Engage Study Activate Method

Hey there! If you’re a teacher, you’ve probably spent countless hours trying to figure out the best way to structure your lessons. You want students to be hooked from the start, actually learn the material, and then be able to use it confidently. It sounds simple, but getting that flow right can be tough. That’s where I want to introduce you to my absolute favorite framework: the Engage, Study, Activate (ESA) teaching method.

I stumbled upon this method a few years ago, and it completely changed how I approach my classroom. It’s a simple, flexible, and incredibly effective way to design lessons that just work. So, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s dive into what ESA is, see some practical examples, and figure out how you can build your next great lesson plan around it.

What is the Engage Study Activate Teaching Method?

At its core, the Engage Study Activate (or ESA) model is a framework for structuring lessons, first introduced by the English language teaching guru Jeremy Harmer. The idea is to move through three distinct phases in a lesson, each with a specific goal.

1. Engage: This is the warm-up. Your goal here is to grab your students’ attention and get them interested in the topic. You want to spark their curiosity and get them thinking, ideally using language they already know. It’s not about teaching new things yet; it’s about setting the stage.
2. Study: This is the “teaching” part of the lesson. Here, you focus on the new material. It could be a grammar point, new vocabulary, a mathematical concept, or a historical event. You guide students to understand the information, how it’s formed, and how it works. This is where the heavy lifting of learning happens.
3. Activate: This is where the magic happens. In this final stage, students take what they’ve learned in the Study phase and use it in a meaningful, communicative way. The focus shifts from accuracy to fluency. You want them to practice the new knowledge in a realistic context, making it their own.

What I love about the ESA method is its flexibility. You can move through the stages in a straight line (a “straight arrow” lesson: E -> S -> A), or you can mix it up. Maybe you start with an Activate activity to see what students already know, then Study the gaps, and Engage them again before a final Activate task (a “boomerang” lesson: A -> S -> E -> A). This adaptability makes it perfect for classrooms all over the world, from a primary school in the United States to a language center in Japan.

Creating Your Engage Study Activate Lesson Plan

So, how do you actually build a lesson using this? Let’s break it down. An effective Engage Study Activate lesson plan isn’t just a list of activities; it’s a journey you create for your students.

The ‘Engage’ Phase: Getting Them Hooked

Your first five to ten minutes are crucial. If you don’t capture their interest here, the rest of the lesson will be an uphill battle. The key is to make it fun, personal, and not too demanding.

• Show a compelling picture or a short video clip related to the topic.
• Tell a personal story or a surprising fact.
• Play a quick game or a song.
• Ask thought-provoking questions that connect the topic to their own lives.

For example, if my lesson is on past tense verbs, I might start by showing a picture from my last vacation and asking students, “What did I do on my holiday?” This gets them talking and using the target language without even realizing it.

The ‘Study’ Phase: Focusing on the Knowledge

Once they’re engaged, it’s time to zoom in on the new material. This phase requires clear instruction and guided practice. You need to present the information in a way that is easy to digest.

• Use worksheets, board explanations, or interactive presentations.
• Have students analyze examples and figure out the rules for themselves (guided discovery).
• Incorporate controlled practice activities, like fill-in-the-blanks, matching exercises, or short Q&As.

Continuing with the past tense example, in the Study phase, I would explicitly show them how to form regular and irregular past tense verbs. We’d do a worksheet together, and I’d have them drill the pronunciation of verbs ending in “-ed.” The goal here is accuracy.

The ‘Activate’ Phase: Putting It All into Practice

This is the payoff. All the work from the Study phase gets put to the test in a more free-flowing, communicative activity. The pressure is off, and the goal is for students to use the new language or skill to complete a task.

• Role-plays or simulations.
• Group discussions or debates.
• Creating a story, a presentation, or a poster.
• Problem-solving activities.

In our past tense lesson, the Activate stage could be a group activity where students have to create a story about the “best weekend ever.” They have to use at least ten past tense verbs in their story. I walk around, listen, and help, but I’m not correcting every single mistake. The focus is on successful communication.

Engage Study Activate Examples (ESA) for Any Classroom

This method isn’t just for language teaching. You can adapt it for almost any subject. Let’s look at a few Engage Study Activate examples to see how versatile it is.

Example 1: A Middle School Science Class (Photosynthesis)

• Engage: I’d start by bringing a wilting plant and a healthy plant into the classroom. I’d ask the students in pairs: “What’s the difference between these two plants? What does a plant need to be healthy?” This gets them thinking about the topic in a tangible way.
• Study: We would then read a text about photosynthesis. I’d use diagrams on the board to explain the process: sunlight, water, carbon dioxide. We’d complete a worksheet where students label the parts of the process.
• Activate: The students would get into small groups and be tasked with creating a short comic strip or a stop-motion video explaining photosynthesis to a younger student. This forces them to simplify and re-explain the concept, solidifying their own understanding.

Example 2: An Adult Business English Class (Negotiating)

• Engage: I’d start with a quick poll: “Have you ever had to negotiate for something? A salary? The price of a car?” We’d share brief stories. This makes the topic relevant and personal.
• Study: I would introduce key phrases for negotiating (e.g., “I’m afraid that’s a little outside our budget,” “Would you be willing to meet us halfway?”). We’d practice the pronunciation and intonation.
• Activate: The main event would be a role-play. I’d split the class into pairs, giving one person the role of a buyer and the other a seller, each with secret information and goals. Their task is to negotiate a deal for a product.

Why the ESA Method Gets Results

So why is this model so powerful? From my experience, it boils down to a few key things that Google’s ranking algorithms also tend to favor: user engagement and clear structure.

First, it follows a natural psychological flow. You wouldn’t start a conversation with a stranger by explaining complex grammar, right? You’d start with a greeting, find common ground, and then dive deeper. ESA mimics this natural human interaction, which makes learning feel more intuitive.

Second, it caters to different learning needs. The Engage phase appeals to emotional and social learners. The Study phase supports analytical learners who need structure and rules. The Activate phase empowers kinesthetic and practical learners who learn by doing.

Finally, it builds confidence. By starting with something students can already do (Engage) and ending with a phase that prioritizes communication over perfection (Activate), you create a low-anxiety environment where students feel safe to take risks. And when students feel confident, they learn more. This is true whether you’re teaching in a bustling city like London or a quiet town in rural Australia. The principles of building confidence are universal.

References

1. What is ‘Engage, Study, Activate’? – by David Weller
2. Using Engage-Study-Activate (ESA) for Lesson Planning
3. Engage Study Activate Teaching Method

So, next time you’re staring at a blank lesson plan template, give the Engage, Study, Activate method a try. Start by thinking about how you’ll get your students excited, then focus on the core knowledge, and finally, give them a chance to own it. I promise you’ll see a difference in your classroom.