SET LESSON GOALS

Lesson goals are most usefully stated in terms of what students will have done or
accomplished at the end of the lesson. Stating goals in this way allows both teacher and
learners to know when the goals have been reached.
To set lesson goals:
1. Identify a topic for the lesson. The topic is not a goal, but it will help you develop
your goals. The topic may be determined largely by your curriculum and textbook, and
may be part of a larger thematic unit such as Travel or Leisure Activities. If you have
some flexibility in choice of topic, consider your students’ interests and the availability
of authentic materials at the appropriate level.
2. Identify specific linguistic content, such as vocabulary and points of grammar or
language use, to be introduced or reviewed. These are usually prescribed by the course
textbook or course curriculum. If they are not, select points that are connected in some
significant way with the topic of the lesson.
3. Identify specific communication tasks to be completed by students. To be authentic,
the tasks should allow, but not require, students to use the vocabulary, grammar, and
strategies presented in the lesson. The focus of the tasks should be topical, not

grammatical. This means that it may be possible for some students to complete the task

without using either the grammar point or the strategy presented in the first part of the
lesson.
4. Identify specific learning strategies to be introduced or reviewed in connection with
the lesson. See Motivating Learners for more on learning strategies.
5. Create goal statements for the linguistic content, communication tasks, and learning
strategies that state what you will do and what students will do during the lesson.

 (Adapted from From The Essentials of Language Teaching www.nclrc.org/essentials )