Designing English Courses: Lessons After a Few Painful Rounds
Tea's early classes fizzled after week two. Here's the structure that keeps a TESOL course engaging and sustainable.
First Mistake: Teaching by Improvisation
- Sessions 1–2: games, learning tips → students love it.
- Session 3 onwards: out of ideas, no idea how to structure 90 minutes.
- Tea once hoped students... wouldn't show up to avoid embarrassment.
When Lesson Plans Work Properly
- Build curriculum framework based on end-of-course goals (exams, communication, specific skills).
- Divide sessions into "loops": review (10'), input (new language), practice activities (pair/group), assessment – feedback (delayed).
- Always prepare "boredom resistance": if students do self-study exercises, have them review/form debate groups instead of just sitting passively.
- Skills interconnected – don't separate listening/reading/speaking/writing; use the same topic to practice multiple skills.
IELTS & Skills Classes: How to Balance?
- Allocate 30% time for clear "input," 70% for practice + error correction.
- Have students do tests at home; in class focus on analyzing their mistakes, guiding strategies.
- Each session has a clear conclusion: "What can students do after today?"
When lesson plans stick to objectives, you won't worry about running out of ideas; students also see each session leading to clear results.
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In 2026, I will be opening some classes for registration, taught directly by me. Depending on the number of registrations, if you are interested, please fill in this form, answer a few questions, and I will contact you with course information. The first class is expected to start after Tet 2026.
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