1. Writing and Using
Content and
Language Objectives
Anna Idstein

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. What Do We Teach at School?
Content:
Math Reading Social Studies Art
Writing Music Science Physical Education

6. How Will Your Students interact
with the concepts?
pair and share
discuss
compare
restate
write
read
summarize
contrast
dramatize
debate
They will use language !

7. We learn using four language domains..
What is the Process of Learning?
How do We Learn?
Listening
Speaking
Reading Writing

8. Who is Responsible for Teaching
Language ?
EVERY
TEACHER
IS
Got it!!!
Language of
music
Language
of science
Language
of art
Language
of PE
A LANGUAGE TEACHER

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 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.
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing

12. 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.
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
Students will be able to review lab safety procedures and its purpose and identify lab
equipment

13. 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

14. 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.

15. Lets Practice