The overall course objective is to help teachers expand their skills in planning, teaching and evaluating lessons. The course works with teachers to achieve the following goals:

In the area of PLANNING

• Write clear learning objectives appropriate for students.
• Identify potential challenges for students - with language and with tasks.
• Prepare to address challenges appropriately.
• Incorporate an appropriate variety of techniques, focuses (teacher and student roles), and modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic).
• Create learner-centered activities.
• Design activities appropriate to class size, student needs, levels, and interests.
• Sequence lessons logically: providing ample meaningful practice, recycling material and ensuring opportunities for assessment.
• Set well defined objectives for self as a teacher.
• Incorporate appropriate use of input from workshops, English Language Teaching (ELT) materials and resources.

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In the area of TEACHING

• Develop rapport with students and create a respectful, secure, motivating, learner-centered environment.
• Use oral and body language appropriate for student level and context: vocabulary, speed, tone and gestures.
• Get and act upon feedback from students.
• Adjust lesson plans as necessary, while moving toward objectives.
• Give clear instructions.
• Convey meaning in context clearly and accurately.
• Check understanding of language, concepts and tasks.
• Clarify form, meaning and use (as appropriate) of the target language in all stages of the lesson.
• Respond sensitively, appropriately and respectfully to students equally - in terms of needs, interests and background.
• Organize students and space in ways appropriate to activities and in order to foster learner-centered learning.
• Effectively manage pair, group and individual work.
• Assess student learning and provide appropriate feedback to students on their performance (i.e. error treatment and affirmation).
• Incorporate appropriate teacher and student roles for various stages in the lesson.

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In the area of ASSESSMENT

• Discuss how student learning objectives were met with supporting evidence from individual students and from large group behaviour.
• Identify and usefully communicate the significant strengths in a lesson plan and in a lesson in relation to objectives.
• Identify internal/external factors which help/hinder your own development as a teacher.
• Based on self-reflection or feedback from others (trainers, peers, and students), identify and implement appropriate adjustments to future classes.
• Discuss teaching in terms of basic ELT concepts and methodology: learner-centered teaching, lesson planning frameworks, inductive/deductive methods, learning styles and modalities, monitoring, assessment, error treatment strategies, and form / meaning / use / pronunciation aspects of language points.

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