LESSON PLANNING

WHY? HOW MUCH? HOW?

Associate Professor Titela Vilceanu, PhD

Any language lesson typically involves lesson planning and class management
(managing learners’ behaviour during the lesson). Undoubtedly, lesson planning is a key
factor in successful teaching. During the planning stage the teacher makes decisions
related to the objectives of the lessons/expected outcomes (generally stated in behavioral
terms: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to….), means of achieving the
objectives, the resources available (textbook, additional selected materials, equipment),
stages of the lesson, activities, timing, teacher’s roles, patterns of interaction/students’
groupings, anticipated problems, etc so as to maximize learning opportunities, teach
productively and efficiently and be able to monitor the learners’ progress.

Controlling factors in lesson planning (principles)

External factors
1. Learner-centeredness: learners’ needs and interests are taken into account.
2. Compliance with the curriculum and syllabus – the teaching content and
methods are part of the national curriculum and of the officially approved syllabus.
3. Compliance with the school policy – the teacher should meet the expectations of
the school supervisor.
4. Flexibility: the teacher needs to adapt an already-designed lesson plan to the
particular needs of a class both in point of form and content. Hence, it is advisable to
have a larger repertoire of activities from which to choose depending on students’
response and learning progress. Deviation from the original plan may be caused by the
fact that the lesson implementation is not running smoothly and the intended outcome is
not likely to produce or, at the other end of the cline, because there is need for
improvisation.
5. Variety: the teacher should use a wide range of activities underlying a variety of

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communicative contexts and purposes to build and maintain students’ motivation (keep
their interest alive) and to develop language skills and sub-skills alongside critical
thinking skills.
6. Reflective approach: the lesson plan, upon implementation, may function as a
reference point against which to measure success and develop remedial or furthering
work.

Internal factors
1. Teacher’s professional competence (knowledge of the subject and of ELT
methodology): naturally, teachers tend to select those methods and activities that they
feel confident with.
2. Teacher’s experience – success engenders success and teachers are likely to
implement reusable methods and techniques that worked out in the past and may continue
to do so.
3. Teacher’s personality – the teaching style is said to be heavily influenced by
personality factors: charisma, the extrovert/introvert person, sense of humour, tolerance
for ambiguity, risk taking, paternal/maternal figure, ability to empathize, etc.

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