rc:is:rng

The lesson and the lesson plan

r:-! Erammar items, s/he can use inducr:::

:* :t contribute; to develop the studen:-(

Some tips

d-..:;ri'ery and discussion; for practice :E:::se types (generally, objectively score:

Base your lesson on the four skills: listening and speaking, reading and
writing. Include at least one activity for each skill.
2. Include at least one pair work and one group work,
Time your activities well (3 to 10 minutes for an activiry), but adapr your
timing to the concrete classroom conditions : allow the activity to continue if
it goes very well, or cut it short if it is unsuccessful.
4. Test and evaluate your students all the time, and especially at the end of the
lesson; evaluation is not restricted to grading.
5. Write down your lesson plan and use it during the lesson.
6. If you use handouts, make sure you have enough copies (at least half the
number of the students in class if used in class, and one for each student if

:: :f techniques and interactions, so as :_

:::t:1ng to the overall effectiveness of::..

:i tr'hat teaching materials and aids :::

l s he intends to use them, and why. Tr.:

7.
8.

:ds of teaching materials:

=ation; the texts, from various sourcei

l::s, magazines) or recorded (casserre,

i:.
i::

iars his/her lesson must also think of r.:

-ie lesson. The problems may be:

cderstand the text (they have limire :
lge

8.3.2. Suggestions for lesson plans

Teachers who do not like the column format may consider the following model:

LESSON PLAN 1
Form: 6th grade, beginners
Subject: My Daily Program
Aim : the students will use the English

: e.g. they do not have enough intc:-

are not interested in the subject;

'ailable when the teacher wants to hare .

blems s/he may have to face during

r irh them.

Give clear instructions for all exercises.

rc done by the student, e.g. a grid to i:.

: rlap - for drawing the route towards i
de:rng some product ; etc. ;
:e meaning of the item under discussic:.

or

used as homework assignment).

Keep your voice loud and clear; never shout or lose your temper it will
alienate your students.
9. Keep the blackboard tidy and well-organized.
10. Involve and activate all the students. use students to hand out copies, to write
on the blackboard, etc.
11
Always check the writing on the blackboard, whether your own or your students',
12. Don't sit: move around, help, monitor and supervise.
13. Make your classes fun. Include poems, songs, games, jokes or stories.
14. Use audio-visuals to make your classes lively and interesting.
15. Be calm, friendly and helpful; be critical but not discouraging.

a great bearing on the effectiveness :'

ci,,a:e the students, sustain their interes:

:e lesson plan - the teacher must pror

se: book, page number, etc.

1,

E:ires employed go the interaction types

a;. -rr drama, require pair work (PW) ::
re :re entire class (CL), Writing assigr.
. :ur group work can be used efficienr.',
::irvidual work. The teacher must cari-

:es from an anthology, a magazine,

for planning and teaching a good lessonr

I p8g

language to communicate orally and in writing

about their daily activities

Objectives:

swBAT use words describing daily activities in sentences of their own

SWBAT use the Present Tense Simple and Continuous to describe and inquire
about daily activitics
Skills : speaking, reading, writing
Audio-visuals: pictures, blackboard and chalk, students' notebooks

t:

clude a column for post-lesson comme::i

: Iesson. Young teachers, especially, cr:

their own flaws, and devise alternatl',:

l.

Used by

D. Nagy-Vizitiu, "Moise Nicoari" National College, Arad (adapted)

::l::
,l!::.
,:!::
:i:::

llll
rll!=c

:l:=

:!

The students know how

to tell the time in English

S Acfivi
# The sn

#;:#::##::,:";"f"::;;":;;;;;;;;,'"si-pt"andContinuousinarrirmative

The teacher

f:t:::!t.t :

rc's

the studenfs that they

wiII

$ *tioitl
# Insfructi

M The teac

speak about daily activities.

presentation _ who.te
ctass

::i^'::i::;,'jilj;j,'"'j:'h;ni:i:::iri:,

;,,"0

asks a studen t

ptcture and savs:

i.Lif:"'i::\inrtrepi*urein"'i"01""i'*;?:::;fJf"::n:r'ilff

y:;::::^::,!g,r
The

yi,nord
'-"' ""is gertins
up.
6v""'E up'
teacher writes the
on the blackboard
wno,
Wat tt-iirn;;;';;,;;senrence
is Richard doing ?
'rrrey
au write the sentence i
:::*::1lryr"

to

If a colum
of the iesson

te,the

rime
t,;f i#:i'tr;

LESSON.I

Project of
and addresses anorher
studenr:

I|;

Activity2:

practice _ pair work

a picrure ro.a student,

ffi:"fi:il il:,nil:Td,.gives
and invites him/her to
ask
boy in the picture i,

rhe studenrs hru. urkrrlrhe

eo or answered a questron

ff:Tilr'.;

I'ut:J'ffr:."1i"e

o"i"g.-ir,.;;ffi

goes on until all

Introducrion :

vocabulan.

whore crass; individuar

work

irt*;'W#;,;:;:ft|;:':::;:i:':':::;;;;ir"'"),,ge"ingupLe,ussee
turRichard'sdaily"program.

foferreading;-,t.luo"n,slisren
Studenh'
reading with a focus
on-.or.aa, pronunciation
Activity

4:

pracrice _ pair work

iiiiil'J:"".J,,i;1i,:n::,jT.ili:l$,and
Wat does Richard io
at

Activity

rr,.' ii J.,,.,

of Presenr

invites rhem ro ask their

desk

if

Continuous

mares
Developil_e

S o,clock ? ...

trstening/readin:

skills
Correct

personalizati

:il"ffj'

yl: r" cr as s ; p air work

11::"J" :"":about
f:T,j:their
:,,- aaly
prffi#h

;:::*,'

show some of the pictures.

t1

Practice of nee

vocabulan.ac

Y:,.!:^::,:
!:^r,',y!,
The
students provide
tt"
ask
u.t each
.,.r, other question;

ff; them, s/he may

ncrarion

do you do at 8 o,ctock
?...

,r"'-rli.*";'^::,::o.'r .,...

oii.i;ffiil ;;;;;;iJ;,;;H_::.
XlllilLlTlili::1]l3lrhe

Practice of ne\\

vocabulary and

studenrs ,o work in pairs

and

of fhe presenr
Simple
Developing

6:

speaking _ individual
I +:ltyirr
l he teacher asks

work
speak ou:ltY (withour
their daity programs.
quesrions) to describe
s?l-ttj*"]:,to.
/ne may still help them
by showing

speaking and

sever

communicative
skills

oi.,irr.r.,.

I.

O=

objectivs;;l

The lesson and the lesson plan

|t"

" and Continuous in affirrru:

. Activity 7: writing _ individual work

* The students write down to dictation some sentences about Richard,s daily program.
) Activity 8 : preparation for homeworkassignment
1 The teacher gives instructions for the homework assignment:
' Instruction: write a paragraph about what you do every morning/every afternoon.

'r:

:=.
I

r:,:.r: daily activities.

| - , : : asks a student to tell the :-::,lr

I -:: ::acher Points to the bol :: ::*

the plan may look as fouows (the general

description

,, ,||Tr"r,Jf,: A:Tl':,*tuired,
LESSON PLAN 2

Project of Didactic Technology

ln

,:.,: addresses another studel:

oo

Aims

b .: --::r notebooks.
ft : ::-rres,

Contents
li
I

Activity 1:

I *'0,,-,...,. and invites him/her ;:

It' -; The activitY goes on u:-: - -!
"'nil

Introduction of
vocabulary

: .?:chard is getting uP, Le:

":.t's

Teacher shows class

pictures; presents new

info ; writes sentences
on blackboard

-al work

t0'

Present Continuous
used to describe

Question-answer

CL

Question-answer

PW

Listening

CL

Pictures
Blackboard

ol

activities going on:

What is Rtchard doins

in this picture

daily program.

Activity 2:
Practice of new

vocabulary and

.tn

of Presenf

The students use the

new vocabulary in

5'

sentences

Pictures

Continuous

.s them to ask their desi :;",,lll

lun

.
r

- -s: Pair work

!:-.;rams.

I
;sffir

To helP them,

s::

skills
Correct
pronunciation

students to work in

pi-:,

, -,

to

c?v--'rllllrrrrr

Textbook

10'

Students read the text

Reading
aloud

and text

Pictures

IW

Students use new

vocabulary in
sentences

Simple
Developing

speaking and

lnn,. *ithout questions)

of the Present
Jii|||lllll

Students listen to the

teacher reading the

Activity 4:
Practice of new

vocabulary and

j ie

text

:ttrtttl"

l&t::

I ih,

Activity 3:

Developing
listening/reading

1,

I pgl

communicative
skills

Present Simple used to

ask and answer
questions What does

tn'

S:

PW

Richnrd do at 8 in the
morning ?

rrr ing Pictures.

O = objective;

Question-answer

subjective;

C:

communicative.

Activlty 5:
Personalization
and practice

Developing
communicative

Teacher asks students.

then student asks
student questions :
lVhat do you do at 8

o'clock every day

CL
Question-answer

5'

PW

Pictures

IW

Pictures

skills

Activity 6:

Developing
speakins skills

Students speak about

their dailv Drosrams

Fluent

5',

speaking

Activity 7:
Developing

writing skills

Dictation

Srudents write
sentences about

Richard's program
Preparation for
homework

assignment

Instruction for
homework

Writing

5'

IW

Text

Write a
paragraph about what
you do every
morninp /afternoon...

LESSON PLAN 3
Form : 7'h grade

Level: intermediate
Textbook z Shine (Student's Book 3, pp. 78-80)
f,esson: He'll have to behave himself !

Aims:
- to introduce new vocabulary

to get the students interested in matters concerning environmental protection

to get the students express thoughts and exchange personal opinions in English
Skills : listening, speaking, reading, writing
Classroom interactions : individual work; pair and group work
and interactions
WARM-TJP
Problem questions * individual work
To activate the
students' personal
experience

To involve and
motivate them to
participate in the

The teacher asks the students whether they consider Arad to be

clean and well-kept town, and to write down briefly why they

think so
The teacher divides the blackboard in two and writes down the
pro and con argumcnts

The lesson and the lesson olan

I
r

| 293

PRE.READING
To activate students'
knowledge of the

Role play

- pair work

language

To personalize topic

To make the students

interact and share
thoughts and feelings

Roles:
- Two neighbors, one complaining that the other leaves a lot of
garbage in the common yard
- Two ftiends, one just back from a picnic in Ceala Forest,
complaining about how picnickers leave about their leftovers
- A joumalist and the town mayor : the journalist asks the mayor
why he doesn't take measures to clean the streets more often;
etc.

To introduce topic and

raise expectations

Conversation

whole class:

The shrdents discuss the effecs of pollution on our lives and the
measures that should be taken to improve our living conditions

To facilitate reading

WHILE-READING
Skimming; summarizing

To develop fast, silent

reading skills

To promote global

|!um-': :-: environmental Protectic:'

!ffi,rr.':: tersonal oPinions in Eng''':

reading for meaning

To introduce new
vocabulary

F
ii

,.:: :rouP work

aod interactiors
'fii,,

rR\{-LP

To encourage the
students to infer the
meaning of unknown
items from context

- indiridual

rvork

The students are asked to skrm the text and write down, in one
sentence, what the text is abour; the students read their
sentences and the ieacher writes the best variant on the
blackboard

Scanning - indiridual r+'ork:

The srudents scan the text and continue sentences on their task
sheet, according to the information in the text

Sentence-level reading - whole class:

- The srudens rake nrrns and read the text aloud; the new words
are discussed and written down; the dialogues are read in a
dramatized way

POST-READING

hh,' o *ork

@rw:-. ,rhetler they consider Arad :: :rr

|nm- ,J :c write down brieflY wh) ::rf

|:r-:'.:'lard

in two and writes do'*r

- individual work
tick the correct answer, according to the

Comprehension questions

To get feedback on the

comprehension of the
text

jc
o

To foster pair and

To practice granmur

group work

To develop speaking
and communicative

skills on topics of
seneral interest

T/F:

the students

information in the text

Grammar practice - pair work

Item to practice: the adjective

Cloze + a jumbled list of adjectives : the students work in pairs

to fill the correct word in the correct slot

Discussion - group work I whole class

In groups of4, the students discuss the problem ofpollution and
suggest solutions that might improve the situation in our town;
the spokesmen present the group's conclusions ; they discuss
the problem with the other srouos

-*

294 I Strategies of foreign language teaching and test'ng

FOLLOW-UP
To prepare students for Writing
rhe homework
assignment

yow
There was some repair wotl< dane in the yard below
huge heap
a
behind
leaing
gone
attay
haw
windaw and theworkets
comphining
of rubbte. Wite a lctter to the corstruction company
ibow tne sinntion and asking for immediate melsures to be tal<En'

Situation

To get the students to

perform written tasks
similar to those
encountered in real life

- individual work:
i

teacher the
The students read the situation and discuss wittr the
letter' its
the
of
layout
(the
and
format
..quit"-*o of the task

content and

LESSON PLAN 4'

Form:

11'h

grade

Finn (the passage where Huck hides J::

fromtheslavehunters-SeealsoChapterTofpresentwork)

Lesson

Aims: -

The Adventures of Huckleberry

to introduce a fumous piece of literature;

to develop the students' reading and speaking skills

Sul
B!

1.

2.
L

Objectives:

3.
a

-swsATusetheirknowledgeoftheEnglishlanguagetoread.aliterarytext

-SWBATusetheEnglishlanguagetoexpresstheirthoughtsandfeelingsconcernl:;
Huck's dilemma

-SWBATarguetheirpointofviewandSupporttheirpositionwithexamples
- SWBAT use the new vocabulary in new contexts

type: reading lesson

Skills: t*Oing, listening, speaking, writing

Lesson

(,)

q)

bo

Activity

Technique

1 E

Brainstorming

CL

Aims

(n

ifthey
Creangd's
in
scene
the
remember

Th. t"".h"t

asks the students

Amintiri... where the boys accidentally

kill lrinuca's goats. S/he asks them:

T"

"i*"1""

students'

imagination

I
l

Discussion
to imagine they are in a similar situation
about:
words
of
lists
down
to write
) how theY feel
) why theY have trese feelings
) their first impulse
In groups of4, students discuss each item Writing
and write coherent sentences' Spokesmen
read their ideas and the best variants are
written on the blackboard.

To personalize
topic and make

it plausible

GW

To activate
students'

knowledge of
the language

Ir

SI

ffirkshowsaplanforthesamelessonwithoutacoIumnformat;thetwo
e!sLins are similar, but not identical'

The lesson and the lesson olan

'LP

l|||;n[;u

oa

frr* ,a

L-,w in the yard below Your

r'. caring behind a huge heaP
rr.u -,-{ company complaining
tne1sures to be taken.

The teacher tells students that ttrey are

d,)

'0lw*c:-i;e

!0 :r irJss with the teacher the

u.r- .:.j laYout of the letter. its

situation.
The students work in pairs and write four
sentences containing supposition.
The students take turns to read the
passage in the textbook aloud. The others
listen or read silently. The teacher stops
the reading repeatedly and asks
comprehension questions.
Suggested breaks:
1. Huck decides to inform authorities.
2. Huck hears Jim's words of gratitude.
3. The slave hunters ask Huck ifhe saw a
runaway slave.
o The teacher asks the students:
to say what they would do
to predict what Huck will do
The students are asked to skim the text to
see if their prediction was correct. Then
they go on with the reading.
The studen8 are asked to work in oairs
and summarize the texr in a paragraph.

l::

:,ssage where Huck hides

En:: ;'lIk)
oo

r;"-;

skills
A)

ttr&j;: io read a literary text

n::: : :ghts and feelings conceri-::

dlre

: ;osition with

examPles

OJ

rrr::rng

students'

To personal::
topic and rn:r-:

CL

Writing

PW

Reading aloud/
Listening

IW
CL

it plausibte

Comprehension
questions

To make

Prediction

To introduce
new
vocabulary in
context

IW

To personalize
the topic

To develop
summarizing

skills
Feedback on

comprehension
Summarizing

GW

To highlight
Twain's
message

Role play

PW

r
'

To develop
writing skills
To practice the
new
vocabulary in
context

Homework:

students'

::

the

* Instruction:

Write a 250-word

starting with the sentence :

my

'rs: :

assess

students active

To activarc
knowledge

To

while reading

CL

mnprehansion

Discussion

imaginauon
L

students

PW

bo

To introduce
the novel to

Writing

To stimulae

c
Aims

To prepare the
reading

Skimming

The shrdents discuss Huck's conflicting

feelings and whether he did the right
thing.
The students are asked to work in groups
and write down, in one sentence, the
message of the literary fragment. The
best variant is written on the blackboard.
The teacher suggests several situations
and asks pairs/groups of students to role
play (see Chapter 7).

IW

.
DqfLr

Brainstorming

going to read an excerpt from an

American novel; the protagonist, a
young boy, is also in trouble.
The teacher reads some passages from
Listening
the beginning ofthe novel, to introduce it
to students.
Asks them to imagine what kind of
Discussion
trouble it is, and how they feel about the Prediction

I pg5

qithout a column format: '--: 'u

essay

could see that

friend was in terrible trouble but I was

afraid...

Written
assignment

o
IW

To develop
essay-wriring

skills

Scracegies of for-eign lan

LESSON PLAN 5
Form : 9s grade (5m year of English)

l,evel: intermediate
l,esson
Source

:
:

The Tower of London

English My Love, pp. 19-20

a.

A. Description of class
--+

25 snrdents aeed 15-16

General description of cia*s

fols ve111 but show u".iou, degrees of proficiency,

l::,.:i:1.,i:::^9:T::1911's,English
d]'e to their different backgrounds (coming
from different secondary scrolg. some are shy
about speaking up in front of their new clissmates.

d)
e)

Tt

the students are familiar with most of the lexis involved

they have enough prior practice in skimmins and scanni

Pr

B. Recent work

t")

ion in London

r
.

writins : first sentence

a recorded interview about public

C. Objectives

l'
t-

global listening-fqr comprehension; listen

: stimming; scanning ; reading aloud

: taking notes while listening ; guided
o Culture : texts about famous UullOingi in Loiliil

Grammar: the tenses of the indicative

l-

lrn
t.)

fo

l-6r
to promote and motivate discussion
to activate the sfi,rdents' kno
of the world and of the

to raise expectations and stir the students' interest in the beauties oflondon
to introduce relevant vocabularv
to create emotional involvement and facilitate the readi

While-reading:

r
r

to introduce new information; to veriir expectations

to keep the students interested in the subiect
active reading/lisrening ski lls

'
'r
r

to
to
to
to

promote and motivate discussion about famous buildings

and historical figures
motivate the students to interact and exchange ideas and feelings
develop writing skills: note-taking; paragraph_writing
prepare the students for tlre follow_up and the homework assi

0i

rl

The lesson and the lesson plan

D. Contents
Warm-up. Estimated time:

| 2g7

15 minutes

a) Context: the students' own e]pelience with histoiic sights

b) Activity and interactions: class discussion * whole class
- the students talk about the buildings they have heard about
- compare them with other famous buildings they have seen
- express their pre{grences, wishes, etc.

c)Audio-visuals:picnrresintheteXtbook;postcards/gu.id@
a L:9N/

!:

: sh:'.i various degrees of proficiency,

::

'e:..ndary

,l-:L

schools). Some are shy

iE

and/or by the students

d) Languags: related to buildings and sights
e) Possible problems: the students may not have enough information about famous buildinil
around the world
Teacher must help them out, by offering prompts: verbal suggestions and/or visuals.

Pre-reading. Estimated time: 10 minutes

a) Context: creating expectations about the Tower of London
b) Activity and interactions: prediction, brainstorming - grout

:i;

rrded interview about Public

tork

Teacher asks students:

to imagine what the Tower of London looks like
when it was built; what it was used for, etc.
to discuss their suppositions with the other members of the group
to write down their suppositions in random lists of words/short sentences
Thespokesmen read their findings; the most interesting are written on blackboard.
c) Audio-visuals I notebooks and pens; the blackboard and chalk
d) Languagq: any and all

problems: the students may not have necessary language to express their ttloughts;
teacher must help out and encourage thern in their attempts to use the lansuaee .

e) Possible

fte

.': -le language

While-reading. Estimated rime: 25 minutes

i.e xauties of London

a) Context

!iliq

b) Activity and interactions:

- reading (skimming, scanning

rldings and historical figures

and feelings

ri-lng
ne';r

ork assignment

texts describing famous buildines of London

; sentence-level reading) - individual work

discussions - whole class; the students scan the paragraphs and put them in the correct
order (IW), then announce and discuss their findings (CL)
- the students scan the text to see if their predictions were correct (IW)
- they compare their findings with the predictions on the blackboard (CL)
- the students read the text once again and write down some unknown words; their
meanings are elicited from the context, explained by the students themselves/the teacher,
or looked up in rhe dictionary
- class discussion: the role and significance of the Tower of London
c) Audio-visuals: the text in the textbook; the predictions on the blackboard
d) Language: all and any
e) Possible problems:
- the texts may be too difficult for the students to understand
- there may be too many unknown words
- the teacher must encourage the students to read for the meaning and the general message of
the text, to infer the meaning of the unknown words from the context.

298 | Strategies of foreign

language teaching and testing

After-reading. Estimated time:

10 minutes

Context: the new text and

exerclses
b) Activity and interactions: writing - individual work ; reading - pair work
- the students organize the information received by inscribing it in a grid :
year - protagonist - event (ex. 3, p.20)
- in pairs, the students write sentences with the new words, then read them to their
classmates; the best are written on the blackboard
- in pairs, the students read sentences containing the new information and formulate
to them (ex. 2.
c) Audio-visuals: the textbook, exercises
e) Possible problems: some students may not know how to ask correct questions; pair work
can solve this
or the teacher may have to he

Follow-up. Estimated time:

Assessn

15 minutes

part of

a) Context: the new

and information
b) Activity and interactions: writing - pair work

as homework assignment, the students are asked to

testers i
As
write a composition about a famous or

infamous place
in pairs, the students decide on the place they would describe, discuss the necessary
information and vocabulary to include, make an outline for their composition, choose a
title for it. decide on the tone to be

c) Audio-visuals: none

sl

it is one

testing il
though,
students

are grad
spite of

e) Possible problems: some students may have difficulry in writing a composition; the
teacher must help thm out by offering linguistic and/or non-linguistic props, or by
ient students to
with them.

Tests

feedbacl

ciency

pressure

is

they

organize
achieverI
is very r

their ow

Just l
sponsibl
teacher r
what to I
the durai
the light
Refor

selves ar
match bK
results. I

tradit
great