Lesson Plan Sample - Distinction (2) - 1
Lesson Plan Sample - Distinction (2) - 1
Lesson Plan Sample - Distinction (2) - 1
This is a sample from a similar assessment for an AQF level 8 course. The instructions
and marking guidelines differed significantly from your assessment, but the focus was
similar. The sample will help you to understand the standard of an assignment that
excelled in many areas. Do not use this sample to guide what you include in your
Contents
Reflection ................................................................................................................ 3
References ............................................................................................................. 3
Rationale ................................................................................................................ 8
References ............................................................................................................... 19
Appendices .............................................................................................................. 21
2
1. Cornell Note-Taking Template .......................................................................... 21
Appendix 2. ........................................................................................................... 23
Reflection
through our tutorial class discussion and individual feedback from classmates. Most of
the feedback was quite useful, confirming my ideas about the authenticity of the tasks
and in particular, whether the activities qualified as task-based as I was unsure on that
point. However, I thought of a few ways to make the lesson even more task-based and
authentic, which I decided to outline in the revised version. I also found sources to
support my ideas, specifically the Department of Education regarding the benefits of the
use of visuals, and Tomlinson and Masuhara (2013) which mentions the way that texts
On the other hand, I modified my response to Tute Prep D quite a bit in response
to some very useful constructive feedback from a classmate. While the topic I had
chosen was appropriate for the learners, the form of the activity could be improved
through the recording of the interviews, for the reasons listed. I also modified my
choice of image with sources. All of the feedback I received was useful and I felt very
References
Class Profile
Dialect (EAL/D) pathway. The learners will have a minimum recommended level of 5
overall in the EAL/D Progress Map (School Curriculum and Standards Authority [SCSA],
2015), meet for two hours per week for 10 weeks in a unit, and are of a similar level.
The group of six students come from Vietnam, Brazil and Japan. The students’
EAL/D study and a schoolwide lack of academic motivation due to a low ATAR student
population.
The EAL/D class meets in a shared space with a projector and whiteboard and
minimum textbook resources, so the teachers must provide their own materials. The
students have a mildly negative attitude to learning related to low motivation caused in
inauthentic and mundane. As a result, the students are in a learning plateau and are not
on track with their ATAR goals, especially in regard to academic communication and
attention to correct use of language form. On the other hand, the students get on well
with each other and the teacher and there is a sense of positive cohesion, safety and
openness.
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Learning Sequence
Overview
As required in the SCSA EAL/D Year 11 Unit 1 syllabus, the sequence includes
lesson plans that integrate the four key modes (SCSA, 2015a). The SCSA content
descriptor categories make up the skeleton of the sequence, with the descriptor
subpoints comprising the primary learning opportunities (Anderson, 2015) in the lesson
plans. Also included in the are the late adolescence approaches to teaching in the
Authority [ACARA], 2015), such as the explicit teaching of register and explicit
The learning sequence meets the needs of this group of students by engaging
them in the authentic and meaningful tasks through the implementation of a non-
incorporating topics that are of interest (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2019), which will be
uncovered in a needs analysis conducted on the first day of classes (Long, 2015). The
Outline
Time is allotted equally to each of the four categories of content descriptors, with
four class-hours devoted to each and four class-hours set aside for assessment
activities. Classes 1-5 focus on communication skills and strategies, including a peer
interview needs analysis on the first day to serve the purpose of identifying student
needs (Long, 2015). The next sessions will include social and academic roleplays, a
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social debate, and an academic presentation (SCSA, 2015a). For assessment, the
students will evaluate a recording of their own academic presentation against a rubric
designed around the SCSA grade descriptors, while considering written feedback from
the teacher, then recording themselves reflecting verbally on their communication skills
(SCSA, 2015a).
documentary, listening to a podcast clip and reading an online news article (SCSA,
2015a). The assessment will involve re-visiting one of the texts to revise and improve a
written or oral summary that was done in a prior class, then reflecting upon the changes
made (Anderson, 2015). In classes 11-15 students which focus on language and textual
analysis, students will be exposed to texts from a variety of social contexts to identify
the distinguishing characteristics and some language structures from each (SCSA,
of language socially and what our language tells others about us (SCSA, 2015a).
explain the effects of descriptive language and imagery, as well as purpose and context
Finally, in classes 16-20 students will create various texts in different formats,
similar to texts that they have analyzed throughout the unit. The focus will be on bottom-
up approach (Hinkel, 2006), as structures and language features of text types are
descriptive language. Assessment will involve student reflection and revision based on
formative teacher feedback received in the weeks prior to final submission, providing
Rationale
The learning sequence is designed to meet the needs of the students by first
considering the needs triangle as designed by West (1994), depicting the balance
needs. The need to pass the ATAR course and achieve the skills outlined in the
curriculum is likely a priority for all three stakeholders, and for this reason the learning
sequence is structured around the SCSA content descriptors (SCSA, 2015a). The
Teaching (CLT), Focus on Form (FonF), and integration of the four skills or modes,
TBLT
opportunities that may arise during a lesson, allowing the teacher greater flexibility to
address the greatest learning needs of his or her students, rather than adhere to a rigid
learning outcome (Anderson, 2017). Indeed, Long (2015) stresses the power of
combining detailed needs analysis with TBLT, which is why the learning sequence
begins with a detailed needs analysis. TBLT lends itself well to active planning and
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rehearsal, which is key to improving form (Hinkel, 2006) and is also prioritized by
ACARA (2015). This concept is extended in the learning sequence with peer
Due to the positive cohesive learning environment, feedback and reflection will likely be
communicate in more traditional approaches (Anderson, 2017). While there has been
criticism of TBLT as being too vague and formless (Pang, 2016), this is mostly due to
misconceptions about its nature (Anderson, 2017). In TBLT lesson design, the teacher
should consider the needs of each learner and what needs may come up in response to
the given task (Anderson, 2017). The teacher is then able to create several learning
opportunities, rather than learning aims, that will likely arise around that task and
respond to the most important as the teacher judges during the lesson (Anderson,
2017). TBLT can better meet the needs of learners by addressing the truth of the
TBLT does have some shortcomings in that not all language structures can be acquired
implicitly, and some inaccuracies will remain unless some focus on form occurs (Ellis,
2017).
FonF
To account for the shortcomings of TBLT, FonF is incorporated into the lessons
(Ellis, 2017). FonF is an approach that draws learners’ attention to language forms as
they complete tasks (Ellis, 2016). FonF is flexible enough to be used in a variety of
activities (Ellis, 2016), which might allow diversification of activities to suit a range of
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student interests and preferences. This attention can be pre-emptive if linguistic
structures are highlighted before the task, or reactive if the attention is given during the
task (Ellis, 2016) which is one way to add greater scaffolding to a task as needed
the teacher or other students, or non-interactive if attention to form comes from the text
or from the student himself or herself (Ellis, 2016), allowing for adaptation to both
productive and receptive tasks (Ellis, 2016), and greater levels of personalization of
teaching to students (Long, 2015). FonF activities maintain primary focus on meaning,
(Ellis, 2016). The focus on meaning-centered and authentic activities (Ellis, 2016) is
While the effectiveness of FonF has not been proven in comparison to the more
particular, selective attention and cognitive comparison (Ellis, 2016). Increased attention
feedback especially explicitly during communication, and pre-task planning which helps
students overcome the limits of working memory (Ellis, 2016). Furthermore, repetition of
tasks leads to an increase in focus on form (Ellis, 2016), which is why so many of the
CLT
authentic situations (Sato & Kleinsasser, 1999). Due to its many similarities with the
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principles of TBLT and FonF (Sato & Kleinsasser, 1999; Ellis, 2016: Long, 2015), it is a
natural addition to this learning sequence. While CLT is not suited to all learning
environments, this cohesive and experienced group situated in the country of the target
language should benefit from it (Ellis, 1996). CLT is also well aligned with the course
Finally, the integration of the four skills is clearly supported in the literature
(Hinkel, 2006) and prioritized by SCSA (2015a), which means it should be included in
the learning sequence for this group of learners. The four skills are easily integrated in
TBLT, so the learning framework supports this teaching approach well (Hinkel, 2006).
Furthermore, TBLT applied in concert with FonF strikes a balance between focus on
meaning and focus on form while keeping the four skills integrated (Hinkel, 2006).
While the four skills are integrated, it is important to note that they should not be
taught the same way in a learner’s first language (L1) as in their second language (L2)
(Hinkel, 2006). Particularly in the receptive skills, the traditional L2 teaching approach
has been top-down, starting with comprehension and consideration of the main ideas
and later drawing attention to smaller details such as language features (Hinkel, 2006).
This method has been proven ineffective at best and harmful at worst, as L2 learners
need to understand the language structures within a text to be able to consider and
comprehend main ideas (Hinkel, 2006). For this reason, the learning sequence
integrates both approaches in the listening and uses a bottom-up approach in the
The two sample lesson plans come from Class 18 in the Creating Texts category
and Class 13 in the Language and Textual Analysis of the learning sequence. The plans
are organized around the learning opportunities which come directly from the SCSA
(2015a) content descriptors. They include topics that would have been taken from the
Day 1 needs analysis of the students which would include questions about their
interests (Long, 2015). The lessons incorporate a large amount of authentic, engaging
material with the intention of maximizing learner engagement (Long, 2015; Woolfolk &
Margetts, 2019).
It is important that the flexibility and learning opportunities prioritized in TBLT are
supported adequately in the lesson plan. For this reason, I have selected a lesson plan
pro forma based in the principles of TLBT (Anderson, 2015), which includes flexible time
occurrences, as well as pre-task and post-task activities (Anderson, 2015). Due to the
flexible nature of the lesson plan and to allow for affordance, there are intentionally
fewer dot points in the main activities section of the lesson plans (Anderson, 2017). All
lesson activities are focused around meaningful, authentic and real world tasks, with the
greatest amount of time allotted to the working within the main task (Anderson, 2015).
detailed conception of what might occur, using knowledge of this specific group of
theoretical learners (Anderson, 2015). This is because greater detail in the anticipation
of possible occurrences will enable the teacher to make better choices in regard to the
occurrences section as he or she would have data on the students and their specific
Despite being centered on a topic that interests the students, the task outlined in
Class 18 is one that students will perhaps be familiar with as it is commonly assigned in
school, and unlikely to apply themselves to for that purpose. Anticipating, based on the
learner profile that form would be neglected as students executed the activity in a less
engaged manner, the lesson emphasizes in an engaging way in the pre-task. FonF is
activated as part of a small task-based activity by having students analyse two different
speakers with little prompting from the teacher. Again, the minimal framework is
comparing and noticing the differences in the speakers (Ellis, 2016), and in particular by
and keen to ensure that their form is correct for this activity. The main task is highly
scaffolded and communicative again with intention of keeping the focus on form in what
could become an over-simplified task. Students work together to agree on the terms
reflect on what they have accomplished at the end of class in the post-task as a
summative assessment.
The lesson plan for Class 13 is on a concept that will likely be less familiar to the
students and highly engaging, but still includes a focus on form in the pre-task due to
the nebulous nature of the concepts being taught. The concept was to ground the ideas
in a clear, scaffolded way, and to ensure that learners were aware of course learning
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objectives as required by ACARA (2015). Again, the pre-task is in task-based format,
requiring students to identify the ideas presented in the video and consider the details of
code-switching. In the main task, students are able to actively practice this skill, using
the criteria agreed upon by the students and the teacher in the pre-task. The focus in
the main task is on writing and reading, as the pre-task was focused on speaking and
listening, showing an integration of all four skills in this lesson plan. The post-task is
designed to allow students to demonstrate what they have learned and to practice the
skill of code-switching orally. The written translation from informal to formal register
further serves a formal assessment the teacher can use to better understand the
Finally, the lesson plan is designed to be highly integrative of all of the elements
outlined previously in this rationale. In addition to a balance between TBLT and FonFs,
the four skills are integrated in each lesson, and the communicative learning approach
is part of most activities, allowing students significant opportunities to develop their skills
Task-Based Lesson Plan, Class 18-19: Creating an Academic Presentation on Your Favourite Australian Animal
Learning Opportunities: (From SCSA, 2015a) 1. Improve their use of appropriate structure and content to communicate for different purposes and audiences
2. Develop ability to use digital, multi-modal and print-based technologies 3. Develop use of common language features including subject-specific vocabulary, collocations and
conjunctions 4. Improve use of research skills and strategies including note-taking summaries, paraphrasing, synthesizing quoting and referencing
Stage Timing Procedure - What will we do? Opportunities for Learners To: Possible Occurrences and Responses
(mins)
1 20-25 Pre-task activity. • Activate schemas • Students may feel overwhelmed
Skills: Speaking, Listening • Brainstorm related vocabulary by the scientific vocabulary →
Warmer: Students discuss what they know about the platypus. • Generate engagement Highlight the importance of
• Activate Focus on Form avoiding jargon
Students compare two videos, one dull and one interesting, • Activate metacognition • Students may notice differences
presenting the characteristics of the platypus. Students are • Identify skills related to of intonation → ask them to
tasked with analyzing, through discussion: presenting information well identify what specifically was
• the appropriacy of each speaker’s style within an • Identify differences in register: different
academic context academic versus informal • Students may feel overwhelmed
• the type of information included in the presentations: • Prepare students to create by the quantity of information in
Which questions did the presentation answer? presentations that are the first video → discuss
Which presentation was better? Give several reasons why. appropriate for the context strategies for simplifying and
• Collaborate to share reducing the amount of
knowledge and ideas in a information in a presentation
communicative and social- • Students may not like either
constructivist way presentation → Challenge them
to specify how they could be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FTft5kxjsE improved
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OaqmIHPsrQ
2 20-25 Main Task • Students employ the ideas • Students may go into too much
Skills: Reading, Writing they have learnt in the pre- depth and get lost in the details
Students work together to: task activity → Direct them to set limits on
• Decide which general questions the presentation should • Students develop their ability the amount of information in
answer to take notes, summarise and each area of their outline
• Decide how many new subject specific words would be synthesise information, • Students may include too much
appropriate to include paraphrase original sources, detail in their notes →
• Decide about how long their notes should be to identify reliable sources, demonstrate minimal notes
facilitate a short academic presentation organize information • Students may have difficulty
• Plan what kind of information to include to make the coherently paraphrasing → Discuss
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presentation more engaging • Learn and identify subject- strategies with students and
Students work alone to: specific vocabulary demonstrate on WB
• Select an Australian animal from a provided list, or any • Plan a research project • Students may become
animal of their choice carefully before beginning overwhelmed with subject-
• Do research and take notes related to the animal of research specific vocabulary → encourage
their choice. Notes will be taken using the Cornell Note- them to find 5-10 new words
taking template: https://tinyurl.com/y8fmvluy and skip other words that they
(Appendix 1) do not understand
•
• Students will be guided to complete and compile their
research the following day
3 10 Post-Task Activity • Students reflect upon their • Students might express extreme
Students complete an exit ticket replying to the following struggles and seek ways to struggle with reading large
prompts improve in those difficult areas amounts of text → teacher
• What part of creating a research presentation is most • Reflect upon and share what might scale down the size of the
challenging for you? they have learnt about key presentation or allow more time
• What is one way you can improve in that area? skills in the SCSA curriculum for completion
• What was one skill you learned about note-taking, • Share with the teacher any • Students may note an important
summarizing or paraphrase? areas that have not been skill or aspect that was not
clearly addressed covered with the class as a
whole → Teacher can share the
next day
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Task-Based Lesson Plan, Class 13: Code-Switching- How Languages Changes the Way Others See Us
Learning Opportunities: (From SCSA, 2015a) 1. Improve understanding of the way purposes and context influence language choices and meaning
2. Develop ability to identify assumptions and beliefs underlying certain practices including differences in greetings and customs of respect across cultures 3. Develop
understanding of the effect of register, style and tone on meaning
Stage Timing Procedure - What will we do? Opportunities for Possible Occurrences and
(mins) Learners To: Responses
References
Anderson J. (2015). Affordance, learning opportunities, and the lesson plan pro forma.
https://docs.acara.edu.au/resources/EALD_Resource_-
_EALD_Learning_ Progression.pdf
Ellis, R. (2016). Focus on Form: A critical review. Language Teaching Research, 20(3),
405-428.
https://doi.org/10.1111/0026-7902.00037
https://tinyurl.com/y5trhms8
School Curriculum and Standards Authority. (2015b). Alignment of EAL/D Progress Map
https://tinyurl.com/yxf3dgpw
19. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444800007527
Woolfolk, A., and Margetts, K. (2019). Educational Psychology. 5th Ed. Melbourne:
Pearson Australia.
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Appendices