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Teaching and Learning Handbook (A Best Practice Guide)

Planning a session

The scheme of work provides a structure for the course. The next thing to do is to plan for individual sessions. These can vary in length, activity and level, but all need detailed planning to be effective. The college has a standard lesson plan that you are required to complete for each session.

Here is some guidance on the areas to include lesson planning:

Aims and Objectives

Is a general statement of intent showing the destination of the session, while an objective is a more specific statement about what the student should know or be able to do by the end of the session.

The number of aims for a session might vary. Each session should have at least one aim, three aims are probably the most that you would realistically need.

Examples of Lesson Aims:

  • To investigate the benefits of alternative therapies.
  • To explore the role of the World Bank in the economies of East Africa.
  • To examine the life and work of Vincent Van Gogh.
  • To revise the safe storage of meat products.

To achieve the aim(s) of the session you will need to identify a number of objectives or learning outcomes. These should be focused on the student and you need to be able to check or assess the extent to which the objectives have been achieved.

The two main types of lesson objective are:

Knowledge-based objectives (demonstrated by describing, listing, explaining etc…)

Skill-based objectives (demonstrated by solving a problem, completing a practical task, constructing something etc…).

The easiest way to word an objective is to use a phrase such as by the end of the session each student will be able to….

Examples of Lesson Objectives:

  • By the end of this session all students should be able to label a diagram of a newt's digestive system.
  • By the end of this session all students should be able to assess the impact of the World Bank on the economy of Kenya.
  • By the end of this session all students should be able to list Handel's key orchestral works.
  • By the end of this session all students should be able to conjugate the future of the verb 'to be'.

Content

Your scheme of work should have an overview of the content of each week. In planning a specific session you will need to expand the detail of what you intend to cover. At this stage you should consider any areas of the topic that you need to research further.

Cross cutting themes must be an integral part of your scheme of work, however, there is not an expectation that all of the cross cutting themes are evidenced in each lesson plan.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

This section outlines how you intend to deliver the content. It should include the following:

Timings

You should give a general idea of how long you anticipate each part of the session will take. You will probably think in blocks of 10, 15 or 20 minutes most of the time.

Teaching Strategies

This applies to what you are going to do. This might include lecturer-led exposition, demonstration or question and answer sessions.

Learning Activities

This applies to what the students are going to do. This might include a written exercise, group or pair work, presentations or practical work.

Assessment

This should show how you intend to assess how successful you achieve your lesson objectives. This applies both to the formative assessment you use in the session and how it links to the summative assessment of the course.

Resources

This section allows you to consider what materials you will need to prepare. This might include handouts, visual aids, electronic resources or materials for practical work. When planning this you should make arrangements to get any equipment you may need.

Health and Safety

You need to consider any implications the session might have for the health and safety of you, your students and others in the college. For many classroom-based sessions you will have no special health and safety considerations so a statement like 'classroom-based activity which is subject to the college's normal health and safety policies and procedures' can cover the session. If your session has extra considerations (such as practical work) you should discuss with your subject team how best to complete this section.

Homework

Finally, you should specify what work the students should complete after the session. This might be formally set work to be handed in and assessed, an exercise to complete, informal practice or preparation for the next session.

Pro formas for Schemes of Work and session plans can be found on the staff intranet.