Content & Language Objectives

We have been writing content and language objectives in our biliteracy units in order to guide our instruction and our students’ learning process. Since our students are language learners, we should know how we can purposefully integrate these objectives into our daily lessons. It is important to add non-linguistic cues when posting our objectives.

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

The content objective tells the students WHAT they will be learning. The Content Areas include the following:

• Science
• Social Studies
• Math
• Health
• etc.

You can use the following verbs when creating your content objectives:

Knowledge	Comprehension	Application	Synthesis	Evaluation
list - hacer una lista identify - identificar locate - localizar memorize - memorizar review - repasar label - etiquetar describe - describir define - definir name - nombrar match - emparejar	recall - recordar summarize - resumir explain - explicar rephrase - reformular demonstrate - demonstrar reproduce - reproducir	predict - predecir compare - comparar contrast - contrastar make - crear build - construir solve - resolver classify - clasificar categorize - categorizar show - mostrar apply - aplicar	build a model - construir un modelo combine - combinar compile - recopilar compose - componer construct - construir create - crear design - diseñar elaborate - elaborar test - examinar infer - inferir predict - predecir hypothesize -crear una hipótesis invent - inventar	justify - justificar defend - defender support - apoyar choose - selecionar decide - decidir recommend - recomendar select - elegir

*Adapted from Echevarría, J., Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. J. (2000). Making content comprehensible for English language learners: The SIOP model. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES

The language objectives tell students HOW they will learn. Think about how language will be used in the lesson. They involve the four Language Skills:

• Speaking
• Listening
• Reading
• Writing

Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing	Vocabulary
describe - describir name - nombrar discuss - discutir ask - preguntar answer - contestar predict - predecir pronounce - pronunciar repeat - repetir respond - responder summarize - resumir explain - explicar tell - decir use - usar rehearse - ensayar persuade - persuadir say steps in a process - decir los pasos en un proceso	tell - decir retell - recontar role play - actuar identify - identificar listen - escuchar recognize - reconocer show - mostrar follow directions - seguir instrucciones	preview - anticipar read aloud - leer en voz alta find specific information - encontrar información especifica identify - identificar skim - leer por encima explore - explorar	list - hacer una lista summarize- resumir ask and answer questions- hacer y contestar preguntas create sentences- crear oraciones state and justify opinions- manifestar y justificar opiniones write- escribir compare- comparar contrast - contrastar classify- clasificar record- anotar persuade- persuadir	define words in context- definir palabras en contexto define words- definir palabras find words and construct meaning - encontrar palabras y definirlas

*Adapted from Echevarría, J., Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. J. (2000). Making content comprehensible for English language learners: The SIOP model. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

The  Center for Applied Linguistics suggest teachers use the following checklist to evaluate their content and language objectives:

“Are my objectives…

• Observable?
• Age-appropriate?
• Specific enough to be helpful to the students without being cumbersome?
• Related to listening, speaking, reading, or writing?
• Designed to promote the learning of the unit content?”

In the chart below, you will find examples of content and language objectives based on ELA and math Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

Standard	Example of Content Objective	Example of Language Objective
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.K.2 With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.	Readers will be able to identify the main idea in an informational text.	I can read informational texts and discuss what the main idea is with a partner.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.A.2 Solve word problems that call for addition of three whole numbers whose sum is less than or equal to 20.	Los matemáticos pueden sumar 3 números para encontrar el resultado.	Yo puedo escribir una ecuación de 3 sumas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.2 Identifican el tema principal de un texto de varios párrafos, así como el enfoque de párrafos específicos en el texto.	Yo identificare el tema principal de un texto de varios párrafos.	Yo puedo leer textos informativos y explicar cuál es el tema principal de un texto de varios párrafos.
CCSS.Mathematics.2.G.1 Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes, such as a given number of angles or a given number of equal faces. Identify triangles,quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and cubes.	I will be able to recognize the attributes of triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and cubes.	I can orally describe shapes with my partner using words such as angles and sides.

Always remember to have the students read the objectives out loud or read them to the students at the start of each lesson. That way students know what to expect and can beginning using their schema to make connections.

Happy Monday!

Claudia & Luz