# Lesson Shapes and Typical Timings

Choose the shape from the main aim, then fit the stages to the time. Timings below are for a 60-minute lesson;
scale them in proportion.

## Language lessons

### TTT (test, teach, test) - language learners have pa
### PPP (presentation, practice, production) - new language for lower levels

| Stage | Min | Interaction |
|-------|-----|-------------|
| Lead-in / context | 5 | T-Ss, S-S |
| Presentation of TL in context (text, dialogue, situation) | 8 | T-Ss |
| Clarification: meaning (CCQs, timeline), form (board), pronunciation (drill) | 10 | T-Ss |
| Controlled practice | 10 | Ind, S-S |
| Feedback | 3 | Ss-T |
| Freer practice | 15 | S-S, Ss-Ss |
| Delayed error correction | 6 | T-Ss |
| Flexi | 3 | |
rtly met

| Stage | Min | Interaction |
|-------|-----|-------------|
| Lead-in | 5 | T-Ss |
| Test 1: task that needs the TL | 10 | S-S |
| Teach: clarify the errors and gaps found | 15 | T-Ss |
| Test 2: similar task | 15 | S-S |
| Feedback and error correction | 10 | T-Ss |
| Flexi | 5 | |

### Text-based / guided discovery

| Stage | Min |
|-------|-----|
| Lead-in and gist reading or listening | 12 |
| Learners find examples of the TL in the text and work out rules with guiding questions | 12 |
| Check rules (CCQs, board) | 8 |
| Controlled practice | 10 |
| Freer practice | 13 |
| Feedback | 5 |

## Receptive skills lessons (reading or listening)

| Stage | Min | Purpose |
|-------|-----|---------|
| Lead-in | 5 | Interest, schema activation |
| Pre-teach blocking vocabulary (max 4-6 items) | 7 | Remove barriers to the tasks |
| Gist task | 7 | Read or listen once for the main idea |
| Specific information / detail task | 15 | Second reading or listening |
| Inference or deduction of meaning (optional) | 6 | Deeper reading |
| Post-task: speaking or writing reacting to the text | 15 | Use the content |
| Feedback | 5 | |

## Productive skills lessons (speaking or writing)

| Stage | Min | Purpose |
|-------|-----|---------|
| Lead-in | 5 | Interest |
| Model text or recording | 8 | Show the target genre |
| Analyse the model: structure, useful language | 10 | Notice features |
| Plan / prepare | 7 | Ideas, language |
| Task (speak or write) | 15 | Fluency or accuracy focus |
| Feedback on content then language | 10 | |
| Redraft or repeat task (optional) | 5 | Improvement |

## Task-based (Willis)

Pre-task 10, task 15, planning 10, report 10, language focus (analysis and practice) 15.

## ESA (Harmer)

Engage, Study, Activate in any order: straight arrows (E-S-A), boomerang (E-A-S-A), patchwork (E-A-S-A-S-E-A).

## Choosing

| Main aim | Shape |
|----------|-------|
| New grammar or functional language, A1-B1 | PPP or guided discovery |
| Language learners half-know, B1+ | TTT or TBL |
| Reading or listening sub-skills | Receptive skills shape |
| Speaking fluency or a writing genre | Productive skills shape |
| Real-world outcome, mixed language | TBL |