- B
y th
e end of t
he l
e
s
son the
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arn
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ill
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.
-
By the end of the lesson, the learners will be able to differentiate between the
present perfect simple and continuous.
It is also important to differentiate aims from activities: e.g.
the activity – to do a role
play, the aim – to practice making a complaint.
The main aim and subsidiary aims
Often in a lesson you will have a main aim and a number of subsidiary aims. This is
particularly true, for example, in a lesson in which skills are integrated or when a
listening or reading text is used to introduce a language item. It is important that you
recognize the main aim of the lesson and of each stage.
A main aim describes the most important thing we want to achieve in a lesson. For
example, we may want learners to understand and practise using new language; to
reinforce or consolidate (i.e. to make stronger) the use of language they already know
by giving them further practice; or to revise language they have recently learnt.
Subsidiary aims show the language or skills learners must be able to use well in order
to achieve the main aim of the lesson.
Example:
Main aim: to practice making polite requests in the context of making holiday
arrangements.
Subsidiary aims:
Grammar: to revise modal auxiliary verbs.
Functional exponents:
Could/Would you …?
Vocabulary: to consolidate lexis for travel, accommodation.
Phonology: to focus on intonation.
Speaking: to give controlled oral practice.
Personal aims
For any particular lesson, in addition to the learning aims for your students, you may
also wish to set yourself a ‘personal aim’. This aim focuses on an aspect of your
teaching which you would like to improve. For example,
to talk less myself and involve
the students more, or
to make my instructions clearer, to try different correction
techniques, to get learners to work with different partners etc. If you are being observed,
you could ask the observer to give you feedback on how well you achieved your
personal aim.