ELT365 · Day 244 — Why Plan Lessons?
A lesson plan is a tool for thinking — not a script. It forces you to articulate what you want learners to achieve and how you will get them there.
Blog
Every lesson, essay and journal entry, newest first. 726 published posts.
- English Teaching 678
- Resources 20
- Travel Journal 17
- Philosophy & Mental Health 14
- Photography & Software 9
- Career & Professional Development 4
- Writing & Books 1
ELT365 · Day 243 — Month 8 Review — Classroom Management
Classroom management is a system of small, purposeful decisions: room layout, timing, instructions, monitoring, and feedback — all chosen to maximise learner engagement and language use.
ELT365 · Day 242 — Energy Management Across a Lesson
Lesson energy follows a shape: engage learners early, hold attention through varied tasks, and close before momentum drops. Pace is a design choice.
ELT365 · Day 241 — Using Humour Well
Shared laughter builds rapport and lowers the affective filter. The target is inclusive humour — based on ideas, not people. Never at a learner's expense.
ELT365 · Day 240 — Motivation in the Classroom
Motivation is not a learner trait you inherit — it is partly shaped by task design, feedback quality, and how visible learner progress is.
ELT365 · Day 239 — Handling Learner Errors in the Moment
On-the-spot correction interrupts fluency tasks — use it sparingly. Delayed correction preserves flow and lets you address the most important patterns.
ELT365 · Day 238 — Managing Feedback Stages
Whole-class feedback after a task has two parts: content feedback (did they complete the task?) and language feedback (how did they say it?). Do content first.
ELT365 · Day 237 — Monitoring Pair and Group Work
Monitoring is purposeful observation: you are listening for content (task completion) and language (for feedback). It is not tidying the desk or waiting.
ELT365 · Day 236 — Pairing and Grouping Learners
Who works with whom changes what learners produce. Teacher-assigned pairs are not arbitrary — they are a pedagogical decision.
ELT365 · Day 235 — Using the Board Effectively
The board is a shared, permanent record of the lesson. A clear, organised board plan — written before the lesson — prevents mid-lesson confusion and supports visual learners.
ELT365 · Day 234 — Wait Time — The Power of the Pause
Wait time is the deliberate pause after a teacher question. Extending it beyond three seconds increases both the length and quality of learner responses.
ELT365 · Day 233 — Student Talk Time — Building It Up
Student talk time (STT) is not just speaking-skill practice — it is thinking time in the target language. Every minute of productive STT is a minute of acquisition.
ELT365 · Day 232 — Teacher Talk Time — Cutting It Down
Teacher talk time (TTT) includes instructions, explanations, modelling, and filler. High TTT crowds out learner speaking practice — the goal of the lesson.
ELT365 · Day 231 — Teacher Proximity — Moving Around the Room
Where you stand sends a signal. Standing at the front during pair work keeps the focus on you, not the task. Move into the room to monitor.
ELT365 · Day 230 — Rapport in the Classroom
Rapport is the working relationship between teacher and learner — not friendship, but trust. Learners learn more when they feel seen and safe to make mistakes.
ELT365 · Day 229 — Using Learner Names
Using names personalises attention and signals you know who is in the room. Directing questions to named learners also distributes participation.
ELT365 · Day 228 — Keeping Learners on Task
Task design drives on-task behaviour. If learners go off-task consistently, the task may be too easy, too hard, or the outcome too unclear.
ELT365 · Day 227 — Managing Disruptive Behaviour
Most classroom disruption is unmet need: boredom, confusion, anxiety, or social pressure. Address the cause before the behaviour.
ELT365 · Day 226 — Working with Very Small Classes
Classes of two to five learners change the social dynamic — there is no crowd to hide in. Build in solo preparation time before pair or group tasks.
ELT365 · Day 225 — Working with Large Classes
In large classes, whole-class activities eat time; pair and group work multiply speaking opportunities. Monitoring must be systematic, not random.