96 Part II: Putting Your Lesson Together
texts, then tell each other about what they read and add any other informa-
tion they know about the topic.
Integrating different skills into one activity allows for the students’ different
learning styles and adds variety.
Fostering discussions and debates
Sometimes debates kick off spontaneously and that’s great. It’s exactly what
you want to use language for and you shouldn’t feel that your lesson plan is
compromised if you occasionally go off the beaten track.
If you want to orchestrate a discussion or debate yourself, you need to teach
all the appropriate vocabulary (or at least give students access to a glossary if
there’s too much or some is less relevant) and occasionally add fuel to the fire.
Giving Instructions
One of the keys to a successful activity in the classroom is the way you give
instructions to set up the task. It may seem simple to say ‘Talk about X in
pairs!’ but there’s a little more to it than that.
Consider these presentation tips:
✓ Speak well: Talk slowly even if the students are at a higher level. It
encourages them to pay attention. Be clear! Don’t mutter or ramble. Use
short sentences and imperatives (commands). Grade what you say so
it’s at the right level.
✓ Use visuals: Use pictures and diagrams to show what you want the stu-
dents to do. Give examples of what you want. Use lots of gestures.
✓ Plan your instructions: Write the instructions for the exercises into
your lesson plan. This helps you present them clearly and succinctly.
Don’t start giving instructions until everyone’s listening and be sure to
allot enough time for the instructions – give them out step by step and
not all at once. Very often students get confused when you tell them too
much. Be sure to repeat the instructions and write them on the board,
giving students time to write them down if necessary.
Ask open questions to see if the students understand the instructions. You can
even get them to repeat the instructions back to you.
