LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES: MORE THAN JUST

VOCABULARY

Michele Regalla, Ph.D.Ohio Dominican University

regallam@ohiodominican.edu

What are language objectives?

They are the language demands of the academic content.

They are school vocabulary used to perform functions that display content knowledge such as summarize, discuss, compare, etc.

They include the language structures teachers expect students to use in order to communicate comprehension of content (write a paragraph, use the past tense, etc.)

They are specific and measurable!

According to SIOP…..

Key vocabulary – technical terms and other words related to the lesson

Language functions – the way language is used in the lesson (compare, describe, etc.)

Language skills – listening, reading, writing, and speaking

Grammar or language structure – language that must be used to communicate content (using the past tense, prefixes, comparisons, etc.)

Lesson tasks – language necessary to complete a task, such as taking notes

Language learning strategies – metacognitive language tasks such as rereading, making predictions, outlining, etc.

How do you find language objectives in content objectives?

Identify your content objective Study the task(s) students must perform

in the lesson Isolate key vocabulary and sentence patterns necessary to perform those tasks

Incorporate at least one of the 4

language skills Write an observable, measurable

objective

Verbs to use when writing objectives

Summarize Retell Identify Define Write Create Choose Diagram

Label List Match Illustrate Compare/contrast Contrast Categorize Organize

Verbs NOT to use when writing objectives

Know Understand See Learn Appreciate Be familiar with Be aware of

Science / Grade 74.07 Explain the effects of environmental

influences (smoking, alcohol, drugs, diet) on human health

Language: vocabulary & patterns One consequence of ________is

____________ _______ leads to/causes _____________. _______ increases the risk of ______________. ______ are more likely to ___________ than

__________.

Content Effects of environment

Objectives: Social Studies, Grade 8

CONTENT Complete a

timeline listing the events leading up to the Revolutionary War.

LANGUAGE In the reading,

highlight the colonial action in blue and the British reaction in red.

Explain to a partner your timeline. Use the words first, second, then to show sequence.

Content Objective - Biology: Compare the structure of an animal cell with the structure of a plant cell.

Language Objective:

Describe the structure of plant and animal cells to a partner using the comparative form. Both plant cells and animal cells contain _______. A plant cell contains a nucleus. An animal cell also contains

a nucleus. Plant cells contain vacuoles, whereas animal cells often do

not have vacuoles. Plant cells contain vacuoles. Animal cells, however, often

do not have vacuoles.

Objectives – Math, Grade 3

CONTENT1. Order numbers

from least to greatest.

2. Use <, >, or = to make each sentence true.

LANGUAGEExplain to a partner

why your statements are true using a number line. Use these sentence patterns:

x is {greater / less } than y.

x is equal to y.

References

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E. & Short, D. (2004). Making Content Comprehensible for English Language Learners: The SIOP Model. Boston, MA: Pearson

http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/t3sis/state/northcarolina/