Planning: Aims

Introduction

This tutorial aims to help educators plan effective lessons by clearly identifying and articulating main aims, sub aims, personal aims, and stage aims. Understanding these different types of aims will enhance lesson planning and improve teaching outcomes. This guide includes insights from CELTA tutors' feedback on lesson plan aims.

Step 1: Identify Main Aims

• Main aims represent the overarching goals of your lesson.
• To determine your main aim:
  • Reflect on what you want students to learn or achieve by the end of the lesson.
  • Ensure it is specific, measurable, and achievable within the lesson's timeframe.
• Example: "Students will be able to use the past simple tense in speaking."

Step 2: Define Sub Aims

• Sub aims support the main aim and break it down into smaller, manageable objectives.
• To formulate sub aims:
  • Consider the key skills or knowledge areas that need to be addressed to achieve the main aim.
  • List 2-3 sub aims that focus on specific aspects of the lesson.
• Example:
  • "Students will practice forming past simple sentences."
  • "Students will listen for specific information in a past-tense dialogue."

Step 3: Establish Personal Aims

• Personal aims reflect the teacher's goals for their own professional development during the lesson.
• To create personal aims:
  • Think about what you want to improve in your teaching practice.
  • These aims might focus on classroom management, engagement techniques, or instructional strategies.
• Example: "I will focus on using more open-ended questions to promote discussion."

Step 4: Set Stage Aims

• Stage aims are specific objectives for different parts or stages of the lesson.
• To set stage aims:
  • Break the lesson into its key components (e.g., introduction, practice, production).
  • Define what you want students to accomplish in each stage.
• Example:
  • Introduction stage aim: "Students will understand the context of the past simple tense."
  • Practice stage aim: "Students will complete a gap-fill exercise using past simple verbs."

Conclusion

Incorporating well-defined aims into your lesson planning is crucial for effective teaching. By identifying main aims, sub aims, personal aims, and stage aims, you create a structured framework that enhances the learning experience. As a next step, practice writing aims for your upcoming lessons and seek feedback from peers to refine your approach.