LESSON FRAMEWORKS
These frameworks for different types of lessons are useful guides for your
planning. They are based on certain principles such as presenting/working
on/practising/using language in context, as well as engaging students in
learning, allowing them to take centre-stage.
They also introduce the terminology related to different stages of the
lesson and their aims, and possible types of task. The procedures
described are only examples, so please bear in mind that there are
different ways of doing things.
Above all, these models of lessons are suggestions, and should not be seen
as a straitjacket.
SKILLS-BASED LESSONS
Receptive skills lesson (Reading or Listening)
STAGE NAME Aims Procedure
Lead-in e.g. ss discuss questions relating to the topic of
Aim: to generate interest lesson
PRE-READING / in the topic / context
LISTENING Orientation to text e.g. T tells ss about the text, ss predict content from
Aim: to generate interest pictures/ words from the text; or ss say what they
in the text, activate already know about the topic
schemata and to help
students prepare to read/
listen
OR
Pre-teaching vocabulary Tell students briefly about the text, and then that they
(if necessary) will learn some words to help them better
Aim: to pre-teach understand it.
meaning of words e.g. T shows a picture and elicits the word, then T
necessary for the task shows the word for ss. Choose 3 or 4 items of
that follows blocking vocabulary, which would be only the words
from the tasks or involved in the answers.
NOTICE THAT THIS CAN BE DONE BEFORE THE GIST
TASK, OR BEFORE THE DETAIL TASK
Gist task e.g. ss read or listen to the text and decide on the
Aim: to give ss practice in best title for the text. Ss can see the text well.
gist reading / listening The text and the task should be on the same slide or
(skimming), i.e. general on a separate document if the text is long.
comprehension
WHILE-READING / Checking the answers:
LISTENING Peer check
In BORs ss share the screen and annotate the
answers. If the answers are short, T may ask ss to
write the answers a direct message to T. As this is
usually quite a simple task, you may want to use the
suggestion below to save time.
Open class feedback
T shares the screen with the text and the task, elicits
and annotates the answers.
Pre-teaching vocabulary if e.g. T shows a picture and elicits the word, then T
not already done in shows the word for ss. Choose 3 or 4 items of
Pre-reading/listening blocking vocabulary, which would be only the words
stage from the tasks or involved in the answers.
(if necessary)
Aim: to pre-teach NOTICE THAT THIS CAN BE DONE BEFORE THE GIST
meaning of words TASK, OR BEFORE THE DETAIL TASK
necessary for the task
that follows
Detail task e.g. ss read or listen to the text and decide if the
Aim: to give students sentences are true/false; answer questions about the
practice at reading or text etc.
listening for detail or The text is copied with the new task on the same
specific information slide or on the document.
Peer check
Open class feedback
POST-READING / Personal response to the e.g. ss say what they liked about the text, what was
LISTENING text new/ interesting etc.
Aim: to help ss interact This stage can be done quickly as a series of
with the text and react to questions in Open Class
it
Follow-up e.g. ss have a discussion or a role-play related to the
Aim: to exploit the text for text.
speaking or writing
Productive skills lesson (Speaking or Writing)
STAGE NAME Aims Procedure
Lead-in e.g. ss discuss questions relating to the topic of
Aim: to generate interest lesson
PRE-SPEAKING / in the topic / context
WRITING Context e.g. Show ss pictures of a holiday place, a dirty hotel
Aim: to set a context in room and an angry hotel guest to introduce
which it is natural to a) audio of conversation between the guest
produce the spoken . and the hotel manager
written text b) an email of complaint
Introduce Model Text Reading/listening for gist
Aim: to provide a model, e.g. ss read or listen to the text and decide what the main
to highlight text features problems are
and useful language
AND/OR
Reading/ listening for detail
e.g. ss take notes of specific text features or language
Observation: remember that your lesson focus is
speaking/writing, and therefore you might want to do
ONLY the gist task. The second task, if done, should draw
learners’ attention to features of text or language that will
support them in their speaking/writing. Text features
(such as text organisation) and language can be
highlighted in different ways, e.g. ordering paragraphs in
a text or completing gaps in a dialogue with functional
language.
Set the task
Aim: to offer a clear e.g. SS are given a different list of possible problems
context and a they can complain about and are asked to produce a
communicative purpose conversation / email.
WHILE-SPEAKING Time to think e.g. Ss brainstorm in pairs or groups and come up
/ WRITING Aim: to provide ss with with ideas e.g. more complaints
time to brainstorm and
think of ideas
Actual task e.g. ss act out the conversations in pairs / rooms or
Aim: to give students write the email
practice at speaking or
writing
POST-SPEAKING / Feedback on context e.g. ss report on whether the conversation provided
WRITING a solution to the problems or decided on which
email is the most persuasive
Feedback on language e.g., using the whiteboard, T writes 3-4 sentences
with mistakes in the target language, ss correct them.
LANGUAGE-BASED LESSONS
Test-Teach-Test for Grammar or Vocabulary lessons
STAGE NAME Aims Procedure
e.g. ss discuss questions relating to
LEAD-IN Aim: to generate interest in the the topic /context of the lesson
topic /context of the lesson
Test e.g. ss do gap-fill,
TEST Aim: to ascertain what definition-matching, categorising
language ss know and what etc.
they don’t know In BORs, ss share the screen and
annotate the answers, thus T gets
information of what they
know/don’t know.
Feedback / Teach / Language e.g. T does feedback to test and
clarification clarifies / checks meaning of
problematic language by asking
Meaning concept-checking questions.
Aim: to feedback on the first
test and to teach problem
areas, clarifying meaning
e.g. when teaching vocabulary, T
TEACH Pronunciation identifies and drills difficult words,
Aim: to highlight pronunciation Model-Chorus-Individual drill. T
and drill it may give the transcription of the
difficult words.
Form e.g. ss need to see the full list of the
Aim: to clarify the form words with parts of speech
Test / Controlled practice of e.g. ss rank vocabulary, do a gap fill,
target language transform sentences etc. They work
Aim: to provide students with in BORs and annotate answers, T
controlled practice at using monitors and then conducts open
target language feedback
Freer practice of target e.g. In BORs ss discuss questions or
language share personal information, using
the target language. T sets a
TEST communicative task (e.g. find 1
Aim: to provide students with interesting fact about your partner).
practice at using target
language in a freer way Content Feedback
T asks to report on the
communicative task.
Language feedback
Using the whiteboard, T writes 3-4
sentences with mistakes in the
target language, ss correct them.
Text-based presentation (using reading or listening texts for a
Grammar / Vocabulary / Functions lesson)
STAGE NAME aim Procedure
Lead-in e.g. ss discuss questions relating to the theme of lesson
Aim: to generate
interest in the theme /
context
Context Reading/listening for gist
WARM-UP Aim: to expose ss to the e.g. ss read or listen to the text and decide on the best title for
target language in the text;
context AND/OR
Reading/ listening for detail
e.g. ss answer detailed questions on the text
Presentation / Teach
Focus of the target e.g. T shows (a) sentence(s) from the text with the new
sentences language (=Target Sentences), ss may complete the gaps with
Aim: to help ss notice the target language and then see the answers.
the target language
Meaning e.g. Ss are looking at the target sentences and answering
Aim: to clarify the concept-checking questions which use the context
meaning
PRESENTATION Form e.g. Ss are looking at the underlined form, T elicits and
Aim: to clarify the form provides the name of the tense and the formula (e.g.
am/is/are+Ving)
Pronunciation e.g. Ss are looking at the target sentences, T helps to identify
Aim: to highlight the the stressed syllables, highlights the weak forms, e.g. ‘he
pronunciation and drill it is=he’s’. When drilling, T models the sentence, asks ss
pronounce the sentence when muted, then T asks individual
ss.
e.g. In BORs ss do a gap fill or ‘correct mistakes’ tasks (ss share
Aim: to provide ss with the screen and annotate on the screen), then T conducts open
CONTROLLED practice at using target class feedback and asks for justification (=why-questions).
PRACTICE language in a controlled
way
e.g. In BORs ss discuss questions or tell a personal story, using
Aim: to provide ss with the target language. T sets a communicative task (e.g. ss find 1
practice at using target thing you both agree with)
FREER PRACTICE language in a freer way
Content feedback
T asks to report on the communicative task.
Language feedback
Using the whiteboard, T writes 3-4 sentences with mistakes in
the target language, ss correct them.
Situational presentation (setting up a short scenario for a Grammar /
Vocabulary lesson)
STAGE NAME aim Procedure
Lead-in e.g. ss discuss questions relating to the theme of lesson
Aim: to generate
interest in the theme /
context
Context Using pictures or other visuals, tell a short story that
WARM-UP Aim: to expose ss to the leads to examples of the target language,
target language in e.g. , using 2 pictures of the same person but looking
context very different you can:
a) teach vocabulary like descriptive adjectives
(slim - chubby )
b) teach grammar like comparisons (In picture 2
he looks younger.) or used to (He used to have
a good job but now he is unemployed.)
Presentation / Teach
Focus of the target e.g. T shows example sentence(s) with the new language
sentences (=Target Sentences). Ss may try and complete the gaps with
Aim: to help ss notice the target language and then see the answers.
the target language
Meaning e.g. Ss are looking at the target sentences and answering
Aim: to clarify the concept-checking questions which use the context
meaning
CLARIFICATION Form e.g. Ss are looking at the underlined form, T elicits and
Aim: to clarify the form provides the name of the tense and the formula (e.g.
am/is/are+Ving)
Pronunciation e.g. Ss are looking at the target sentences, T helps to identify
Aim: to highlight the the stressed syllables, highlights the weak forms, e.g. ‘he
pronunciation and drill it is=he’s’. When drilling, T models the sentence, asks ss
pronounce the sentence when muted, then T asks individual
ss.
e.g. In BORs ss do a gap fill or ‘correct mistakes’ tasks (ss share
Aim: to provide ss with the screen and annotate on the screen), then T conducts open
CONTROLLED practice at using target class feedback and asks for justification (=why-questions).
PRACTICE language in a controlled
way
e.g. In BORs ss discuss questions or tell a personal story, using
Aim: to provide ss with the target language. T sets a communicative task (e.g. ss find 1
practice at using target thing you both agree with)
FREER PRACTICE language in a freer way
Content feedback
T asks to report on the communicative task.
Language feedback
Using the whiteboard, T writes 3-4 sentences with mistakes in
the target language, ss correct them.
