Unit 18: Unit 18: Identifying and Identifying and selecting aimsselecting aims

ByBy

Porntip BodeepongsePorntip Bodeepongse

What are aims?What are aims?

•Aims are what we want Aims are what we want learners to learn or be able to learners to learn or be able to do at the end of a lesson. do at the end of a lesson. Aims may focus on:Aims may focus on:– A function or a grammatical A function or a grammatical

structurestructure– Vocabulary of a particular topicVocabulary of a particular topic– Developing a language skillsDeveloping a language skills

Questions to ask in order Questions to ask in order to identify and select the to identify and select the most appropriate aims:most appropriate aims:

1.1. What do my learners What do my learners already know?already know?

2.2. What do they need to know?What do they need to know?

**Now do Task 1.**Now do Task 1.

Task 1Task 1Main aim Subsidiary aims Personal

aimsTo practise making polite requests in the context of making holiday arrangements. Example exponent: Could you give me some information about hotels?

Grammar: to revise modal auxiliary verbs

Functional components: Could/Would you…..?

Phonology: to focus on intonation.

Vocabulary: to consolidate lexis for travel, accommodation

Speaking: to give controlled oral practice

To improve my organisation of the whiteboard; to give clearer examples.

Why is setting aims Why is setting aims important?important?

• They provide a purpose and They provide a purpose and direction for teaching and direction for teaching and learning.learning.

• They enable teachers to focus They enable teachers to focus on what their learners need to on what their learners need to achieve.achieve.

• They help teachers to select They help teachers to select appropriate materials and appropriate materials and activities.activities.

• They provide a framework for They provide a framework for the lesson.the lesson.

• They help teachers to They help teachers to anticipate possible problems anticipate possible problems and build in solutions.and build in solutions.

• They can serve as a reference They can serve as a reference point for teachers to measure point for teachers to measure learners’ achievement.learners’ achievement.

Which is more effective?Which is more effective?

1.1. Learners will be able to use the Learners will be able to use the present perfect simple to present perfect simple to describe situations in their lives describe situations in their lives which began in the past and are which began in the past and are still continuing.still continuing.

2.2. To teach the present perfect To teach the present perfect simple with time adverbialssimple with time adverbials

Writing effective aimsWriting effective aims• Learning-centred, focus on what Learning-centred, focus on what

learners will be able to dolearners will be able to do• Say which situation, context, etc. Say which situation, context, etc.

the language will be used inthe language will be used in• State exactly which sub-skills will State exactly which sub-skills will

be developed, and the contextbe developed, and the context• Ensure the aims are measurable, Ensure the aims are measurable,

i.e., how will teachers know that i.e., how will teachers know that learners can understand and learners can understand and perform the target language perform the target language described in the aimsdescribed in the aims

Key conceptsKey concepts• AA main aim main aim describes the most describes the most

important thing we want to achieve in important thing we want to achieve in a lesson or sequence of lessons, e.g.a lesson or sequence of lessons, e.g.– To under stand and practise using new languageTo under stand and practise using new language– To To reinforcereinforce or or consolidateconsolidate (= make stronger) (= make stronger)

the use of language they already know or to the use of language they already know or to revise the language they have recently learnt.revise the language they have recently learnt.

• It should include an example of the It should include an example of the target language we’re planning to target language we’re planning to teach.teach.

Key conceptsKey concepts• Subsidiary aims Subsidiary aims show the show the

language or skills learners must be language or skills learners must be able to use well in order to achieve able to use well in order to achieve the main aim of the lesson.the main aim of the lesson.

• From Task 1:From Task 1:– Main aim = to practise making polite Main aim = to practise making polite

requestsrequests– Subsidiary aims = language and skills Subsidiary aims = language and skills

learners need to make these requestslearners need to make these requests

Stating both main and Stating both main and subsidiary aims is a good way subsidiary aims is a good way of:of:1.1. making sure that our lesson plan making sure that our lesson plan

focuses on what we want our focuses on what we want our learners to learn or to be able to learners to learn or to be able to do.do.

2.2. enabling us to see how the lesson enabling us to see how the lesson should develop, from one should develop, from one stagestage (or (or part) to the next, building up our part) to the next, building up our learners’ knowledge or skills in the learners’ knowledge or skills in the best possible order.best possible order.

Personal aims as Personal aims as teachersteachers

• Show what we would like to Show what we would like to improve or focus on in our own improve or focus on in our own teaching.teaching.

• More examples:More examples:– To try different correction techniquesTo try different correction techniques– To remember to check instructionsTo remember to check instructions– To write more clearly on the blackboardTo write more clearly on the blackboard– To make more use of the phonetic chartTo make more use of the phonetic chart– To get learners to work with different To get learners to work with different

partnerspartners– To get quieter learners to answer questionsTo get quieter learners to answer questions

Steps in planning a Steps in planning a lessonlesson

1.1. Identify and select aims.Identify and select aims.

2.2. Design or select the most Design or select the most appropriate activities.appropriate activities.

3.3. Put the activities in the best Put the activities in the best order.order.

4.4. Choose the most suitable Choose the most suitable teaching aids and materials.teaching aids and materials.

5.5. After the lesson, look back to see After the lesson, look back to see whether we’ve achieved our aims.whether we’ve achieved our aims.

Key concepts & language Key concepts & language teachingteaching

• The syllabus and/or coursebook will give The syllabus and/or coursebook will give us a general direction for planning our us a general direction for planning our teaching.teaching.

• To decide on specific aims for a lesson, To decide on specific aims for a lesson, we should think about learners’ need we should think about learners’ need and stage they have reached in their and stage they have reached in their learning.learning.

• Identify and select personal aims by Identify and select personal aims by looking back at earlier lessons we have looking back at earlier lessons we have taught and things that worked well and taught and things that worked well and things we want to improve.things we want to improve.

Aims & ProceduresAims & Procedures

• AimsAims describe what the learners describe what the learners will learn or what they will be will learn or what they will be able to do with the language.able to do with the language.

• ProceduresProcedures are what the teacher are what the teacher and learner will do at each stage and learner will do at each stage of the lesson, e.g. listening to a of the lesson, e.g. listening to a recording and answering recording and answering questions about it.questions about it.

Aims should not be too Aims should not be too general. general.

– ‘‘To teach the past simple.’ To teach the past simple.’

‘‘To introduce and practise the past To introduce and practise the past simple for talking about personal simple for talking about personal experiences’ experiences’

– ‘‘To develop learners’ reading To develop learners’ reading skills’ skills’

‘‘To give learners practice in To give learners practice in predictingpredicting content, content, scanningscanning for for specific information and guessing specific information and guessing meaning from meaning from contextcontext.’.’

Key concepts & LTKey concepts & LT• The amount we plan to cover in a The amount we plan to cover in a

lesson depends on the length of the lesson depends on the length of the lesson and the learners’ level.lesson and the learners’ level.

• It is helpful to announce our aims It is helpful to announce our aims at the beginning of the lesson, at the beginning of the lesson, and/or to repeat them at the end.and/or to repeat them at the end.

• The aims of a lesson should be The aims of a lesson should be described in simple language described in simple language focusing on what they will do in the focusing on what they will do in the lesson and the language knowledge lesson and the language knowledge they will take away.they will take away.