Lesson planning and the student teacher: re-thinking the dominant model

Rationalistic, technical curriculum planning has been the dominant model underpinning student teachers' lesson-planning for a generation or more in England and Wales. In recent years, this process has become embedded in documents that direct initial training. The paper argues that this model leads to a limited view of teaching and learning as well as a restricted approach to learning to teach. Building on recent developments in socio-cultural theory, an alternative, dialogical model of lesson planning is offered which not only emphasizes context-dependency but also sees planning itself as a practice. This process is the key to developing reflective engagement across the different phases of the professional learning cycle.