Going the Distance:Going the Distance:Planning a Successful Planning a Successful

LessonLesson A 2008-2009 AmeriCorps ProductionA 2008-2009 AmeriCorps Production

The Four Language SkillsThe Four Language Skills

Your lesson plan should incorporate Your lesson plan should incorporate activities using these 4 skills:activities using these 4 skills:

SpeakingSpeaking

ListeningListening

ReadingReading

WritingWriting

The Basic Components of a The Basic Components of a Successful Lesson PlanSuccessful Lesson Plan

Step 1 - Warm-Up/Review of Past Step 1 - Warm-Up/Review of Past MaterialMaterialStep 2 - Introduction to the LessonStep 2 - Introduction to the LessonStep 3 - Presentation of MaterialStep 3 - Presentation of MaterialStep 4 - Practice ActivitiesStep 4 - Practice ActivitiesStep 5 - ApplicationStep 5 - ApplicationStep 6 - Evaluation ActivityStep 6 - Evaluation ActivityStep 7 - Reinforcement ActivityStep 7 - Reinforcement ActivityStep 8 - Extension ActivitiesStep 8 - Extension Activities

Step 1 - The Warm-Up/ReviewStep 1 - The Warm-Up/ReviewIt is essential to tie together the activities It is essential to tie together the activities you are doing from class-to-class. Having a you are doing from class-to-class. Having a warm-up at the beginning of class is the warm-up at the beginning of class is the best way to review the material you went best way to review the material you went over in the previous class.over in the previous class.

Also, many times you’ll find students Also, many times you’ll find students might arrive late, so it is good to have an might arrive late, so it is good to have an activity the other students can work on activity the other students can work on until you are ready to begin.until you are ready to begin.

Warm-Up Activity Ideas!Warm-Up Activity Ideas!Journal WritingJournal WritingAnswering questions written on the boardAnswering questions written on the boardScrambled sentencesScrambled sentencesFinishing homeworkFinishing homeworkSample forms to practice filling outSample forms to practice filling outMagazine or newspaper articles to read Magazine or newspaper articles to read (for more advanced levels)(for more advanced levels)Crossword PuzzlesCrossword PuzzlesWord Searches or Matching games with Word Searches or Matching games with pertinent vocabularypertinent vocabularyTongue TwistersTongue Twisters

Step 2 – Introduction to the LessonStep 2 – Introduction to the Lesson

To make a smooth transition after the To make a smooth transition after the warm-up, relate the new topic to the warm-up, relate the new topic to the material you just reviewed and also material you just reviewed and also explain how it is relevant to the students’ explain how it is relevant to the students’ lives. lives.

Make sure you have an objective for your Make sure you have an objective for your lesson and that you share your goal for the lesson and that you share your goal for the class with your students.class with your students.

Studies show that adult learners are more receptive Studies show that adult learners are more receptive to activities if they understand what they are to activities if they understand what they are expected to achieve during the class period. expected to achieve during the class period.

Step 3 - Presentation of MaterialsStep 3 - Presentation of Materials

When presenting new material to your When presenting new material to your class, it is important to center your lesson class, it is important to center your lesson plan around a certain goal (i.e. by the end plan around a certain goal (i.e. by the end of class we will know 10 new vocabulary of class we will know 10 new vocabulary words).words).

By having a clear and stated objective for By having a clear and stated objective for the lesson, your presentation will be more the lesson, your presentation will be more focused for both you and your students.focused for both you and your students.

Important Features of Step 3 - the Important Features of Step 3 - the Presentation:Presentation:

Establish a purpose for the lesson. Establish a purpose for the lesson. – Why will your students need this in their day-to-Why will your students need this in their day-to-

day lives? Explain that to them.day lives? Explain that to them.

Provide information.Provide information.– Use both visual and verbal explanations. Use both visual and verbal explanations.

Check for students’ level of understanding Check for students’ level of understanding before moving on to the practice activities.before moving on to the practice activities.– Ask questions and elicit answers from Ask questions and elicit answers from

individuals.individuals.– Move around the room to listen to pronunciation.Move around the room to listen to pronunciation.

ALL STAR POSTER ACTIVITY!ALL STAR POSTER ACTIVITY!

Step 4 - Practice ActivitiesStep 4 - Practice Activities

It’s important to have many activities It’s important to have many activities planned to reinforce your planned to reinforce your presentation.presentation.

Allowing the students to practice Allowing the students to practice what they’ve learned can reinforce what they’ve learned can reinforce how the material is relevant in their how the material is relevant in their everyday lives.everyday lives.

Important Features of Step 4 - Important Features of Step 4 - Practice Activities:Practice Activities:

Make sure to use a variety of grouping strategies.Make sure to use a variety of grouping strategies.– Whole class, small groups, pairs, and individualsWhole class, small groups, pairs, and individuals

Special note on grouping strategiesSpecial note on grouping strategies

Monitor student practice (move around the room Monitor student practice (move around the room to assess students’ progress). to assess students’ progress). Provide materials to guide students. Provide materials to guide students. – Worksheets, visuals on the board, or refer them to pages Worksheets, visuals on the board, or refer them to pages

in their booksin their books

Provide for more than one learning style.Provide for more than one learning style.SpeakingSpeakingWritingWritingListening Listening DoingDoing

It is essential during the practice activities It is essential during the practice activities that you are constantly evaluating and that you are constantly evaluating and giving feedback/encouragement to the giving feedback/encouragement to the students.students.– An easy way to do this is to review the activity An easy way to do this is to review the activity

as a class after the students have finished. as a class after the students have finished. – Also, make sure to walk around the room and Also, make sure to walk around the room and

correct students as they practice.correct students as they practice.You will find students will also correct one another You will find students will also correct one another during the activities – it is important to make sure during the activities – it is important to make sure they are giving appropriate correction to each other. they are giving appropriate correction to each other.

Important Features of Step 4 - Important Features of Step 4 - Practice Activities, Continued:Practice Activities, Continued:

Step 5 - ApplicationStep 5 - Application

The application component allows The application component allows students to participate in activities students to participate in activities that apply the information they are that apply the information they are learning in an everyday situation.learning in an everyday situation.

Important Features of Step 5 - Important Features of Step 5 - Application:Application:

Provide students with opportunities Provide students with opportunities to apply the material in real life to apply the material in real life situations.situations.– Have students role-play with partners, Have students role-play with partners,

have group discussions, have have group discussions, have conversation activities, etc.conversation activities, etc.

Facilitate purposeful communication.Facilitate purposeful communication.– Allow students to provide responses Allow students to provide responses

based on their own experiences.based on their own experiences.

Step 6 – Evaluation ActivityStep 6 – Evaluation Activity

Although you will be evaluating Although you will be evaluating students throughout your lesson and students throughout your lesson and during all activities, it is good to have during all activities, it is good to have at least one activity that is entirely at least one activity that is entirely devoted to assessing individual devoted to assessing individual understanding.understanding.

Refer back to your stated objective Refer back to your stated objective to plan an evaluation activity.to plan an evaluation activity.

Important Features of Step 6 – Important Features of Step 6 – Evaluation ActivityEvaluation Activity

Assess achievements based on the lesson Assess achievements based on the lesson objectives.objectives.– Using YES/NO cards is a simple and easy way Using YES/NO cards is a simple and easy way

to assess the students’ individual learning to assess the students’ individual learning achievements. achievements.

– Giving a short written test of knowledge for Giving a short written test of knowledge for you to collect and review would give you more you to collect and review would give you more time to assess the success of the lesson.time to assess the success of the lesson.

Consult the LCNV assessment sheets to Consult the LCNV assessment sheets to track how many objectives your students track how many objectives your students have accomplished during the session.have accomplished during the session.

Those assessment sheets should be provided to Those assessment sheets should be provided to you at the beginning of the session and they will you at the beginning of the session and they will be collected at the end of the session.be collected at the end of the session.

Step 7 – Reinforcement ActivityStep 7 – Reinforcement ActivityAfter you have assessed the success of After you have assessed the success of your lesson plan thus far, you can use the your lesson plan thus far, you can use the remainder of class to review and reinforce remainder of class to review and reinforce topics from the lesson that you feel your topics from the lesson that you feel your students have not grasped entirely.students have not grasped entirely.

During the reinforcement activity it is During the reinforcement activity it is helpful to use the entire class grouping helpful to use the entire class grouping strategy, so you can address the topic as a strategy, so you can address the topic as a class. class.

Step 7 – Reinforcement ActivityStep 7 – Reinforcement Activity

Your reinforcement activity should be Your reinforcement activity should be designed to allow the students to designed to allow the students to self-assess their performance. It will self-assess their performance. It will also give the students a chance to also give the students a chance to reflect on everything they have reflect on everything they have learned during the class period.learned during the class period.

Step 8 – Extension ActivitiesStep 8 – Extension ActivitiesAt the end of class, it is crucial to assign At the end of class, it is crucial to assign activities for the students to continue to activities for the students to continue to learn outside of the classroom. learn outside of the classroom.

Extension activities can be in the form of Extension activities can be in the form of homework assignments or simply homework assignments or simply providing information about other providing information about other programs where students can extend their programs where students can extend their learning.learning.

Examples of Extension Activities:Examples of Extension Activities:

Assign homework from the student Assign homework from the student workbooks.workbooks.

Ask students to watch 15 minutes of Ask students to watch 15 minutes of television in English.television in English.

Refer students to places in the community Refer students to places in the community where they can practice skills learned. where they can practice skills learned.

For example, a library computer class in EnglishFor example, a library computer class in English

Or, if your lesson was Food Vocabulary, suggest that Or, if your lesson was Food Vocabulary, suggest that the students go to a market and use only English to the students go to a market and use only English to ask for assistance.ask for assistance.

Lunch Break!Lunch Break!

LESSON PLANNING ACTIVITY!LESSON PLANNING ACTIVITY!

Other Things to Remember When Other Things to Remember When Planning Your Lesson:Planning Your Lesson:

Make sure the lesson integrates all Make sure the lesson integrates all four language skills.four language skills.Activities should keep Activities should keep allall students students engaged.engaged.““Filler” activities are ready for spare Filler” activities are ready for spare moments.moments.Always have extra games handy in Always have extra games handy in case of emergencies or if the lesson case of emergencies or if the lesson goes faster than you planned!goes faster than you planned!

It’s It’s YOURYOUR lesson plan! lesson plan!

A lesson plan is simply a guide to A lesson plan is simply a guide to structure your class. Make sure it structure your class. Make sure it makes sense to you! You must be makes sense to you! You must be comfortable with the format and flow comfortable with the format and flow of your lesson for it to be a success! of your lesson for it to be a success!

Fin.Fin.Contact information:Contact information:Melissa Martin – Melissa Martin – MMartin@lcnv.orgMMartin@lcnv.org 703-237-0866 ext. 104 703-237-0866 ext. 104Asmait Tewelde – Asmait Tewelde – ATewelde@lcnv.orgATewelde@lcnv.org ext. 112 ext. 112Adrienne Ward – Adrienne Ward – AWard@lcnv.orgAWard@lcnv.org ext. 104 ext. 104

An AmeriCorps 2008-2009 Production.An AmeriCorps 2008-2009 Production.

Directed byDirected by

Melissa Martin, Asmait Tewelde, and Adrienne WardMelissa Martin, Asmait Tewelde, and Adrienne Ward

Written byWritten by

Melissa Martin, Asmait Tewelde, and Adrienne WardMelissa Martin, Asmait Tewelde, and Adrienne Ward

StarringStarring

Melissa MartinMelissa Martin

Asmait TeweldeAsmait Tewelde

Adrienne WardAdrienne Ward