The Crucial Components of a Lesson Plan

MAKING INFORMATIVE LESSON PLANS: --The performance objectives should answer this very basic question - what should the trainees be able to do at the end of the training period that they were was not able to do at the beginning of it? --For evaluation procedures, how will the trainee's accomplishment of performance objectives be demonstrated or measured (written test, skill test, skill demonstration)? Evaluation procedures should provide documentation of the achievement of all performance objectives. --For equipment and supplies needed, what is available? What must be used? What cannot be used? What unusual items will be needed? Any special student materials? Instructor materials? Handouts? Lesson plan for the students? Manuals? Visual Aids? Props? --When entering space requirements calculate room size, number of rooms, seating requirements, seating arrangement, writing surface needs, and any special training environment needs.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES: The cover sheet or legend for the lesson plan should include perofrmance objectives. Any statement comprehensively describing the intended outcome and instructional intent should include the following: --a description of intended outcome in terms of student performance --a statement of what learners must be able to do or perform when they demonstrate mastery of the objective --a description of relevant or important conditions under which the performance is expected to occur --a statement of the criteria by which achievement will be judged --a measurement of how well must students perform for your satisfaction.

A WRITTEN LESSON PLAN: When you know what you are going to teach, who you are going to teach it to, what you will need to teach it, and what you want the student to know or do, you must put this all together into a written plan. But stop and reflect for a minute -- How do we learn? The last time you learned something, what processes did you go through, and in what order? You probably learned them in this general order: Opportunity and motivation to learn, step-by-step, practice or applied learning, measure against a standard, reflect upon the experience. Since these are the steps we follow to learn things naturally, the class (and the lesson plan) should reflect this process.

Copyright AE Schwartz & Associates All rights reserved. For additional presentation materials and resources: ReadySetPresent and for a Free listing as a Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, Vendor/Organization: TrainingConsortium

CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.

RELATED ARTICLES