Learning and Teaching Bulletin
@The Friary School
Volume 1
Writing Learning Objectives
1. The Theory behind the teaching: Blooms Taxonomy
What is a Learning Objective? Whys should we use learning objectives?
Learning objectives should be brief, clear, specific statements of what learners will be able to do
at the end of a lesson as a result of the activities, teaching and learning that has taken place.
They are sometimes called learning outcomes. The Learning objective or objectives that you use
can be based on three areas of learning: knowledge, skills and attitudes. Learning objectives
define learning outcomes and focus teaching. They help to clarify, organize and prioritize
learning. They help you and your students evaluate progress and encourage them to take
responsibility for their learning.
What is the difference between an aim and a learning objective?
A lesson aim is a very general statement of what the overall goal is in a
lesson – the intention behind the teaching. The lesson
objective/objectives are the measurable stages that a learner will go
through and need to achieve in order to achieve the overall goal. Aims
are like strategy, objective are like tactics
How do you write aims and learning objectives?
As part of your planning you need to decide what your students need to be able to DO after they
have learned something that you have taught. Beginning your planning with the learning
objectives will also help you ensure that your tasks and activities are appropriate and will help
your students achieve their objectives.
A learning objective must not include the phrases 'to know' or 'to understand' but instead active
verbs such as 'state', 'explain', 'outline', 'list' or 'describe'. Avoid using verbs that are difficult to
measure objectively. The following verbs are difficult to assess and measure and therefore
should be used with caution:
Know, comprehend, understand, appreciate, familiarize, study, be aware, become
acquainted with, gain knowledge of, cover, learn, realize
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Know and understand do not specify any overt 'doing' and although knowing and understanding
underpin learning, objectives are always written using active doing verbs. They are statements
of what you want your learners to do and should
Be stated clearly
define or describe an action
Are *measurable, in terms of time, space, amount, and/or frequency.
Be differentiated
Examples of Measurable Action Words (examples)
Explain Demonstrate Analyze Formulate Discuss
Compare Differentiate Describe Name Assess
Evaluate Identify Design Define List
How can I differentiate my learning objectives and make them more demanding and
make sure that they are challenging?
You can make your learning objectives difficult, demanding or challenging by changing the
active verb that you use (see detailed table below) to a more complex, involve higher order
thinking; or you can add specific conditions or limits .
2. Putting the theory into practise - How can I use this bulletin in my
lessons?
The following lists and tables contain examples of active verbs which describe the sorts of things
you want your students to be able to do and may help you to write useful learning objectives.
Set 1: Based on the ‘3 areas of teaching’
Knowledge
analyse arrange calculate circle cite
classify compare contrast compare define
describe diagram differentiate group identify
interpret itemize label list match
name outline plan record revise
select solve state tabulate give examples
evaluate recognise
Skills
adjust assemble chart collect use
draw employ establish illustrate imitate
interact locate maintain measure modify
operate organise rearrange return set up
practice manipulate master fit perform
demonstrate
Attitudes
accept adopt advocate approve assess
challenge characterise choose criticise defend
evaluate formulate judge justify manage
model persuade recommend resolve select
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specify value re-assure empathise
Set 2: Based on increasing level of difficulty and challenge (Blooms Taxonomy)
Emphasis – link to Blooms Taxonomy Relevant Action Verbs to use in your lesson
objectives:
Knowledge
Tell, uncover, show, state, define, name, write, recall,
‘To find or remember information recognise, list, label, reproduce, identify, acquire,
memorizing information’ distinguish, state, order, locate, repeat, count, describe,
enumerate, find, match, read, recite, record, select,
sequence, state, view
Comprehension Comprehend, appreciate, select, indicate, illustrate,
‘To understand the information and represent, formulate, explain, classify, translate,
restate in your own words, paraphrasing, extrapolate, convert, interpret, abstract, transform,
summarizing, translating’ select, indicate, relate, experiment, simple comparisons,
demonstrate, explain, reword, discuss, cite, conclude,
describe, discuss, estimate, generalise, give examples,
locate, make sense of, paraphrase, predict, report,
restate, review, summarise, trace
Apply/Application Assess, change, chart, choose, demonstrate, determine,
‘To use information to solve problems, develop, establish, produce, relate, report, select, show,
transfer abstract or theoretical ideas to use, try, diagram, perform, make a chart, put into action,
actual situations, identifying connections build, report, employ, relate, draw, construct, adapt,
and relationships and how they apply ’ apply, sequence, carry out, solve, prepare, operate,
generalize, plan, repair, explain, predict, instruct,
compute, use, implement, solve,
Analysis Analyze, study, combine, separate, categorise, detect,
‘To take information apart, identifying examine, inspect, discriminate, take apart, generalise,
components, determining arrangement, scrutinize, estimate, compare, observe, detect, classify,
logic and semantics’ discover, explore, distinguish, catalogue, investigate,
breakdown, order, determine, differentiate, dissect,
contrast, examine, interpret, identify, dissect,
characterise, correlate, diagram, illustrate, infer, limit,
outline, point out, prioritise, relate, separate, subdivide.
Synthesis Write, plan, integrate, formulate, propose, specify,
produce, organize, theorize, design, build, systematize,
combine, summarize, restate, argue, hypothesise,
predict, create, invent, produce, modify, extend, design,
formulate, develop, build, compile, discuss, derive, relate,
generalize, conclude, combine, précis, discuss,
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‘To create new ideas or things, integrate, conclude, adapt, categorise, compose,
combining information to form a unique construct, create, design, generate, incorporate,
product, requiring of creativity and integrate, modify, organise, perform, propose, reinforce,
originality’ reorganise, rewrite, structure
Evaluation Evaluate, interpret, decide, solve, rate, appraise, verify,
‘To make judgements about knowledge, assess, test, judge, rank, measure, appraise, select,
to make decisions and supporting views, check, evaluate, determine, support, defend, weigh,
requires understanding of values. ’ judge, justify, attach, criticise, weigh up, argue, choose,
compare and contrast, conclude, critique, defend,
predict, prioritize, prove, reframe,
Blooms Taxonomy with actual teaching and learning ideas and strategies:
http://graemeeyre.info/?p=342
Writing Learning Objectives correctly – checklist!:
Does the learning objective reflect a step in achieving an overall lesson aim?
Do your lesson activities ensure that students will achieve their objective and your
overall aim?
Is the learning objective measurable?
Is the learning objective student-centred?
Have you used effective, action verb that targets the desired level of performance?
Differentiating your learning objectives:
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By the end of this Geography lesson:-
Must be able to describe the
information shown on a climate We will
graph. achieve this by
Should be able to draw a studying,
climate graph quite accurately drawing and
interpreting a
Could be able to draw a climate climate graph
graph accurately and interpret for the TRF!
the information it shows.
Your PLTS obj ective is to be an eff ective participator!
Your SEAL obj ective is to use a range of strategies to solve problems when
completing a tough task!
Remember today’s skills can be transf erred to all of your subj ects, can you think of a situation they would have helped?
