Example Lesson Plans

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Below you can see our own personal lesson plans that we here at TEFL Abroad have made ourselves for teaching English and that we have actually used in the past. Please feel free to use the same format and adjust things for your own personal liking!

Lesson Plan Template:

Audience

  • What is your audience? (Children, Adults, Elementary, Middle, High)

  • What is the level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced?)

  • ESL Class

Background

  • Background knowledge of the students.

  • Why this lesson?

Course objectives

  • Students will be able to develop proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students will be able to use these skills in order to communicate and express themselves in English.

  • (What are your specific course objectives?)

Lesson objectives

  • Students will be able to:

  • Write an instruction sheet.

  • Read an instruction sheet.

Materials

  • What are you using in the lesson? What do you need?

Detailed Procedure

  • The steps with time as well. How do you get from start to finish?

Anticipated problems and solutions

  • Don’t forget about back-ups and solutions.

 

Personal lesson plans used in the past in classes for examples:


Lesson Plan 1:

Audience

Intermediate speakers learning English as a second language

Background

Relevant vocabulary previously covered regarding ‘characteristics’

Course Objectives

Students will be able to develop proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. They will also develop their own identity along with their fluency in English, which will help them with the further use of English.

Lesson objectives

·        Students will be able to describe and understand physical characteristics regarding people they’ve seen

·        Students will be able to ask questions regarding physical characteristics people might have; i.e., “does this person have a hat?”

·        Students will be able to respond to questions regarding physical characteristics

Materials

·        Toy Story Intro (first 4 min)

·        PowerPoint presentation

·        Guess who cards

Detailed Procedure

  • Begin class by describing what we’re wearing, and then having some students describe what they are wearing as well (10 minutes, warm-up) (Students already have knowledge of describing characteristics)

  • Use a PowerPoint presentation to introduce characters and review vocabulary regarding characteristics. (10m)

  • Play a video excerpt, twice; for the first time, students will just watch and listen. For the second time, they will write down notable characteristics of the characters they see. (10m)

  • Explain instructions of ‘Guess Who’ activity. (5m) (Students will question each other based on the characteristics of the clothing and appearance of characters in Toy Story)

  • ‘Guess Who’ activity; Students will be given a sheet of paper with all the characters on it, then will be put in groups of two. They will pick a card from a stack each and then will attempt to guess each other's characters using characteristics. The questions can only be yes or no questions! When the correct character is guessed you will earn one point and take your opponent's card, the first to three points wins! (20m/rest of class)

Anticipated Problems and Solutions

  • Students don’t understand the material/characteristics being covered (focus vocabulary is reintroduced at beginning of initial presentation)

  • Classroom management (Supervise the students closely)

  • Students may lack ideas for questions or be reluctant to interact (Give them some ideas on the PowerPoint, encourage students to interact)

  • Students may not understand the activity/instructions (Explain the instructions and monitor the students closely)

  • Students finish the activity too quickly (Have them play another game to give them more time doing the activity)

 

 Lesson Plan 2:

Audience

  • College Level

  • Korean Students.

  • Beginner to Advanced Students

  • One-on-One Conversational Tutoring

Background

  • This will be the first meeting with the student.

  • This lesson will be used to diagnose their level in order to create future lesson plans for the students.

Course objectives

  • Students will be able to develop proficiency in speaking and listening through conversational settings created by the teacher.

  • Students will be able to use reading and writing at a basic level in order to understand future texts and materials used.

  • Students will be able to learn real life settings where English can be used as well as when to specifically use it.

  • Students will be able to learn about conversational norms that are not in their own culture.

  • Overall, students will be able to use English at a conversational capacity with native and non-native speakers even at lower levels.

Lesson objectives

  • Students will be able to:

  • Speak about basic aspects of their lives using English.

  • Speak about their past experiences with English and to what level they are currently on.

  • Discuss why they are specifically learning English.

  • Discuss a schedule that works for them in English.

  • Listen to the teacher’s utterances and try to follow along.

Materials

  • Pen and Paper (Student and Teacher)

  • Photos from online photo generator (http://writingexercises.co.uk/random-images.php)

Detailed Procedure

  • Introductions/Ice Breaker (10m) (Start out by sharing names and information about each other, this is about gauging the student’s level in basic conversations when it comes to speaking in English)

  • Discussion regarding English goals (10-15m) (Discuss with the student what they actually want to learn in these tutoring sessions; Do they want more practical English conversation? (Icebreaking, ordering in a restaurant, etc.) or do they want situations that they can use in the short-term? (For school, interviews) (This also incorporates into EIL so I can look into the varieties they will be exposed to so I can give them examples)

  • Talk with the student regarding their previous experiences with English and situations where they have had conversations before. (5-10m)

  • Discuss the students interests with them and ask them to write down five to ten (5-20m) (At this point be very specific and make notes about their career field, their hobbies, their major, and any other substantial information about them; this will help set the tone and future lesson, give them concepts as well)

  • Assessing a student's overall vocabulary and ability to express general concepts in English through photo identification. (10-30m) (This involves going to the random image generator listed above and having the student use their current vocabulary knowledge to describe the images that pop up. This gives a chance to see what the student will need to work outside of these conversational meetings. Does this student have the ability to express more complex words and thoughts? Or do they need to study more vocabulary to prepare for future lessons?)

  • Wrap-up (5-10m) Asking how the student feels overall regarding future lessons and discussing a finalization of the schedule for meeting.

  • In addition to the wrap-up is homework: having the student think about five things they want to learn for academic/professional English speaking and five things that they want to learn casually for English conversations. (Meeting the actual number isn’t really important, but getting them to think critically is)

Anticipated problems and solutions

  • As this is the first meeting gauging the student is a huge deal, make sure to ask the student a lot of open-ended questions as well as giving them the chance to respond.

  • The first meeting is always a bit nervous and a bit intimidating for the student, allowing them some small pauses and being very laid back in the first meeting is an important asset to get the student comfortable.

  • There is the possibility that the student will just become a brick wall for the first meeting and be too nervous to talk, so preparing to talk to them about their interests and deviating a bit from serious talk is a good idea.

  • If the student is unable to engage in discussion on a basic level when it comes to English, moving the meeting mid-session might help the student loosen up if they are walking around and talking.

  • Assessing the student’s actual needs and making sure that you, as an educator can meet those needs.

  • This is a first meeting session which means laying out expectations as well as opening the door for actual interaction with the student is important.

  • Look to integrate the students interests and needs into future lesson plans.

 

 Lesson Plan 3:

Audience

  • College Level

  • Korean Students.

  • Beginner to Advanced Students

  • One-on-One Conversational Tutoring

Background

  • Student who has already attended a few lessons and is at least comfortable with the teacher at this point.

  • This lesson is to give students a chance to describe things in their surroundings as well as giving them a chance to have conversations with others in versatile situations.

  • This lesson can be short or it can be made longer, it will involve travel as well and should be at the student’s campus or a nearby area that is able to be walked in you and the students area!

Course objectives

  • Students will be able to develop proficiency in speaking and listening through conversational settings created by the teacher.

  • Students will be able to use reading and writing at a basic level in order to understand future texts and materials used.

  • Students will be able to learn real life settings where English can be used as well as when to specifically use it.

  • Students will be able to learn about conversational norms that are not in their own culture.

  • Overall, students will be able to use English at a conversational capacity with native and non-native speakers even at lower levels.

Lesson objectives

  • Students will be able to:

  • Speak about their surroundings and describe them.

  • Listen to questions from the instructor and answer them.

Materials

  • None needed!

Detailed Procedure

  • Icebreaker (5m) (Meet with the student at their school and catch up with each other)

  • Lesson Explanation (5m) (Explain to the student that they will be your tour guide and will describe sights around their school campus as well as talk about each of the buildings at the school) (Explain that different places depending on their focused goal area of studying English can be different in directions and how they call things, this course is based on what they are trying to learn, so focusing on their specific variation is important)

  • Tour! (25m) (Have the student describe each of the buildings around the school as well as asking questions to the student as you go around: “What major is in this building?”, “Have you had any classes in here?” Focus on asking comprehensive questions that the student will have to answer.) (Easily incorporated EIL through differences in how people say things and cultural differences when it comes to directions, etc)

  • Coffee Break! (5m) (Just grab a drink and give them some time to cool down from all the thinking! A long tour like this can cause students to overload, especially in English!)

  • Finishing the tour (10-25m) (Depending on the students’ condition and engagement, work on finishing the tour and asking them more questions about the campus as well as the buildings that they frequently go to. Follow-up by asking them why they go to each building and what they do in them. If they have a club or another activity that they do outside of classes, ask them to show you the building or class! Be hands on!)

  • Wrap-up (5m) Ask the student to write up a small two paragraph report about their tour. What would they have liked to explain more about? Was there anything they forgot? What other locations would they have liked to do a tour of?

Anticipated problems and solutions

  • If the student is not very engaged or looking to talk on their own, look to ask engaging questions and make the student answer about each place passed by.

  • If the student looks frustrated or having difficulties look for a bench and give them a chance to collect their thoughts and speak about each place.

  • If the student is having trouble with talking about each place and being descriptive look to have them walk you through a normal day for them.

  • Continuously be looking for chances to ask open-ended questions as well as giving the student the chance to speak and listen to questions.

  • If concerned about the student’s ability to perform this, look to prepare them with information regarding this lesson and let them know you will be asking questions.

  • If the student gives basic examples and vocabulary, force them into situations where they have to be more descriptive.

  • This is a long lesson that takes a lot of time for the student, it can go way over the normal time for the lesson, so make sure that you both have made time and planned around this! 

 

 Lesson Plan 4:

Audience

  • High School / College Level

  • Intermediate / Advanced

  • Korean Students

Background

  • Lesson on how to write letters in a professional setting.

  • Preparing for college/job/study abroad

Course objectives

  • Students will be able to develop proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

  • Students will be able to use these skills in order to communicate and express themselves in English.

Lesson objectives

  • Students will be able to:

  • Write an email/letter

  • Know how to use vocabulary expected in emails

  • Read emails

  • Listen to other students’ emails

Materials

  • Handout with emails

  • Paper + Pencil

  • Examples of my own emails that I have wrote

Detailed Procedure

  • Start class talking about texts and emails and etiquette in them (5m)

  • Explain the vocabulary that is in some of the letters and how it is used differently (10m) (Also explain cultural differences based on writing emails, each country has a different way of emailing and format, etc)

  • Have the students write a short email with a theme to a teacher (theme is asking the teacher about a missed class) (15m)

  • Talk about how texting is different when it comes to emails and texts (5m)

  • Have students get together in a group and work on an email together that they would write to a teacher over a randomly selected issue from a hat (late work, missing multiple classes, question about the class, missed exam, etc) (15m)

  • Have students read their groups letter aloud in parts (5m)

  • Wrap up with homework for students to write and send me an email for a professional setting of their choice (study abroad letter, letter for a teacher) (This is to give the students something relative to work with in the future) (5m)

Anticipated problems and solutions

  • Lack of production from students (encourage them a lot to produce and be creative, give ideas when necessary)

  • Students do not grasp concepts (Work closely with students together while they are in their groups)

  • Students cannot grasp the idea of emails in a foreign concept (Extra examples to back these up)

  • Back up of correcting a study abroad plan, have the students make error corrections and look to word it better.