Careful Lesson Planning - Language and Content Objectives Part III

As dual language teachers, it is imperative that that we know how to identify measurable and student-friendly language objectives that support the content objectives. 

Careful lesson planning is another essential step in preparing effective language objectives.


When I was working as an instructional specialist, I realized that teachers were having difficulty including well-written objectives that promote language acquisition in their planning or they were lacking in tasks that support the objectives. 

As a result, I decided to teach them how to select objectives based on what the English learners in the class needed most at a specific point in the year and to identify what language was most important to understand the content concepts.

For example, if the students had already spend a good deal of time working with new vocabulary, then the teacher would consider having students use that vocabulary to develop their writing skill by writing a summary of the process they followed. I also made sure that teachers understood that though their lesson included all four language skills, they did not need to post a language objective for every language-related item addressed in the lesson. 

The main question you should keep in mind is...

"Of all of the skills and functions addressed in my lesson, which is most important for helping students meet the grade-level standard and develop their language proficiency?" 

Example

Language objectives should always be measurable and student-friendly.

The key is to use appropriate verbs and the objectives should provide students with practice in the four language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. 

For example:

•   List

•   Retell

•   Summarize in writing

•   Record

•   Read

Here is a planning template that can help you include everything you need.

© Center for Applied Linguistics, 2012 

Now it is your turn: How do you include and choose language objectives when you plan for your ELLs?