USD 457 August 2013

C.O. You will gain insight into the definitions and rationale for utilizing content and language objectives. L.O. You will listen for the definitions and characteristics of effective content and language objectives. C.O. You will identify and formulate effective content and language objectives. L.O. Reading: You will read effective and ineffective examples of content and language objectives. Writing: You will record your conclusions on a foldable determining effective and ineffective objectives. Speaking: You will discuss and present your revised objectives. Listening: You will listen for ideas on how to develop objectives more proficiently.

If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else. Being in a classroom without knowing the direction for learning is similar to going on a trip, but not knowing where you are going or why you are going (Thomas & Bahe, March 2013).

What are Content Objectives? Statement of what the learner will know and understand as a result of instruction. Reflect Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and/or objectives relevant to teacher manuals. Identify key concepts that will be covered in the lesson. Prepare students by setting the stage for learning. A focus and purpose for the learning activity for both teacher and student. They are appropriate for the age and educational background levels of students. They are observable.

What are Language Objectives? Clearly define how the content objectives will be met through activities students will engage in throughout the lesson. Activities will encompass reading, writing, speaking and listening. Directly correlated to content objectives. Needs to be observable and measurable.

Classroom Scenarios Teacher 1: Posts the objectives on the board, reviews the objectives prior to and at the end of the lesson, and uses this as a guide for learning by referring back to them throughout the lesson. Or Teacher 2: Posts the objectives on the board, but does not refer to them at any time. When students are asked what they are learning, they point to the objective on the board.

Teacher 1: Posts the objectives on the board and uses this as a guide for learning by referring back to them throughout the lesson. As a result, students are well aware of what they are learning targets are for this lesson, and are therefore, engaged in the learning process. Teacher 2: Posts the objectives on the board, but does not refer to them at any time. When students are asked what they are learning, they point to the objective on the board. Students can not explain it. Consequently the objective was not used effectively to help students understand what they should be leaning, leaving some students disconnected from the process.

Further Substantiates… To help students take ownership of their learning and provide explicit direction to students, especially the English learners who are processing content in a new language, it is important that objectives be stated at the beginning of the lesson and reviewed with the students at the end of the lesson to allow them to assess if they met the objectives (Echeverria, Vogt & Short, 2008).

District Expectations Content and Language Objectives must be developed and posted for whole group reading and math. It is advisable - and a highly effective practice - to develop content and language objectives for small group reading and math instruction, as well as writing and other content areas. Objectives should be posted in a prominent place in the room. Must be visible throughout the entire lesson.

Small Group Instruction Using CO/LO’s Angela Ulrich video – District Web Site – Day 1

How to Prepare C.O and L.O.’s? Determine the lesson topic from the appropriate content standards as well as teachers’ manuals. Decide what key vocabulary students will need to know in order to read and write about the topic of the lesson. Consider the language functions related to the topic of the lesson (refer to verb list reference sheet).

EXAMPLE 2 RI.2.2 C.O. You will identify the topic, main idea and supporting details to demonstrate understanding of an informational text. L.O. Reading: You will read “All in the Family” for the purpose of determining the main idea. Writing: You will complete a graphic organizer detailing the topic, main idea and at least two supporting details. Speaking: You will orally explain to a partner how the details support the main idea. Listening: You will listen respectfully to your partner’s explanation. EXAMPLE 1 C.O. You will identify topic, main idea and supporting details L.O. Reading: You will read the story Writing: You will describe the setting and characters. Speaking: You will share with a partner Listening: You will listen to your partner. Effective/ Ineffective?

Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!! C.O. You will see how things are the same and how things are different. L.O. You will read a literacy story.

C.O. Did you gain insight into the definitions and rationale for utilizing content and language objectives. L.O. Did we listen for the definitions and characteristics of content and language objectives. C.O. Did you identify and formulate effective content and language objectives? L.O. Reading: Did we read effective and ineffective examples of content and language objectives? Writing: Did you record your conclusions on a foldable determining effective and ineffective objectives? Speaking: Did you discuss and present your revised objectives? Listening: Did you listen for ideas on how to develop objectives more proficiently?