49 ESL Conversation Games & Activities - Jackie Bolen 2020

5: Make a plan
Top 10 tips for teaching english conversation

Many ESL teachers have a very heavy teaching schedule of up to 30 hours/week (or more!), so there often isn't much time or energy to make lesson plans for classes. However, it can be quite challenging to have consistently great classes if you don't spend at least a few minutes thinking about the class and jotting down a few ideas about what you're going to do. With just 5-10 minutes, here are a few things to think about:

1. How will you introduce the target language? A reading passage? A listening exercise? A story? A worksheet?

2. What will you write on the board?

3. What controlled practice activity will you do? What page in your book? Another resource? Is it student-centered? Could you have students do it with speaking, instead of writing (if it's a conversation class)? How will you provide feedback?

4. What freer practice activity will you do? Is it student-centered? Are students speaking a lot? How will you provide feedback?

5. What will you do if you have some extra time left at the end of class?

6. Do you need any supplementary materials?

7. Follow-up or review in the next class?

Even spending five minutes jotting down the answer to these seven questions on a blank piece of paper before class will prove extremely useful in reducing overall stress levels with regards to teaching as well as being beneficial for students. It will even save more time to make a lesson plan template and then print off a stack of them to last a month or two. Students also feel reassured that they are in capable hands if you have at least a few things written down on a piece of paper because they know you've spent time thinking about the class and that you have a plan for them to follow.

Remember that students see the greatest improvements when they're challenged to do new things, so in this case it would be using new grammar constructions or vocabulary when speaking. By planning carefully, it's possible to ensure that students are being pushed to do this, instead of just relying on their regular “go to repertoire” of things they've probably been using for years. Challenging students could also involve pushing them to use their previous knowledge in a new activity or context. Of course, this book is an excellent place to start for a few new ideas for conversation activities!