How to Prepare a Lesson Plan
This guide outlines the essential steps and components for creating an effective
lesson plan.
1. What is a Lesson Plan?
A lesson plan is a set of notes that helps a teacher think through what they are
going to teach and how they are going to teach it.
2. Why is Lesson Planning Necessary?
Before the lesson: It helps organize thoughts and materials.
During the lesson: It provides a clear roadmap and structure.
After the lesson: It serves as a basis for reflection and improvement.
3. Components of a Standard Lesson Plan Template
Title & Date: e.g., "Lesson Plan: Level 0-Unit 1, June 15, 2025"
Grade Level: Clearly state the target audience's characteristics (needs, English
proficiency, age, cognitive level). For example, children aged 7-9 have short
attention spans and need encouragement.
Teaching Key Points & Difficulties:
Key Points: The basic knowledge and skills students must master. This is the main
teaching content.
Difficulties: The content that is challenging for students to master and requires
repeated practice, often connecting old knowledge with new.
Objectives (Using the SMART Principle):
An objective should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Vague goal: "Students will learn about family members."
SMART goal: "By the end of this unit, 90% of students will be able to read the
words accurately and introduce family members using the target sentence patterns."
Materials & Prep: Detail what is needed (e.g., flashcards, real objects,
interesting props).
Timeline: Break down the lesson minute-by-minute (e.g., for a 25-minute class with
20 pages, aim for ~1 minute per page).
Teaching Procedures:
Presentation, Practice, Production (PPP) Model is often used.
Typical 5-Step Procedure:
Warm-up & Lead-in
Presentation
Drills
Practice
Production
Teaching Reflection: After class, the teacher should reflect on what went well and
what could be improved.
4. Teaching Reflection Questions
After a lesson, a teacher should ask themselves:
Did the teaching go as planned? If not, why?
Were the teaching objectives achieved?
Which concepts were difficult for students?
How did the students react to the content?
If I were to teach this again, what adjustments would I make?
This guide helps teachers structure their thoughts and ensure a well-organized and
effective learning experience for their students.