How to Plan a 60-Minute ESL Lesson: TEFL Breakdown for Beginners

⏰ Introduction:

Planning your first full-length ESL lesson can feel overwhelming. How do you keep students engaged for a whole hour? The good news is, with a solid structure and pacing strategy, you’ll always have enough to fill the time — and keep it meaningful.

🧠 Easy Breakdown of a 60-Minute ESL Lesson

1. Warm-Up (5–10 minutes)

Start with an activity that gets students speaking right away. Use questions, games, or short discussions to activate prior knowledge.

2. Introduction to New Content (10–15 minutes)

Introduce vocabulary or grammar through visuals, realia, or simple explanations. Keep it interactive with elicitation.

3. Guided Practice (10–15 minutes)

Students work with you on activities like fill-in-the-blanks, sentence creation, or pronunciation practice.

4. Free Practice (15–20 minutes)

Now students apply what they’ve learned. Role-plays, games, or group work allow for more independence and communication.

5. Wrap-Up and Review (5 minutes)

Summarize key points, answer questions, and preview the next class or give a simple assignment.

The key is balancing teacher talk with student talk, and always building toward communication. Even beginners will thrive when lessons feel consistent and clear.