So you’ve just finished your TEFL certification, chosen South Korea as your destination and have chosen to apply for a teaching position with EPIK (English Program in Korea) – and you’re excited! But first, you need to submit a lesson plan.
A well-crafted lesson plan can set you apart from other applicants. Your TEFL certification has given you the foundation to structure a lesson plan. But let’s break down how to create an EPIK lesson plan that makes a strong first impression.
Why do I need to submit a lesson plan?
EPIK wants to know if you have what it takes to be a teacher. It’s your chance to show your potential as an aspiring teacher, or demonstrate your expertise if you’re more experienced.
Where do I start?
Your lesson must be completely original and not simply rehash previously published material. Skip ChatGPT and similar tools. You’ve got this!
Here are some basic steps you can follow to simplify the process:
- Read the instructions carefully. Take note of the length and format.
- Decide on a grade and a level and note the class duration.
We suggest choosing a grade that matches your target teaching level. For example, if you’re aiming to teach in high school, it’s best to create a lesson plan suited for that age group.Different grades have different class durations and this must be noted in your lesson plan.
Lesson times for the various levels:
Elementary – 40 minutes
Middle school – 45 minutes
High school – 50 minutes.
- Decide on a topic. Your topic should form part of a sequence of lessons so that you can connect to a previous lesson. Make sure the topic fits your target age group.
For example, teaching high schoolers basic expressions would quickly lead to boredom and disengagement! Similarly, pitching content that’s too advanced will have the same effect and leave them feeling frustrated.
Narrow your focus.
The whole point of bringing Native English speakers over to Korea is for practice in conversational English, so make this the focal point of your lesson. Think about what your Learning Outcomes (LOs) and what your target language (key expressions) will be. It’s recommended to write your key expressions in a question and answer format.
For example, expressions like, “What would you like to order?” and “I would like a burger and chips,” fit well into a lesson on ordering food.
Don’t overdo the number of words or expressions you include. Elementary level learners especially don’t retain that much and you don’t want to overwhelm your students.
- Briefly explain what was covered in a previous lesson. Show how your current lesson connects to the lesson before. EPIK wants to see that you can build on previous knowledge.
- Consider what teaching materials you’d like to use. These should be attached to the lesson plan when you submit. These could include:
- Slideshows
- Flash cards
- Worksheets
- Video clips
- Plan engaging activities.
Include at least 2 to 3 different activities. For example: a worksheet, a game and a role-play activity.
- Follow the PPP lesson structure. EPIK has provided the lesson structure. You need to decide how you will chunk up the lesson. Remember, your presentation should not take up the bulk of the lesson. Ideally, 10-12 minutes is ample time for a 45-minute lesson.
Teacher talk time should be at a minimum and lessons should be interactive and engaging. Leave enough time at the end for a content review and consolidation.
Students need plenty of practice time to apply what they have learned. They may practice solo, in pairs, or in groups.
- Briefly explain what will be covered in the next lesson. Show that you can continue building on new concepts that are taught in a logical manner.
- Proofread your lesson plan to ensure it flows logically and that there are no typos.
An official lesson plan template can be found here. 👈
An official sample lesson plan can be found here. 👈
The lesson plan template is a general one and does not include a separate section for your introduction and conclusion. Include these in your final lesson plan.
Refer to the sample lesson plan for guidelines on how to complete each section of the lesson plan.
How to fill out the EPIK lesson plan
The EPIK lesson plan is divided into sections. After identifying the topic, grade, level, number of students, objectives, target language, and materials, you can proceed with planning the lesson.
It is divided into the following sections: introduction, presentation, production, practice, and conclusion.
Introduction
Every lesson begins with a greeting.
You need to grab your students’ attention right away. Start with something engaging, like a quick review of the previous lesson, a reaction to an image, video, or text, or a sneak peek at what they’ll be learning in today’s lesson.
Introduce your lesson objectives and the target language. This gives your students a roadmap for your lesson. You won’t want to spend more than 5 minutes on the introduction.
Next, you will use a teaching model known as the PPP method (Presentation – Practice – Presentation) to teach the main content.
The PPP method
In the lesson plan, you are required to provide a lot of description of each stage of your lesson. Make sure to provide as much detail as possible to paint a vivid picture of how your class will unfold. Aim for 200- to 300-word descriptions under each heading.
Remember to allocate time for each lesson component. Keep in mind that students require time to practice and produce.
Presentation
Introduce the target language in a way that aligns with your learning outcomes.
There are many methods to do this. Choose one that best supports your lesson aims and objectives. This is the part where the teacher speaks the most, but this doesn’t mean that students cannot participate at all.
For example, if you’re presenting vocabulary, they can practice saying the words along with you as you present and you can ask students questions to ensure they are following what you are saying.
Practice
Include teacher explanations and model how to do the activity.
If you’ve chosen a paired speaking activity, you can ask a strong student to model the language with you as the teacher in front of the class before everyone practices in their pairs. Explain in detail (step-by-step) how the practice activity will be carried out.
Questions to ask yourself:
- What are students expected to do?
- What is my role as the teacher?
Don’t forget to include the crucial check for understanding. You need to intermittently check that learners are on track and that nobody gets left behind.
Production
This is the part where you let go of the reins completely and watch your students apply their newly gained knowledge. Here you can include different games and/or activities focused on independent learning.
Remember to include what you will be doing during this time. For example, circulating the classroom and assisting learners and offering praise. Even though students will be working independently, you still need to be available to offer support.
Lesson conclusion
To wrap up the lesson, you can assign homework, take-home activities or simply end off with something fun and memorable. Make sure your chosen activity reinforces what students learnt during your lesson and it is not simply filling up time because you’ve run out of ideas.
One suggestion: return to the lesson objectives and target language and have students demonstrate what they’ve learnt by performing one key expression with one new vocabulary word they’ve learnt.
A quick assessment is also a good idea.
Let your students know what will be coming up in the next lesson and don’t forget to offer them praise on a job well done and end with a greeting.
Troubleshooting
In the lesson plan, you’ll come across a section for “anticipated problems and solutions”. Use your imagination to troubleshoot possible scenarios that could derail your lesson.
Common issues to consider are:
- tech failures,
- student disengagement,
- confused students,
- classroom management issues,
- time constraints,
- and limited teaching resources.
Have an extra activity on hand in case the lesson finishes sooner. Keep pens, pencils, board markers and paper handy in case the power goes out, or all your markers go missing! It happens. EPIK wants to know if you are prepared for the day that things don’t go according to plan.
And there you have it!
With all the steps laid out, creating your EPIK lesson plan should feel a lot more manageable. Take your time, follow the guidelines, and you’ll be ready to show off your teaching skills in no time.
With some preparation and attention to detail, you can have a solid plan that sets you up to crush it. In no time, you’ll be teaching your very first class in Korea with your first lesson already in the bag!
