Language Objectives for K-8 Teachers: A Guide for Supporting Multilingual Learners

This resource provides a foundation for integrating language objectives into content lessons. By setting clear language objectives, you will help students deepen both their content knowledge and their academic language proficiency.

What are Language Objectives?

Language objectives are targeted goals that specify the language skills students need to achieve to engage fully in academic content. These objectives focus on how students will use language—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—to demonstrate their understanding of content concepts. Language objectives ensure that multilingual learners and all students develop language skills necessary for academic success in each subject area.

Key Components of Language Objectives

1. Purpose: To integrate language development with content learning.

2. Focus: Emphasizes specific language functions and vocabulary necessary for content tasks.

3. Alignment: Directly tied to the content standards and objectives, tailored for different content areas.

 How to Write Language Objectives

Language objectives are typically composed of:

1. A Verb (aligned with the language function, e.g., describe, compare, summarize).

2. Content-Specific Vocabulary or Language Structure (related to the content area).

3. A Support or Context (tools like sentence stems, word banks, or visuals to support language development).

Language Objective Stems and Examples by Content Area

 1. Math

Starter Stems:

o   "Students will explain the steps in solving a problem using…

o   "Students will describe patterns by using vocabulary such as…..

o   "Students will justify their answers by saying…..

 Examples:

  Objective: Students will describe patterns in numbers using terms like "increase," "decrease," and "sequence.

  Objective: Students will explain their process for solving a problem using complete sentences, starting with, "First, I…

 2. Science

Starter Stems:

o   Students will use descriptive language to…

o   Students will summarize their observations by…

o   "Students will compare and contrast… using phrases like…

Examples:

Objective: Students will describe the life cycle stages of a butterfly using words like "metamorphosis," "larva," and "pupa."

 Objective: Students will summarize their observations of a science experiment by completing, "I observed that…"

3. Social Studies

Starter Stems:

o   "Students will discuss the causes of… using language such as…"

o   "Students will explain the impact of… by…"

o   "Students will retell historical events in sequence by saying…"

 Examples:

 Objective: Students will explain the causes of the American Revolution using vocabulary such as "taxation," "independence," and "colony."

 Objective: Students will discuss the differences between urban and rural communities using comparative language like "larger than" or "smaller than."

4. English Language Arts (ELA)

Starter Stems:

o   "Students will predict the outcome of a story by…"

o   "Students will summarize the main idea by saying…"

o   "Students will express their opinions about… using phrases like…"

Examples:

  Objective: Students will summarize the main idea of a text using key phrases like "the text is mainly about…" or "the author wants us to understand that…"

  Objective: Students will describe a character’s feelings using emotion words such as "joyful," "angry," and "hopeful."

5. Physical Education (PE)

Starter Stems:

o   "Students will explain the rules of a game by saying…"

o   "Students will describe how to… using vocabulary such as…"

o   "Students will ask for clarification by…"

 Examples:

  Objective: Students will explain the steps of a warm-up routine using transition words such as "first," "next," and "finally."

  Objective: Students will describe the movement skills needed in a sport, using terms like "balance," "coordination," and "stamina."

Tips for Implementing Language Objectives

Model Language Use : Demonstrate sentence structures or key vocabulary before asking students to use them.

Visual and Interactive Supports: Use charts, visuals, and manipulatives to support language learning.

Reinforce Vocabulary: Encourage repeated use of vocabulary in discussions, written reflections, and group activities.

Encourage Collaborative Language Practice: Group students to practice language functions in a supportive, interactive environment.

Integrating language objectives into content lessons is a powerful strategy for supporting multilingual learners. By explicitly defining the language skills students need to engage with academic content, you provide them with the tools to succeed both in understanding the material and in communicating their knowledge. When language objectives are thoughtfully incorporated, they not only enhance students' academic language proficiency but also foster confidence in their ability to participate fully in the learning process. With a focus on both content and language, we create an inclusive environment where multilingual learners can thrive and achieve their full potential