Writing Learning Aims — What Makes a Good Lesson Objective?
Writing Learning Aims — What Makes a Good Lesson Objective?
🎙 From the classroom: My lesson plan from week two of teacher training had this aim: ‘To improve speaking skills.’ My observer handed it back. ‘What will they be able to do by the end?’ I had no answer. That question changed how I plan everything.
💡 The Idea
A good lesson aim is learner-facing, specific, and measurable. It completes the sentence: ‘By the end of the lesson, students will be able to…’ It tells you — and them — exactly what success looks like. Vague aims produce vague lessons.
🗣 Example
❌ Vague aim: ‘Students will practise speaking.’
❌ Teacher aim: ‘To teach the present perfect.’
✅ Learner aim: ‘By the end, students will be able to talk about their life experiences using the present perfect with ever and never.’
🎯 Try It Now!
Rewrite these weak aims as strong, learner-facing aims:
- To do a reading comprehension exercise.
- To cover vocabulary about food.
- To practise listening.
✅ Check Your Answers
✅ Example rewrites: (1) ‘Students will be able to identify the main idea and specific details in a restaurant review.’ (2) ‘Students will be able to name and describe ten common foods and say whether they like them.’ (3) ‘Students will be able to listen to a short conversation and answer three specific information questions.’
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