6-month lesson plan designed for English students

Key Points

  • This 6-month lesson plan is designed for intermediate English students (B1 level) to improve grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.
  • The plan is structured into monthly units, each focusing on specific language functions and skills, with a progressive build-up to ensure comprehensive learning.
  • It incorporates functional language for real-world communication, inspired by resources like open educational textbooks and ESL syllabi.
  • The plan is flexible and can be adapted based on student needs, class frequency, or specific goals.

Purpose and Scope

This lesson plan aims to provide a structured yet adaptable framework for intermediate English students to enhance their language proficiency over six months. It balances theoretical learning (grammar, vocabulary) with practical applications (real-world communication, authentic materials) to foster confidence and fluency.

Structure Overview

The plan spans approximately 24 weeks, assuming 3-4 lessons per week, totaling around 120 hours. Each month focuses on a thematic unit, integrating grammar, vocabulary, and all four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing). The progression moves from foundational grammar and basic communication to advanced skills and real-world applications.

Flexibility

Teachers can adjust the pace, add supplementary materials, or emphasize specific skills based on student progress. Regular assessments and cultural insights are included to enhance engagement and relevance.

6-Month Lesson Plan for Intermediate English Students

Overview

  • Duration: 6 months (approximately 24 weeks)
  • Target Level: Intermediate (B1)
  • Focus: Integrated skills development (grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening, speaking) with an emphasis on functional language and real-world communication.
  • Weekly Structure: 3-4 lessons per week, totaling around 120 hours.

Month 1: Building Foundations

Focus: Basic grammar, communication skills, and introductory receptive skills.

  • Key Topics:
  • Verb tenses: present simple, present continuous, past simple
  • Subject-verb agreement
  • Basic sentence structures
  • Greetings, introductions, small talk
  • Skills Emphasis:
  • Listening: Basic conversations, short dialogues
  • Reading: Simple texts, comprehension questions
  • Writing: Simple sentences, short paragraphs
  • Speaking: Pair work for introductions, personal questions
  • Sample Weekly Activities:
  • Week 1: Introduce present simple/continuous; practice greetings and introductions through role-plays.
  • Week 2: Subject-verb agreement exercises; small talk practice with personal questions.
  • Week 3: Listening to short dialogues (e.g., meeting someone new); reading simple texts with comprehension questions.
  • Week 4: Writing simple sentences about daily routines; partner interviews to practice speaking.

Month 2: Expanding Grammar and Descriptive Language

Focus: Descriptive skills, comparatives, and more complex grammar.

  • Key Topics:
  • Present perfect tense
  • Future forms (will, going to)
  • Adjectives, adverbs, comparatives/superlatives
  • Describing people, places, things
  • Skills Emphasis:
  • Listening: Descriptive passages, short stories
  • Reading: Short stories, articles
  • Writing: Descriptive paragraphs
  • Speaking: Expressing opinions, preferences
  • Sample Weekly Activities:
  • Week 5: Present perfect tense; describe life experiences using “have you ever” questions.
  • Week 6: Future forms; discuss predictions and plans in group discussions.
  • Week 7: Adjectives and comparatives; describe people/places in writing and speaking.
  • Week 8: Listening to descriptive texts; write a paragraph describing a favorite place.

Month 3: Functional Language and Writing Basics

Focus: Functional language for everyday situations, basic writing skills.

  • Key Topics:
  • Modals: can, could, should, must
  • Phrasal verbs
  • Numbers, dates, time expressions
  • Shopping vocabulary, dialogues
  • Skills Emphasis:
  • Listening: Transactional dialogues (e.g., shopping, planning)
  • Reading: Instructions, notices, simple articles
  • Writing: Informal letters, short paragraphs
  • Speaking: Role-plays for shopping, making arrangements
  • Sample Weekly Activities:
  • Week 9: Modals for ability/permission; role-plays asking for help in a store.
  • Week 10: Phrasal verbs; reading comprehension with phrasal verbs in context.
  • Week 11: Numbers and time; listening to dialogues about schedules or purchases.
  • Week 12: Writing an informal letter to a friend; practice making plans in pairs.

Month 4: Advanced Receptive Skills and Writing

Focus: Conditionals, passive voice, advanced receptive skills.

  • Key Topics:
  • First and second conditionals
  • Passive voice
  • Reported speech
  • Skills Emphasis:
  • Listening: Note-taking, summarizing
  • Reading: Skimming, scanning, detailed comprehension
  • Writing: Formal letters, emails
  • Speaking: Expressing opinions, giving instructions
  • Sample Weekly Activities:
  • Week 13: First conditionals; discuss hypothetical situations in groups.
  • Week 14: Passive voice; read articles using passive structures.
  • Week 15: Reported speech; listen to interviews and report what was said.
  • Week 16: Write a formal email requesting information; practice giving instructions.

Month 5: Narrative Skills and Specialized Language

Focus: Narrative tenses, storytelling, context-specific vocabulary.

  • Key Topics:
  • Past continuous, past perfect
  • Narrative tenses
  • Vocabulary for specific contexts (e.g., work, study)
  • Skills Emphasis:
  • Listening: Stories, interviews
  • Reading: Longer texts, chapters
  • Writing: Short stories, personal narratives
  • Speaking: Retelling stories, discussing experiences
  • Sample Weekly Activities:
  • Week 17: Past continuous/perfect; read a short story and discuss plot.
  • Week 18: Narrative tenses; write a personal anecdote.
  • Week 19: Context-specific vocabulary (e.g., workplace terms); listen to job interviews.
  • Week 20: Retell a story in groups; write a short narrative.

Month 6: Integration and Practical Applications

Focus: Review, integration of skills, real-world applications.

  • Key Topics:
  • Review of all grammar points
  • Functional language integration
  • Authentic materials (news articles, videos)
  • Skills Emphasis:
  • Listening: Real-world audio (news, podcasts)
  • Reading: Authentic texts (articles, blogs)
  • Writing: Reports, opinion essays
  • Speaking: Debates, presentations, role-plays
  • Sample Weekly Activities:
  • Week 21: Review grammar points; integrated skills practice with mixed exercises.
  • Week 22: Listen to news clips; read authentic articles and summarize.
  • Week 23: Write an opinion essay; participate in a class debate.
  • Week 24: Final project (e.g., group presentation or report); final assessment.

Additional Notes

  • Vocabulary Building: Weekly vocabulary lists related to the theme (e.g., everyday terms in Month 1, workplace terms in Month 5).
  • Pronunciation and Fluency: Weekly practice on stress, intonation, and fluency tasks (e.g., timed speaking).
  • Cultural Notes: Include cultural insights (e.g., greeting customs, shopping etiquette) to enhance relevance.
  • Assessment: Regular quizzes, speaking tasks, and writing assignments; final assessment in Week 24.
  • Flexibility: Adjust pace or content based on student needs; add supplementary materials as needed.

Resources

This plan draws inspiration from:

Key Citations