7. Practical Tips & Pitfalls (12 + concise cautionary notes)

1. Start with a tightly worded, measurable objective — everything else flows from it. (WHAT)
2. Use a visible agenda and learning goal at the start — reduces extraneous load.
3. Chunk: no continuous exposition >10 minutes without activity.
4. Always provide a worked example before asking independent practice.
5. Use manipulatives/visuals for abstract concepts to lower intrinsic load.
6. Include a diagnostic opening to set ZPD-based scaffolds.
7. Use peer tutors strategically — rotate roles so everyone learns to teach.
8. Script crucial teacher prompts/questions in the plan (helps substitutes).
9. Plan specific formative checks and what you will do if students fail them.
10. Design closure to repeat the core idea — beginning & end cues memory.
11. Have an explicit backup plan for faster/slower pace and tech problems.
12. Update your plan after the class: annotate what to change next year.

Pitfall to avoid: dumping all theory into lecture. Translate theory into a sequence of short, scaffolded student actions.