• British Council

Teaching English: How to Plan a Great Lesson

Develop your English language teaching skills and learn how to plan and deliver effective English lessons with this online course.

74,150 enrolled on this course

A student at a desk
  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

Gain new teaching skills and practices to put towards your CPD

By learning to develop a great lesson, English language teachers give students the best opportunity to retain what they’ve learnt. On this course, you will look at four professional practices, share your own teaching experiences, and apply what you’ve learnt to your CPD.

You will learn to understand your students and build a rapport with them. You will explore the key factors to remember when planning lessons and courses, including using resources like technology and flashcards. You will also learn how to manage the lesson and keep your students engaged with your teaching methods.

What topics will you cover?

Understanding Learners

  • Learner motivation.
  • Building rapport.
  • Getting learners talking.

Planning lessons and courses

  • Why and how do teachers plan lessons and courses.
  • What are the key factors to consider?
  • Identifying aims and stages in your own and others’ lessons.

Managing resources

  • Making the most of the resources available to you.
  • The role of technology.
  • Using flashcards and realia.
  • Boardwork, sharing resources with others.

Managing the lesson

  • Factors that influence learning.
  • Teacher language and the use of L1.
  • Pair and group work.
  • Engaging learners.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Compare teaching approaches and experience with others from around the world.
  • Reflect on the factors involved in learner motivation and consider the implications for our teaching practice.
  • Identify and value diversity, and apply strategies to promote inclusive education.
  • Reflect on your approach to lesson planning and the factors that inform your planning decisions.
  • Interpret other teachers' approaches and decision making.
  • Identify appropriate teaching resources and assess their effectiveness.

Who is the course for?

This course is for English language teachers worldwide in any setting at primary, secondary, or higher levels.

Who will you learn with?

I'm an English teacher and teacher trainer. I'm interested in online learning/teaching and pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures particularly in refugee/immigrant contexts

Suzanne has been working in ELT since 1999. She's been working in teacher training and materials writing for over 10 years. Her online portfolio is: https://suzannemordue.wordpress.com

Who developed the course?

British Council

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.

We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million people overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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Get a taste of this course

Find out what this course is like by previewing some of the course steps before you join:

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