Teaching English: Methodology · Chapter 8

Lesson Planning, Curriculum and Textbooks

What to remember

A lesson plan is the teacher's written map for one period: objectives, material, steps, activities and evaluation. A good plan is flexible and learner-centred.
Curriculum is the whole planned programme of learning; syllabus is only the list of content to be covered; the textbook is one tool to deliver them.
The National Curriculum Framework favours the constructivist, activity-based and learner-centred approach with a focus on the four language skills and a multilingual classroom.

Lesson planning

A lesson plan is a detailed plan of what the teacher will teach, how, with what material, and how the learning will be checked. It makes the teacher confident, saves time, keeps the lesson on aim and helps in self-evaluation.

Types of plans:

Annual plan (year plan): the whole year's content divided by months.
Unit plan: a plan for one unit, for example a poem or a prose lesson with its tasks.
Daily lesson plan: the plan for one period.

Main parts of a daily lesson plan:

Part	What it contains
Heading	Class, subject, topic, date, period, time
General objectives	Broad aims, such as developing reading skill
Specific objectives (learning outcomes)	What the child will be able to do at the end of the lesson
Teaching-learning material	Charts, pictures, flash cards, audio
Previous knowledge	What the learners already know
Introduction (warm-up)	Short activity or question to bring interest
Presentation	Teacher presents the new item
Practice	Pair work, group work, drill, tasks
Production (use)	Learners use the item freely
Evaluation	Questions or a task to check learning
Follow-up or homework	Reinforcement work

Writing objectives

Objectives should be clear, observable and measurable. They begin with an action verb such as identifies, reads, writes, speaks, matches, names, completes. Words such as "understands" or "knows" are not observable. For example, "The learner reads a short passage aloud with correct pronunciation" is a good outcome.

Bloom's taxonomy (revised) gives six levels of thinking: remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate, create. Objectives should cover more than the lowest level.

Approaches to planning a language lesson

Herbartian steps (Five formal steps): preparation, presentation, comparison and association, generalisation, application. Johann Friedrich Herbart gave the basis for this idea.

PPP (Presentation, Practice, Production): the teacher presents a language item, learners practise it in a controlled way, and then use it freely. It is common in structure teaching.

Task-based approach: a real task such as making a poster or a short talk gives the reason to use language.

5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate): a constructivist plan used in many state programmes.

Pre-, while- and post- stages for reading, listening or writing:

Stage	Aim	Example
Pre-reading	Raise interest, predict, give background	Look at the picture and guess the story
While-reading	Understand and respond to the text	Read, find the answers, order events
Post-reading	Use and extend what was read	Retell, role play, write a short paragraph

Characteristics of a good lesson plan

Based on clear objectives.
Matches the learners' age, level and previous knowledge.
Gives importance to learner activity, not only teacher talk.
Has a variety of activities and time for each.
Includes a plan for evaluation.
Is flexible, so that the teacher can adjust it.
Includes TLM and board work.
Allows for slow and fast learners.

Curriculum

Curriculum means all the planned learning experiences that a school provides: content, methods, activities, material and evaluation. It is wider than the syllabus.

Syllabus is the list of topics or units to be taught in a given class or period. It is narrower than the curriculum and is usually fixed by an authority.

Feature	Curriculum	Syllabus
Scope	Wide: aims, content, methods, evaluation	Narrow: list of topics
Concerned with	Whole educational experience	Subject content
Flexibility	Changes with society and policy	Fixed for a term or year
Prepared by	Policy and curriculum bodies	Subject committees

Types of syllabus in language teaching:

Structural (grammatical) syllabus: organised by grammar items.
Notional-functional syllabus: organised by meanings and uses (for example, requesting, inviting, apologising).
Situational syllabus: organised by situations such as at the bank, at the railway station.
Task-based syllabus: organised by tasks.
Skill-based syllabus: organised by the four skills.

Spiral curriculum: an idea of Jerome Bruner. The same topic comes again and again at higher levels with more depth. Language items such as tenses and vocabulary are revisited this way.

Curriculum framework and policy

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) is issued by NCERT. It guides states in making their own curriculum, textbooks and methods. NCF 2005 stressed constructivism, learner-centred teaching, connecting knowledge to life outside school, and reducing rote learning. For language, it supported a multilingual approach, use of the home language as a resource, and an emphasis on reading and writing for meaning. A newer framework, NCF for School Education (2023), follows the National Education Policy 2020 and speaks of a 5+3+3+4 structure of schooling. Check the latest official release for details.

State level: in Andhra Pradesh, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Amaravati, prepares the State Curriculum Framework, syllabus and textbooks, in line with NCF. Textbooks in the state are published for the Telugu and English mediums. The state has followed the principle that English should be taught from the early primary classes along with the mother tongue.

Three-language formula: a policy that every child learns the mother tongue or regional language, Hindi, and English (with modern Indian language options in some states). English is a second language in the Andhra Pradesh school curriculum, and Telugu is the first language in most schools.

Academic standards: the state curriculum describes academic standards in English such as listening and speaking, reading comprehension, vocabulary, creative writing, and mechanics of writing. Teachers plan and evaluate lessons by these standards.

English textbook: role and features

The textbook is the main source for the teacher and the learner. It is one resource, not the whole curriculum. A teacher should use the textbook flexibly and add other material.

Qualities of a good English textbook:

Matches the curriculum and the learner's level and interest.
Has graded content, from simple to complex.
Has a good mix of prose, poetry, dialogue, story, drama and non-fiction.
Has clear and attractive illustrations and print.
Gives activities for all four skills, including pair and group work.
Gives revision and self-evaluation tasks.
Has accurate language and suitable cultural content.
Has a glossary, teacher's notes or a teacher's handbook.

Textbook analysis: teachers study the book for objectives, content, language level, activities, layout and evaluation. Many people use the phrase "evaluating the textbook" before selecting it.

Textbook-related terms

Term	Meaning
Workbook	Separate book of exercises for practice
Reader (supplementary reader)	Additional reading material to build the reading habit
Teacher's handbook	Guide that explains the method and activities of the textbook
Graded reader	A simplified book written at a set language level
Extensive reading	Reading many books for pleasure, with less focus on detail
Intensive reading	Careful reading of short texts for detailed understanding

Use of the textbook: teacher's approach

Do not read the textbook line by line and translate every sentence.
Use the textbook activities and add local examples.
Start from the learner's experience.
Teach language through use, not only through rules.
Skip or change an item that does not suit the class.
Use the story, poem or dialogue to teach all four skills.
Link textbook lessons to real life tasks.

Exam traps

Curriculum is wider than syllabus; a syllabus is only a part of it.
A unit plan is for a unit; a daily lesson plan is for one period; do not mix them.
Objectives need observable verbs; "understand" is not a good measurable verb.
Spiral curriculum is Bruner's idea; the five formal steps are linked to Herbart.
PPP stands for Presentation, Practice, Production, not "Planning, Preparation, Presentation".
Intensive reading is careful and detailed; extensive reading is wide and for pleasure.
NCF is by NCERT at the national level; SCERT prepares the state curriculum and textbooks.
A workbook gives practice; a supplementary reader gives extra reading.

One-liners

1. A lesson plan includes objectives, TLM, steps, activities and evaluation.
2. Daily, unit and annual plans are the three levels of planning.
3. Good learning outcomes use observable action verbs.
4. Herbart gave the five formal steps of teaching.
5. PPP means Presentation, Practice, Production.
6. Curriculum is wider than syllabus.
7. Jerome Bruner proposed the spiral curriculum.
8. NCF is prepared by NCERT.
9. SCERT prepares the state curriculum and textbooks in a state.
10. The notional-functional syllabus is organised by language functions.
11. A graded reader is written at a controlled language level.
12. A textbook is one resource, not the whole curriculum.

Practice questions

A plan prepared for teaching a single period is called a
1. Unit plan
2. Annual plan
3. Daily lesson plan
4. Syllabus
Answer
C. Daily lesson plan
A daily lesson plan covers one period.
Which verb makes the best learning outcome?
1. Appreciates deeply
2. Knows
3. Understands
4. Identifies
Answer
D. Identifies
Observable action verbs such as identifies can be measured.
The five formal steps of teaching are associated with
1. Skinner
2. Bruner
3. Herbart
4. Piaget
Answer
C. Herbart
Herbart's steps: preparation, presentation, comparison, generalisation, application.
PPP in language teaching means
1. Presentation, Planning, Production
2. Practice, Plan, Perform
3. Planning, Preparation, Presentation
4. Presentation, Practice, Production
Answer
D. Presentation, Practice, Production
PPP: the item is presented, practised, then used freely.
The wider term that includes aims, content, methods and evaluation is
1. Textbook
2. Lesson plan
3. Syllabus
4. Curriculum
Answer
D. Curriculum
Curriculum is the whole planned programme; syllabus is only the list of topics.
The idea of a spiral curriculum was given by
1. B.F. Skinner
2. John Dewey
3. Jerome Bruner
4. Herbart
Answer
C. Jerome Bruner
Bruner said topics should return at higher levels with more depth.
The National Curriculum Framework is issued by
1. SCERT
2. UGC
3. NCERT
4. NCTE only
Answer
C. NCERT
NCERT issues the NCF; states prepare their own frameworks in line with it.
The state-level body that prepares textbooks and curriculum for Andhra Pradesh school education is
1. SCERT
2. CBSE
3. UGC
4. NCERT
Answer
A. SCERT
SCERT prepares state curriculum and textbooks.
A syllabus organised by language functions such as requesting and apologising is a
1. Lexical list
2. Structural syllabus
3. Situational syllabus
4. Notional-functional syllabus
Answer
D. Notional-functional syllabus
Functions and meanings are the base of the notional-functional syllabus.
A syllabus organised by grammar items is
1. Task-based syllabus
2. Notional syllabus
3. Situational syllabus
4. Structural syllabus
Answer
D. Structural syllabus
A structural syllabus lists grammar items.
Reading many books for pleasure with less focus on detail is
1. Intensive reading
2. Extensive reading
3. Skimming only
4. Scanning only
Answer
B. Extensive reading
Extensive reading builds fluency and the reading habit.
Careful reading of a short text for detailed understanding is
1. Silent reading for pleasure
2. Shared reading
3. Intensive reading
4. Extensive reading
Answer
C. Intensive reading
Intensive reading focuses on detail.
A book of exercises used for extra practice is a
1. Workbook
2. Teacher's handbook
3. Graded reader
4. Syllabus
Answer
A. Workbook
A workbook gives practice tasks.
A simplified book written at a controlled language level is a
1. Textbook
2. Workbook
3. Graded reader
4. Dictionary
Answer
C. Graded reader
Graded readers control vocabulary and structure.
In the pre-reading stage, which activity is most suitable?
1. Writing a summary
2. Predicting the story from the picture
3. Marking grammar errors
4. Taking a dictation test
Answer
B. Predicting the story from the picture
Pre-reading raises interest and prediction.
A teacher asks children to retell a story and then role-play it. This is the
1. Pre-reading stage
2. While-reading stage
3. Placement stage
4. Post-reading stage
Answer
D. Post-reading stage
Retelling and role play extend the text after reading.
Which part of the lesson plan tells what the learners already know?
1. Previous knowledge
2. Evaluation
3. Homework
4. Heading
Answer
A. Previous knowledge
The previous knowledge section links old learning to new.
Which of the following is the best way for a teacher to use the English textbook?
1. As the only source, read and translated line by line
2. Not to use it at all
3. As one resource, with added activities from local life
4. Only for homework
Answer
C. As one resource, with added activities from local life
The textbook is a tool, not the whole curriculum.
A teacher teaches 'tenses' in Class III and revisits them with greater depth in Classes V and VII. This follows
1. Spiral curriculum
2. Hidden curriculum
3. Annual plan
4. Linear curriculum
Answer
A. Spiral curriculum
Returning to a topic at higher levels is spiral.
The 5E model includes which of the following sequences?
1. Explore, Test, Explain, Engage, Evaluate
2. Enter, Explain, Examine, Enjoy, End
3. Explain, Engage, Elaborate, Evaluate, Explore
4. Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate
Answer
D. Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate
The 5E model begins with Engage and ends with Evaluate.
Bloom's revised taxonomy has how many levels of thinking?
1. Five
2. Six
3. Four
4. Eight
Answer
B. Six
The levels: remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate, create.
Which is the highest level in Bloom's revised taxonomy?
1. Analyse
2. Apply
3. Evaluate
4. Create
Answer
D. Create
In the revised version, create is the highest level.
Which feature is NOT a quality of a good English textbook?
1. Graded content
2. Activities for all four skills
3. Containing grammar rules only, without activities
4. Clear illustrations
Answer
C. Containing grammar rules only, without activities
A good book has varied activities, not rules only.
The best reason to prepare a daily lesson plan is that it
1. Keeps the lesson on aim and helps self-evaluation
2. Replaces the textbook
3. Makes TLM unnecessary
4. Is required only for inspection
Answer
A. Keeps the lesson on aim and helps self-evaluation
A plan gives direction and a basis for reflection.
A teacher plans the topic, aids and activities but gives no evaluation step. What is missing?
1. The timetable
2. A check of whether the outcomes were achieved
3. The textbook
4. The heading
Answer
B. A check of whether the outcomes were achieved
Evaluation tells whether learning took place.
A teacher prepares a plan for a poem lesson with tasks before, during and after the reading. This is a
1. Syllabus
2. Unit plan
3. Yearly calendar
4. Annual plan
Answer
B. Unit plan
A unit plan covers one lesson or unit with its tasks.
Which of these is a skill-based way of organising language teaching?
1. A list of tenses
2. Listening, speaking, reading and writing units
3. A list of idioms
4. Spelling lists only
Answer
B. Listening, speaking, reading and writing units
A skill-based syllabus is built around the four skills.
A situational syllabus would include the topic
1. Present perfect tense
2. Parts of speech
3. Prefixes and suffixes
4. At the railway station
Answer
D. At the railway station
Situations such as station, bank and market form the content.
Academic standards in English in the state curriculum include
1. Only grammar
2. Only handwriting
3. Only recitation
4. Listening and speaking, reading comprehension, vocabulary, creative writing
Answer
D. Listening and speaking, reading comprehension, vocabulary, creative writing
They cover the main language skills and areas.
Consider the statements about curriculum and syllabus. 1. Curriculum is wider than syllabus. 2. A syllabus includes methods and evaluation of the whole school.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
The syllabus is narrower; it lists topics.
Consider the statements about lesson planning. 1. A lesson plan should never be changed in class. 2. Objectives should be observable and measurable.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
A good plan is flexible.
Consider the statements about NCF 2005. 1. It supported constructivism and reducing rote learning. 2. It is prepared by SCERT.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
NCF is prepared by NCERT.
Consider the statements about the three-language formula. 1. It includes the mother tongue or regional language. 2. It includes English.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
The formula covers the mother tongue, Hindi and English.
Consider the statements about reading. 1. Intensive reading is careful reading of short texts. 2. Extensive reading means reading many books for pleasure.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both describe the two reading types correctly.
Consider the statements about the textbook. 1. It should be used flexibly with other material. 2. It is the only source for learning English.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
A textbook is one resource.
Consider the statements about spiral curriculum. 1. Topics are repeated at higher levels with more depth. 2. It was proposed by Herbart.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
It was proposed by Bruner.
Consider the statements about PPP. 1. Practice is the first stage. 2. The learner uses the item freely in the production stage.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Presentation comes first.
Consider the statements about the workbook and supplementary reader. 1. A workbook gives practice exercises. 2. A supplementary reader gives extra reading material.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both descriptions are right.
Consider the statements about the daily lesson plan. 1. It is prepared for a single period. 2. It has no place for TLM.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
TLM is a part of the plan.
Match the item with its meaning. 1. Herbart 2. Bruner 3. Bloom
1. 1 - five formal steps; 2 - taxonomy of objectives; 3 - spiral curriculum
2. 1 - taxonomy of objectives; 2 - five formal steps; 3 - spiral curriculum
3. 1 - spiral curriculum; 2 - taxonomy of objectives; 3 - five formal steps
4. 1 - five formal steps; 2 - spiral curriculum; 3 - taxonomy of objectives
Answer
D. 1 - five formal steps; 2 - spiral curriculum; 3 - taxonomy of objectives
Herbart: five steps; Bruner: spiral curriculum; Bloom: taxonomy.
Match the stage with the activity. 1. Pre-reading 2. While-reading 3. Post-reading
1. 1 - retell the story; 2 - predict from title; 3 - find answers in the text
2. 1 - find answers in the text; 2 - retell the story; 3 - predict from title
3. 1 - predict from title; 2 - find answers in the text; 3 - retell the story
4. 1 - predict from title; 2 - retell the story; 3 - find answers in the text
Answer
C. 1 - predict from title; 2 - find answers in the text; 3 - retell the story
Each stage matches its aim: interest, understanding, extension.
Which statement is most likely true of a flexible lesson plan?
1. The teacher can change activities when learners need it
2. It cannot be altered once written
3. It lists only the topic
4. It excludes evaluation
Answer
A. The teacher can change activities when learners need it
Flexibility is a quality of a good plan.
A teacher reads each line of the lesson and translates it into Telugu without any activity. The main problem is that
1. The text is too easy
2. The lesson is too short
3. Learners are too active
4. Learners get little use of English
Answer
D. Learners get little use of English
Translation line by line gives too little language practice.
Which objective is written in the best form?
1. Learners will know grammar
2. Learners will understand the passage
3. Learners will read a short passage aloud with correct pronunciation
4. Learners will love English
Answer
C. Learners will read a short passage aloud with correct pronunciation
It uses an observable and measurable action verb.

Page 1 of 1

Chapter quiz · 10 questions

0/10 answered

On what you just read, from the live question bank. 🔒 Answers and solutions are shown to registered students (free).
अध्याय पढ़ने के बाद अभ्यास करें।

1.Identify the part of speech of the capitalised word in the sentence: "The TEACHER explained the lesson clearly."
2.Identify the type of sentence structure: "The teacher is explaining the lesson."
3.Fill in the blank with the correct idiom: "After the plan failed, we were ___ and had to start planning again."
4.Read the passage and answer the question: "The chalk dust always seemed thickest in the last hour of school, drifting in slow, visible clouds whenever Mrs. Fernandes struck the blackboard for emphasis, which she did often and with considerable enthusiasm. I remember sitting in the third row, watching those particles catch the afternoon light slanting through the tall windows, more captivated by their slow, aimless drift than by whatever equation she was patiently working through for the benefit of students less easily distracted than myself. It was in that classroom, oddly enough, that I first understood the peculiar comfort of routine: the same chalk dust, the same creaking third bench, the same bell ringing at exactly the same moment every single day, regardless of what chaos might be unfolding at home or in the wider world beyond the school gates. Decades later, whenever I catch the smell of chalk in some entirely unrelated context, a stationery shop, an old building being renovated, I am transported instantly back to that third row, that particular slant of afternoon light, and the strange, steady comfort of being twelve years old and mostly, blessedly, unaware of how temporary all of it was." Question: What captivated the narrator more than the lesson itself?
5.Read the passage and answer the question: "The expedition team faced a GRUELLING ascent, their pace slowed by TREACHEROUS ice and the sheer altitude that left even the most seasoned climbers gasping. Their leader, a TACITURN man named Rahim, rarely spoke unless necessary, yet his METICULOUS planning had already saved the group from disaster twice. As they pushed higher, the temperature PLUMMETED, and morale among the younger climbers grew increasingly PRECARIOUS. Still, Rahim's UNWAVERING resolve seemed to BUOY the entire team, and his quiet confidence proved CONTAGIOUS. By the time they reached the exposed ridge, exhaustion had rendered most of them nearly INCOHERENT, yet nobody dared suggest turning back." Question: In the context of the passage, "GRUELLING" most nearly means:
6.Read the passage and answer the question: "The expedition team faced a GRUELLING ascent, their pace slowed by TREACHEROUS ice and the sheer altitude that left even the most seasoned climbers gasping. Their leader, a TACITURN man named Rahim, rarely spoke unless necessary, yet his METICULOUS planning had already saved the group from disaster twice. As they pushed higher, the temperature PLUMMETED, and morale among the younger climbers grew increasingly PRECARIOUS. Still, Rahim's UNWAVERING resolve seemed to BUOY the entire team, and his quiet confidence proved CONTAGIOUS. By the time they reached the exposed ridge, exhaustion had rendered most of them nearly INCOHERENT, yet nobody dared suggest turning back." Question: In the context of the passage, "TREACHEROUS" most nearly means:
7.Read the passage and answer the question: "The expedition team faced a GRUELLING ascent, their pace slowed by TREACHEROUS ice and the sheer altitude that left even the most seasoned climbers gasping. Their leader, a TACITURN man named Rahim, rarely spoke unless necessary, yet his METICULOUS planning had already saved the group from disaster twice. As they pushed higher, the temperature PLUMMETED, and morale among the younger climbers grew increasingly PRECARIOUS. Still, Rahim's UNWAVERING resolve seemed to BUOY the entire team, and his quiet confidence proved CONTAGIOUS. By the time they reached the exposed ridge, exhaustion had rendered most of them nearly INCOHERENT, yet nobody dared suggest turning back." Question: In the context of the passage, "TACITURN" most nearly means:
8.Read the passage and answer the question: "The expedition team faced a GRUELLING ascent, their pace slowed by TREACHEROUS ice and the sheer altitude that left even the most seasoned climbers gasping. Their leader, a TACITURN man named Rahim, rarely spoke unless necessary, yet his METICULOUS planning had already saved the group from disaster twice. As they pushed higher, the temperature PLUMMETED, and morale among the younger climbers grew increasingly PRECARIOUS. Still, Rahim's UNWAVERING resolve seemed to BUOY the entire team, and his quiet confidence proved CONTAGIOUS. By the time they reached the exposed ridge, exhaustion had rendered most of them nearly INCOHERENT, yet nobody dared suggest turning back." Question: In the context of the passage, "METICULOUS" most nearly means:
9.Read the passage and answer the question: "The expedition team faced a GRUELLING ascent, their pace slowed by TREACHEROUS ice and the sheer altitude that left even the most seasoned climbers gasping. Their leader, a TACITURN man named Rahim, rarely spoke unless necessary, yet his METICULOUS planning had already saved the group from disaster twice. As they pushed higher, the temperature PLUMMETED, and morale among the younger climbers grew increasingly PRECARIOUS. Still, Rahim's UNWAVERING resolve seemed to BUOY the entire team, and his quiet confidence proved CONTAGIOUS. By the time they reached the exposed ridge, exhaustion had rendered most of them nearly INCOHERENT, yet nobody dared suggest turning back." Question: In the context of the passage, "PLUMMETED" most nearly means:
10.Read the passage and answer the question: "The expedition team faced a GRUELLING ascent, their pace slowed by TREACHEROUS ice and the sheer altitude that left even the most seasoned climbers gasping. Their leader, a TACITURN man named Rahim, rarely spoke unless necessary, yet his METICULOUS planning had already saved the group from disaster twice. As they pushed higher, the temperature PLUMMETED, and morale among the younger climbers grew increasingly PRECARIOUS. Still, Rahim's UNWAVERING resolve seemed to BUOY the entire team, and his quiet confidence proved CONTAGIOUS. By the time they reached the exposed ridge, exhaustion had rendered most of them nearly INCOHERENT, yet nobody dared suggest turning back." Question: In the context of the passage, "PRECARIOUS" most nearly means:

10 left. You can check any time.