Writing and Using Content and Language ObjectivesAnna Idstein

What is the Purpose of a Content and Language Objective?

Sets clear expectations for students about what they will be learning about and how they are going

to it. “When learners know and understand learning

intentions and the success criteria, it enables them to experiment and think about the content”.

Visible Learning by John Hattie, pg 23

Content and Language Objectives.

Language objective:

Teachers will be able to discuss and write a content and language objective for a future lesson in grade-level teams.

Content Objective:

Teachers will be able to identify differences between a content objective and language objective.

Speaking Writing

What is Content Objective and Language Objective?

Content objective:

tells what students will learn during the lesson

tells what the students will be able to do

Language objective:

tells how the students will learn and or/demonstrate their mastery of the lesson by reading, speaking, writing, or listening

explains what language skills or processes students will use

coincide with content objectives

support linguistic development

What Do We Teach at School?

Content:

Math Reading Social Studies ArtWriting Music Science Physical Education

How Will Your Students interact with the concepts?

pair and share

discuss

compare

restate

writeread

summarize

contrastdramatize

debate

They will use language !

We learn using four language domains..

What is the Process of Learning?How do We Learn?

ListeningSpeaking

Reading Writing

Who is Responsible for Teaching Language ?

EVERY

TEACHERIS

Got it!!!

Language of music

Languageof science

Language of art

Language of PE

A LANGUAGE TEACHER

categories of language objectives

Key Vocabulary, concept words that is not included in the content objective needed to talk, read, and write about the topic

Discourse/Genres (report, narrative)Language functions related to the topic (prediction,

persuasion)Strategies (learning vocabulary from context)

Language Objectives - Word bank

We should use active verbs to name a function/purpose for using language in a specific student task. SWBAT: articulate, recite, summarize, discuss, define, debate, write

We should use noun phrases to specify language target. precise adjectives, past tense, clarifying questions

Writing Language Objective...

1. Content Objective:

Students will be able to identify different types of parallelograms.

2. Language Objective:

Students will be able to listen to the teacher description in order to draw different types of parallelograms.

ListeningSpeaking Reading

Writing

Writing Good Language Objective...

1. Content Objective:

2. Language Objective:

Students will be able to name various lab equipment and discuss their function in a group and present it to the rest of the class.

ListeningSpeaking Reading

Writing

Students will be able to review lab safety procedures and its purpose and identify lab equipment

Checklist for Evaluating Content and language Objectives.

The objectives are observable and measurable.

The objectives are written and presented in language the students can understand.

The content objective is related to the key concept of the lesson.

The language objective promotes student academic language growth (it is not something most students already do well).

The language objective connects clearly with the lesson topic or lesson activities.

I have a plan for assessing student progress on meeting these objectives during the lesson.

Using Objectives Effectively...

Teachers need to share and discuss the objective with students. Merly posting them does no good!!!!

Teachers need to use them as a guide for learning by referring back to them throughout the lesson.As a result, students will know what their learning targets are for this lesson, and therefore, will be actively engaged in the learning process.

Students need opportunities to talk about their learning in relation to the objective.

Lets Practice