Tag Archives: Backwards Design

Have you ever sat down to plan a lesson and thought, “Okay, we’ll do this reading, then a speaking activity, maybe a vocabulary game, and a quiz at the end of the week…” but still wondered, “What exactly are my students able to communicate in the end?”

How can we move from piecing together disconnected activities to designing lessons that intentionally build communication skills from the first moment of input all the way to the final assessment?

Communication First

When we plan with communication as the end goal. This means not just covering grammar points or  vocabulary lists, but making sure that activities connect more naturally, creating a purposeful learning flow.

How does this work?

• The reading isn’t just “a reading,” it’s meaningful input that feeds directly into communicative tasks.
• The speaking activity isn’t just fun, it’s a bridge toward the real-world assessment.
• The assessment isn’t random, it’s directly aligned with what students have practiced.
• This is the essence of backward design in the language classroom. And when every piece is aligned around proficiency, you start to see consistent, purposeful growth.

Strategies for Planning with Communication as the Goal

 “I Can” Statements

• Before you plan anything, write your target “I Can” statement at the top of your lesson plan.
• Examples:
  • I can describe what I do after school and compare it to someone else’s routine.
  • I can understand a short text about holiday traditions in another culture.
• Then ask yourself:
  • Does my input (reading, audio, video) directly support this outcome?
  • Will students encounter the vocabulary, structures, and cultural context they need?
  • Does my task require them to do exactly what the “I Can” statement says?

Align the Input, Task, and Assessment

• Example: Your goal is for students to compare their daily routine to someone else’s in writing.
• Input: A short video or blog post about a teen’s daily routine in the target culture.
• Task: Students highlight similarities and differences (graphic organizer, paired discussion).
• Assessment: Students write 4–6 connected sentences comparing their own routine to the teen’s.
• Notice what’s missing?
  • No random worksheets,
  • No unrelated vocabulary game.
  • Just focused, intentional practice that builds toward the communicative goal.
• Fun still has a place—but make sure your games and interactive activities are connected to the vocabulary and structures students need to meet that “I Can” goal.

Your Turn

Backward Plan a Lesson:

1. Pick a topic and write your “I Can” statement first.
2. Choose input that directly supports that goal.
3. Design one communicative task that bridges input to output.
4. Make your assessment match what students have practiced—exactly.

Afterward, take a step back and ask:

• Did the lesson flow more naturally?
• Did students know what was expected of them?
• Did it feel more purposeful?
• If yes—you’ve just experienced the power of intentional planning for proficiency.

Go Further

If you’re ready for a clear, repeatable framework you can apply every time you plan, my Ready for Tomorrow Quick Win PD course: Intentional Planning for Proficiency:  From Input to Assessment is designed for you.

In just 30 minutes (and only $10) you’ll learn how to:

• Use backward design to plan with real-world communication goals in mind
• Choose input that supports your target proficiency outcomes
• Create communicative tasks that bridge input and assessment
• Design assessments that reflect exactly what students practiced

What you $10 gets you:

• An audio walkthrough—listen anywhere, anytime
• A note sheet to keep you organized
• A planning template you can use for every unit
• Real classroom examples for novice, intermediate, and advanced levels
• A certificate of completion for your PD hours

You can get the individual course or the Quick Win PD Growing Bundle, which gives you all 10 current courses plus all future ones.

Click Here to Get Started