Planning is absolutely key if you hope to deliver inspiring lessons that both motivate and engage your students. That does not mean to say you need to slave over each of your lesson plans for hours on end, but there are a series of questions you can ask yourself about each of your lesson plans to ensure that the lesson will be fulfilling its potential and meeting the needs of your learners.
Lesson Title:
- Does it show progression from the previous lesson(s)?
Aims and Objectives:
- Are they clear?
- Can they be measured or evaluated?
- Do the students know and understand them?
- What is their position in the scheme of work?
Differentiation
- Is there a variety of activities on offer so that all students may be able to make progress and expect to achieve the objectives?
- How will you manage the practicalities of students who need extra support?
Resources:
- Do they meet the aims?
- Do they provide for the different ways that students learn?
- Are they accessible for all students?
Starter:
- Is there any link to the last lesson?
- What learner input is required?
- Does it prepare and motivate students for learning?
Main Activities:
- Do they promote independent learning?
- Is there a variety?
- Are questions clear?
- Are there written instructions to support verbal ones?
- Is any research targeted and appropriate guidelines given?
- How do the tasks meet the learning objectives?
- What will the finished work look like? Model / show examples
Plenary:
- Does it check the learning?
- Do all students participate?
- Has every student met the objectives?
- How will it affect planning for the next lesson?
Homework:
- Do students know the reason for the task?
- Are the instructions clear?
- Are your expectations clear?
- Is the deadline manageable and clear?
If you get used to asking yourself these questions each time you plan (you will get to be very quick at it!) you will find that you are creating lesson plans which can form the basis of outstanding lessons.
Is there anything missing? I’m sure there could be some useful additions to this list, please take a minute to comment with your ideas.
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Great post Pookie! I’ve added a link to this on my site. I think these are great points for new teachers, and even some of older ones to consider when creating lesson plans. I do have a question, however. I’ve never heard the word “plenary” before over here in the states. Is that like an assessment? Thanks again.
Sam
SuccessInTheClassroom
Thanks for the link! Very kind. I hope that the post is helfpul to you and some of your readers.
In answer to your query a Plenary is simply the final part of a lesson when a teacher finds out what students have learnt, re-emphasises the key points and sometimes prepares them for the next lesson. (I’m sure a trainee teacher could give you a far more cogent definition but I hope that helps!)
What about ‘how will i measure progress effectively and systematically through out the lesson?’ This is the one that my colleagues and I have been discussing recently.
That’s a really good question – what ideas have you come up with? It’s not easy to do!
Actually ‘plenary’ means ‘coming together’. It is a section of a lesson where students/pupils are stopped and further input or assessment take place. It doesn’t have to be at the end of the lesson and could last 30 seconds or 15 minutes.
It’s main purpose is to push learning forward, though it is often used as an assessment, review or reflective tool.
Thanks for another great one Pooky! Will use!