How to Plan an ESL lesson (English as a Second Language)

A young Korean student studying English

Whether you teach English as a Second Language (ESL) to adults or children, this foolproof lesson plan template will work for you. It will also work no matter the country you're teaching in, be it Japan, Korea, China or the USA.

Keep this in mind: It's important that you make your lessons fun in addition to educational. Learning a new language is very difficult so motivate your students by ensuring a good time!

Things You'll Need

• Positive attitude
• Appropriate supplies for your lesson
• Students
• A place for students to learn

Instructions

1. Have a Greeting.

   Always start by saying hello to your students! Every few weeks mix it up. Try, "What's up?" or "How's it going?" or "How are you doing?"

2. Have a Warm up/Hook.

   It's important that you have your students' attention right away. Here are some ideas:

   -TPR: Total physical response. (ie. Have the students do what you say. Simon says is great!)
   -YouTube: YouTube is especially great for any age. Find a song that relates to the subject they are learning about. Or a short drama/skit.
   -Your Voice! Even simpler, ask your students a question. (Ie. Do you like soccer?)

3. Introduce the material/vocabulary.

   It's necessary that your students have a solid foundation for the rest of the lesson. An effective way of teaching students new words is with a Power Point or other visuals. The more pictures, the better.

4. Engage in an Activity.

   There are many activities out there for ESL courses. The best kind is when you get your students talking to each other (in English, of course). For example, BINGO is a popular game, as are matching games, class surveys, etc.

5. Wrap Up - evaluate understanding.

   Worksheets are an effective way of testing your students' understanding of the material. You can also do a verbal quiz. This doesn't have to be extensive, just make sure your students understand what is going on so that you can appropriately plan your next lesson.

6. Give simple homework

   Don't go overboard, here! A little really goes a long way. Require that they do something that will get them to use English at home. For example, "Ask your parents what their favorite animal is and write it down for next class!" If you have a more advanced class, give them writing exercises.

Tips & Warnings

• I am currently living in South Korea teaching ESL to elementary school students. For some of my personal experiences, visit my blog: http://www.wendygould.com.