A 60-minute first lesson plan for A1, B1 and C1
The six blocks are the same at every level: welcome, needs, level check, mini-lesson, feedback and plan. What changes is how much you use the language you teach and how hard the task is.
Use the times as a guide, not a stopwatch. If the conversation is going well, take time from the mini-lesson, never from the plan at the end.
| Minutes | A1 (beginner) | B1 (intermediate) | C1 (advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-5 | Greet them slowly, introduce yourself and use gestures. If you speak their language, use it. | Small talk in the language you teach: how they found you and why now. | Small talk about their work or studies. Let them lead. |
| 5-15 | Go through the questionnaire in their language, or with pictures and simple questions. | Go through the questionnaire in the language you teach and ask for examples. | Ask about real situations: meetings, emails, exams. Note the exact tasks they mention. |
| 15-25 | Numbers, colours, naming things in pictures and simple questions about themselves. | A conversation on a familiar topic and one short text to read aloud and talk about. | Discuss an opinion topic or a short article. Note errors quietly, without interrupting. |
| 25-45 | One mini-lesson: introducing yourself, practised with you until it flows. | One mini-lesson on a gap you heard, like past tenses, with speaking practice. | A task from their real life: an email, the opening of a presentation or a meeting role play. |
| 45-55 | Two or three things they did well and one thing to work on, in simple words. | What they do well and the two priorities you heard. | Three or four precise corrections from your notes, each with a better version. |
| 55-60 | Agree on goals, how often you meet and the topics of the next lessons. Book the next date. | Agree on goals and a plan for the next four lessons. Book the next date. | Agree on goals, a plan for the next four lessons and homework if they want it. Book the next date. |
These are suggestions from our own one-to-one teaching, not a fixed method. Children, exam students and trial lessons shorter than 60 minutes need their own version (more on that below).
What to do before the first lesson
A good first lesson starts before the call or the doorbell. Send the needs questionnaire, check the tech and have your prices and booking link ready.
- Send a short needs questionnaire with the booking confirmation, so you arrive knowing their goals.
- Prepare two short activities one level apart, so you can switch if your guess about their level is wrong.
- For online lessons, test your camera, sound and screen sharing the day before.
- Have your prices, packs and cancellation rules ready to explain in two sentences.
- Read their first message again: the reason they wrote is usually their first goal.
Our ESL needs analysis questionnaire has 12 questions you can copy and send, plus a version for parents.
Check the level without turning it into an exam
Listen before you test. Ten minutes of real conversation tell you more about speaking and listening than a grammar worksheet, and they don't scare a new student.
Ask the student to look at the CEFR self-assessment grid before the lesson and pick the "I can" line that fits them for each skill. Then compare their choice with what you hear. If you also want a quick written check, use our free English placement test.
During the level check, don't correct every mistake. Write down the errors that repeat and the ones that get in the way of understanding, and use them in the feedback block.
If your new student is a child
With children, the parent is part of the first lesson. Talk to them at the start and at the end, and keep the middle short and playful.
- Spend the first five minutes with the parent: goals, school marks, exams and how they want to hear about progress.
- Change activity every 5 to 10 minutes and use games, songs or drawing instead of a level test.
- Ask the child what they like (football, a series, a game) and use it in the mini-lesson.
- Bring the parent back for the last five minutes: what you saw, what you'll work on and the next date.
If the first lesson is online
Online, the first minutes are about tech. Send the link early, open the room a couple of minutes before and have a plan B if the connection fails.
- Send the video link with the booking confirmation and again the day before.
- Open the room two minutes early and check that the student can hear you and see your screen.
- Agree on a plan B: a phone call or a WhatsApp video call if the platform fails.
- After the lesson, send the material and the notes you shared on screen.
Not sure which tool to use? Compare Google Meet and Zoom for lessons.
After the lesson: from first lesson to regular student
Send a short summary the same day with what you saw, the plan and a link to book. If they don't book, follow up after 48 hours and once more after 7 days.
- 1
Send a summary the same day
Three lines: what they did well, what you'll work on next and the goals you agreed on.
- 2
Share the plan
The topics of the next four lessons, how often you'll meet and the price per lesson or pack.
- 3
Make booking easy
Send one booking link so they pick a slot without messages back and forth.
- 4
Follow up twice
No reply after 48 hours? Send one friendly message, and one more after 7 days. Then let it go.
For ready-made messages, see our trial lesson follow-up messages. To plan the lessons that come next, read how to plan a language lesson step by step.
The next lesson, booked before goodbye
Share your SmartCookie booking link at the end of the first lesson and keep the notes, the plan and the payments in one place.