Effective Lesson Planning with Or without Technology

A Workshop for Adult Educators

Leecy Wise – 9-8-2000

SWBOCS Adult Education Center
Cortez, CO

Workshop Page

HANDOUTS in PDF Form
 Optional Lesson Plan Template

 

You have permission to use these materials for educational purposes only as long as you credit the sources.

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Objectives: By the end of this session, participants will be able to…

 

·       develop and implement lesson plans that are well timed and promote learning among students with varied backgrounds, interests and learning preferences.

·       create relevant activities that produce measurable results and support the learning preferences of most students.

·       evaluate results in ways that are effective both for the “institution” and the student.

 

A.  What Needs to Be Planned?

 

I.                Content

II.              Objectives

III.            Activities

IV.            Evaluation

V.              Approach

VI.            Timing

 

I.  Content

 

  • Relevant to the student’s experience, environment and interest
  • Culturally/individually sensitive
  • Applicable
  • At the right level
  • Enticing
  • Supportive

 

Activity: Give examples of content that was not relevant to you in some way (experience, level, interest, application) in a class environment. How did you handle it? What was the learning outcome?

 

II. Objectives

 

  • Achievable by 90%of students
  • Student centered
  • Easily measured
  • Supportive of student goals

 

Activity: Write 2 objectives for a 50-minute session with students in your area of instruction. Think “concrete.”

 

III. Activities

 

  • Do the activities require the use of many intelligences (Gardner)?
  • Are the activities short and varied?
  • Are students asked to think critically?
  • Are the directions clear as a bell?
  • Are the outcomes and timing clear?
  • Are students given options?

 

Activity 1: Discuss Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences (MI) Theory. Take the MI survey in the Survey Section. Comment on the results. (Handout 1): HANDOUTS in PDF Form

Activity 2:  Take the Learning Styles Survey in the same section and comment on the results.

 

Activity 3:  Get into like-minded groups. Develop a short activity to teach a student like you how to (1)  write a short chronological  paragraph (series of sentences ordered in a time sequence: first, after that, before, then, etc…).  OR (2) Make the best buy among several choices of hamburger packages in a store. Use as many ways as you can to target as many preferences as you have identified in yourself. (Handouts 2 and 3): HANDOUTS in PDF Form

 

BREAK

 

IV. Evaluation

 

  • Is the evaluation culturally and individually sensitive?
  • Does the evaluation measure the objectives?
  • Does the evaluation require a demonstration of learning?
  • Is the evaluation measure supportive and interesting?
  • Are the instructions and assessment standard clear as a bell?

 

Activity: Develop a short evaluation measure to determine your success in teaching a student the activity you just completed above. Be sure to use an evaluation measure that supports the type of student for whom the activity was designed.

 

V.  Approach

 

  • Does the instruction follow the direct method? (Read Handout 4 and observe demonstration): HANDOUTS in PDF Form
  • Does the approach reflect the learning preferences of minority and majority-culture students, and other “learning” groups? (Read Handout  5 on Native American students and 6 on LD students in Student Population Section) HANDOUTS in PDF Form
  • Does the approach create a supportive environment?
  • Is the approach flexible and open to modification?

 

Activity 1: Think of a cultural or individual value that has been violated or supported in your educational experience. Give an example to the group of how the instructor could have changed his/her approach to help you learn better or comment on how the approach used supported you in learning.

 

Activity 2: Comment on how would you help your instructor teach you in a classroom? What advice would you give?

 

VI. Timing

 

  • Do the parts of the lesson plan flow easily?
  • Are students made accountable for performing activities within the time limits given?
  • Can the objectives be easily met within the time planned for the lesson?
  • Is there a “Plan B” that can be implemented if objectives are met in a shorter or longer time than expected?

 

Activity:  How much time would you give students in your class to memorize five new vocabulary words and their definitions? What outcomes would you want in that time?

 

B:  Sample Lesson Plans

 

  1. Lesson Demonstration (Teach area and perimeter using cut-out cardboard pieces that fit into a rectangle. Use swishing and other sound to represent area and perimeter. Use color. Have student input through direct method. Use the room and other geometry in the room as examples also. Walk around. Have students walk. Think of natural shapes in landscapes – fields to be planted. Solve a problem. Have “students” solve a problem. Give short quiz.)

 

  1. Go to the Lesson Plan Section of your handouts and evaluate the Papyrus Plan (Handout 7 : HANDOUTS in PDF Form) developed by an instructor. Comment on strengths and gaps. Make suggestions for improvements or additions.

 

  1. Discuss how technology could support either of the lesson plans discussed.

 

  1. 10 minutes to teach: Teach a small group of …

 

·        Native American students how to plot a bar graph

·        Traditional Anglo students how to find main ideas in a textbook

·        LD students how to memorize the names and capitals of SW states