1. The Importance and Development of Language Objectives

2. Content vs. Language Objectives
Think of an example of a content objective you are currently teaching
Do you use language objectives?
If so, how do you use them in your class?
Why are they important?

3. Language objectives are often problematic for content teachers because
It may be difficult to identify language objectives.
Content teachers feel they do not have time to
teach language.
Teaching language is perceived as the ESL teacher’s job.
Content teachers may not know enough about
their ELL students’ language proficiency to determine appropriate language objectives.

4. The Domains of Language-Reading, Writing, Speaking, & Listening
Reading: Text, vocabulary list, notes form overhead
Writing: Vocabulary list, notes, answers to comprehension questions, logs, predictions, sharing writing, journaling
Speaking: Answering questions, discussion with a partner or group members, predicting, Think-Pair-Share
This will happen in a safe, low risk environment
Listening: To the teacher, to students, to videos
When playing a video turn the subtitles on
Adapting teacher speech.

5. Forms of Language – the grammatical structure of words, sentences, and whole texts
The English language is vast and complicated…what forms of language should content teachers focus on with ELL students?

6. Basic Forms of Language
Subject-verb agreement
The frog are amphibian.
Igneous rocks comes from volcanoes.
Use of the “s”
possessive (apostrophes)
Plural
Parts of speech
Nouns/Verbs
Adjectives/Adverbs

7. Basic Forms of Language
Tense
Present, past, future
Basic verbs- to be, to have, to like, to see
I/you/we/they have, he/she/it has
I/you/he/we/they had
I/you/he/we/they will have
Punctuation
Structure
Topic sentences
Main points
Purpose (persuasive, descriptive…)

8. Basic Forms of Language
Letter sounds, pronunciation
Complete sentences
Hold students accountable for basic sentence structure.
Basic sentence structure
Word order
Transition Words
Modals (should, would, could)
Idioms

9. Functions of Language – the language purpose or thinking process
The English language is vast and complicated…what forms of language should content teachers focus on with ELL students?

10. Language Functions Summarize Define Rephrase Describe Discuss Identify
Elaborate
Predict
Compose
Choose
Develop
(see Bloom’s Taxonomy)
Define
Describe
Identify
Label
Name
Spell
Compare
Contrast
Explain

11. Where to begin when developing language objectives
Consider LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY of your ELLs
Determine KEY VOCABULARY, CONCEPT WORDS, and language embedded in TASKS.
Consider CONTENT STANDARDS

12. Where to begin when developing language objectives
Determine which DOMAIN (listening, speaking, reading, writing)
Determine LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS or PURPOSE/LEARNING STRATEGIES. (define, describe, compare, explain, summarize, predict, develop, choose)
Determine LANGUAGE FORMS - the GRAMMAR or STRUCTURE OF TEXT.
(verb tenses, sentence structure, punctuation, question formation, subject-verb agreement)

13. Language Objective Template:
Through [LANGUAGE DOMAIN: reading, writing, listening speaking]
SWBAT
[LANGUAGE FUNCTION: describe, analyze, list, deduce, persuade...]
[CONTENT: consider the concepts you are teaching]
by way of
[LANGUAGE FORM: complete sentences; modals of should, could, would; opposites; proper punctuation...]

14. When writing objectives, keep in mind the following:
Audience (level 1 vs. level 3 vs. main stream)
What should students be able to DO?
HOW should students demonstrate proficiency?
Objectives should be MEASURABLE.
Post objectives in writing & orally review