What is ‘Context-Analysis-Practice’ (Evaluation)?

CAP(E) is a lesson planning model, similar in many ways to Engage, Study, Activate.

Lesson planning models are a fantastic way to help you plan your lesson and structure your class. They can help you think through the stages that you and your students will go through in the class, and help to focus learning.

Like most of the other well-known models, it has three stages — context, analysis and practice — along with an optional fourth stage — evaluation. Here’s a lowdown of what the different stages are, how it works, and how’s it different from other planning models.

Why Another Model?

We already have several three-stage planning models, so why do we need another? After all, we have loads already; Presentation, Practice, Production, Engage, Study, Activate, Test-Teach-Test and Task-Based Learning, to name a few.

So does CAP(E) add anything new?

Jason Anderson, the creator of the model, observed that none of the current models of lesson planning explicitly incorporate the idea of context. Context is essential for learners — it helps them understand, remember and use new language.

As a result, a model which explicitly incorporates context will potentially be more useful to learners and teachers.