How to plan a 45- or 60-minute lesson

Step 1. Write one aim as a can-do

Finish the sentence: "By the end of the lesson, students will be able to…" — and make the ending something you can see or hear. "…ask and answer about daily routines using present simple questions" is an aim. "…do present simple" or "…practise speaking" is not. One main aim is plenty for 45 minutes; for 60 you can add a small secondary aim, such as five new words or a pronunciation point.

Step 2. Pick a shape

Decide how the lesson will move. For brand-new language, PPP (present, practise, produce) is the safest choice. For language students half-know, use Test-Teach-Test. For children or when you need variety, think in Engage, Study and Activate blocks. The shape gives you your middle stages.

Step 3. Time every stage

Write a time next to every stage and add them up. New teachers almost always plan too much, so plan to finish two or three minutes early. With young learners, keep stages short and alternate calm and active ones.

• 45 minutes: warm-up 5 · lead-in and new language 10 · controlled practice 10 · freer practice 12 · feedback and wrap-up 5 · buffer 3.
• 60 minutes: warm-up 5 · review of last lesson 5 · lead-in and new language 12 · controlled practice 10 · freer practice 15 · error feedback 5 · wrap-up and homework 5 · buffer 3.

Step 4. Choose activities that serve the aim

Now, and only now, choose activities. For each one ask: does it make students use the target language? A fun game that practises something else belongs in another lesson. Move from controlled (one right answer) to freer (students choose what to say), and make sure the freer task actually needs the target language — a survey about daily routines needs "Do you…?" and "What time do you…?"

Step 5. Predict problems and plan the edges

• Anticipated problems: what will be hard about the meaning, form or pronunciation? ("Students will forget the -s in he/she/it.") Write a one-line solution for each.
• Instructions: script the instruction for any tricky activity, and one check question.
• Backup: one extra activity if you finish early, and a stage you can cut if you run late.
• Transitions: how will you move from one stage to the next — the signal, the regrouping, the materials?

A reusable lesson plan template

Copy this into a notebook or a document and fill it in for every lesson. After a few weeks it takes ten minutes.

• Class / student, age, level, date, length.
• Main aim: "By the end, students will be able to…" Secondary aim (optional).
• Target language: the exact words, phrases or structures, with example sentences.
• Materials: what to print, prepare or open.
• Stages: name · minutes · what the teacher does · what students do · interaction (whole class, pairs, alone).
• Anticipated problems and solutions.
• Backup activity / stage to cut.
• Homework.
• After the lesson: what worked, what didn't, what to repeat next time.

Step 6. Reflect for two minutes

Right after the lesson, answer three questions in your plan: Did students reach the aim — how do I know? What took longer than planned? What will I change next time? Those notes are how planning gets faster and lessons get better.