Lesson planning is an important component of a teacher's daily work. Writing a detailed plan for each day of class can help teachers ensure that they are using the entire period in a way that furthers course objectives. For high school English teachers, writing lesson plans that correlate with large reading or writing assignments can be especially helpful. Writing a lesson plan allows English teachers to anticipate potentially confusing aspects of the reading material and prepare for student questions.

Write a title for your lesson. The title should be simple and should briefly describe the content of the lesson.

Write an objective for the lesson. The objective should be a one or two sentence statement of what you intend students to learn and what skills they should develop.

Write a plan for each segment of class. One sentence or phrase for each segment is sufficient. For each segment, note the estimated amount of time that you will spend on the activity. For example, "Figurative language worksheet, 10 minutes."

List all materials you will need to execute the lesson properly. List textbooks, handouts, videos and other visual aids. Make a note of which items you already have and which items you still need to develop. By each item on your list, note page numbers you will need to reference during the lesson. Include citations for materials that do not come from your textbook so that you will know where to find them later.

Note any homework that you will be assigning after the lesson. Include deadlines.

Look through the textbook and handouts and note any important questions your students may have regarding content and clarity. If you are unsure of how you would answer a question, research it before class and note the answer in your lesson plan.