Adapting Lesson Plans

1. Lesson Timing
Knowing how much time an activity should last allows each segment, thus the lesson itself,
to flow. Having too much or not enough time left at the end of each section could be an
indication that you are not managing time properly. Here are some examples on why it is
crucial to consider pace when planning your lessons.

A good pace allows the lesson to flow smoothly

Lessons should flow smoothly to keep students alert, active and interested. When the
teacher times each activity well and everything goes to plan, it gives a nice progression to
the lesson, and the student will enjoy the class more. Well-planned lessons have a nice flow
to them, and students do not feel like the class is taking too long. When you plan your
lesson with time management in mind, the class moves forward, and students enjoy
themselves without becoming bored.

You can prioritize more easily

Some activities may need more attention than others, and with proper time management
you can identify how much time to dedicate to each. Therefore, as you plan the lesson, time
how long a section should last and whether you are taking too much time doing something
that could be done more quickly. Here are some examples that can help you identify if the
lesson pace needs improvement:

 You cannot reach your lesson goals at the end of each lesson.
 The student cannot finish the work on time.
 The student has too much time left after each task.
 The student’s mood changes during the lesson.
 You are rushing through the end of the class.

When you use time management to prioritize activities, you learn to prepare for any of the
issues mentioned above. A key component to a successful lesson plan is allowing students
to have enough time to accomplish their assignments, but not too much that they lose
interest in what they are doing.

It helps you meet your goals

Your lesson plan should help you reach the learning goals for the class. Planning the
duration of each activity give you the opportunity to achieve these goals. The table below
shows how planning activity timing can help you reach your goals.
It shows you are prepared
Preparation is everything, and while not all students notice how well the teacher prepared
the lesson, they will notice when the lesson is not prepared. This is particularly important
with young learners who have shorter attention spans. A prepared teacher is one that has
planned each activity strategically and has a well-paced lesson.

1.1. Shortening Activites

Calculating how much time students need to perform a task can be challenging, and even
experienced teachers struggle with this. While in class, you may realize an activity is taking
longer than it should, so you need to shorten it. Here are times when you know when to
shorten an activity.

The activity is no longer fun

It is easy to notice when a student is having fun during an activity. You will also notice when
a student is not having fun. You can look out for these signs a student is bored:

 The student’s behavior changes quickly.

 The student is distracted by things on the screen or in the house.
 The student has “tuned out” and may be staring off into space.
 The student does not pay attention to explanations or instructions.
 The student is performing more poorly than usual.
 The student is misbehaving or being rude.
 The student tells you the activity is boring.

When you see these signs in your class, it may be time to switch to the next activity.
However, a bored student does not necessarily mean you have to shorten the activity. You
be the judge of when it is time to move on.
The goal is achieved
Once students have completed a task satisfactorily, it could be an indicator to continue to
the next activity. Sometimes lingering on the same activity after the student is done can
make the student less interested in similar activities in the future. If the goal is reached in
less time than expected, move on with the lesson.

The activity is too challenging

Sometimes activities are too challenging for the student, perhaps because of abilities, age,
or the situation. In that case, shorten the activity length so students do not feel frustrated by
not being able to complete the exercise. However, do not quickly give up on the activity
because the student struggles. You need to determine whether the lesson is too challenging
or the student needs more explanation or practice to understand.

One activity takes much longer than others

Sometimes you plan an activity only to realize it is much too long. You do not want one
activity to dominate the whole lesson, so when you see something is too long, shorten it.
Ideally, you will recognize this when creating the lesson plan, so you will have it shortened
before the class begins.

1.2. Using Lesson Fillers

Every teacher can attest to having some extra time between activities or at the end of a
lesson. During your lesson planning, try to think of those times when you have extra gaps to
fill. Then, prepare back-up activities that are relevant to the goals of the lesson or to the
student’s needs. Filling time could turn into a good complement, but it is necessary to do
something enriching with that time. Here are some examples of lesson fillers you can use:

Games
Using games to fill lesson gaps is one of the easiest ways to ensure student participation. It
reinforces the material in the lesson and can change the mood of a lesson. Games as filler
activities should be the following:

 Short, since they are gap fillers, not the main focus of a lesson
 Appropriate for the age and language level of the student
 Not too challenging, or students might lose interest
 Simple, but relevant to the lesson you are teaching

Games are more useful at the end of a lesson rather than between activities. You never
know when a planned activity might require more time, so it is better to save that extra time
for the end in case you need it.

Review
Learning a new language brings unique challenges, and students can always benefit from
reinforcement of a particular skill. When planning a lesson, think of a topic, grammar
structure, pronunciation exercise, or writing task that can benefit your students. Remember
that this extra time you have during the lesson should be invested in a meaningful activity
rather than something to pass the time. Every second counts, and every moment, no matter
how long or short, is a teachable moment. The table below gives you some examples of
lesson fillers used for reviewing language.

1.3. Reflection Exercise

You have seen the importance of using lesson fillers and how they can help wrap-up the
lesson when you have some extra time. Now, it is time for you to think of some fillers you
can use according to the activity you are working on with the students. Read the following
activities and write down one filler per activity.

2. Common Lesson Problems

Teachers write lesson plans for many reasons, one of which is to be prepared. However,
teaching is unpredictable. Sometimes the lesson is running smoothly when all of a sudden
you realize you need to make a change. Here are some common examples:
Plan Overload
A lesson is supposed to last a determined amount of time and cover a certain amount of
content. However, teachers sometimes try to do too much in a short period of time. This
often includes trying to cover too many curriculum expectations or learning goals at the
same time. Learning a language is a gradual process, so do not rush through key ideas.
When the lesson is too packed with content, the student may disconnect or become
frustrated.

To solve plan overload, focus on a few key expectations in the lesson. You should also cover
one expectation at a time during the lesson. During the lesson, use your time efficiently. You
can watch the clock on your computer screen and try to avoid wasting time on unnecessary
items.

Plan Underload
Planning too much can be an issue, but planning too little is equally problematic. The lesson
becomes a challenge when you run out of things to do and have to use your filler activities
for too long. The most common time teachers plan too few activities is when students
understand the material very well. As an example, you may budget 20 minutes to explain
the simple past. However, once you are in class, you realize your student already knows the
verb tense. That is why knowing your students is the best way to avoid plan underload.

To avoid plan underload, use the budgeted time for each activity. Teachers may assume the
student understands something and move on too quickly. This is a problem for two reasons.
First, the student may not actually understand. Second, the lesson then has extra time at the
end that needs to be filled. If having too much time at the end of the lesson is something
that happens often, it might be an indicator that you are not managing time properly and
you should reevaluate the way you pace your lessons.

Difficult or Easy Lessons

Planning a lesson without considering the student’s language level is a common mistake.
This results in a lesson that is too easy or too difficult. For easy lessons or activities, the
student may be bored or lose interest. For difficult lessons or activities, the student can
become frustrated and again lose interest. Either way, you have a problem.

To avoid this situation, consider your students when planning. This includes age, level, and
background knowledge. The more you know your students, the better targeted your lesson
plans will be.

Unclear Instructions
Giving students accurate and effective instructions is a powerful teaching tool. When your
instructions are poorly planned, students become confused and do not perform the task
properly. Your directions could be too short, too long, or too advanced for the level. New
teachers often make the mistake of thinking the student does not understand the language
when the problem is the instructions. Poor instructions may mean you need to spend
valuable class time explaining tasks multiple times.

An excellent way to avoid unclear instructions is to use instruction-checking questions.

These are questions you ask the students to check if they understand the instructions. These
are some examples:

 What do you need to do?

 How much time do you have?
 How many example sentences should you write?
 Which verbs do you use?
 Where do you write the answers?

Without these types of questions, teachers often make the mistake of asking the one
question you never want to rely on:

 Do you understand?

The answer students give to this question is always the same: yes. Of course, this is a real
problem when the student does not actually understand. Instead of asking students
understand, use specific questions to actually check if they do. Here are some more
questions for some example instructions.

2.1. Reflection Exercise

An effective lesson plan prepares for the unpredictable issues that can happen during a
class. You have learned about the problems that might arise during a lesson and possible
solutions to fix them. In this reflection activity, you can think of possible solutions to help
you solve problems when they arise. Write two possible solutions for each problem in
the table.
3. Technical Issues During Lesson
Technology is one of the main tools to deliver an online, 1-to-1 English lesson. As you know,
technology is not perfect. Sometimes the most reliable systems fail. What should you do
then? 

Internet Connection Issues

Occasionally you will experience internet connection issues that threaten to affect the
quality of the lesson. That is why it is important for online tutors to make sure there is a
good internet connection prior to beginning the lesson. The simplest solution is to turn your
device on and off, but in case that does not work, you will learn how to troubleshoot when
something happens. Here you can see a list of issues you might have and how to solve
them:

Internet Connection Issues

Internet connection can be lost for many reasons.  You should deliver your classes on your
home network, preferably using a cable to connect to the modem. You should also ensure
your device is the only one accessing the internet while you are in class.

Internet Speed Issues 

Sometimes your internet speed is not enough to have a video conference. You can perform
an internet connection speed check (download and upload) once logged into the Tutor
System where you can see the following image in your browser:
(min. recommended speeds: download > 5mps  and upload > 2mps)

3.1. Computer or Software Crashes

A computer or software crash happens when there is a problem with the (OP) operating
system of your device. It is important your operating system is up to date so your software
runs efficiently and your programs are protected from vulnerabilities.

Device Configuration
A common cause of crashes is your device is not compatible with the program you are
running. Here is a chart with the specifications your device requires to run the ACADSOC
online tutoring program:

If your device is not updated, you will receive notifications that might interrupt your lesson,
your device might start working slowly, or programs might crash. If you encounter some of
the following technical problems, you are required to seek assistance immediately through
the tutor system where the issue can be logged and managed by a member of customer
service.
  Connection issues
 Equipment issue
 Material issue
 Cannot enter A-classroom/Classin
 Cannot add student's Skype/QQ
 Student has not shown up yet

3.2. Reflection Exercise

Think of four technical problems that you may encounter whilst teaching online.  Note both
how you can prevent these from arising, and what you would do if they did.

Issues:

1.
2.
3.
4.

4. Changing Lesson Plans

You have been thinking about creating a good lesson plan, planning clear objectives, lesson
problems, and being flexible before and during a lesson. 

Now it is time to think about some times where lesson plans do not meet the expectations
of the teacher, requiring adaptation and change.

4.1. Recognizing when the lesson is not working

The student is not participating or is not engaged
The first sign that a lesson is not working is the student “checks out”. When you see a
student is not involved in the class or is not having fun, ask yourself if the lesson is working.
You may have planned a topic that is not relevant or interesting, or you may have planned
your lesson in a way that simply does not work. 

The student does not understand

This could be a sign the lesson is too challenging, which is a common problem you will face.
It is normal for a student to have challenges, so do not rush to change the lesson when it is
difficult. However, if your student does not understand at all, or is having great difficulty
with the activities, it may be a sign you have planned a lesson that is too challenging.

The lesson is not age appropriate

This can happen before you meet a student for the first time or when you design a lesson
with a type of student in mind. During the lesson, you might realize the lesson is not
working because the activities you designed were for a younger or older learner. Either of
those are an indicator that the class will not work, and changes need to be made as you go.
Technical issues affect the lesson
This is often out of our control, but as an online teacher you rely on technology. You should
have a backup plan for anytime you face technical issues, such as microphone/camera
failure or crashes. 

4.2. Making Changes

Identify the problem
Your first step is to discover what the problem is. You saw some possibilities in 2.4.1, but
you may see others. Before you start thinking about changes, clearly understand the
problem first. You should also understand what the root problem is. Sometimes the result is
different than the problem. For example, a student may not understand an activity. While it
is likely due to your explanation or the student’s ability, it could be something different.
Perhaps the student is tired or had a problem at school that day. Try to find the true
problem before you think about how to solve it.

Think fast
When you need to make a change during a lesson, you do not have a lot of time. In only a
few seconds you should have a new idea. This is why it is crucial to have filler activities and
backup plans. That way, you do not have to create a whole new lesson in a few seconds.

React
Once you know the problem and the solution, go for it. Since you have such a short time to
find your solution, you need to implement it with confidence. It might not work, or it might
not be the best way to change the lesson, but you need to move forward with confidence.
Very often, this confidence will show the student you have a solution and are ready to move
on. If you waver or appear uncertain, the student will recognize this and likely doubt your
ability to continue the lesson.

Here are some other strategies that can help you when you need to make major changes to
a lesson.

Do not panic
Before you can identify the problem, you should first relax. Now is not the time to panic.
Lessons change all the time, so you do not have to feel like this is a disaster. If you stress
over the lesson not working properly, it will be more difficult to think of a possible solution.
In order to do this, keep a positive attitude and stay in the proper mindset to think fast and
find the necessary tools to make changes.

Build good rapport

Some problems can be solved by building a good rapport with your student. That way, your
student will not be as upset if you face a major issue and need to make changes.
Reflect after each lesson
If you had to make a major change to your lesson, you should later reflect on why that was.
Perhaps it was something out of your control, like a technical issue. However, it may be
something you can avoid, so reflect on what happened and think about how you can act
differently in the future.

The following table can help you with reflection questions you could ask yourself after a
lesson that did not go as planned: