[Elle]

There is a lot of debate going on in my school at the moment about the way the learning objectives for the lsson should be written. There has been some conflicting advise, such as phrase it as a question, or make it a statement. We have also had to look at the info in the Ped pack and that has raised alot of debate also.


So how do you phrase yours?

[Lesley Ann]

Raising the challenge in your Lesson objectives:

When writing your lesson objectives be as clear and specific as possible. At the beginning of the lesson share your objectives with the class, state exactly the nature and the level of the learning intended in your lesson – use the trigger words like to evaluate, judge, justify. For example a Year 8 lesson pitched at Level 5 to 7 – a lesson objective could be - To evaluate the historical interpretation of the Gunpowder Plot: Was there a Gunpowder Plot? Have no more than 2 or 3 learning objectives per lesson. Avoid mixing objectives (don’t write ‘To identify and explain’) - always have single objectives. Avoid general phrases such as ‘to know’ and ‘to be able to understand’ – this is lower order. Use words that allow both the pupil and yourself to assess if the intended learning has taken place by the end of the lesson during the debrief/plenary.

So if you have a specific lesson in mind and want to pitch the lesson higher to raise the challenge use the trigger words below to help you write your lesson objectives. For example Year 8 lesson objective - to build an interpretation of Henry VIII. This is a higher order SYNTHESIS thinking objective pitched at level 6/7.

Basic Order Learning: KNOWLEDGE
If your lesson is pitched at NC Level 2/3 then lower order-thinking tasks are required. Trigger words/activities: identify, label, list, retell.

Basic Order Learning: UNDERSTANDING/COMPREHENSION
If your lesson is pitched at NC Level 4 then lower order-thinking tasks are required. Trigger words/activities: compare, contrast, estimate, explain.

Middle Order Learning: APPLICATION
If your lesson is pitched at NC Level 5 then middle order-thinking tasks are required. Trigger words/activities: solve, predict, demonstrate, relate.

Middle Order Learning: ANALYSIS
If your lesson is pitched at NC Level 5/6 then middle order-thinking tasks are required. Trigger words/activities: differentiate, categorise, speculate, outline.

Higher Order Learning: SYNTHESIS
If your lesson is pitched at NC Level 6/7 then higher order-thinking tasks are required. Trigger words/activities: construct, build, create, summarise, design.

Higher Order Learning: EVALUATION
If your lesson is pitched at NC Level 7+ then higher order-thinking tasks are required. Trigger words/activities: judge, justify, conclude, criticise, assess.

This excellent advice came from a CPD INSET by Ron Rooney (Durham LEA)

I've just pasted this from the Thinking Skills seminar http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/forum/index...topic=1564&st=0

[Dan Lyndon]

Can I take the opportuntity to thank Lesley Ann for posting this up (on the seminar about teaching thinking skills). I used this as part of an INSET on Assessment for Learning across the Humanities, this week, and it went down a treat. The end product was a rewriting of the KS3 critical steps (NC levels in child-speak) using the trigger words from Blooms and as a consequence we achieved consistency across the faculties in 5 schools! It was one of the most effective INSET sessions that I have ever done. I will post up the History levels when I have typed them up.

[Elle]

Thank you Lesley Ann! I think I will print that off and pass it round the dept/ staffroom.

This post has been edited by Elle: 18 November 2005 - 11:22 AM

[Carl Fazackerley]

Dan Lyndon, on Nov 18 2005, 08:18 AM, said:

Can I take the opportuntity to thank Lesley Ann for posting this up (on the seminar about teaching thinking skills). I used this as part of an INSET on Assessment for Learning across the Humanities, this week, and it went down a treat. The end product was a rewriting of the KS3 critical steps (NC levels in child-speak) using the trigger words from Blooms and as a consequence we achieved consistency across the faculties in 5 schools! It was one of the most effective INSET sessions that I have ever done. I will post up the History levels when I have typed them up.

Hi!

I'd also like to thank Lesley Ann. I'm on PGCE at the moment and one of the things I am struggling with is writing clear learning objectives for my lesson plans; this will be extremely useful!

This post has been edited by Carl Fazackerley: 26 November 2005 - 10:03 PM

[DAJ Belshaw]

I've turned LA's matching of NC levels and Bloom's Taxonomy into a chart to go on the wall. It's gone down well when I've referred to it at the start of my observed lessons...

http://www.mrbelshaw.co.uk/teacher/ (scroll down a bit...)

Doug