Quick answer: Topic-based lessons engage young learners better than most course books because children naturally want to explore a theme they find interesting – writing, chanting, singing and talking about it. To plan one: choose a topic your class cares about (animals, food, family), brainstorm games and activities around it, then set one clear objective per lesson with a vocabulary and structure focus.
Time to throw away the young learner course book?
Well, perhaps not quite. However, topic-based lessons give us greater scope than the average course book to engage young learners and develop a range of different English skills.
This is because young learners are inquisitive and if you can stimulate their interest, they will naturally want to explore the theme by writing, chanting, singing, talking about it. Young learner course books have their place but we have seen better learning outcomes when the teacher and students are able to put away the book and engage in something more creative.
How do you plan a successful topic-based lesson?
Do expect to put some hours in before reaching the classroom as you may need to plan several lessons at one time, or at least have a good outline for each lesson, in order for it to be effective. But the rewards come in terms of engagement, learning and fun classes. Here are our top planning tips:
1. Select your topic. It could be anything that you and your class are interested in and it may be relevant to your teaching environment, or it may be more generic. We’ve listed some of the more popular ones for learners at this age range below.
Sample topics: family, food, holidays, seasons (Christmas etc.), animals, the environment, health, colours etc.
2. Once you have chosen your topic, you then need to have a think, or a brainstorm, about different games or activities that you could work into your topic-based lessons. When you brainstorm, think about the follow questions:
- How are you going to introduce the new language based around the topic?
- How are you going to control the input, making sure that students aren’t overloaded with new vocabulary?
- How will you ensure that what is taught is practised in a controlled way?
- What games or activities are best suited to each lesson?
Have a look at the ‘model brainstorm’ at the link at the bottom of the page for one of the subjects we have underlined above, which illustrates different areas of learning we can introduce into our topic-based approach to classes.
3. Once you have brainstormed your activities, you need to think carefully about your objectives for each of the activities you plan to use with your class. Getting from the brainstorming stage to the lesson ready stage is sometimes the most complex part of the process, and usually the most time consuming for teachers. However, remember that for every lesson you should have an objective. This will help you to focus your ideas and your activities.
So your objective for this lesson might be:
Lesson 1 objective: introduce names of different animals and categorise them.
Vocabulary focus: animal names (dog, cat, cheetah, lion etc.)
Structure focus: present simple (The cheetah is a wild animal. It lives in the jungle.)
What does a topic plan look like across a series of lessons?
A single topic can comfortably feed three or four lessons if each has its own focus. Using the animals example:
| Lesson | Objective | Language focus | Sample activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduce and categorise animal names | Vocabulary + present simple | Sorting game: wild vs farm vs pet animals |
| 2 | Describe what animals can do | can/can't + action verbs | Mime and guess: "It can jump but it can't fly" |
| 3 | Talk about where animals live | It lives in… + places | Craft: habitat posters with labels |
| 4 | Consolidate the topic | Recycled language from 1–3 | Class quiz, animal song or mini show-and-tell |
Notice how the vocabulary is recycled lesson after lesson while the structure moves on – that controlled repetition is exactly what young learners need. Songs, chants, crafts, mime games and simple quizzes are your core activity types; rotate them so every lesson feels fresh while the language keeps coming back. For free songs, posters and activity books to plug into a topic, the American English resource site is excellent.
Where can you learn more about teaching young learners?
In our Teaching English to Kindergarten and Primary Learners (TEKPL) course, we develop this further as we link to different materials online that are available to support a topic-based lesson and provide tips for how to make these lessons really successful. We also progress on to look at the topic-based syllabus, when you don’t have a course book at all to base your lessons on. In the TEKPL course we also look at four of the best English learning apps for young learners, so English learning can flow from classroom to home.
For slightly older children, our 30-hour Teaching English to Young Learners course covers the same topic-based approach across the primary age range. And if you are still weighing up whether young learners are for you at all, our post on teaching English to kids or adults lays out the honest pros and cons.
Many topic activities adapt across ages, too – the same brainstorm-then-objective method sits behind our tips for TEFL discussion classes for adults, and our 5 TEFL warmers and ready-to-print instant TEFL lessons give you activities to slot straight into any topic sequence.
Frequently asked questions
What is a topic-based lesson for young learners?
A lesson (or series of lessons) built around a theme children find interesting – animals, food, seasons – instead of a course-book unit. New vocabulary and one target structure are introduced through the topic, then practised through games, songs, crafts and chants that keep recycling the same language.
How can I adapt topic-based lessons for complete beginners?
Limit each lesson to six or eight vocabulary items, support everything with pictures, realia and actions, and choose activities where children respond physically (point, sort, mime) before they speak. Keep the structure focus to a single simple pattern and repeat it in every activity.
Do topic-based lessons work in online classes?
Yes, with shorter activity cycles: screen-share pictures for the topic, use mime-and-guess games on camera, and swap wall displays for a shared slideshow children add drawings to. Songs and chants work well on video calls if you sing with the microphone close and actions large.
How many lessons can one topic cover?
Three or four is the sweet spot for most primary classes: introduce the vocabulary, extend it with a new structure, personalise it, then consolidate with a quiz or performance. Beyond that, children's interest usually fades – better to start a fresh topic and recycle the old language inside it.
Twelve topics that reliably work with young learners
Animals; family; food you love and hate; my day (routines); weather and seasons; clothes and dressing up; my town; jobs people do; space; under the sea; festivals and birthdays; superheroes and powers. Each runs at three levels: name it (vocabulary), describe it (simple structures), and use it (a game, survey or craft where the language does a job).
How long should a young learner activity last?
Roughly the child's age in minutes - a class of seven-year-olds needs an activity change every six to eight minutes. Plan more stages than you think you need and keep a movement game in reserve.
Do I need special training to teach children online?
The methods differ enough from adult teaching that specific training pays for itself quickly - classroom management through a webcam, props, energy and parent communication. That's what our 20-hour kindergarten and primary specialist course covers.