Teaching Language through Content: The Need for Language Objectives

Two bulletin board posters. The top one reads, ‘First, Next, Then, After that, Then, Finally.’ The bottom one has two papers. The left one is another "First, Next, Then" exercise. The right is a word pattern chart.

by Marisa Nathan

No longer are students separated from universal instruction in order to learn complex language systems because ALL learners benefit from language instruction through content and teachers must access the strategies and intentionally to plan for language in content.

In any classroom, students are also asked to compare, justify, sequence, describe, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize using language. Gone are the days of self-contained language classrooms.

Language and content demands are increasing for ALL students, and the reality of students needing to become college and career ready for success is indisputable. In order for students to be college and career ready, ALL students must gain academic language proficiency. Whether this student is an English Learner, a student whose first language is English and is in a chemistry class for the first time, or for a student that comes to school with limited experiences and background knowledge of the world around them.  

Academic language is more than building the vocabulary of content area or cultural context. It includes thinking about language in terms of vocabulary, but we also must consider the demands for creating and understanding complete, complex sentences as well as genre and text types.

Research from Cheuk, T (2013) suggests that language and content are taught hand-in-hand. Language is not learned in isolation. An approach I have used in working with teachers across the country is presenting the idea that we are ALLs (academic language learners). Since we are ALLs, then it is essential that we as educators approach teaching language through the content. One way to do this is to implement the use of language objectives.

Language Objectives

Language objectives allow teachers to intentionally plan for the language that is necessary to access content. The planning of language objectives provides teachers the opportunity to prepare the supports that are critical for students to attain the outcome. The language objective ensures students and teachers know what the success criteria is and what they are striving to achieve. Language objectives allow teachers to support students in closing their achievement gap.

There are multiple ways to address writing a language objective.  One way to write language objectives is to think about it in three parts.

  • The first part is the language function. The language function is a verb and it describes what we will do with the language in a functional way. This tool we use at Confianza helps decide what the language function could be. This depends on the CCSS or NGSS that I am using and what I want students to be able to do with the language.

  • The second part is the standard or the content that we are addressing in the lesson. It is imperative that the standard is decided prior to writing the language objective. Without the standard you will find yourself lost as the standard allows the teacher to choose the function and supports.

  • The third part is the support.  The support is meant to assist students in accessing the content.  Without a support, students who are not reaching language proficiency will struggle to meet the content standard.  

Let’s take a look at a language objective and break it apart for its three components.  

Language Objective: I can explain the central key ideas about a major Revolutionary War battle with a small group of peers orally using an annotated article and a graphic organizer.

The process of constructing the above language objective

1) Start with the content standard.  For example:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2

Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

2) Then decide what language function you want to use to access the content. As mentioned above, you can use Confianza's Language Functions Tool for support. In the example we chose the language function of inform. Depending on the level of your students the language function might change. This is an opportunity for differentiation.

3) The content standard does not change. It is important that we do not water down the content in order to keep the rigor high.

4) Lastly think about what supports are necessary to meet the needs of your varied learners. Remember supports may vary depending on what your students need to access the curriculum. This is an opportunity for differentiation.

A poster that reads ‘I can make and read words using pattern charts in my notebook. I can describe what I could make with a box using sequence word cards first, next, then, after that, final sentence starters, and drawings.’
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Data and Assessments, Curriculum and InstructionConfianza: For Educators of Language Learners2b, 3b, t2, 4b