Content and instruction
1.	Use a consistent instructional method: The teachers’ guide should be consistent throughout all lessons, to create routine and structure for the teachers and students. This should be derived from a carefully designed scope and sequence.
2.	Include daily lesson plans: Develop one lesson (with appropriate number of activities) for each day. The number and type of activities will vary by grade and context, and should cover the critical skills but be limited by the amount of instructional time available.
3.	Use heavier scripting in the beginning of the guide and reduce to lighter scripting: Use full scripting in the beginning lessons of the teachers’ guide and reduce to lighter scripting later in the guide.
4.	Limit the number of activities per lesson: The number of activities within a lesson should consider the amount of instructional time available and make sure that all critical activities can actually be done during the classroom instructional time. No more than five to seven activities should be done within a 30–45 minute lesson period. Time should be allocated for transitions between activities as needed.
5.	Embed in each lesson checks for understanding and other types of informal assessment: Different strategies for teachers to monitor student learning should be included within the structure of the lesson.
6.	Include guidance on differentiated instruction: Support to teachers for noticing and responding to student needs should be included slowly and deliberately, over the course of a project. For example, in Year 1, the focus may be on noticing that students respond differently. In Year 2, the teachers’ guide may then provide suggestions and/or examples on extension activities for the particular needs of higher- and lower-performing students.
Design/formatting
7.	Limit the length of each lesson: Ideally, each 30–45 minute lesson should be only one page long, with initial lessons in the teachers’ guide potentially two pages long to accommodate more detailed guidance to the teacher. The teachers’ guide should use succinct wording. Ensure font is legible.
8.	List goals and/or objectives for each lesson: Clearly identify the theme, goals, and/or objectives of each for the teacher such that she or he is clear on the overarching aim for the various activities contained within the day’s lesson. In addition, list any resources or materials that are needed to aid the teacher in teaching the lesson.
9.	Embed an image of the student book page in the lesson: The embedded page should be an appropriate size such that it is legible to the teacher.
10.	The guide should be lightweight with appropriate binding: The guide should not be too heavy for teachers to ruse and have strong binding (PUR or threadsewn) that allows it to be frequently opened.