Introduction

Once you've met the students and found out something about them, the race is usually on! There are courses to be sketched out and lessons to be planned. While considering the long term you also have to get started on the shorter term. So to get things started realistically and quickly and because the most basic lesson shape of all is perhaps the one that is simply based on the flow of time, this chapter will be about the chronological lesson shape. Everyone, whether student, starter teacher or old lag, works easily with the concept of ‘a beginning, a middle and an end’. So the lesson shape in this chapter is the one most likely to be familiar to you. Most experienced teachers have favourite ways of opening and closing classes and favourite ways of doing ‘the main bit’ too. So even with a beginning, a middle and an end we still have plenty of options. In this chapter I'll detail some of the options you have at the start, in the middle, around break time and at the end of lessons, and I'll work through these options chronologically.

Beginnings

Beginning before the beginning

If you feel that first impressions are very important and also want to have your attention free once the students arrive, you may well start your own work BEFORE the beginning of the lesson. You'll get into the classroom before the students do.