C: What should a lesson plan "look like"?

There are numerous ways to write up a lesson plan. One will follow, but feel free to pick the form that works best for you.

The acronym R.O.P.E.S. can be a helpful way to remember the following method for lesson planning.

Review

Start each lesson by reviewing the previous lesson. Ensure that the learner has the skills necessary to continue with the new information.

Overview

Give an overview of what will be taught in the lesson. Show how the new lesson will be connected to what was learned previously and how this will help the learner achieve her goals. This will keep the learner motivated and focused on the task at hand.

Present

Present the material. Start by presenting any new structures, vocabulary or expressions that are needed for the lesson. *

Exercises

Use the material in different exercises and activities. This will reinforce what you have just taught.

• Start with a targeted activity

A targeted activity is an activity that you direct. It is used specifically to provide practice in a certain area. So, if you are teaching your learner how to compare two things, you will set up a situation where the learner must use the expressions taught.

Directed teaching strategies include drills, focused questions and predetermined listening and reading exercises.

The lower the level your learner is, the more targeted activities you should do. You may want to start with a listening exercise, ask directed questions and then read together. You would want to follow-up with additional exercises (drills or dialogues) so the learner can practice what she has just heard and seen.

* You may also want to consider presenting new information while doing the exercise. For some learners, it is better to learn new structures and vocabulary while doing the exercises. Other learners feel more comfortable if they are introduced to new vocabulary and expressions (in context) prior to the exercises. For more information regarding how to introduce new material, please see Additional Resources: Two Models of Learning Styles. In this section, there are examples of an inductive and deductive approach to teaching.