Lesson Planning Tips and Resources

"I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think." – Socrates
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Within the garden of learning is the students' gained knowledge put into use. The way we design our lessons and activities determine how successful our learners will be in grasping new knowledge. We also have to ensure students pass tests and achieve learning objectives. Our lessons can help us achieve both. We don't possibly have enough time to design incredible lessons for every objective, but on the web we can find 1000s of great lessons created by teachers that we can adapt to meet our students' needs. Below, find resources, templates, and websites to help you design this year's lesson plans. 
Tips

Anthony Gaughin talks about a GREAT lesson having these elements:
  • G- group dynamic
  • R- relevance to learners' lives and needs
  • E-emergent language and ideas focus
  • A- attentiveness
  • T- thoughtfulness
To this list I would add flexibility. We need to leave room in our lessons for our students to take the learning where it needs to go.

Templates
Some of us need a framework from which to build our lessons. This can be a structured template, sketchnote, or mind map of our lesson plan. As an experienced teacher, I prefer less framework and I like to map out my lesson.
Free Lesson Plan Sites
Free ESL Lesson Plans

Here are a few places to find free lesson plans to teach English in any subject or to any age level! You can also access these in my PearlTree of Bookmarked Sites.

Bookmarks

Find the tools listed above and many more resources in the bookmarks below.