ESL Lesson Plan and few warm up games/activities for engaging students

GUIDELINES for your PRACTICUM

I.   The big points:

a.  It's a demonstration, not a presentation.  It must be interactive.  Minimize explanation.  Instead, please include several activities that encourage student participation.

b.  Make sure that you are teaching grammar, vocabulary, or language skills.  Please avoid giving a lecture on world knowledge.

c.  Have fun!

II.   Lesson Structure

a.  Remember an EXPOSURE stage

b.  Please have a clear idea of the age and level you are teaching.  Be as specific as possible about this (and tell us who we are).

c.  Be creative!  Be sly!  Hide the fact that you’re teaching grammar!                                                          

III.   Logistics/Materials
a.  Have all materials ready when you arrive in the morning.  You’ll need copies of your lesson plan and all handouts for everyone in class.  I recommend stapling everything together into a single packet.

b.  Feel free to make transparencies for the projector.  Doing so saves valuable time in writing on the board.

c.  Avoid the use of computers if possible.  No power point or anything of the sort.  (It’s not a lecture, right?)  If you want sound, you may bring a device to play it.

IV.        Timing
a.    It’s important that you keep within the time limit, but it’s equally important not to have a lesson that is too short.  Do a “dry run” on your own to get the timing right.

b.   Plan more activities than you think you’ll have time for.  You don’t have to finish the activities you start.  Generally, many activities with little time spent on each is preferred. 

V.       Remember…
a.   This is “real.”  Please do not “break the fourth wall.”  What you say goes.  You can say things like, “last lesson, we learned…”  We’ll pretend along with you.

b.   Relax!  It’s okay to make mistakes—no one will call you out on it during your lesson!

c.    If someone asks you a question that you aren’t comfortable answering, that’s okay.  Just say, “We’ll talk about that ‘next class’ “or “English is crazy.”

d.   Have fun!  (It bears repeating.)