Instructional planning is the systematic process of deciding “what” to teach, “how” to teach it, and “how” to know if the students have learned.
In Nigeria, this process aligns with the National Curriculum developed by NERDC (Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council).
Study this note on instructional planning for a comprehensive summary of the four key subtopics you must master before your TRCN exam.
1. Principles of curriculum design
A curriculum is the total experience a learner undergoes under a school.
Effective design follows specific principles to ensure learning is logical.
Balance
Developing the Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor domains equally.
Continuity
The vertical repetition of concepts.
Spiral curriculum
The standard Nigerian model where topics (like “The Environment”) are revisited at each grade level with increasing complexity.
Integration
Linking different subjects (e.g., Maths and Physics) to show real-world connections.
2. Bloom’s Taxonomy and SMART objectives
A lesson is only as good as its objectives.
Teachers use Bloom’s Taxonomy to move students from simple memorization to critical thinking.
Cognitive levels
Remember → Understand → Apply → Analyze → Evaluate → Create.
SMART objectives
Every lesson plan objective must be:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound.
ABCD model
A good objective identifies the Audience (students), the Behaviour (action verb), the Condition (context), and the Degree (level of mastery).
3. Scheme of Work and Lesson Plan
Instructional planning happens at different levels of detail.
Scheme of work
A termly breakdown of the syllabus into weeks. It ensures the teacher stays on track to complete the curriculum before exams.
Lesson plan
The daily “road map.”
Essential components include:
- Administrative data: Topic, class and time.
- Entry behaviour: connecting the new lesson to what students already know.
- Instructional procedure: the step-by-step delivery (Introduction, Development, Summary).
- Evaluation: assessing if the objectives were met.
4. Selection of instructional resources
Teaching aids make abstract concepts concrete.
When selecting resources for a Nigerian classroom, use these criteria:
Relevance
The resource must directly support the lesson’s behavioural objectives.
Learner level
Materials must be age-appropriate (e.g., more pictures for primary pupils).
Accessibility and cost
Can the teacher afford it or find it locally? If not, (s)he must use improvisation.
Dale’s Cone of Experience
A reminder that “Doing” is more effective than just “Seeing” or “Hearing”.
Realia (real objects) should always be prioritized over mere drawings.
Quick checklist
- NERDC: the body responsible for developing the National Curriculum in Nigeria.
- Entry Behaviour: also known as “Set Induction” is the most critical step for starting a lesson.
- Evaluation: must always match the behavioural objectives stated at the start of the lesson.
- Vertical Articulation: ensuring that what is taught in JSS1 flows logically into JSS2.
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