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Why have plan B for a Lesson?

The first question that comes to our mind when discussing lesson planning is Why
plan a lesson ?. Planning a lesson before hand is undemocratic way of teaching , is a
prevalent paradox. Lesson planning itself is not a product but a means to reach a pre
planned ,well defined and productive outcome which deeply facilitate learning and
initiate acquisition of language. This cannot alone be achieved by specifying attainable
objectives and designing innovative communicative activities because there are always
situations that spring up unexpectedly , and thus cannot be sorted out by waving a
magic wand .This requires a thorough in-depth understanding ,careful planning and
foreseeing of what might occur in a class. Thus, anticipating problems and
determining possible solutions or working out solutions in advance as plan B or C is an
important aspect of lesson planning , which shouldnt be ignored.

Therefore , among our most prior duties, it is also essential to make sure that our
class is conducted fairly well and is thoroughly productive .These intentions become
possible when teachers are already equipped with solutions for the anticipated and
subtle problems in any classroom .Thus , better management and class output
cannot be achieved only with having confidence to deal with problems, but by being
prepared and anticipating how to unlock knots that hinder learning .

The locus of anticipated problems in a lesson plan:

A well developed lesson plan is a route map for the teacher to track the students
progress in class with regard to predetermined objectives . The bigger slice of time
is consumed in planning the lesson but ignoring the anticipation of problem and
working out other possible strategies and making a plan B, results in a less than a
hundred percent productive lesson execution and learning outcomes .

On one hand, where SMART objectives and engaging activities signify a dynamic
classroom lesson execution - the non existence of enlisting possible problems that
may occur in classroom gives an impression of we the teachers being magicians
.Perhaps , we overlook to reflect upon ourselves for the eye sees not itself .

How can we make sure potential problems are clearly identified during lesson
planning and put in place with good and practical solutions? What can make us
increasingly better prepared, proactively or reactively, for whatever happens? The key
is anticipating what problems might arise, and be prepared with possible solutions and Plan
B.

The skill is not only to plan an active lesson but also to foresee what may or
may not happen. There can always be unexpected situations regarding classroom
management , dealing with difficult students or even with the teachers
own methodology . Therefore , we the teachers must live our lesson before its final
execution to the final consumers. Skilful teachers can anticipate problems that may
arise in their classroom. With them there is always another PLAN B , PLAN C and
even PLAN D!

Thus the segment of anticipated problems is extremely important in a lesson

plan, because it gives teachers an opportunity to visualize their lesson execution in

Why have plan B for a lesson? Anam Ayaz-annamalik1508@gmail.com

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class to foresee the possible problems that can occur in their classroom, and be
prepared with possible solutions

Frequently occurring problems in a language classroom and their

possible solutions:
Problems potentially cause diversions in a planned lesson . But
gauging difficulties is not the
end of the challenge. The next step is to plan strategy to simplify, solve, settle , and
satisfy them.. Young learners are not programmed .They are always filled with anxiety
and but also curiosity and excitement . We, the teachers should realize that the students
are not habitual trouble makers .Nor can we afford to give our reins in their hands ,
therefore as smart teachers we should always be ready with a pragmatic and non
idealistic plan A / B or even C if the situations calls for.
Following listed are some problems of a language class that have been most
commonly encountered and observed by the teachers .Therefore, in this article I have
tried to suggest some tactics that I have learnt from my mentors and teachers at
ICELT which are not only worthy sharing but also very quick , fair and effective:

A. Problems with lesson delivery :

Problem # 1:
Some students might not have any interest in the lesson and show dullness.
Solution:
Lessons should begin with potential motivational activities .Kinaesthetically structured activities , tongue
twisters , puns etc can be a good idea .

Problem # 2:
Some gadgets may not be function well.
Solution:
Audio , video , projector , laptop, computers , speakers , mic , cell phones , smart board etc must be tested a
day before and the required data must be saved in more than one device to reduce risk . In case of
any mishap , the teacher should have the script of audio to be read aloud or a plan B to teach via
board and marker or a plan C i.e to gather some smart phones from peers and show the video/ppt or
documentary on smart phones by organizing them in small groups and monitoring them and even a
plan D could also be a substitute for the same , i.e to keep hard copies of the text /audio script /ppt
ready for the students in such cases.

Problem # 3:
Some students might get stuck at lexis.
Solution:
Many students alike us, get stuck at vocabulary .They could not make contextual sense out of it as
easily as some other students in class. It is suggested that the teacher should pre teach vocabulary
before the pre-reading and pre listening stages. Some teachers might find it spoon feeding but an
innovative way of pre teaching vocabulary could also be done via hangman , giving clues or synonyms.

Problem # 4:
Some students might have short attention span and lose track of information in audio script.
Solution:
Listening is a challenging activity, specially as our children are often not used to it, and what makes it more
tough is to retain information . Recorded listening text , if it is long should be played in chunks.The
questions for listening should be given prior to playing the recording, so that learners do focused listening . This
strategy will work only if the teacher has prepared tasks such as stating true or false , filling in the
blanks , matching , odd one out etc to be done by students , either individually or in pairs.

Why have plan B for a lesson? Anam Ayaz-annamalik1508@gmail.com

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Problem # 5:
Some students might not be able to recall the features of writing a specific genre
Solution:
Children are often not able to remember the Genre types when first introduced to the concept.The best way to
overcome this very common problem is to always mount the resource material about characteristics of the
genre on class walls [ in larger font] , each time a new genre is introduced and taught . If in case learners
later forget it or get confused the teacher can simply point towards those material and ask them to read it
silently.

B. Difficulties in classroom management :

Problem # 1:
The attendance of pupils might unexpectedly be too low.
Solution:
Students should never feel unwelcome no matter how big or small the class is . If the
attendance is too low the teacher can conduct a reinforcement lesson i.e a plan B ,
instead of beguiling time with un-tailored board games .
Reinforcement plan works best with small groups because the students can be well
monitored and facilitated for improving their understanding and input , conversely.

Problem # 2:
Some smarter students might already know the concept and may become troublesome , or dominate the
class.
Solution:
Smart students are a great blessing for teachers. They are assets who are least
exploited for the class benefits. Some times smart students become disruptive, it is
because they are bored. The teacher should devise tasks for the smarter students to engage
them and and monitor them, such as helping another student to complete a task. It will not
only save the teachers energy but will also help her to discover ways in which
those sharper students demonstrate their abilities to facilitate their fellows.

Problem # 3:
A few students might not want to work in pairs / groups .
Solution:
Roles such as scribe , presenter , organizer , timekeeper , resource/supply in charge etc,
can be assigned for each group member so that each of them may endeavour to do
their best, so as to achieve good results for their group.

If the affective filter of learners is too high , they will fail to remain composed . An
anxious and scared pupil can attempt to produce nothing but waste. Teachers should
not be dictatorial in their manner . They should create a friendly environment in the class to
make learners feel comfortable.

Problem # 4:
A few bashful students might not get a chance to express themselves in active
groups.
Solution:
Learners are some times uncomfortable in working with those peers who are
comparatively more sharp or are high achievers because they are afraid of making

Why have plan B for a lesson? Anam Ayaz-annamalik1508@gmail.com

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mistakes in front of them. Teachers need to make sure that the group members should
vary in their skills but must not be distinctly contrasting in their intellectual levels
.Rearranging their group can help ease them .

Problem # 5:
A conflict might arise among the members of any group.
Solution:
Suppressing conflicts in a language classroom may suppress getting at what can
be worthy knowing . An aura of tolerance and turn taking should be the culture
of a language classroom. Besides , conflicts invite counter response which can help
in stimulating healthy class discussions and critical thinking . It can be managed as
effectively as independent activities and it offers a series of benefits that are
impossible to achieve by other means --including higher levels of academic
achievement [Slavin :1994]

Problem # 6:
Some students / activities might take too long than the allocated time.
Solution:
Advancing with leaps and bounds is not the entailment of skipping. It is highly
recommended that teachers while preparing their lesson must allocate sufficient
time for the completion of task . Still, if students could not complete it in allocated
time and running short of time , teachers must not hurry through the plan but extend
it for the next teaching session .

C. Handling difficult children :

Problem # 1:
Some students might arrive late in the class.
Solution:
Instead of giving a 10 min scolding to the latecomers, teachers can ask the other
students to give a quick recap of the lesson .At the end of the lesson , they can also
counsel students for being punctual next time . If the problem continues talk to the parents
to remedy the situation.

Problem # 2:
A few students might have forgotten to bring their stationery to school.
Solution:
knowing some children are bound to forget their stationary, some extra stationery should be kept in the
teacher cupboard in class which can be provided in case of need.

Problem # 3:
A few students might have forgotten to bring their notebooks to school .
Solution:
Punishments usually worsen the matters in case some pupils have forgotten to bring their note book
allow them to take notes in another copy and must be advised to get it checked by the teacher in the
next class.
Problem # 4:
A few students might not know the basic concepts / lack prior knowledge /weak schemata
Solution:
Why have plan B for a lesson? Anam Ayaz-annamalik1508@gmail.com
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A quick , concise , informal diagnostic test should be conducted by the teachers

before setting objectives of their .This will help them determine students
schemata.

Problem # 5:
Some pairs/ groups might not be able to keep pace with the other pairs/ groups in
class .
Solution:
The groups / pairs / individuals who are unable to keep pace with class performance
should be appreciated continuously for the effort they are making, so as to increase their
motivational level . They can also be provided a helping hand by their fellows in
class.

This list is not all , it varies with the type and strength of our learners and
increases with our insight in this matter. A teacher is a nurturer par excellence .Our
students cannot perform a range of functions according to a predetermined set of our coded
instructions. Like us they have their own likings ,weaknesses , curiosities , interests ,
talents and even mood swings .Therefore , Plan B and C doesnt aim at digressing
teacher from their predetermined objective but only gives them more ways ,
strategies and ideas to get the required task done by the student .Even with the best
preparations , unexpected problems arise in our classes very often . Teachers need is
to realize that just dismissing those challenging students is not the solution nor they
are super beings that ideas will generate spontaneously when problems suddenly occur .
Therefore the best policy to follow would be to identify possible problems / issues that
teachers are likely to face, and be well prepared for eventualities so as to maximize their
efforts to achieve learning outcomes.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Stephen D Krashen , 1983,Language Acquisition in Classroom , Alemany

Press,US
Robert E Slavin ,1994,Cooperative Learning Theory Research and Practice ,
Allyn Bacon , US

Word count:2244 words

Postal address:

7/137, DMCHS street # 9 , near Riaz Mosque,Karachi .

Why have plan B for a lesson? Anam Ayaz-annamalik1508@gmail.com