How Different Is Lesson Planning For EFL Classrooms?

Lesson planning is not the same for teaching English in an English-medium school and teaching in an EFL classroom. Language should be at the forefront of your mind at all times in an EFL/ESL lesson. Content is, of course, important, but language comes first. This post looks at the differences between the two teaching situations when it comes to teacher input, lesson structure, classroom management and lesson aims and outcomes.

Teacher Yasmien has almost ten years of TEFL teaching experience, both online and face-to-face. Besides this, she holds a PGCE and has taught in mainstream classrooms, too. Here she chats to us about the differences between lesson planning in an EFL and a non-EFL context.

What makes lesson planning for EFL different?

Many mainstream teachers have felt stumped when planning an EFL lesson. They are so used to planning for native English-speaking students that when they’re tasked with creating an EFL lesson plan, it requires a complete mindset shift!

English isn’t your student’s first language, so you have to plan in a way that helps them use English confidently, not just understand it. This means swapping out long explanations and instructions for visuals, repetition and lots of activities! 

Have a look here for some tips for giving instructions in an EFL classroom.

In mainstream classrooms, teachers usually take centre stage – as work is highly theory based. In an EFL classroom, teachers need to create opportunities for learners to talk – not just listen – because communication is the main goal of an EFL lesson. Teachers guide and encourage students to take the lead, so the spotlight is on the students’ voices, not their own.

In other words, teachers need to learn to transform their classrooms from teacher-centred to student-centred.

Do you follow a particular structure when planning EFL lessons? 

I stick with the PPP (Presentation, Practice, Production) model because it offers a clear, scaffolded structure that really works well in an EFL classroom. Starting with a presentation stage helps with comprehension, especially when you’re introducing new grammar or vocabulary. It also makes classroom management easier – as all students are on the same page before jumping into any activities. 

I find that the ESA (Engage, Study, Activate)model works best in a mainstream classroom where students already speak the language. In an EFL context, letting students explore too early without enough guidance often leads to confusion, silence or distraction. EFL students need more support at the beginning, which is why PPP feels more practical and effective for me. 

What makes the PPP (Presentation, Practice, Production) model effective for language learning?

I am an advocate of using the PPP teaching model within any EFL lesson type. The linear flow helps to scaffold content which gives students the support they need at each stage of the lesson. It is valuable in any EFL lesson level and type, but especially useful in grammar or vocabulary lessons as well as for Beginner learners.

What I like about the PPP method is that its framework is flexible.  In some cases, I adjust the time spent on certain phases depending on the class level or their pacing needs. Sometimes the Presentation phase is longer, or I spend more time in Production – it all depends on the students. 

The PPP method has three stages in a single lesson:

1. The Presentation phase is where I introduce the target language, be it grammar or vocabulary,  through eliciting, pronunciation drilling and concept checking.

2. The Practice phase will always include controlled activities like gap fills or sentence matching to reinforce accuracy.
3. The Production phase will always include freer tasks, like games or peer dialogues, where students use the target language more naturally. 

What shortcuts or systems help you plan faster?

For creating tailored lesson plans, my go-to is AI, in particular ChatGPT. It helps on the admin side of things, but also is extremely useful when you are in need of grading your lesson content appropriately to your class. Think of it as your personal assistant.

For gamified content I frequently use free online learning platforms such as Bamboozle and Kahoot. 

For worksheet-based activities I love to use busyteacher.org as it has an extensive range of controlled and freer activities that I utilize in my Practice and Production lesson stages. 

How do you build in opportunities for speaking and interaction in an EFL lesson? 

Communication is at the heart of most EFL lessons, so I always plan my lessons with speaking opportunities top of mind. 

Tip: Students tend to resort back to their native language when speaking to one another in class, so I always make reference to the fact that, as long as they speak English, they can talk to their peers – that is, without disrupting the class

When it comes to shy or Beginner students, I always make sure that my lessons include pair work as well as group choral drilling during the presentation phase – so nobody feels like they are in the spotlight. This is great for students to develop their accuracy with the target language in a supported and low pressure environment. 

The Production stage is the biggest opportunity for speaking. Using group activities such as role plays, pair-dialogue and group games, gets even the most reserved students chatting! Peer-learning is instrumental in creating a safe and fun learning environment. 

To make sure your students are always on the right track during the Production stage, the teacher has to move around the classroom to monitor and give gentle corrections during or after activities. You will be able to gauge students gaps in knowledge and provide organic feedback that doesn’t hinder their flow. Additionally, having prompts on the board or screen, help students refer back to the target language if need be. 

Looking for ideas for creative error correction techniques? Look no further than this blog post: Encouraging Mistakes In The Classroom: Effective Error Correction.

What’s your approach to reviewing and recycling language across EFL lessons?

Did you know that it takes an average of 10 to 15 exposures (hearing or saying) to remember a word? The trick is not to say it all at once, but to space it over your whole lesson as well as review it the next day and in following lessons.

This is known as spaced repetition.

What do successful EFL lesson plans look like?

Successful lesson plans are simple. And have the following in common:

• They are organised into sections or stages (like the PPP method). A scaffolded flow helps learners feel grounded, which improves comprehension, retention and engagement. 
• They assign realistic time to each section, task or activity. If one part runs over, it eats into the rest of the lesson – and you may miss your objective altogether.
• They don’t try to cram in too much. New TEFL teachers often overload their lesson plans with too many activities, which usually results in them rushing or skipping important sections.
• They reduce teacher talking time by using instructions, eliciting and concept checking questions. 
• They include back-up activities – something for fast finishers or extra time at the end of the lesson. 

How do you adapt when things don’t go to plan?

Keep calm and don’t let it show. In EFL classrooms, things go sideways all the time! 

Students may not understand your instructions, or the target language. The activity you planned may fall flat or your class may just be in a mood and be unbothered or apathetic. It’s completely normal.

When that happens, pause and assess what went wrong. Here are some real scenarios and actionables:

Scenario 1: If the target language and/or instruction part is not landing, try explaining it in a simpler way. 

I would either use: 

• realia (real objects)
• a drawing on the board
• give simpler examples
• work through a few of the questions with the class to model the task again.

Scenario 2: If an activity flops or finishes too quickly, use the back-up activity I had in place for moments like these. 

No back-up, no worries!

• Pull out a low prep activity or quiz from either Kahoot, Bamboozle or Youtube.
• Get students working in pairs to create a dialogue using the target language or vocabulary.
• Whip out a game of charades, hangman or other quick class games to practice using the target language.

Scenario 3: 

If your EFL students are disengaged, get them excited and raise their energy levels.

• Get students moving with either a song or dance (using songs that they love really do the trick!)
• Play a competitive game using fun online learning platforms like Kahoot, Bamboozle or Youtube – students love competition even without a reward!
• Engage students in conversation by asking them opinion based questions – having a quick break and shifting from the main lesson will spark your students’ interest.

What advice would you give to someone new to planning EFL classroom lessons?

• The biggest challenge I see in new EFL teachers is changing their mindset. 

They are naturally conditioned to use English as if they were speaking to native English speakers. This literally does not translate well in an EFL classroom. 

Think about watching a beginner language lesson on Youtube aimed at learning Italian or Mandarin or Greek. You are now in your students’ shoes. And that’s where the mindset shift starts. You need to experience it yourself, to truly understand how to teach EFL. 

• Something I really wish someone had stressed? Script your instructions. 

When you’re in the moment, especially with low-level or Beginner students, simplifying your English is harder than you think. And remember, practise makes perfect!

• Simplify your lesson plan.

When I first started planning EFL lessons, I packed in way too much. I’d run out of time before even reaching the Production stage – which is the most important part of the lesson!

Have one controlled activity in the Practice stage.

Have one engaging, peer or group ,game or task in the Production stage.

If we wrap up early, use the time to reinforce comprehension through repetition or extra speaking practice. 

Have back-up activities on hand.

• Use AI as your personal teaching assistant

Back in the day, planning EFL lessons was entirely manual. Now, AI tools help write materials, structure lessons and create examples faster. It’s not cheating – it’s teaching smarter.  

My last parting words are to have fun. If games or activities seem fun to you, they will be fun for your learners. Students pick up on your energy, so enjoy the experience and they will too! Good luck!

Author Bio

Written by

Yasmien Winkler

Edited by Kirsten Colquhoun

Yasmien Winkler is a TEFL Teacher Trainer, qualified English teacher, and content writer with 5+ years in the TEFL industry. She’s dedicated to empowering teachers and is an animal lover at heart. Read Yasmien Winkler's story →