content/language objectives

CONTENT/LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES

On a sticky note:

What role do objectives play in your teaching?

OBJECTIVES

Content Objective – Teachers will analyze the potential impact and possible pitfalls of language objectives.

Language Objective – Teachers will explain the potential impact of language objectives with colleagues, using the stems:

My students would benefit from language objectives because ___________.

A potential problem to overcome is _____________.

COMBINED OBJECTIVE

Teachers will analyze and explain the potential impact of language objectives with colleagues, using the stems:

My students would benefit from language objectives because ___________.

A potential problem to overcome is _____________.

WHAT DO LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES DO FOR STUDENTS?

• Talk about your classes you teach • Compare the first class of the day

with the last class• Compare your first and last class

of the day using comparative adjectives with a table partner.

• Bank of Comparative Adjectives: • better, louder, larger, lazier, nosier,

quieter, more attentive, more engaged, more active, more distracted, etc.

POSSIBLE STUDENT RESPONSES:

Literacy: He was mad. The character in the book was very angry. The character in the story was furious with his

mother because she wouldn’t let him go to the park.

Math:Three plus seven is ten.Three plus seven equals ten The sum of three plus seven equals ten.To solve the problem, I added three plus seven

and the sum was ten.

INTRODUCING LANGUAGE/CONTENT OBJECTIVES:

Read through overview On your own: in which indicators do you

notice “content/language objects” ? What conclusions do you draw?

Table Talk How do content/language objectives have

the potential to positively impact learning?

DIVE INTO THE FRAMEWORK – I1

On your own: Circle key words in the effective column.

How does effective (5-6) compare/contrast with approaching (3-4) , not meeting (1-2) and distinguished (7)?

WHY?

With a partner, discuss your assigned bullet from the student behaviors in effective or distinguished. In the classroom, what might that student

behavior look like? Sound like? Discuss why that particular bullet is important to

student learning.

Whole group share.

DEFINITION ACCORDING TO FRAMEWORK FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHING

Content/Language objectives are measurable statements that indicate what content students will learn and how they will demonstrate that learning through language functions and forms using appropriate supports.

- Language function is the purpose of the communication, such as narration or persuasion.

- Language forms are the conventions used to communicate, such as the grammatical structures, patterns, syntax, and mechanics associated with the sentence level meaning.

HOW DO CONTENT AND LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES SUPPORT EACH OTHER?

Think about:..

Content objectives --What students are learning --The knowledge and skills students are expected to learn

Language objectives --How students express their learning (not the activity/task) --The language functions and forms students need to demonstrate their learning of the content objective

EXAMPLESContent Objectives Language Objectives

Students will solve a system of linear equations by

graphing.

Students will explain their process by using transition words (first, second, third) to their partners

Students will make predictions using the words, “I predict________ because________” and context clues

from the text during turn and talks.

Students will make predictions using context clues from the text.

Students will compare and contrast the experiences of former slaves and slave owners during reconstruction using the words “similar” and “different” and a graphic organizer.

Students will identify the experiences of former slaves and slave owners after reconstruction.

IF YOU WANT YOUR STUDENTS TO…

Compare and Contrast Analyze Infer Describe Explain

What would a masterful response sound like? What words would you need to hear from your students that would let you know they mastered the content objective?

LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS AND FORMS BY DEFINITION:

How will the student use the language? (Function - Bloom’s taxonomy words)

What grammatical structures and vocabulary will be used? (Forms)

Compare and ContrastRetellAnalyzePersuadeSynthesisInferDescribeExplainCategorize

•Syntax and sentence structure

•Academic vocabulary (in context, in relationship to other words)

•Grammatical features that link specifically to concept (parts of speech, tense and mood, subject/verb agreement, adjectives, adverbs etc.)

TYPES OF SUPPORTS Sensory Supports Visual Supports Group Supports

• Real-life objects (realia)

• Manipulatives• Pictures & photographs• Illustrations, diagrams & drawings• Magazines & newspapers• Physical activities• Videos & films• Broadcasts• Models & figures

• Charts• Graphic organizers• Tables• Graphs• Timelines• Number lines

• In pairs or partners

• In triads or small groups• In a whole group• Using cooperative group structures• With the Internet (Websites) or software programs• In the native language (L1)• With mentors

ACTIVITY

Directions: Highlight the function, underline the form and circle the support in each language objective.

THINK ALOUD

Content Objective: Students will describe the main characters in the story.

Language Objective: Students will describe the main characters in the story using “because”, “for example,” and adjectives from a word bank.

MATHLANGUAGE OBJECTIVE

• Students will add and subtract decimals to the hundredths place.

Content Objective

Determine the

Function

Identify the form that will be used during

the task.

APPLICATION – YOU DO

1. Choose a content objective from your classroom.

2. How will students demonstrate their learning of the content objective?

Function (the purpose, or what students are doing with language)

Form (sentence or grammatical structures, vocabulary words)

CLOSURE/REFLECTION

Teachers will analyze and explain the potential impact of language objectives with colleagues, using the stems.

What role do objectives play in your teaching?

FOR MORE INFORMATION…

Classroom Instruction that Works for ELL Students, Jane D. Hill and Kathleen M. Flynn; pages 22-35

“Knowing Your Learning Target” by Connie M. Moss, Susan M. Brookhart, and Beverly A. Long, Educational Leadership, 68(6), 66-69.

Or search “objectives” on Schoolnet, PD Search for videos, books, articles and more

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LITERACY LANGUAGE OBJECTIVE

• Students will make inferences about characters.

Content Objective

• i.e. explain, infer, analyze

Determine Language Function

• Students will infer using the words “I infer”, “because”, and evidence from the text during turn and talks with their reading partner.

Identify the form that will be used during the

task.