TEFL/TESOL Certification Lesson Planning and Curriculum Design Syllabus

Lesson Planning and Curriculum Design syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Lesson Planning and Curriculum Design in TEFL/TESOL Certification, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Principles of Lesson Planning

   4 topics

   • Aims and Objectives
     • Main aims, subsidiary aims, and personal aims
     • Writing measurable learning outcomes
   • Anticipating problems and planning solutions
   • Staging, timing, and lesson shape
   • Interaction patterns: T-S, S-S, group, individual
2. 2

   Writing the Lesson Plan

   4 topics

   • Lesson plan templates and required components
   • Language Analysis Sheets
     • Meaning, form, pronunciation (MFP) analysis
     • Concept checking questions (CCQs)
   • Selecting and sequencing activities
   • Contingency planning and flexible staging
3. 3

   Curriculum, Syllabus, and Coursebooks

   3 topics

   • Types of Syllabus
     • Grammatical, functional-notional, and lexical syllabi
     • Task-based and skills-based syllabi
   • Working with Coursebooks
     • Evaluating and selecting coursebooks
     • Adapting, supplementing, and replacing material
   • Scope, sequence, and recycling of language
4. 4

   Needs Analysis and Course Design

   3 topics

   • Conducting a learner needs analysis
   • Setting goals for a course of study
   • English for Specific Purposes (ESP) basics

Lesson Planning and Curriculum Design flashcards for TEFL/TESOL Certification

18 of 51 cards from the Lesson Planning and Curriculum Design deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In lesson planning, what is the difference between an 'aim' and an 'objective'?

   An aim is the broad overall purpose of the lesson (e.g., 'to develop speaking fluency'), while an objective is a specific, measurable learning outcome stating what students will be able to do by the end (e.g., 'students will be able to make polite requests using "could you..."').

2. What does the SMART acronym stand for when writing lesson objectives?

   Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

3. What is the difference between a 'main aim' and a 'subsidiary aim' in a lesson plan?

   The main aim is the primary focus or central goal of the lesson; subsidiary (secondary) aims are supporting goals practised along the way, such as developing a related sub-skill or systems area.

4. Why should lesson aims be expressed in terms of what learners will do rather than what the teacher will do?

   Because effective objectives are learner-centred and outcome-focused, making learning measurable and observable; teacher-focused statements describe activity, not actual learning.

5. What is 'anticipating problems' in lesson planning, and what two main categories does it usually cover?

   It is predicting difficulties learners may face before the lesson. The two main categories are (1) language/content problems (meaning, form, pronunciation) and (2) classroom management/procedural problems.

6. On a lesson plan, what column or section is typically paired with 'Anticipated Problems'?

   A 'Solutions' (or 'Planned Solutions') column, where the teacher writes how each predicted problem will be prevented or handled.

7. Give an example of an anticipated pronunciation problem and a planned solution.

   Problem: students stress the wrong syllable in 'PHOtograph' vs 'phoTOGraphy'. Solution: drill the words chorally and individually, marking stress visually on the board.

8. In lesson staging, what does 'staging' refer to?

   Staging is dividing a lesson into a logical sequence of distinct steps or stages, each with a clear purpose, that build on one another toward the lesson aim.

9. What is meant by 'lesson shape'?

   The overall structure and flow of a lesson—how stages are sequenced and balanced—typically moving from controlled to freer practice, or following a recognised framework like PPP or TBL.

10. What does the framework PPP stand for in lesson shape?

    Presentation, Practice, Production.

11. What does the framework TBL (or TBLT) stand for, and what is its basic shape?

    Task-Based Learning (Teaching). Its shape is: Pre-task, Task cycle (task, planning, report), and Language focus (analysis and practice).

12. What is the typical progression of control across practice activities in a well-shaped lesson?

    From controlled (restricted, accuracy-focused) practice, through semi-controlled practice, to freer (fluency-focused) production.

13. What is the ESA lesson framework proposed by Jeremy Harmer?

    Engage, Study, Activate — Engage arouses interest/emotion, Study focuses on language/construction, and Activate gets learners using language freely.

14. Why is 'timing' important in a lesson plan, and what should it indicate?

    Timing allocates an estimated number of minutes to each stage to ensure the lesson is realistically paced, all stages fit the available time, and the teacher can monitor progress and adjust.

15. What are the four main interaction patterns used in language classrooms?

    Teacher-Student (T-S), Student-Student (S-S, pairwork), Group work, and Individual work.

16. What does the interaction abbreviation 'T-S' (or T-Ss) represent, and when is it typically used?

    Teacher to Student(s)—teacher-fronted interaction such as presenting language, giving instructions, eliciting, or whole-class drilling.

17. What are the main advantages of using pairwork (S-S) in a lesson?

    It maximises individual student talking time, lowers anxiety, increases participation, promotes learner autonomy, and frees the teacher to monitor.

18. What is a key disadvantage of over-relying on T-S (teacher-centred) interaction?

    It reduces individual student talking time, can make the lesson passive, and limits opportunities for learners to produce and practise language.

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