1. Learning Targets
Purpose and Practice

3. Explain the benefits of Clear Learning Targets.
Write a clear learning target for a class you teach.
Renee’

4. “Teachers who truly understand what they want their students to accomplish will almost surely be more instructionally successful than teachers whose understanding of hoped-for student accomplishments is murky.” -W. James Popham

5. Clear Learning Targets shift us away from what we, as teachers, are covering towards what our students are learning.

6. Task: Think about one of your classes that you will teach tomorrow.
Think about one thing you want your students to know or be able to do by the end of that class tomorrow.

7. Learning Targets Content Standards Lesson Objectives Benchmarks
aka
Content Standards
Lesson Objectives
Benchmarks
Essential Questions
Learning Intentions
Learner Outcomes
Expectations

8. Learning Target Frayer Model Measureable & attainable
Definition
Facts/Characteristics
Measureable & attainable
Focus on intended learning
Focus on “chunks” of a standard
Clear, specific language
congruent to standard
Clear description
of what is to be learned;
Provides a clear vision
of the ‘destination’ for
student learning
Learning Target
Examples
Nonexamples
Adding Fractions
Do Exercise 3.7 on pg 148
Learning Activities
Tasks
Pre-Requisites
Assessments
I can add fractions with
unlike denominators.
I can identify key
characteristics of a
linear function and
use them to create a graph.

9. “five seconds to five weeks”
A learning target can take from
“five seconds to five weeks”
depending on
Complexity of the knowledge, skill, reasoning or product;
Its overall importance in the curriculum
Students – age, abilities, prior experience and cognitive development.
Reminded that we are using the term ‘learning target’ because that is the terminology used in CASL…(use CASL message 3 for elaborations/references to these other points)

10. STUDENT FRIENDLY TARGETS
STANDARD
Plan & Deliver
Assessments
Instruction
LEARNING TARGETS
for teachers
STUDENT FRIENDLY TARGETS
for learners
self-assess
I can …
I am learning to…
Success criteria

11. Learning Targets should…
Be posted daily for students to see
Be discussed with students at the beginning of the lesson
Be reviewed once met
Be reviewed with students at the end of the lesson
How do you know students reached the target? (formative assessment)

12. Teacher Benefits WHAT to assess – instructional guide – keep focused.
CLARITY in planning – look for instructional activities & strategies to help all students reach that specific target.
Better BALANCE of “in depth” study vs. “just covering the material.”
Know what your assessments REFLECT at a finer grain.
Help to MAXIMIZE student achievement.

13. Student Benefits
Able focus on the aspect at hand and not get distracted by other things.
Able to look at the posted target to remind themselves of what they are supposed to be doing.
~ Clark, 2001, pp

14. “Magic Triangle” Standard This triangle represents the relationship
Learning Targets
Standard
Standard
Learning Activities
Assessment
This triangle represents the relationship
between learning targets, assessments and learning activities.
If these three components are congruent,
…they achieve an exact match with the Standard,
then teaching and learning is enhanced.

15. Students who can identify what they are learning significantly
outscore
those who cannot.
~ Robert Marzano
Renee’ (student benefits)