Whether the term used is learning intentions, lesson outcomes, or objectives, their idea is to communicate to students what they are (or are not) learning about. This can help learners to understand the context of the lesson within the curriculum; it can also help to link prior knowledge with new content and information. So does it matter which terminology is used?
At Evidence Based Education, we strongly believe in the importance of a shared language (and understanding of that language) amongst staff and the wider school community. Therefore the argument for a shared language across departments, key stages, a whole school, or even across a multi-academy trust helps to promote consistency and clarity.
However, in this instance, there are arguments to suggest using learning intentions instead of other terms which set the focus on a lesson.
Siobhan Leahy and Dylan Wiliam (2015) have advocated learning intentions as a general term to describe any of a teacher’s intentions about what learners should learn—this can include objectives, goals, aims, and so on. There is a clear distinction between learning and lessons. Learning happens over time, and does not simply occur in one lesson. Although teachers will regularly plan and prepare for specific lessons, learning intentions are woven throughout the entire curriculum design and development process.
Every teacher knows that learning and lesson plans don’t always stick to a specific time frame. Some students may grasp a concept quickly, but another class may require further support and therefore more time. A range of factors contribute to the decision a teacher makes about when to move on.
Teacher and author Matt Pinkett has written about his frustration with lesson objectives. Pinkett writes, “The idea that learning can be reduced to a single lesson target perpetuates the myth that learning is something that can be visible within the arbitrary units of times we call lessons”.
A learning intention may span over one or more lessons. There is an element of flexibility with learning intentions and context is key. The focus in terms of planning and delivery should move away from individual lessons to instead thinking about long-term learning and responsive teaching.
To summarise the key reasons to use learning intentions over other well-known and used terms:
- Focus should be on the learning, not the lesson.
- Learning happens over time, not a single lesson.
- Responsive teaching requires flexibility; the teacher should be guided by their professional judgment, not the timings of a lesson when making a decision to move on.
- Learning intentions focus on what the students need to know and what they will be learning about, in contrast to what they will be doing in the lesson (e.g., the tasks and activities).
A purpose of The Great Teaching Toolkit is to support school communities with a shared knowledge, understanding, and language of evidence-based approaches that support and enhance teaching and learning. It can be a useful resource for colleagues to get better together and promote a shared language of teaching and learning. Whether through building a deep and fluent understanding of the curriculum, or structuring learning intentions to support learning, the Great Teaching Toolkit is a tool to help teachers develop their expertise.
Join over 14,000 teachers using the Great Teaching Toolkit to enhance their practice and promote a shared language of teaching and learning. Create your free starter account here.
References:
Pinkett, M. (2017). Learning Objectives: A waste of time. All Ears.
Wiliam, D & Leahy, S. (2015). Embedding Formative Assessment: Practical Techniques for K-12 Classrooms. https://allearssite.wordpress.com/2017/04/18/learning-objectives-a-waste-of-time/
