Confused by CELTA lesson aims?

You’re not alone. One of the things teachers often find confusing on CELTA and even DELTA courses is the difference between skills and systems lesson aims. This is largely because the same classroom activities can appear in both — the distinction lies in the underlying aim, rather than what learners are visibly doing.

When I’m explaining the difference to trainees, I sometimes use a physical exercise metaphor. But before we get into that, let’s break down what we mean by “skills” and “systems” in English Language Teaching (ELT).

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What are skills and systems in ELT?

In ELT, lesson aims broadly fall into two categories:

Skills

Skills lessons focus on using language to communicate. These include:

• Receptive skills: reading and listening (language going in)
• Productive skills: speaking and writing (language coming out)

In a skills lesson, learners use language holistically, much like they would outside the classroom.

Systems

Systems lessons focus on building learners’ knowledge of the language system itself:

• Grammar
• Vocabulary
• Functional language (e.g. making requests)
• Pronunciation
• Discourse

The goal is to help learners notice, understand and practise specific aspects of language so they can use them more effectively later.

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Skills lessons are like cardio

I often describe skills lessons as a bit like cardiovascular exercise.

When you do cardio — running, swimming, cycling — your whole body is working at once. You’re using lots of different muscles together, and the movement resembles what your body does in everyday life.

Skills lessons work the same way. Learners are:

• Using grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and discourse all at once
• Processing meaning and responding in real time
• Engaged in tasks that resemble real-world communication

For example, in a speaking lesson about travel, learners might naturally use a mix of tenses, topic-related vocabulary, discourse markers and functional phrases. They’re not studying those things explicitly — they’re using them to communicate.

You can’t do cardio without muscles, and you can’t run a skills lesson without grammar or vocabulary. But in a skills lesson, those systems aren’t the main focus — fluency and communication are.

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Systems lessons are like strength training

Systems lessons, on the other hand, are more like strength training.

In a strength workout, you isolate specific muscles and repeat the same movement to build power and control. The focus is on accuracy, not full-body performance.

This is what happens in a systems lesson. If you're teaching a grammar point like the present perfect:

• Learners might read or listen to a short text
• They might speak or write in practice tasks
• But reading, speaking or writing isn’t the aim

The aim is to strengthen control over a specific area of language — often through controlled or semi-controlled practice. And just as you can get out of breath during a strength workout, a systems lesson can still involve communication. But that communication exists to serve the system, not the other way round.

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How systems support skills

Most people don’t do strength training just for the sake of it. They do it to move better, avoid injury and improve performance.

Language learners are no different. Systems lessons are designed to support stronger performance in skills-based tasks:

• More accurate speaking
• Clearer writing
• More confident listening and reading

Systems lessons build the muscles of language. Skills lessons give learners a chance to use those muscles fluently and naturally.

Of course, some people love strengthening muscles just for the sake of it — bodybuilders, for example. In ELT, these are the people who really love grammar for its own sake. (Michael Swan is a body builder! Note to self – do not ask AI to generate an image for this.)

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Why this matters on CELTA and Delta

On CELTA and Delta, things often go wrong when:

• A skills lesson ends up focused on a specific grammar point
• A systems lesson turns into general fluency practice with little feedback or language upgrade
• The lesson aim doesn’t align with the actual classroom experience, making it harder to select tasks and feedback strategies that truly support learning

Thinking in terms of cardio and strength training can help clarify what you're trying to achieve in any given lesson.Both are essential. You need the muscles — and you need to know how to use them.

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Want to master skills and systems lesson planning?

Teaching House's CELTA and Delta courses give you the tools to plan lessons with purpose, clarity and confidence. With real classroom experience, expert feedback and ongoing job support, you’ll learn how to flex your teaching muscles in any setting.

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Apply today and start building a teaching career that makes an impact.

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