Lesson planning sits at the heart of effective teaching. It is how teachers transform curriculum documents into meaningful learning experiences. For trainees, planning can feel overwhelming at first. There is so much to consider: content, timing, resources, behaviour, and assessment. Yet with clear habits and careful preparation, planning becomes a reliable tool rather than a burden.

Equally important is how those plans are brought to life in the classroom. Slides and other multimedia tools are now standard in schools, but too often they are treated as decoration rather than a core part of teaching. Effective presentations do more than look professional – they guide attention, reduce cognitive load, and help pupils make sense of new ideas.

For mentors, these are two areas where your support makes the greatest difference. By helping trainees to plan lessons well and to present them clearly, you set them up for success in managing classrooms and securing learning.

Why Planning Matters

A written plan is more than a formality. It forces the teacher to make decisions before stepping into the classroom.

The starting point is always the same: What do I want pupils to learn today? This needs to be expressed as both knowledge and skill. For instance, in a computing lesson the objective might be, “Pupils will understand the concept of a loop and use it to write a simple Python program.” Vague aims such as “to learn about loops” are not enough. The sharper the objective, the easier it becomes to design tasks and to check whether learning has taken place.

Planning also means sequencing. Pupils rarely leap from confusion to mastery in one step. A good plan breaks the journey down into clear stages: activating prior knowledge, introducing new content, practising it, and finally applying it independently.

Take the example of teaching algorithms. The teacher might begin with a physical problem, like selecting coins to make a certain amount. Once pupils can solve this with real objects, the teacher can introduce a flowchart, then model the solution in Scratch, and finally write the equivalent Python code. Each stage builds on the last, with checks for understanding before moving forward.

Anticipating Barriers

Many lessons falter because small practical issues are overlooked. Pupils cannot log on. A file will not open. The teacher’s slides are unreadable from the back.

Planning should anticipate these barriers. Include instructions for logging in or a screenshot of the folder path. Have a spare account ready for pupils who forget their password. Print a few copies of key slides or starter activities in case the projector fails. Five minutes of preparation prevents half the class from drifting off task while problems are solved.

Behaviour is another area where forethought matters. Routines for entry, seating, and handing out equipment should be planned and rehearsed. An engaging activity at the start will only work if pupils know how to begin it calmly and quickly.

Mentors can help by rehearsing these steps with trainees and encouraging them to write them into their plans explicitly. Over time, these routines become second nature.

Planning for All Learners

Not every pupil will start from the same point. In computing, some may have been coding at home for years, while others are still learning how to use a mouse.

Adaptive teaching is essential. This does not mean creating separate lessons for different groups, but offering scaffolds and extensions within the same task. For example, a worksheet might provide hints or partial code for pupils who need extra support, while extension challenges push confident pupils further.

Plans should show how tasks can be adjusted in this way. Mentors can guide trainees by suggesting scaffolds and modelling how to pitch questions at different levels.

Making Presentations Work

A clear lesson plan is wasted if pupils cannot follow what is being shown on screen. Slides and multimedia are tools for thinking, not decoration.

The golden rule is simplicity. One idea per slide. Large, high-contrast text. Plenty of white space. Anything that is read aloud should not also be written out in full. The teacher’s spoken words and the slide should complement, not compete.

When showing code, enlarge the font so that pupils at the back can read it easily. Highlight key lines and reveal longer listings in stages. Avoid switching between too many windows; open everything in order before the lesson begins. This creates a smooth flow and minimises downtime.

Multimedia should have a clear purpose. A short video might introduce a real-world problem or demonstrate a process, but pupils must know why they are watching it and what they are expected to do afterwards. Live demonstrations, such as modelling a program, count as multimedia too. These need to be planned carefully, with time for pupils to copy, predict, and debug alongside the teacher.

Interactivity is valuable. Quick polls or hands-up questions can reveal misconceptions and keep attention high. For example, pupils might vote on which step should come next in an algorithm or which line of code contains an error. These moments should be built into the plan, with timings and alternatives if technology fails.

From Plan to Practice

The best plans end with a product that shows what pupils have learnt: a working program, a flowchart, a brief reflection, or a set of test cases. This evidence guides the plenary discussion and informs the next lesson.

Encourage trainees to bring these outcomes to mentor meetings. Together you can review whether the plan worked as intended and adjust for the future.

The Mentor’s Role

Mentors do not just check plans; they shape the way trainees think about planning. Ask probing questions:

• What exactly should pupils know and do by the end?
• How will you check that during the lesson?
• What might go wrong, and how will you respond?
• How does this slide support your explanation rather than repeat it?

By focusing on both the structure of the lesson and the clarity of its presentation, you help trainees to teach with purpose and confidence.

Strong planning and thoughtful multimedia are not extras. They are the foundations of effective teaching. With your guidance, trainees can master these essentials and go on to create lessons that are not only engaging but transformative.

Notes for mentors, based on the the third Roehampton PGCE Computing lecture