Teach English in BeishAn Zhen - Changsha Shi

Lesson planning is an important skill and resource for teachers with benefits for the teacher, the students, and the institution accommodating them. By implementing this technique teachers are equipped with a guide which can instil confidence for themselves, as well clarity for their students and employers. One of the primary, and more evident benefits of lesson planning is that it creates a clear structure for the lesson. This means that the teacher and students are aware of the focus of each session, which would increase the likelihood of successful learning objects. By clarifying goals, structuring lesson time and selecting resources or techniques specifically for the purpose of supporting and achieving these aims, lesson planning is a major resource assisting teachers and students alike. While also providing clarity and focus within the context of individual lessons, the process of lesson planning improves the wider continuity of the course and lessons in sequence. By having a firm understanding of what is covered in each lesson and keeping records of what is or is not successfully accomplished within the lesson, there is material to construct a logical progression within the lessons and also to respond to any challenges which may underscore particular topics requiring further study. The clarity of study and the logical sequencing of lessons which is consolidated by lesson planning are both features of a forward or future-minded perspective. However, once the lessons have been completed, lesson plans become a record of what has been covered by classes, which techniques worked, where there were issues and which topics may need further revision. The function of maintaining a record is beneficial for the learning teacher, who can reflect on past lessons to derive knowledge from patterns which may emerge or recorded successes and failures. It also becomes a handy tool for reporting your activities and progress to your employer. By creating and maintaining structure for lessons and also keeping records of what has been done in the past, lesson plans become a source of useful information on what needs to be reviewed and reconsidered. We have already touched on seeing teaching techniques which may or may not have been well received, but there is also the benefit of allowing for measured revision of covered material and notes on which topics may not have been fully comprehended. This allows teachers to adapt their forward planning to accomodate challenges arising in specific classes, but also ensures that the students aren’t left fending for themselves in light of difficult topics which have been insufficiently allocated time in the initial plan. For the new teacher, lesson planning is a huge comfort. By laying out the information which is expected to be covered within a course and ensuring it is properly distributed across the allocated time, you can be confident that everything is being covered. Another benefit here is that each lesson takes on a specific focus which enables teachers to properly prepare supporting resources and supplementary materials tailored to the particular topics of each lesson. This kind of structure provides support for less experienced teachers and provides a guide to follow when under the pressure of performing in front of a class. There is a potential here that teachers may rely too heavily on lesson plans and formats. It is important to always allow the lesson to be directed by the students needs and to be accepting of the reality that classes will not run strictly to plan. The lesson plan is there to act more as a guide to assist in navigating the language learning process, but the ultimate focus should always be the students: meaning that the plan should adapt to the needs of a class and not the other way around. Properly planned lessons can also be reassuring and beneficial for students in that it creates continuity and clarity even in the face of situations such as a teacher being absent. In the event that a teacher needs to take time off, the presence of a lesson plan makes it much easier for another teacher to step into the role confidently (equipped with the knowledge of what has been covered, how it has been approached, what is being worked on currently, etc). From these points we can see that there are a number of benefits from proper lesson planning which extend teachers, students, and employers. This structure provides confidence and clarity for all involved provided it isn’t held too rigidly.