EPB4053 LANGUAGE AND TEACHING METHODOLOGY Course Notes Writer: ASSOC. PROF. DR.

MOHD SOFI BIN ALI

LESSON SEVEN PREPARING AND WRITING LESSON PLANS 10 INTRODUCTION This lesson focuses on how you prepare and write your lesson plan. At the end of the lesson, you will be able to: (a)Describe the principles of lesson planning (b)Describe guidelines in lesson planning (c) Write lesson plan for differentiated instruction 10 WHAT IS A LESSON PLAN A lesson plan is a framework for a lesson; it is your lesson blueprint. It serves as you direction of your teaching; where you are heading; what you want to teach and essentially, what you want your students to learn. Imagine your lesson a journey; your lesson plan is your lesson plan is the map. It shows you where you begin your bteaching, where you end it and the route to takeyou to get there.It is essential that all teachers think through their lessons and plan their lessons before they actually enter the classroom. Lesson plans are what the teacher hopes to achieve over the course of the lesson and how he or she hopes to achieve it. in written form detailed plans - showing clearly what is happening at any particular time in the lesson.

10 WHY IS PLANNING IMPORTANT? One of the most important reasons why a teacher plans his lesson is that the teacher needs to identify his or her aims for the lesson. Teachers need to know what it is they want their students to be able to do at the end of the lesson that they couldn't do before. Other important reasons are: It gives the teacher the opportunity to predict possible problems and therefore consider solutions It makes sure that lesson is balanced and appropriate for class It gives teacher confidence It is a good practice and a sign of professionalism.

10 WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF LESSON PLANNING? (Adapted from http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/planning-1) The following are the principles of effective lesson planning:

1. Aims You need to consider realistic goals (objectives) for the lesson, they must not too easy but not too difficult. You may find the following checklist useful: 2. Variety - Provide variety of activity to your lesson; it is an important way of getting and keeping the students engaged and interested. 3. Flexibility You have to expect the unexpected! Things don't always go to plan in most lessons. Experienced teachers have the ability to cope when things go wrong. It's useful when planning to build in some extra and alternative tasks and exercises. Also teachers need to be aware of what is happening in the classroom. Students may raise an interesting point and discussions could provide unexpected opportunities for language work and practice. In these cases it can be appropriate to branch away from the plan. Effective lesson planning is the basis of effective teaching. A plan is a guide for the teacher as to where to go and how to get there. However - don't let the plan dominate - be flexible in your planning so that when the opportunities arise you can go with the flow. 10LESSON PLANNING PROCEDURES Read the following text to understand more about lesson planning procedures. At the end your reading, list the lesson planning procedures. Share with your friend. What do the students know already? What do the students need to know? What did you do with the students in the previous class? How well do the class work together? How motivated are the students?

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 than 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 probably 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. (From:
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/les spln1.ht) 6.0 COMPONENTS OF LESSON PLAN Read the following text. Class discussion. Top 8 Components of a Lesson Plan Whether you're working on your teaching credential or being reviewed by an administrator or evaluator, you will often need to write out a lesson plan during your teaching career. Make sure it includes the eight essential components of a strong, effective lesson plan and you'll be on your way to achieving every teacher's goal: measurable student learning. 1. Objectives and Goals The lesson's objectives must be clearly defined and in lined with district and/or state educational standards. Your objectives must be specific, realistic, observable and measurable. In the Objectives section of your lesson plan, write precise and delineated goals for what you want your students to be able to accomplish after the lesson is completed. Be Specific. Use numbers where appropriate. To define your lesson's objectives, consider the following questions: What will students accomplish during this lesson? To what specific level (i.e. 75% accuracy) will the students perform a given task in order for the lesson to be considered satisfactorily accomplished? Exactly how will the students show that they understood and learned the goals of your lesson? Will this occur through a worksheet, group work, presentation, illustration, etc?

Additionally, you will want to make sure that the lesson's objective fits in with your district and/or state educational standards for your grade level. By thinking clearly and thoroughly about the goals of your lesson, you will ensure that you are making the most of your teaching time. Steps Focus on student (not teacher) performance Focus on the product (not the process). Focus on the desired behaviour (not the information).

Include only one outcome for each objective. Aspects of a learning objective (http://www.wikihow.com/Write-Behavioral-Learning-Objectives) Three important aspects of a learning objective are that each objective needs: (Bastable, 2003, p. 324) Performance - a skill, behavior, or ability that the learner is expected to exhibit that can be accepted as evidence of an objective being achieved. example - the learner will be able to define, observe, or detect Condition - describes the situation or environment that the learner will achieve the performance. example - Following a five minute lecture on fire safety....... Criterion - is the precision or correctness that the learner is expected to achieve in order to judge the objective a success or failure.example - with 100% accuracy. Putting It All Together - An objective should state under what conditions a learner will do something, what it is they are expected to do, and how well they will do it. Some common mistakes when writing learning objectives: (Bastable, 2003, p. 326-327) Describing what the instructor is expected to do instead of what the learner is expected to do. Including more than one expected behaviour in a single objective. (Beware of the word and - make sure it is not connecting two verbs in your objective!) Forgetting to include all three components of a learning objective (condition, performance, and criterion). Using terms for performance that are subjected to many interpretations, are not action oriented, and are difficult to measure. Writing an objective that is unattainable given the level of ability of the learner. Writing objectives that do not relate to the goal. Cluttering an objective by including unnecessary information. Being too general and not clearly specifying the expected outcome. Using general verbs or action words such as "understand" - use concrete verbs such as "demonstrate", "discuss", "participate". Examples: After reading the book "Life in the Rainforest," sharing a class discussion, and drawing plants and animals, students will be able to place six specific characteristics into a Venn diagram of the similarities and differences of plants and animals, with 100% accuracy. After a 30 minute class on hypertension, the learner will recall three causes of high blood pressure with 100% accuracy. 2. Anticipatory Set Before you dig into the meat of your lesson's instruction, set the stage for your students by tapping into their prior knowledge and giving the objectives a context. In the Anticipatory Set section, you outline what you will say and/or present to your students before the direct instruction of the lesson begins.

A short activity or prompt that focuses the students' attention before the actual lesson begins. Used when students enter the room or in a transition. A hand-out given to students at the door, review question written on the board, "two problems" on the overhead are examples of the anticipatory set. The purpose of the Anticipatory Set is to: Provide continuity from previous lessons, if applicable Allude to familiar concepts and vocabulary as a reminder and refresher Tell the students briefly what the lesson will be about Gauge the students' level of collective background knowledge of the subject to help inform your instruction Activate the students' existing knowledge base Whet the class's appetite for the subject at hand Briefly expose the students to the lesson's objectives and how you will get them to the end result

To write your Anticipatory Set, consider the following questions: How can I involve as many as students as possible, piquing their interests for the subject matter to come? How should I inform my students of the lesson's context and objective, in kid-friendly language? What do the students need to know before they can delve into the lesson plan itself and direct instruction?

Anticipatory Sets are more than just words and discussion with your students. You can also engage in a brief activity or question-and-answer session to start the lesson plan off in a participatory and active manner. Examples: Remind the children of animals and plants they have studied earlier in the year. Ask the class to raise their hands to contribute to a discussion of what they already know about plants. Write a list on the blackboard of the characteristics they name, while prompting them and offering ideas and comments as needed. Repeat the process for a discussion of the properties of animals. Point out major similarities and differences. Tell the children that it is important to learn about plants and animals because we share the earth with them and depend upon each other for survival. 3. Direct Instruction When writing your lesson plan, this is the section where you explicitly delineate how you will present the lesson's concepts to your students.This is the Presentation Stage. Your methods of Direct Instruction could include reading a book, displaying diagrams, showing real-life examples of the subject matter, using props, discussing relevant characteristics, watching a movie, or other hands-on and/or presentational steps directly related to your lesson plan's stated objective. When determining your methods of Direct Instruction, consider the following questions: How can I best tap into the various learning modalities (audio, visual, tactile, kinesthetic, etc.) to meet the learning style preferences of as many students as possible?

What materials (books, videos, pneumonic devices, visual aids, props, etc.) are available to me for this lesson? What relevant vocabulary do I need to present to my students during the lesson? What will my students need to learn in order to complete the lesson plan's objectives and independent practice activities? How can I engage my students in the lesson and encourage discussion and participation? Think outside the box and try to discover fresh, new ways to engage your students' collective attention to the lesson concepts at hand. Avoid just standing in front of your students and talking at them. Get creative, hands-on, and excited about your lesson plan, and your students' interest will follow. Before you move on to the Guided Practice section of the lesson, check for understanding to ensure that your students are ready to practice the skills and concepts you have presented to them. Examples: Read Life in the Rainforest : Plants, Animals, and People by Melvin Berger. Talk about characteristics of plants and animals mentioned in the book. Show the class a real, living plant and walk them through the functions of the different parts of the plant. Show the class a real, living animal (perhaps a small pet brought in from home or a classroom pet borrowed from another teacher). Discuss the parts of the animal, how it grows, what it eats, and other characteristics.

4. Guided Practice Under your supervision, the students are given a chance to practice and apply the skills you taught them through direct instruction (i.e., at the presentation stage). In the Guided Practice section (i.e., the Practice and Production Stages) of your written lesson plan, outline how your students will demonstrate that they have grasped the skills, concepts, and modelling that you presented to them in the Direct Instruction(i.e., the Presentation Stage) portion of the lesson. While you walk around the classroom and provide some assistance on a given activity (worksheet, illustration, experiment, discussion, or other assignment), the students should be able to perform the task and be held accountable for the lesson's information. The Guided Practice activities can be defined as either individual or cooperative learning. As a teacher, you should observe the students' level of mastery of the material in order to inform your future teaching. Additionally, provide focused support for individuals needing extra help to reach the learning goals. Correct any mistakes that you observe. Examples: Students will split into pairs to work together on drawing. On a piece of paper, students will draw a picture of plants, incorporating characteristics they learned about in this lesson (listed on board). On the other side of the paper, students will draw a picture of animals, incorporating characteristics they learned about in this lesson (listed on board).

5. Closure In the Closure section, outline how you will wrap up the lesson by giving the lesson concepts further meaning for your students. Closure is the time when you wrap up a lesson plan and help students organize the information into a meaningful context in their minds. A brief summary or overview is often appropriate. Another helpful activity is to engage students in a quick discussion about what exactly they learned and what it means to them now. Look for areas of confusion that you can quickly clear up. Reinforce the most important points so that the learning is solidified for future lessons. It is not enough to simply say, "Are there any questions?" in the Closure section. Similar to the conclusion in a 5-paragraph essay, look for a way to add some insight and/or context to the lesson. Examples: Discuss new things that the students learned about plants and animals. Summarize the characteristics of plants and animals and how they compare and contrast. 6. Independent Practice Through homework assignments or other independent assignments, your students will demonstrate whether or not they absorbed the lesson's learning goals. Through Independent Practice (i.e., Follow up Activities), students have a chance to reinforce skills and synthesize their new knowledge by completing a task on their own and away from the teacher's guidance. In writing the Independence Practice section of the Lesson Plan, consider the following questions: Based on observations during Guided Practice, what activities will my students be able to complete on their own? How can I provide a new and different context in which the students can practice their new skills? How can I offer Independent Practice on a repeating schedule so that the learning is not forgotten? How can I integrate the learning objectives from this particular lesson into future projects?

Independent Practice can take the form of a homework assignment or worksheet, but it is also important to think of other ways for students to reinforce and practice the given skills. Get creative. Try to capture the students interest and capitalize on specific enthusiasms for the topic at hand. Once you receive the work from Independent Practice, you should assess the results, see where learning may have failed, and use the information you gather to inform future teaching. Without this step, the whole lesson may be for naught.

Examples: Students will complete the Venn Diagram worksheet, categorizing the six listed characteristics of plants and animals. 7. Required Materials and Equipment Here, you determine what supplies are required to help your students achieve the stated lesson objectives. In the Required Materials section, consider: What items and supplies will be needed by both the instructor and the students in order to accomplish the stated learning objectives? What equipment will I need in order to utilize as many learning modalities as possible? (visual, audio, tactile, kinesthetic, etc.) How can I use materials creatively? What can I borrow from other teachers?

Keep in mind that modelling and the use of hands-on materials are especially effective in demonstrating concepts and skills to students. Look for ways to make the learning goals concrete, tangible, and relevant to students. The Required Materials section will not be presented to students directly, but rather is written for the teacher's own reference and as a checklist before starting the lesson. Examples: The book Life in the Rainforest: Plants, Animals, and People by Melvin Berger. Venn Diagramblackline master, copied for each student. A plant An animal Paper Crayons

8. Assessment The lesson doesn't end after your students complete a worksheet. The assessment section is one of the most important parts of all. Learning goals can be assessed through quizzes, tests, independently performed worksheets, cooperative learning activities, hands-on experiments, oral discussion, questionand-answer sessions, or other concrete means. Most importantly, ensure that the Assessment activity is directly and explicitly tied to the stated learning objectives. Once the students have completed the given assessment activity, you must take some time to reflect upon the results. If the learning objectives were not adequately achieved, you will need to revisit the lesson in a different manner. Student performance informs future lessons and where you will take your students next. Examples: Quiz Test

Class discussion Hands-on experiment Worksheet Cooperative Learning activities Illustrations or Graphic Organizers

(From Beth Lewis, About.com Guide; http://k6educators.about.com/od/lessonplanheadquarters/tp/8_steps_lp.htm) 10A LESSON PLAN FORMAT A Note: There are three main stages in any lesson: Presentation, Practice, and Production. A lesson which includes all these stages can help children learn more efficiently. The presentation stage involves explaining the aims of the lesson so that children know what they will learn and why. It is also during this stage that the teacher explains the new language, including both its meaning and form, and how to say or write it correctly. A good presentation will be understandable, interesting and in a context the children can understand, such as a song, game or story. The goal of the practice stage is to help the children use the new language you have just explained to them. The teacher can ask the children to produce sentences or answer questions that demonstrate they understand how to use the language correctly. In a good practice stage, language will also be in a context which children understand. It is at this stage that error correction is most important. The final stage is the production stage. This stage can help motivate children to communicate meaning with the new language. Children should have the opportunity during this stage to experiment with the language, for example they can use the names of animals to make a story. You do not need to correct too much during this stage, but you can observe the children and give feedback at the end of the stage.

Not all lessons need all three stages. This is simply one way to help children learn new language in an enjoyable and effective way. This model may not be useful in some lessons, for example those lessons in which children are practising language they already know.
(British Council, English Online Teachers. http://www.englishonline.org.cn/en/teachers/teaching-articles/plan-preparation/ppp) MODEL : FACULTY OF EDUCATION, UNIRAZAK MODEL

Date/Day: Time/Duration: Class: Attendance: Subject: Topic: Subtopics:

Learning Outcomes: Previous Knowledge:

Teaching & Learning Activities Steps/Time allocation Contents Teaching Activities Learning Activities

Remarks (Values/Thinking skills/Methods/Strategy/T eaching aids/Integrated skills)

(Induction set) (Time)

Subject related content

Note:

The teacher sets the stage for the students by tapping into their prior knowledge and giving the objectives a context.

Presentation (Time)

Note: Teacher explicitly delineates how he/she will present the lesson's concepts to the students.

Practice (Time)

Note: The students are given a chance to practice and apply the skills you taught them through direct instruction

Production (Time)

Note: The students apply what they have been taught in a task.

Closure (Time)

Note: A review or wrap-up of the lesson - "Tell me/show me what you have learned today".

Reflection

Supervisors Comments

A SAMPLE LESSON PLAN Activity There is no correct way to write a lesson plan, although a good lesson plan should give a clear picture of what the teacher intends to do in the lesson. The plan given here is intended as an example of how a lesson plan can include some of the features discussed in this session, but not necessarily as the best way to write a plan. Study the lesson plan below. What do you think of the lesson plan? Give your comments. Discuss in your class.
Date/Day: 14 February 2011 Time/Duration: 35 minutes Class: Form 2G Attendance: 35 Class : Form 3 Level: Mixed Ability Subject: English Topic: Environment Pollution Focused Skills: Reading and Writing Integrated: Listening and Speaking CCTS: Classification and Comparison Moral Values: Appreciation and Co-operation Previous Knowledge: Key words related to pollution, forms used in expressing opinions, agreement and disagreement Learning Outcomes: By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to

(a) Read extracts from articles and compare opinions expressed by

Steps/ Time allocation

Contents

Teaching & Learning Activities

Remarks (Values/Thinking skills/Methods/Strat egy/Teaching aids/Integrated

skills)

Teaching Activities (Induction set) 3 min Vocabulary: Pollution, smoke, haze, toxic, waste, open burning, forest clearing a) Teacher gets students to guess a nineletter word which spells doom for mankind elicits types and causes of pollution; mind mapping

Learning Activities a) Students guess the nine-letter word Students brainstorm on types and causes of pollution Rationale: To introduce topic by engaging the students in a meaningful interaction Materials: Mind map Moral Values: Appreciation and Cooperation Thinking skills: Classification of causes and types of pollution Class discussion Skills: Listening and Speaking

b)

b) Teacher then

Presentation 10minutes

Unfamiliar words: convenience, fuel, appliances, local environment, low-lying coastal areas, support life Expressions: Recognizing discourse markers; in my opinion, let me explain, on the other hand.

a)

b)

Teacher sets prereading questions: What is the topic in each passage? Do both writers share the same opinion? Teacher guides students to go through the text quickly by helping them to guess meaning in context. students to use of discourse markers in expressing opinions: In my opinion, let me explain, on the other hand. a) Teacher sets pair work, to compare opinions expressed on the issue of pollution by filling the substitution table. b) Teacher elicits oral responses

a)

b)

c) Teacher introduces
c)

Students read passages with the help of prereading questions Students answer questions; students guess meaning in context.

Rationale: To guide the students in their reading and create focus; to develop new vocabulary on the topic of pollution, and the use of discourse markers/forms to express opinions. Materials: passages

Practice/ Development 10minutes

Vocabulary: convenience, fuel, appliances, local environment, low-lying coastal areas, support life Expressions and discourse markers; in my opinion, let me explain, on the

a) In pairs,
students discuss and express opinions on the issue of pollution; students fill in substitution table Peer feedback on answers given

Rationale: To provide practice for the new input/skill and to encourage cooperation among students Materials: Substitution table, task sheet

b)

other hand

c)

and confirms/gets peers to improve on answers Teacher provides immediate feedback a) Student s write a cohere nt paragra ph based on a substitu tion table. Student s volunte er to read aloud paragra ph Rationale: Provide an extended practice on focused language point with sufficient guidance; Skills: Guided writing using substitution table

d) Production 20 minutes A coherent paragraph expressing personal opinions on the topic discussed Text organization

a) Teacher instructs
students (individual task) to write a coherent paragraph based on a substitution table to express personal opinion on the topic of pollution b) Teacher provides further guidance on the use of discourse markers. c) Teacher provides a model paragraph to weaker students. d) Teacher asks for volunteers and selects students to read aloud and share their paragraphs with the class a) Teacher recites a poem on environmental issues and assigns students the task of sourcing reading materials on similar issues for next weeks lesson

b)

Closure 5 minutes

A poem

a)

Student s seek clarifica tion on poem and task.

Rationale: To link lesson to other related issues and introduces variety in text type.

Reflection

Supervisors Comments

(Adapted from a students lesson plan, 2010)

10 WRITING LESSON PLAN Activity In pairs, select a unit/skill/topic from your current KBSM English language syllabus. Based on an accepted lesson plan format, plan a 60 minute lesson focusing on one of the language skills.

20 CONCLUSION In the above lesson, you have learned how to: Describe the principles of lesson planning Describe guidelines in lesson planning Write lesson plan for differentiated instruction

If you need more practice on planning and writing your lesson plans, please consult your lecturer/tutor.