Anticipated Problems
Predicted difficulties that learners (and sometimes the teacher) are likely to encounter during a lesson, together with planned solutions. Anticipating problems is a core lesson planning skill that distinguishes effective from reactive teaching — it turns potential derailments into smooth, managed transitions.
Definition
Scrivener (2011) describes anticipated problems as "things that might go wrong or prove difficult" in a lesson, which the teacher identifies during planning and prepares solutions for in advance. Spratt, Pulverness, and Williams (2011) include anticipated problems as a standard section of formal lesson plans, alongside aims and procedures.
In CELTA and DELTA lesson planning templates, the Anticipated Problems section typically has two columns:
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Students may not know "commute" | Pre-teach during lead-in; check with CCQs |
| /θ/ in "three" — Vietnamese learners likely to substitute /t/ | Model and drill; use minimal pair "tree/three" |
Categories of Anticipated Problems
Language Problems
Problems with the target language being taught:
- Meaning: Learners may confuse similar concepts (e.g., "used to" vs "would" for past habits)
- Form: Structural errors likely given L1 transfer or interlanguage stage (e.g., word order in questions)
- Pronunciation: Sounds, stress, or intonation that are problematic for the specific L1 group
This maps directly to the MFP framework — meaning, form, pronunciation — used for language analysis in lesson planning.
Skills Problems
Problems with receptive or productive skill tasks:
- Listening text too fast or accent unfamiliar
- Reading text contains too many unknown words (below 95% coverage)
- Students lack schema/background knowledge for the topic
- Writing task too open or too constrained for the level
Procedural Problems
Problems with how the lesson runs:
- Instructions for an activity may be unclear
- Grouping may not work (odd numbers, dominant students)
- Activity may finish too quickly or take too long
- Technology may fail (audio, projector, internet)
Learner Problems
Problems specific to the class:
- Mixed Ability: Stronger students finish early; weaker students struggle
- Motivation: Topic may not engage this particular group
- Affective factors: Anxiety about speaking, reluctance to work in pairs
- L1 interference: Specific transfer errors predictable from the learners' first language
Writing Anticipated Problems
Effective problem anticipation requires:
- Know your learners: Their level, L1, common errors, learning preferences, and group dynamics
- Analyse the language: Do a thorough MFP analysis — what is genuinely difficult about this grammar point, vocabulary item, or phonological feature?
- Do the tasks yourself: Complete reading, listening, and writing tasks before the lesson to identify stumbling points
- Think procedurally: Walk through the lesson step by step — where might confusion arise?
- Prepare specific solutions: Not just "the teacher will help" but concrete actions (pre-teach, model, provide a handout, simplify instructions, prepare an extension task)
Example: Teaching Present Perfect for Experience
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Ss may confuse present perfect with past simple for past experiences | Use timeline on board; CCQ: "Do we know exactly when?" |
| Ss may use "ever" in affirmative sentences ("I have ever been to Paris") | Provide clear models; highlight that "ever" appears in questions/negatives |
| Weak pronunciation of contracted forms ("I've" as two syllables) | Model and choral drill "I've /aɪv/ been"; use backchaining for longer sentences |
| Ss may struggle to generate "Have you ever...?" questions | Provide question stems on handout; model one exchange first |
| Fast finishers in practice activity | Prepare extension: "Find someone who has done all five things" |
Why It Matters for ELT
- Proactive teaching: Anticipating problems prevents the teacher from being caught off-guard and improvising poorly
- Smoother lessons: Solutions are prepared in advance rather than invented under pressure
- Professional growth: The act of anticipating problems develops analytical thinking about language and learning
- Learner-centred planning: Forces the teacher to think from the learner's perspective — "What will they find hard?"
- Assessment literacy: Required in CELTA, DELTA, and most formal teaching qualifications — a standard professional competency
- Differentiation: Anticipating problems naturally leads to planning for Mixed Ability classes
Key References
- Scrivener, J. (2011). Learning Teaching (3rd ed.). Macmillan. Chapter 7.
- Spratt, M., Pulverness, A. & Williams, M. (2011). The TKT Course (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- Harmer, J. (2015). The Practice of English Language Teaching (5th ed.). Pearson. Chapter 12.
- Swan, M. & Smith, B. (2001). Learner English (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. (L1-specific problem prediction)
- Woodward, T. (2001). Planning Lessons and Courses. Cambridge University Press.
See Also
- MFP — the meaning-form-pronunciation framework for analysing language problems
- Lesson Aims — problems should be anticipated in relation to the lesson aims
- Mixed Ability — a common source of anticipated problems
- Giving Instructions — procedural problems often relate to instruction clarity
- Corrective Feedback — planned response to anticipated errors