Beginning and ending the
lesson: Some tips
Penny Ur
Spring ETAI 2014
In principle…
• Teachers don’t share enough
• Don’t leave it too late!
A. Beginning the lesson
1. Smile
• Surprisingly important
• Underlying message
• A neutral expression is not a neutral message.
2. Create a clear beginning moment
• A dividing line between ‘not lesson’ and ‘lesson’
• (Avoid a ‘creeping start’)
• Allow a minute or two for students to get organized, then…
• Give a clear signal
3. Use opening rituals
• Younger classes: song / chant / date / weather / chorused
exchanges
• More advanced: a routine such as ‘Word / quotation/ proverb of the
Day’
4. Give an advance overview of the lesson plan
• Especially with teenage and adult groups
• Write this up on the board either as you present it, or in advance.
• Gives students a sense that they know where they are going,
strengthens their confidence in the teacher.
• Include ‘if we have time’
• (Even if we at some point start doing something else!)
5. Teach new material at the beginning
• At the beginning, students are at their freshest.
• New vocabulary or grammar or reading text - at the beginning.
• Interactive group work, or grammar practice exercises – later
• (Also: then you can do a quick recap at the end, after you’ve done
something else!)
B. Ending the lesson
1. Have a clear closing procedure
• A clear ‘dividing point’ when the lesson is over.
• A signal: conventional farewells, a bell.
• Lead up with a brief recap of what we’ve done: achievement (go
back to the lesson agenda, if you have one).
• Brief evaluative comments?
• Sense of ‘closure’
2. Finish with something nice
• (Just before the closing)
• Something quick that students will enjoy: story, joke, quick game,
website, singing happy birthday to someone with a birthday…
• Probably not every lesson but when you can
3. Review
• Towards the end of the lesson: review quickly anything new that you
taught earlier
• e.g. ‘how many of the words I taught you today can you remember?’
4. Don’t give homework at the end
• Because…
• Attention is likely to be lower
• Students may be packing up and not attending
• You may not have enough time to explain properly
• Give earlier, then a brief reminder before the closing.
5. Hang around for a minute or two
• If you can, stay in the classroom for a minute or two after the end of
the lesson…
• …saying goodbye to individual students as they leave
• ….making yourself available to anyone who might want to talk to
you, or make an appointment
• … if there has been any problem with a particular student – have a
word.
• …if a student has done particularly well – tell them!
For tips on other aspects of the lesson, see…
Cambridge English Teacher
http://www.cambridgeenglishteacher.org/
Click on ‘discussions’ tab
Over to you for more tips!
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Have extra pencils, paper ready for people who’ve forgotten
‘busy’ start, students who have done hw get a ‘punch’
come before the bell (especially when there’s a test)
bring a clock (then no excuse to keep cellphones on)
ritual: ‘phones in bags, bags on floor’: stand and wait with hands out –
then personal questions, etc. Then plans for the lesson
I give them a task when I enter while I’m taking attendance
Write up ‘copy’ if there’s a text I want them to copy
When I take registration let them choose whether to say ‘it’s me’, ‘here I
am, ‘present’, etc.
Strict rule: can’t sit where you sat before, must choose new partner
(university classes)
If there’s a long 90-min class, give a break in the middle (even if it’s just a
‘wiggle’
5 minutes to go to toilet, eat, drink – and then – we begin: no more!
At beginning: write vocab items on the board to copy and do things with
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Opening ritual: a song to listen to
Check each other’s hw
‘start with a bang’ something dramatic or humorous
‘today in history’ as an opening routine
to get quiet: stop and look at the ceiling
something to do in their notebook at the beginning; I check regularly
Opening: read to them
presenting through an action song
Google ‘funsongs’ Charles Goodger
I have a hand that I raise; also a tuning fork;
Thank you for your attention
and participation!
pennyur@gmail.com