Lesson Plan Basics and Principles Lesson Planning is a large part of being organized and a key feature of a competent teacher. It is a special skill that is learnt in much the same way as other skills. Careful lesson planning can help to ensure the successful running of courses. Incorporating best practices in teaching and learning into the design process will help students to meet their learning objectives.

2. Introduction
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” These wise words
remind us that planning is the most important part for
teaching and learning activities. Agood planning will
enable both teachers and students to carry out their
tasks effectively.Therefore it is a must for every teacher
to organize his/her lessons systemetically if he/she
wants to succeed.
To achieve the content standard in the curriculum,
where standard states that every teacher should make
lesson plans to foster the teaching and learning
process to be interactive, inspirative, joyful,
challenging, motivating the students to participate
actively and giving enough opportunities to them to
be innovative, creative and self reliant according to
their talents, motivations, and physical as well as
psychological developement.1
Definition of lesson plan
• A lesson plan is a teacher’s detailed description of
the course of instruction for an individual lesson.2
• A lesson plan is a written guide for trainers plans
in order to achieve the intended learning outcomes.
It provides specific definition and direction on
learning objectives, equipment, instructional media
material requirements, and conduct of the training.3
Lesson Plan
A. Basics and Principles
Matia Ahmed1, Eram Mustafiz2, Tasmina Parveen1, Ruksana Karim2, Sakil Arman3, Asif-Ur-Rahman4
Abstract
Lesson Planning is a large part of being organized and a key feature of a competent
teacher. It is a special skill that is learnt in much the same way as other skills. Careful
lesson planning can help to ensure the successful running of courses. Incorporating best
practices in teaching and learning into the design process will help students to meet their
learning objectives.
Key words: Lesson plan, Contructivist, Gagne’s Principle
(J Uttara Adhunik Med Coll. 2012; 2(2) : 120-122).
1. Department of Physiology, Uttara Adhunik Medical College,
Uttara, Dhaka
2. Department of Biochemistry, UttaraAdhunik Medical College,
Uttara, Dhaka
3. Department of ICU, UttaraAdhunik Medical College Hospital,
Uttara, Dhaka
4. Department of Ophthalmology, Uttara Adhunik Medical
College Hospital, Uttara, Dhaka
Address of Correspondence : Dr. Matia Ahmed, Department
of Physiology, Uttara Adhunik Medical College, Uttara, Dhaka
Aim of Lesson Plan
What the students will be able to do at the end of the
lesson that they could not do before?
Objectives
At the end of the presentation the participants will be
able to -
• define lesson plan
• list the principles of lesson plan
• mention the importance of lesson plan
• state the advantages of lesson plan
• enumerate the process of lesson planning
• narrate the steps of lesson plan
• list the content of a lesson plan
• use lesson plan in their own lessons
Whom is Lesson Plan for?
It’snotforthestudentsortheadministrators.It’sforus!!!
Importance of Lesson Plan
• Gives the teacher the opportunity to predict
possible problems and therefore consider solutions.
• Being clear on what we want to teach.
• Makes the lesson balanced and appropriate for
class.
• Gives teacher confidence.
• Removes Stress.
• Planning is generally good practice and sign of
professionalism .4
Potential Benefits
• Documentation of every session.
• Structured comprehensive planning with sequence
and relevance within time frame.
Review Article

3. • Help students to understand what they are going
to learn.
• Students stay motivated and well behaved.
• Learning outcome can be measured.
• Standardized uniformity of the session conduction
even when teacher is different.
Potential Problems if we do not plan well
• Leson will be aimless and haphazard
• There is failure to achieve objectives
• Sometimes materials not available
• No connection with previous and present lesson.
• Students are bored and misbehaved sometimes
• Weaker students are left further back
Three classic Lesson Planning models 5
1. Gagne’s events of instruction
2. Madeline Hunters Seven Step Lesson Plan
3. 5 E’s of a contructivist lesson plan.
Effective lesson planning is the basis of effective
teaching. A plan is the guide for the teacher as to
where to go and how to get there. However we do not
let the plan dominate. We are flexible in our plannning
so that when the opportunities arise we can go with
the flow. 4
Principles Of Designing A Lesson Plan
Definition
“Nine events of instruction” is an instructional design
model put together by Gagne. This is a behaviorist
model that also draws from cognitivism.
The conditions of learning
Gagne’ divided learning condition into internal and
external condition.The internal conditions deal with
previously learned capabilities of the learner. Or in
other words, what the learner knows prior to the
instruction. The external conditions deal with the
stimuli that is presented externally to the learner. For
example, what instruction is provided to the learner.6
Gagne’s most essential ingredients of teaching are:
• presenting the knowledge or demonstrating the skill
• providing practice with feedback
• providing learner guidance
These elements have to be designed differently
according to the type of learning level (learning goal)
to be achieved.
The nine events of instruction
Gagne’s nine general steps of instruction for learning
are-
1. Gaining attention
e.g. present a good problem, a new situation, use
a multimedia advertisement, ask questions. This
helps to ground the lesson and motivate the
students.
2. Informing objectives to the learners
Objectives state what students will be able to
accomplish and how they will be able to use their
knowledge.Ademonstration may also be provided
if appropriate.
3. Stimulating recall of the prerequisite
The students should be remind of prior knowledge
relevant to the current lesson (facts, procedures
or skills). It provides the students with a framework
that helps learning and remembering.
4. Presenting a stimulus material
e.g. text, graphics, simulations, figures, pictures,
sound.
5. Providing learning guidance
e.g. from textbook or any reference books from
library.
6. Eliciting performance (practice)
It can be done by newly acquired behavior, practice
skills or applying knowledge. At least MCQ’s can
be used.
7. Providing feedback
By correcting their mistakes, and analyzing
behaviour (step-by-step)
8. Assessing performance
It can be done by asking questions, giving MCQs,
performing any problem-based activities.
Sometimes give general progress information may
be given.
9. Enhancing retention and performance
- informing the learner about similar problem
situations, provide additional practice.
- connecting known lesson to new lesson.
Researchers have found that combination of practice
and feedback were consistently effective for enhancing
student achievement
Lesson Plan - Basics and Principles Matia Ahmed et al
121

4. Madeline Hunters seven Step Lesson Plan
1. Review
At the beginning of the lesson, previous material
that is relevant to this lesson should be reviewed.
2. Anticipatory set
Teachers should outline what they will say and/or
present to the students before the direct instruction
of the lesson begins.
3. Objectives
tating the objectives of the lesson
4. Input and modeling
Presenting new information to students. Once the
material has been presented, using them to show
students examples of what is expected as an end
product of their work.
5. Check for understanding
Determing whether or not students are making
sense of the material.
6. Guided practice
After students appear to understand the new
material they are given, the opportunity to further
apply or practice using the new information comes.
This may occur in class or as homework, but there
should be a short period of time between
instruction and practice and between practice and
feedback.
7. Independent practice
Student have a chance to reinforce skills and
synthesize their new knowledge by completing a
task on their own and away from teachers
guidance. Practice can take the form of a homework
assignment or worksheet, but it is also important
to think of other ways for students to reinforce and
practice the given skills.7
5 E’s of a contructivist lesson plan.
Contructivism is a theory of learning stating that
learners construct new ideas or concepts based
upon their current/past knowledge. It is a very open
type of planning. It shifts the learning environment
from one which is instructor-centered to one that
is learner-centered. This design includes
• Engage
Students encounter the material, define their
question, make connection from new to known,
identify relevance.
• Explore
Student directly involved with material, teamwork
is used to share and build knowledge.
• Explain
Learners explain the process and concepts, that
have been learnt through written or verbal way.
Instructor supplies resources, feedback and
clarifies their misconceptions.
• Elaborate
Learners expand on their knowledge, connect it to
similar concept, and apply it to other situations.
• Evaluate
It is an ongoing process by both instructor and
learner to check for understanding. Checklist,
problem-based learning output and embedded
assesments can be done. Results are used to
evaluate and modify further instructional needs.5
References
1. Suyanta, BayakA, SubagyoA. Reviewer Ruis N. Designing
Lesson Plan. Ministry of National Education Jakarta, 2009.
2. Lesson Plan. Wikipedia. Retrieved Jan 5, 2012 from: http:/
/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/lesson_plan
3. Lesson Plan. Retrieved Jan 6, 2012 from: http://
www.neiu.edu/dbehric/hrd408/glossary.htm
4. Planning 1 / Teaching English / British Council / BBC.
Retrieved Jan 5, 2012 from: http//www.
teachingenglish.org.uk/article/planning-1
5. Lesson Planning. Retrieved Jan 5, 2012 from: http//www.
personal.psu.edu/scs15/idweb/lessonplanning.htm
6. Gagne,
s nine events of instruction. Retrieved Jan 5, 2012
from: http://www.edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/nine_
eventsof_instruction
7. Former About.com [Internet]. Lewis B. Independent
practice. In Top 8 components of a well written lesson
plan. Retrieved Jan 5, 2012 from: http://k6educators.
about.com/od/lessonplanheadquarters/g/independent
J Uttara Adhunik Med. College Vol. 02, No. 02, July 2012
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