Plan the learning loop, not just the class hour.
A useful lesson plan connects what students will do in class with the evidence you will check afterward. This example gives you a complete 60-minute structure and a weekly planner you can adapt.
Editable CSV · Example lesson and blank planning rows · No account required
1. Choose one observable goal.
“Practise the past tense” is a topic. “Tell a partner about three weekend activities in a clear sequence” describes something you can observe. Write that action first, then choose the language and support students need to complete it.
For this example, the group already knows a small set of common past-tense forms. The lesson consolidates those forms in a short conversation. If the group is meeting them for the first time, reduce the task and allow more supported practice instead of keeping the same pace.
2. Build a 60-minute sequence.
These timings are a planning example. Keep space to slow down when understanding is uncertain. In a larger class, choose a participation structure that lets you hear enough students to make a fair judgment; do not assume everyone has met the goal because two volunteers have.
| Time | Activity | Evidence or purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5 minutes | Ask students for one familiar weekend activity and note useful phrases. | Reactivates known language and reveals gaps. |
| 5–15 minutes | Model a short weekend account; identify three sequencing expressions together. | Provides an achievable example of the final task. |
| 15–25 minutes | Reorder a short account and complete a few target verb forms. | Checks understanding with support before open practice. |
| 25–45 minutes | Students tell a partner or the group about three activities; listeners ask a follow-up question. | Produces evidence of the lesson goal. Adapt turns to group size. |
| 45–55 minutes | Discuss two common patterns from the activity and repeat a short part of the task. | Gives students a chance to use the feedback immediately. |
| 55–60 minutes | Each learner gives a two-sentence recap and identifies one phrase to reuse. | Creates a brief exit check and a bridge to homework. |
3. Prepare only the materials the task needs.
Give files descriptive names and publish them in the correct batch. If a learner misses class, the recap should identify which resource to start with and what to submit. Avoid sharing student examples publicly without appropriate permission.
- One short model that matches the task and the language students have studied.
- A small phrase bank with sequencing expressions and useful follow-up questions.
- A guided practice sheet or shared text with a clear answer-checking routine.
- An exit prompt and a homework instruction that repeat the lesson goal in plain language.
4. Make homework a continuation.
Example follow-up: write a short weekend account using the same three-part sequence. Include one opinion and highlight the expression you most want to remember. State the expected length, due date, submission format and the two or three criteria you will focus on.
Estimate the work from the learner’s perspective. If the task requires finding a recording, learning a new tool or locating a file, include that preparation in the expected effort. A clear task students can finish provides more useful evidence than a large task with uncertain instructions.
5. Leave a note for your next class.
After teaching, record attendance, the topics actually covered and a short recap. Note one item that needs revisiting and one that the group can now practise with less support. Use that note to adjust the next plan rather than copying the original schedule unchanged.
The weekly CSV includes columns for the batch, timezone, goal, activity sequence, materials, evidence, homework and reflection. Its first row contains an example; replace it before using the sheet for your own records. The download is an external planning aid, not a Frenchify import file.
A course topic marked covered records that it was taught. Use the exit task and later work to judge whether students can use it independently.
Bring your French classroom together.
Tell us about your classes and the workflow you want to improve.