<aside> 💡 This tutorial applies to Wiggins and McTighe’s (2005) understanding by design and the Six facets of understanding and may seem counterintuitive when some suggestions that say to avoid verbs like “understand”, etc.

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Tips when writing learning objectives

1. Start by identifying the content that the English language learners need to understand. This could be a specific understanding, text, or idea. You might start with a notion (see Notional-functional syllabus) and design an understanding from there. That is, an understanding is a more contextualized version of a notion. Example: a notion might be a superior giving advice to a subordinate. A related understanding: English language learners will understand that a hotel manager provides direction and support to those working behind the desk in a way that is motivating yet effective.
2. Based on the understanding (content), determine the language objective or language skills for the lesson, unit, etc.
3. Consider the Six facets of understanding that are relevant to the content. Not all facets will be relevant to every topic, so choose the ones that are most important, relevant, and/or meaningful.
4. Write learning objectives that are clear, concise, and measurable. The objectives should state what students will be able to do to demonstrate their understanding.
5. Make sure the objectives are appropriate for the English language learners in your class. Consider their language proficiency level and prior knowledge.
6. Use language that is clear and easy to understand. Avoid jargon and technical terms.

Designing a learning objective for the English language learner

The learning objective is separated into two parts: 1) content (or understanding, knowledge, etc.) and 2) language (or skills).

Consider the following prompt: By the end of the lesson (unit, chapter, etc.), the English language learner will understand that…[understanding, content, knowledge, etc.] by… [type of interaction; expected process, product, and/or environment; language objective; situation or language context; expected learning strategy, etc).

<aside> 💡 Language note: When designing learning objectives, review the differences between gerunds and infinitives.

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Examples

• By the end of the lesson, the English language learner will understand that establishing daily routines reduces stress by having one-on-one conversations with each other using the present tense and related vocabulary they experience on a daily or weekly basis.
  • Possible performance verbs to consider or allow to emerge taken from the Six facets of understanding:
    • critique, describe, realize, analyze, etc.
• By the end of the lesson, the English language learner will understand that past experiences can influence current points of view by writing an emotional past experience that allows the learner to discuss to practice regular and irregular verbs that contrast when to use verbs in the present.
  • show, create, reflect, imagine, etc.
• By the end of the lesson, the English language learner will understand that English language speakers have different dialects and lexicon that can lead to misunderstandings by using the Cornell Method of note-taking to practice (or improve) listening comprehension skills when making inferences, determining details, choosing key words and general ideas, and summarizing ideas.
  • compare and contrast, inferring, role-play, make sense of, demonstrate, etc.

Additional considerations

The examples above also address (to a degree) 1) what students will learn, 2) when they will learn it, 3) under what conditions, with what resources, to what degree of precision, under what constraints.

By when: By the end of the lesson…