ESL Lesson Plans - Planning Lessons for English as a Second Language Instruction

What is an ESL lesson plan?

A lesson plan is a teacher’s guide to classroom instruction. Teachers prepare the lesson plan prior to the student’s arrival (based on the curriculum) and then implement the lesson during the class. The depth and detail of a lesson plan will vary depending on the preference of the teacher, subject being covered, and the need and/or level of the children. Furthermore, some schools may have specific lesson plan requirements mandated by the education office or school management.

Advantages to proper lesson planning

First and foremost, a proper lesson plan ensures that time spent with your students is maximized - if your students aren’t learning then what’s the point! Additionally, having proper lesson plans readily available for the start of each class will make your life as a teacher much easier. Please be advised: Students know when teachers aren’t prepared and losing their respect will only complicate your job and relationship with the class.

Developing an effective lesson plan

An effective lesson plan is generally 1-3 pages in length and should reflect the needs and interests of the students. Likewise, it should constitute the duration of the class; meaning, if the class is 50 minutes long then the lesson plan should incorporate 50 minutes of instruction. As an English teacher it’s important to develop lesson plans that provide the students with ample opportunities to speak; therefore, implementing classroom activities that promote conversation, questions, answers, brainstorming, etc. is ideal.