How to Manage Time in Class

CELTA

By: Andriy Ruzhynskiy
Teacher Trainer (CELTA, IHCTL, SIT TESOL, local DELTA Tutor)

Timing in class is important because a Teacher needs to complete a certain framework to make a lesson effective. The most frequently used lesson shapes/frameworks are: PPP, T-T-T, Guided Discovery, Text based, Task based learning, etc., etc.

Systems lessons (vocab, grammar, functional language):
– must finish with some freer practice (= fluent use of target language)
– must have as much freer practice as possible
– freer practice must be prepared
– only the freer practice activity contains the evidence of achieving the lesson aim

Receptive skills lessons:
– must have the slot for most detailed comprehension
– this is when the lesson aim is achieved

A speaking lesson:
– must provide students with enough time for spontaneous and meaningful communication
– followed by feedback on content and language
– ideally, students should also have time for task repetition

A writing lesson:
– students are supposed to have time to write at least the first draft
– peer editing/feedback

Conclusion:
– teaching without keeping the main lesson aim in mind is less effective
– in most cases, the main lesson aim is achieved at the end or very close to the end of the lesson, which makes time management very important

Some life hacks to save time in class are:
– Time to start the lesson ≠ time to come to class!
– Chat with students before the lesson
– Materials preparation (in a f2f course, put the materials in order on your desk; in an online course, all tabs and windows are opened and lined up before the lesson)
– during the lesson, prepare the next activity (and breakout rooms in an online lesson) while students are busy with the current activity
– prioritise activities according to the main lesson aim (which parts are worth spending time on? which parts of the lesson can be shorter?)
– find a good balance between explanations and practice. NB: students learn mainly from practice but not from listening to our explanations! Hurry up to provide practice activities: the more students practise, the more effective your lesson is ☺
– Make feedback stages as short as possible (ask ss to use the chat box (in an online lesson); use kinaesthetic feedback techniques (raise your hand if…; touch the correct answer; etc.); provide the key (not always effective!); have short feedback on content after a fluency work activity (no need to ask every student!)

How To Manage Time In Class 1 — How to Manage Time in Class

Author’s Bio:

Andriy has been teaching English and Russian to students from all over the world since 1984. His teacher training career started in 2002, when he became an SIT TESOL trainer, and then in 2007 he got licensed to run CELTA and IHCTL courses as well. He is also a CAM course Tutor, and a Local DELTA Tutor for IH London. He has run numerous teacher training courses in about 15 countries, from Canada to New Zealand. He is convinced that being a teacher trainer is a real blessing as it gives him fantastic chances to meet super professional people all over the world. He regularly takes part in conferences and workshops on teaching techniques and approaches in his country and internationally. He is also a singer in a Ukrainian folk group ‘Muravskyi Shliakh’.