Open classes, teaching-quality competitions, and teaching-research lessons are how teachers are seen by colleagues, the subject teaching-research group, and sometimes the district. They involve two linked tasks: teaching a lesson before observers, and giving a short talk explaining the design and the reasons behind it. This skill prepares both, and the rehearsals in between.
Write in Simplified Chinese unless asked otherwise. Competition rules (talk length, whether slides are allowed, scoring criteria) vary by district and event; the pack follows the rules the teacher provides, and assumptions are marked as requiring verification. For the full lesson plan itself, use cn-lesson-plan first and build from it.
Required Inputs
Ask for these if not provided, otherwise infer and label the assumption:
- Subject, grade, textbook edition and lesson
- Occasion: school open class, district teaching-quality competition, teaching-research lesson, demonstration lesson, recruitment trial lesson, or lesson without students
- Rules: lesson-design talk length (often 10 to 15 minutes), lesson length, slides allowed, scoring criteria
- The lesson design (or a draft lesson plan), and what the teacher wants to show (a method, a core-competency focus, whole-unit design, technology use)
- Class: their own class or a borrowed class, and how well the teacher knows the students
- Timeline: days until the class, and how many rehearsals are possible
Output Structure
1. Lesson-design talk script (within the required length, with timings in minutes)
- Explain the teaching material: the lesson's place in the unit and the curriculum standard (requires verification)
- Explain the students' starting point: what students know and where they struggle
- Explain the teaching objectives: tied to the subject's core competencies
- Explain teaching priorities and difficulties: and how the design addresses the difficulties
- Explain teaching and learning methods: the methods and why they suit this content and these students
- Explain the teaching sequence: each stage with its design intent, not just the steps
- Explain the board design: the board and what it shows
- Explain teaching reflections or distinctive features: one or two honest points Written to be spoken: short sentences, signposts ("Next, I will explain…"), and timings that add up.
2. This lesson's highlights
Two or three highlights and the moment in the lesson where observers will see each one. A highlight must be visible in student activity, not only in the slides.
3. Rehearsal plan
| Round | Date | Format | Focus | Observers | At least two rehearsals: one with colleagues to test timing and questions, and one full run. After each, a short list of what changed.
4. Contingency plan
What to do if students are silent, technology fails, an activity runs over, or a student gives an unexpected answer; for a borrowed class, include a short warm-up to build rapport.
5. Likely evaluation questions and responses
Five likely questions from judges or the subject teaching-research group (why this method, how you know students met the objective, what you would change), with honest answers.
Quality Checks
- The lesson-design talk fits the required time, with timings marked
- The explanation of the teaching sequence gives the design intent for every stage, not only the steps
- Each highlight is visible in student activity
- There is a rehearsal plan with dates and at least two runs
- Contingencies cover silence, technology and timing
- Competition rules and standard references are marked to confirm
Anti-Patterns
- A performance lesson. Rehearsing answers with students beforehand is obvious to observers and unfair to the class.
- Slides doing the teaching. Observers look for student thinking, not animations.
- A lesson-design talk that simply repeats the lesson plan. It should explain why, not only what.
- Too many activities. Observed lessons run long; plan for less.
- Ignoring the scoring criteria. Build to them, honestly.
Example Trigger Phrases
- "There is a district teaching-quality competition next week. I teach Grade 7 English. Help me write a 15-minute lesson-design talk."
- "How do I prepare an open class? I am a new teacher giving my first school-level open class."
- "I will be teaching a borrowed class. How can I quickly get to know the students before the lesson?"
- "What might the lesson evaluators ask? Help me prepare answers."
- "Help me prepare an observed lesson and lesson talk for a Chinese school competition."