How to Evaluate Your Lesson Plans

How do you know if yours is any good?

May 22, 2021

So you’ve decided your lesson plan aims, chosen a methodology and selected your activities while keeping your students in mind. You’ve balanced your plan between practising the different skills, interaction patterns, and relationships in the classroom.

What next?

Before the Lesson

Leave your plan for 24 hours.

Step away, relax, and try not to think about it. Coming back to look at a plan with fresh eyes is one of the best ways to review your plan. You’ll pick up little things here and there that can be improved that you didn’t spot before.

Reviewing your plan, you should only look to improve minor things. Be aware of the danger of wanting to re-write your whole plan (I know, I’ve done this too many times!).

Did you make a note of all the materials you need?
Do the timings add up?
Have you ‘balanced’ your lesson plan?

After the lesson

Ask yourself the following questions:

Were learners motivated and engaged?
Did they learn or improve what you wanted them to (i.e. did you meet your aims?)
Why or why not?

This acts as a good review to see where you could improve.

Next Lesson

Directly after the lesson finishes is the best time for you to make a note of your ideas. Even though you might remember, don’t take any chances! It’s a relief to know that you’ve recorded your ideas and not have the pressure of keeping a dozen classes in your head.

Scribble down some ideas for the next lesson.

What did the students find difficult?
Do you need to review/do they need more practice?
How can you recycle this material in the coming lessons?
Did you notice any gaps in their knowledge that need addressing?
What’s the next thing you’d like them to be able to do?
What’s the next step for these students?

I promise that these will prove invaluable when you come to planning the next lesson. See you again in two weeks.

Whenever you're ready, there are three ways I can help you:

1. Learn how to plan better, faster and stress-free with my book Lesson Planning for Language Teachers (90 ratings, 4.5⭐ on Amazon).

2. Develop calm students, a relaxed mind and a classroom full of learning with my book Essential Classroom Management (16 ratings, 4.5⭐ on Amazon).

3. Improve your teaching in five minutes daily with my Reflective Teaching Practice Journal (4 ratings, 4.5⭐ on Amazon).

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