in effective language learning.
An effective lesson has five parts:
Preparation
Presentation
Practice
Evaluation
Expansion
The five parts of a lesson may all take place in one class session or may extend over multiple
sessions, depending on the nature of the topic and the activities.
The lesson plan should outline who will do what in each part of the lesson. The time allotted for
preparation, presentation, and evaluation activities should be no more than 8-10 minutes each.
Communication practice activities may run a little longer.
1. Preparation
As the class begins, give students a broad outline of the days goals and activities so they know what
to expect. Help them focus by eliciting their existing knowledge of the days topics.
Use discussion or homework review to elicit knowledge related to the grammar and language
use points to be covered
Use comparison with the native language to elicit strategies that students may already be
using
Use discussion of what students do and/or like to do to elicit their knowledge of the topic they
will address in communication activities
2. Presentation/Modeling
Move from preparation into presentation of the linguistic and topical content of the lesson and relevant
learning strategies. Present the strategy first if it will help students absorb the lesson content.
Presentation provides the language input that gives students the foundation for their knowledge of the
language. Input comes from the instructor and from course textbooks. Language textbooks designed
for students in U.S. universities usually provide input only in the form of examples; explanations and
instructions are written in English. To increase the amount of input that students receive in the target
language, instructors should use it as much as possible for all classroom communication purposes.
(See Teaching Goals and Methods for more on input.)
An important part of the presentation is structured output, in which students practice the form that the
instructor has presented. In structured output, accuracy of performance is important. Structured output
is designed to make learners comfortable producing specific language items recently introduced.
Structured output is a type of communication that is found only in language classrooms. Because
production is limited to preselected items, structured output is not truly communicative.
3. Practice
In this part of the lesson, the focus shifts from the instructor as presenter to the students as completers
of a designated task. Students work in pairs or small groups on a topic-based task with a specific
outcome. Completion of the task may require the bridging of an information gap (see Teaching Goals
& Methods for more on information gap). The instructor observes the groups an acts as a resource
when students have questions that they cannot resolve themselves.
In their work together, students move from structured output to communicative output, in which the
main purpose is to complete the communication task. Language becomes a tool, rather than an end in
itself. Learners have to use any or all of the language that they know along with varied communication
strategies. The criterion of success is whether the learner gets the message across. Accuracy is not a
consideration unless the lack of it interferes with the message.
Activities for the practice segment of the lesson may come from a textbook or be designed by the
instructor. See Identify Materials and Activities for guidelines on developing tasks that use authentic
materials and activities.
4. Evaluation
When all students have completed the communication practice task, reconvene the class as a group
to recap the lesson. Ask students to give examples of how they used the linguistic content and
learning or communication strategies to carry out the communication task.
Evaluation is useful for four reasons:
It reinforces the material that was presented earlier in the lesson
It provides an opportunity for students to raise questions of usage and style
It enables the instructor to monitor individual student comprehension and learning
It provides closure to the lesson
See Assessing Learning for more information on evaluation and assessment.
5. Expansion
Expansion activities allow students to apply the knowledge they have gained in the classroom to
situations outside it. Expansion activities include out-of-class observation assignments, in which the
instructor asks students to find examples of something or to use a strategy and then report back.
COMPETENCE-BASED APPROACH
(CBA)
Abdul Kadir Mubarak

INTRODUCTION

Todays current issue on curriculum development is competence-based curriculum. Many teachers of secondary
schools were sent to attend in-service training on this new approach. Manuals were published to guide teachers
on how to implement this approach. At tertiary level, CBA should also be adopted as university graduates are
expected to be competent to do their real-life tasks or to pursue their studies.

The key elements in the curriculum as generally proposed by the curriculum designers are objectives,
contents, organization of contents, and evaluation. The latest curriculum model introduced by Stenhouse (1975)
is process curriculum. In other words, the approach used in the curriculum design is a process approach, which
basically considers the social, political, and educational context. The shift from product approach to process
approach has made significant changes in language teaching program and in English language teaching in
Indonesian universities in particular due to the changes in the social, political, and educational context. No
curriculum is fixed. Any curriculum should be flexible to any change if the weaknesses are found after having
been evaluated. The need in changing the objectives with competence-based ones is a proof that there are some
weaknesses in the curriculum of ELTS providers throughout Indonesian universities.

CBA is taken into consideration to be an appropriate approach to specifying the objectives of syllabus or
curriculum of English language teaching (ELT) in Indonesian universities although it is quite late as this
approach has been used long time a go in other countries such as the United States and Australia. Since the
emergence of this approach (1970) in the United States and the world wide implementation (1980), the language
programs in those countries have still been using this approach now. The question is why do we not use this
approach?

Designing the curriculum with competence-based objectives is not the end. The step we are going
through is still just a planning. The next step is implementing. While we are implementing the competence-based
curriculum, we are observing the implementation. The purpose of this observation is to find out if any problems
leading to the weaknesses the teachers encounter in the learning and teaching situation. To gather information
about this, direct observation and in-dept interview can be done. The information about the weaknesses obtained
will be the valuable input for the future improvement and will be reflected in the new planning. In short, a
process curriculum model goes through four major steps: planning, implementing, observing, and reflecting.

IMPLEMENTING CBA

Prior to implementing competency-based objectives, a particular procedure should be followed. First of all, the
term competence should be clearly defined according to the related literature (Nunan 1990; Richards 2001).
Next, competencies should be identified form the real-world tasks the students will do beyond the classroom. In
other words, the real-world tasks should be analyzed into components or units of functional competencies. Then
as competencies are unobservable, competencies should be specified in terms of performance or behavior. Once
observable performance or behavior is identified, assessment is easily done. In other words, it is measurable.
Competence actually resembles performance in a way of specifying objectives. However, competence is
higher in terms of generality (Nunan, 1990). Both competence and performance-based objectives should consist
of three elements, performance or task, condition, and criterion. The following are examples of a three-element
objective.
Given an oral request [condition] the learner will say [performance] his/her name, his/her name, address and
telephone number to a native speaker of English as spell his/her name, street and city so that an interviewer may
write down the data with 100 % accuracy [criterion].
Given oral directions for a 4-step physical action, the learner will follow the directions with 100% accuracy.
The next step is to select contents, which are relevant to the objectives specified. Then the contents are
organized for classroom activities. The last step is evaluation to find out how well the competence-based
objectives have been achieved by the students. In brief, having followed these steps, the implementation of CBA
has been done.

METHODOLOGY
Competence-based objectives specify what the learners will be able to do with the English language they have
learnt. In order to achieve the objectives specified, there must be a need for a methodology, which specifies how
to teach the competence-based materials in the syllabus. In brief, there are at least two things for teachers of
English to consider-what to teach (syllabus) and how to teach (methodology).
Methodology is formulated as that which links theory and practice. Theory statements include theories of
language and theories of language learning (approach). Such theories are linked to various design features of
language instruction, which might include stated objectives, syllabus specifications, types of activities, roles of
learners, teachers materials and so forth Design features then are linked to actual teaching and learning practice
(Rogers, 2001). The following diagram are the components of language teaching methodology.
Observed
Teaching
Practices




Instructional Design
Features




Theories of Language and Learning









The components as shown in the diagram are the approach that describes theories of language and theories of
language learning, design or syllabus design, content, the role of materials, teachers, and learners, and procedure
or activities used in the classroom. So, the method has three levels: approach, design, and procedure.
The suggested idea underpinning ELT in Indonesia Universities to foster professionalism is competence-
based approach, to get things done by using the language. In order to get things done, our students are expected
to communicate. In other words, the instructional focus here is on functional competencies and life-coping skills.
It is not what they know about language but what they do with language (Nunan, 1990).
In addition to competence-based approach to ELT, the principles underlying Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT) are relevant to CBA. They are:
Learners learn a language through using it to communicate;
Authentic and meaningful communication should be the goal of classroom activities;
Fluency is an important dimension of communication;
Communication involves the integration of different language skills.
Learning is a process of creative construction and involves trial and error.

Based on the principles above, competence-based syllabus can be designed by referring to any syllabus,
which has similar approaches. For example, a skill-based syllabus, a task-based syllabus, and a
national/functional syllabus are syllabuses, which are partly used to support competence-based syllabus. In other
words, competence-based ELT should not stick to a certain syllabus. The convenient term for this is eclecticism.
Classroom activities for CBA should reflect competencies the students will have at the end of the
program. The emphasis here is on the real-world activities relating to the any domain of life or according to the
typical field of work the students will do. Some might argue that classroom activities are artificial. However, we
still believe that the theory of transfer still works in a sense that what the students learn in the classroom can be
transferred to the real world beyond the classroom.
Assessment of CBA is built in. Once the students are doing the classroom activities, we can assess the
students performance. This is due to the nature of competencies, which refer to observable behaviors. How well
the performance is depends on the standard or criteria specified.

STANDARDIZING CBA.
Standard of competence-based ELT in Indonesia universities may cover a wide range of areas. There are
at least two areas that should be standardized. First of all, the existing curriculum should be revised or shifted to
competence-based curriculum-competence-based syllabus. The competence-based objectives for various study
programs should be identified. Each study program should have a competence-based syllabus. The other one is
teacher professionalism. Teacher standards describe the skills that teachers should be able to demonstrate within
certain define study programs.
On the part of the students, before they learn competence-based syllabus, they should be taught General
English. Their proficiency on General English will definitely facilitate competence-based syllabus.
Most teachers of English in our universities are the teachers who are not specialized with competence-
based syllabus. Most of the time, they teach general English. The problem may arise when they teach English
related to a specific field of work. Take for example, the specified objective, a students should be able to
explain the process of growing a certain plant correctly, Indeed, the teacher does not teach the content, but the
language. The Conference on Competence-Based ELT to Foster Professionalism will answer this.

CONCLUSION
Competence-based approach on ELT to foster professionalism to very urgent in this globalization era. The fact
shows that many of our graduates fail to competence in the job market because of their insufficient proficiency
of English. In order to foster professionalism, two things should be developed. First, the curriculum or syllabus
with competence-based approach should be developed. The other one is the teaching staff.
One of the best and most highly recommended books on classroom management is available
from Amazon.com. Click HERE to read about it and order it.
Updated August 29, 2008
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Surveys of graduates of education schools and colleges indicate that the #1 area of concern of new
teachers is their feelings of inadequacy in managing classrooms. Despite clinical experiences, student
teaching, and other observations in classroom settings, this problem has persisted for decades. There
is no magic elixir that will confer skill in this area of professional responsibility. We only wish there
were.
Classroom management and management of student conduct are skills that teachers acquire and
hone over time. These skills almost never "jell" until after a minimum of few years of teaching
experience. To be sure, effective teaching requires considerable skill in managing the myriad of tasks
and situations that occur in the classroom each day. Skills such as effective classroom management
are central to teaching and require "common sense," consistency, a sense of fairness, and courage.
These skills also require that teachers understand in more than one way the psychological and
developmental levels of their students. The skills associated with effective classroom management are
only acquired with practice, feedback, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Sadly, this is often
easier said than done. Certainly, a part of this problem is that there is no practical way for education
students to "practice" their nascent skills outside of actually going into a classroom setting. The
learning curve is steep, indeed.
As previously mentioned, personal experience and research indicate that many beginning teachers
have difficulty effectively managing their classrooms. While there is no one best solution for every
problem or classroom setting, the following principles, drawn from a number of sources, might help.
Classroom teachers with many years of experience have contributed to an understanding of what
works and what doesn't work in managing classrooms and the behavior of students. The following
information represents some of the things that good classroom teachers do to maintain an atmosphere
that enhances learning. It is written in straightforward, non-preachy language, and will not drive you to
distraction with its length. I think most students appreciate that. With that in mind, I truly hope this
information is useful to you.
Please send any comments, suggestions, or questions to Dr. Robert Kizlik
An Effective Classroom Management Context
(these four things are fundamental)
1. Know what you want and what you don't want.
2. Show and tell your students what you want.
3. When you get what you want, acknowledge (not praise) it.
4. When you get something else, act quickly and appropriately.
ROOM ARRANGEMENT
While good room arrangement is not a guarantee of good behavior, poor
planning in this area can create conditions that lead to problems.
The teacher must be able to observe all students at all times and to monitor
work and behavior. The teacher should also be able to see the door from his
or her desk.
Frequently used areas of the room and traffic lanes should be unobstructed
and easily accessible.
Students should be able to see the teacher and presentation area without
undue turning or movement.
Commonly used classroom materials, e.g., books, attendance pads, absence
permits, and student reference materials should be readily available.
Some degree of decoration will help add to the attractiveness of the room.
SETTING EXPECTATIONS FOR BEHAVIOR
*Teachers should identify expectations for student behavior and communicate those expectations to
students periodically.
* Rules and procedures are the most common explicit expectations. A small number of general rules
that emphasize appropriate behavior may be helpful. Rules should be posted in the classroom.
Compliance with the rules should be monitored constantly.
* Do not develop classroom rules you are unwilling to enforce.
* School-Wide Regulations...particularly safety procedures...should be explained carefully.
* Because desirable student behavior may vary depending on the activity, explicit expectations for the
following procedures are helpful in creating a smoothly functioning classroom:
- Beginning and ending the period, including attendance procedures and what students may or may
not do during these times.
- Use of materials and equipment such as the pencil sharpener, storage areas, supplies, and special
equipment.
- Teacher-Led Instruction
- Seatwork
- How students are to answer questions - for example, no student answer will be recognized unless he
raises his hand and is called upon to answer by the teacher.
- Independent group work such as laboratory activities or smaller group projects.
Remember, good discipline is much more likely to occur if the classroom setting and activities are
structured or arranged to enhance cooperative behavior.
MANAGING STUDENT ACADEMIC WORK
* Effective teacher-led instruction is free of:
- Ambiguous and vague terms
- Unclear sequencing
- Interruptions
* Students must be held accountable for their work.
* The focus is on academic tasks and learning as the central purpose of student effort, rather than on
good behavior for its own sake.
MANAGING INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR
* Address instruction and assignments to challenge academic achievement while continuing to assure
individual student success.
* Most inappropriate behavior in classrooms that is not seriously disruptive and can be managed by
relatively simple procedures that prevent escalation.
* Effective classroom managers practice skills that minimize misbehavior.
* Monitor students carefully and frequently so that misbehavior is detected early before it involves
many students or becomes a serious disruption.
* Act to stop inappropriate behavior so as not to interrupt the instructional activity or to call excessive
attention to the student by practicing the following unobstructive strategies:
- Moving close to the offending student or students, making eye contact and giving a nonverbal signal
to stop the offensive behavior.
- Calling a student's name or giving a short verbal instruction to stop behavior.
- Redirecting the student to appropriate behavior by stating what the student should be doing; citing
the applicable procedure or rule.
Example: "Please, look at the overhead projector and read the first line with me, I need to see
everyone's eyes looking here."
- More serious, disruptive behaviors such as fighting, continuous interruption of lessons, possession of
drugs and stealing require direct action according to school board rule.
Assertive Discipline has been used by many schools, and is an effective way to manage behavior.
Find out more by clicking here.
PROMOTING APPROPRIATE USE OF CONSEQUENCES
* In classrooms, the most prevalent positive consequences are intrinsic student satisfaction resulting
from success, accomplishment, good grades, social approval and recognition.
* Students must be aware of the connection between tasks and grades.
* Frequent use of punishment is associated with poor classroom management and generally should be
avoided.
* When used, negative consequences or punishment should be related logically to the misbehavior.
* Milder punishments are often as effective as more intense forms and do not arouse as much
negative emotion.
* Misbehavior is less likely to recur if a student makes a commitment to avoid the action and to engage
in more desirable alternative behaviors.
* Consistency in the application of consequences is the key factor in classroom management.
SOME ESOL PRINCIPLES
(A FEW THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT L.E.P. STUDENTS):
* They are not stupid and they can hear what is being said.. They just don't necessarily understand the
language or culture, yet.
* They come from a variety of backgrounds, even in the same country. For example schooled,
unschooled, Americanized, etc.
* It is easy to misunderstand body language and certain behaviors. For example, eye contact, spitting,
chalk eating, etc.
* Don't assume they understand something just because it seems simple to you. Simplify, boil down.
* Even when they have lost their accent, they often misunderstand common words and phrases.
* Correct repeated patterns or mistakes.
* Good E.S.O.L. strategies are good teaching strategies.
GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE PRAISE
(Applies primarily to praise associated with instruction and student performance)
Effective Praise Ineffective Praise
1. Is delivered contingently upon student
performance of desirable behaviors or
genuine accomplishment
1. Is delivered randomly and indiscriminately
without specific attention to genuine
accomplishment
2. Specifies the praiseworthy aspects of the
student's accomplishments
2. Is general or global, not specifying the
success.
3. Is expressed sincerely, showing
spontaneity, variety and other non-verbal signs
of credibility.
3. Is expressed blandly without feeling or
animation, and relying on stock, perfunctory
phrases.
4. Is given for genuine effort, progress, or
accomplishment which are judged according
to standards appropriate to individuals.
4. Is given based on comparisons with others
and without regard to the effort expended or
significance of the accomplishment of an
individual.
5. Provides information to students about their
competence or the value of their
5. Provides no meaningful information to the
students about their accomplishments.
accomplishments.
6. Helps students to better appreciate their
thinking, problem-solving and performance.
6. Orients students toward comparing
themselves with others.
7. Attributes student success to effort and
ability, implying that similar successes can be
expected in the future.
7. Attributes student success to ability alone or
to external factors such as luck or easy task.
8. Encourages students to appreciate their
accomplishments for the effort they expend
and their personal gratification.
8. Encourages students to succeed for
external reasons -- to please the teacher, win
a competition or reward, etc.
In searching the Internet, I occasionally come upon sites that have very useful information about
classroom management. Often, a simple checklist is an invaluable tool. Here are a few links that I
think have helpful information:
http://people.clarityconnect.com/webpages/terri/classmanagement.html
http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/teaching_techniques/class_manage.html
http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-9154.html
http://www.theteachersguide.com/ClassManagement.htm
http://www.education-world.com/preservice/learning/management.shtml
http://www.teachnet.com/how-to/manage/
http://www.proteacher.com/030000.shtml
http://www.teachnet.com/how-to/manage/tattling100600.html
For an explanation of how this information relates to lesson planning and implementation, be sure to
visit the ADPRIMA Instruction System page by clicking here.
Here is a page devoted to classroom management mistakes often made by new teachers.
There are many other areas on the ADPRIMA site that might interest you, and you are invited to take a
look, get what you want, and let us know what you think. Your opinion is important and valued.

Earn one of the most current and relevant degrees offered in the area of Education. Complete
your degree in as little as 2 years. Click here for details.
Here are some excellent print resources for classroom management
The Laughing Classroom: Everyone's Guide to Teaching With Humor and Play
Reluctant Disciplinarian: Advice on Classroom Management From a Softy who Became
(Eventually) a Successful Teacher
Tribes: A New Way of Learning and Being Together
Iti: The Model Integrated Thematic Instruction
Setting Limits in the Classroom: How to Move Beyond the Classroom Dance of Discipline
Classroom Discipline Problem Solver: Ready-To-Use Techniques & Materials for Managing All
Kinds of Behavior Problems
"Anything not understood in more than one way is not understood at all."
Okay, now for something to read that might give you a chill or two....click here for my novel,
What Waits Within
Online Education for Teachers - Advance Your Career
I would like to thank all who order Lesson Planning: From Writing Objectives to Selecting
Instructional Programs, as well as books, music, electronics, DVDs, software, and household
items from AMAZON.COM through ADPRIMA. By doing so, you help support the operation and
maintenance of this site.
Bob Kizlik
10 Steps To Developing A Quality Lesson Plan:
This guide is not meant to be the one and only way to develop a lesson plan. It is a
general overview that highlights the key points of creating a lesson plan. Below is a
list of the steps involved in developing a lesson plan as well as a description of what
each component should be. You may also find this new Lesson Plan Template to be
useful for creating your lesson plans!
1. The first thing to consider, obviously, is what you want to teach. This should be
developed based upon your state (or school) standards. You also need to be aware
of what grade level you are developing the lesson plan for (and keep that in mind of
course), and also record a time estimate for your lesson plan to help in time
budgeting. Once you have your topic, you can begin determining how you want to
teach the topic. If you didn't use the state standards to help in developing your topic,
refer to them now to see what specific standards your lesson plan can fulfill. Having
your lesson plan correctly aligned with state standards helps to prove its worthiness
and necessity. It also helps in assuring that your students are being taught what your
state requires. If you are able to correlate your lesson plan with standards, record
links to those standards in your lesson plan. If writing this lesson plan for a website
(The Lesson Plans Page) be sure to include a title that properly reflects your topic.
2. To make sure your lesson plan will teach exactly what you want it to; you need to
develop clear and specific objectives. Please note that objectives should not be
activities that will be used in the lesson plan. They should instead be the learning
outcomes of those activities. As an example, if you wanted to teach your class how to
add 2 + 3, your objective may be that "the students will know how to add 2 + 3" or
more specifically "the students will demonstrate how to add 2 + 3."
Objectives should also be directly measurable (we'll get to this in assessment /
evaluation). In other words, make sure you will be able to tell whether these
objectives were met or not. You can certainly have more than one objective for a
lesson plan.
To make objectives more meaningful, you may want to include both broad and
narrow objectives. The broad objectives would be more like goals and include the
overall goal of the lesson plan, i.e. to gain familiarity with adding two numbers
together. The specific objectives would be more like the one listed above, i.e. "the
students will demonstrate how to add the numbers 2 and 3 together."
3. You would probably find out exactly what materials you are going to use later, but
they should be shown early in your lesson plan. This way if someone else were going
to use your lesson plan, they would know in advance what materials are required. Be
specific here to make sure the teacher will have everything they need. For the
addition lesson, you should make sure you have 10 or so unifix cubes per student,
paper, and pencils.
4. You may also want to write an Anticipatory Set, which would be a way to lead into
the lesson plan and develop the students' interest in learning what is about to be
taught. A good example deals with a lesson on fractions. The teacher could start by
asking the students how they would divide up a pizza to make sure each of their 5
friends got an equal amount of pizza, and tell them that they can do this if they know
how to work with fractions.
5. Now you need to write the step-by-step procedures that will be performed to reach
the objectives. These don't have to involve every little thing the teacher will say and
do, but they should list the relevant actions the teacher needs to perform. For the
adding 2 + 3 lesson, you may have procedures such as these:
A. The teacher will give each child 2 unifix cubes.
B. The teacher will ask the students to write down how many unifix cubes they
have on paper (2).
C. The students should then write a + sign below the number 2, like this:
2
+
D. The teacher will then pass out 3 more unifix cubes to each student.
E. The students will be asked to write down how many unifix cubes they were just
given. They should write this number below the number 2 that they just wrote, so that
it looks like this:
2
+3
F. Students should now draw a line under their 3.
G. Now the students should count how many unifix cubes they have together and
write this number just below the 3, like this:
2
+3
----
5
H. Ask students how many unifix cubes they had to start, how many they were
given to add to that, and how many they had total after the teacher gave them the 3
unifix cubes.
6. After the procedures have been completed, you may want to provide time for
independent practice. For the example of above, students could be given time to add
different numbers of unifix cubes together that a partner would provide them with.
7. Just before moving on to the assessment phase you should have some sort of
closure for the lesson plan. A good idea for this is to return to your anticipatory set,
i.e. ask students how they would divide up that pizza now that they know how to work
with fractions (refer to the example in step 4).
8. Now you want to write your assessment / evaluation. Many lesson plans don't
necessarily need an assessment, but most should have some sort of evaluation of
whether or not the objectives were reached. The key in developing your assessment
is to make sure that the assessment specifically measures whether the objectives
were reached or not. Thus, there should be a direct correlation between the
objectives and the assessments. Assuming the objective were to be able to add two
single digit numbers together, an example would be to have students approach the
teacher and add two single digit numbers (that the teacher provides via unifix cubes)
on paper using unifix cubes as a guide.
9. Adaptations should also be made for students with learning disabilities and
extensions for others. Examples would be adding 1 unifix cube to 1 unifix cube for
students with learning disabilities and adding 9 unifix cubes to 13 unifix cubes for
gifted students. This is best done with specific adaptations for specific students, to
take into account their individual differences.
10. It's also a good idea to include a "Connections" section, which shows how the
lesson plan could be integrated with other subjects. An example would be to have
students paint 2 apples, then 3 more apples below them, etc. to integrate Art into the
lesson plan. A better integration would involve creating 2 or 3 different types of
textures on those apples, assuming texture was being studied in art class. Putting a
lot of work into this can develop complete thematic units that would integrate related
topics into many different subjects. This repetition of topics in different subjects can
be extremely helpful in ensuring retention of the material.
That's it! If you followed all the instructions above, you've successfully written a very
thorough lesson plan that will be useful for any other teachers wanting to teach such
a topic. One of the most helpful tips in writing your first lesson plans would be to look
at lesson plans that are already fully developed to get a better idea of what needs to
be in the lesson plan. You can do this by looking at the lesson plans on this site! Be
sure to email comments on this guide to the !
Title: Language Arts Lesson Plan Sample
Description: Our Language Arts lesson plans are standards-based. All lesson plans are
geared for busy teachers who need quick and concise lesson plans.