This article examines the ways teachers plan lessons for English as an Additional Language (EAL) students from refugee backgrounds in secondary school transition programs. Based on a study of teachers working with students in three Victorian schools, we identify the key challenges teachers face in planning and the strategies they adopt to confront these. The study identified a large gap between teacher planning practices and the approaches to planning promoted in academic research. We connect this to teachers' reliance on intuitive knowledge that has been built up over time through interactions with students in a range of learning contexts, and through their own experiences as learners. Given the importance of planning for effective pedagogy, we conclude by identifying areas for future development in teacher education and practice.