Group 5: Instructional Planning Components

Planning involves several factors to consider in order to make it effective. Teachers

planning for their classroom instruction need to think about the components prior to actually
writing their plans. These would help them focus their energies toward creating more effective
experiences for their learners.

For these experiences to be more effective in helping create the optimal environment for
learners to learn, Algozzine (2006) suggests three major components of instructional planning
namely (1) deciding what to teach; (2) deciding how to teach; and (3) communicating realistic
expectations.

Since the standards set in the K to 12 Curriculum are stated in standards and competencies,
there is a need for the teacher to unpack these standards to less complex skills. Therefore, in
order to decide what to teach, teachers undergo the following process:

1. Assessing learners’ skills.

Being a teacher, we have to consider that the tasks we provide our learners are within their
abilities. Teachers need to ensure to gather pertinent data to assess the level of skill the
learners. This could be done using various tool such as their diagnostic tests, achievement
tests, or an assessment of the learners’ performance in previous activities.

2. Analyzing instructional tasks.

Other than analyzing the learners’ skills, the teachers also need to be sure of what they
want the learners to do. Teachers analyze the task they want the learners to accomplish by
breaking down complex tasks, to simpler, manageable ones that are within the learners’
skills and abilities.

3. Establishing logical sequence.

Along with the analysis of the instructional tasks, the teacher then, needs to sequence
these tasks in a logical and appropriate manner based again on the learners' developmental
abilities. This could be done by prioritizing the lower level ones to the more complex ones.

4. Considering contextual variables.

In deciding what to teach, teachers may need to look into the contextual variables, which
may include how long the lesson will take, the availability of materials needed, or the time of
the day the lesson will take place (class schedule).

5. Analyzing instructional groupings.

As a language learning involves sociolinguistic interactions, creating opportunities for the

learners to make meaningful interactions in the classroom needs consideration. Having an
idea how learners work with each other helps in deciding how to give them instruction, keep
them engaged, and have them perform better.
6. Identifying gaps in actual and expected performance.

As the teacher understands the level of performance of the learners, it is now imperative to
understand how to bridge their current understanding with the new material being presented
to them. This goes to show how important the initial preparations are before the teacher can
even decide what to teach the learners.

Once the teacher has the grasp of what to teach, he/she then decides how to teach these
identified skills. To do this, the following needs to be considered:

1. Setting instructional goals.

Teachers need to present the goals of instruction to the learners in unambiguous terms. As
mentioned before, the simple, lower level skills need to be presented in a logical manner that
would be understandable at the level of the learners.

2. Selecting instructional methods and materials.

Decisions that would be made for the method and materials would be guided of course by
the topic selected, the activities or tasks for the learners, and the learners themselves. This
might seem to be straightforward until we realize that some of our learners might have special
needs such as tape recordings or higher level reading materials.

3. Pacing instruction appropriately.

Pace is simply how slowly or how quickly the teacher goes through the material. Thus, the
teacher should be able to set the appropriate pace when going through the material, basing
this of course on the learners’ level and the activities the learner are tasked to accomplish.

4. Monitoring performance and replanning instruction.

In planning how to teach, it is also important for the teacher to know how to monitor
learners’ performance, and then use this information to plan the next instruction.

Lastly, Algozzine identifies communicating realistic expectation as the last component of

instructional planning. This involves grousing the teachers’ expectations around realistic
goals that the learners can actually achieve given the time and their level skills.

Other models also present and highlight other components of instructional planning.
McClymont (2020) further forwards with related components of instructional planning namely:

1. Clear objectives.

Learners must be able to have a clear view of what are expected of them in the lesson.
Providing them with clear objects sets the tone of the class, gearing their thinking and
expectations in the lesson toward a clear goal in order to keep the objective clear, they should
be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timebound) objectives.

2. Learning materials.

Availability of necessary materials must be considered in planning instruction. This would

help the teacher make adjustments to his/her instruction based on these, such as whether to
use realia or to use models.

3. Active background knowledge.

Tapping into the learners’ prior knowledge about the topic, lesson, or material helps make
a connection with the learners, It also makes the lesson, topic, or material relatable to the
learners, enabling the teacher to engage the learners more and instill the new concepts easier.

4. Direct instruction.

This is where the teacher presents the concepts or skills as indicated in the objectives. This
is where various means are employed by the teacher to deliver the learning to the learners.

5. Learner practice.

Learners must be given the opportunity to practice the concepts or the skills they learned in
class. Practice should be designed to gradually let the learners become independent. This has
a three-step process, including:

a. Guided practice when learners are given practice with the teacher leading them;

b. Collaborative practice where learners are provided with practice with their classmates.
This can be through small or large groups. At this stage, the teacher could be going
around the room, providing help to the learners who might be struggling; and

c. Independent practicewhere the learners are provided with activities that they will
perform on their own. The teacher can still roam around the room to identify who among
the learner really grasped the concepts taught, and who could use additional practice.

6. Closure.

After the lesson, the teacher then prepares to synthesize the concepts presented in the
lesson. It can be in the form of an activity where the learners can participate.

7. Demonstration of learning.

This is in the form of an assessment that assesses the learners’ understanding of the
concepts presented in the lesson. This is also an opportunity to gather data about the
learners’ performance.

Submitted by:

Aquino, Daniela

Doctõr, Christian

Maniago, Xavier Marie Sophia