FORMULATING GOALS AND

OBJECTIVES
Outline

• Defintions of goals and objectives

• Relationship between goals and objectives

• Ways to formulate goals and objectives

• Examples of goals and objectives

 Detailed Outline
• I. What are goals and objectives and what are their relationship?
▫ Goals
▫ Objectives
• II. Formulating goals
▫ Knowledge – Awareness – Skills – Attitude
▫ Proficiency – Cognitive – Affective – Transfer (Stern, 1992)
▫ Language – Strategic – Socio-affective - Philosophical – Method
(process) (Genesee & Upshur, 1996).
• III. Formulating objectives
▫ Subject – Performance – Conditions – Measure – Criterion
(Brown, 1995)
▫ Coverage – Activity – Involvement – Mastery – Generic thinking
(Saphier & Gower, 1987)
• IV. Examples
Food for thought
• Goals vs. objectives: differences?
• Goals – hindrance or guidelines?
• General vs. Specific
• Cause vs effect
• Future-oriented
• Hierarchical
I. What are goals and objectives
and What is their relationship?
 I. What are goals and objectives and
What is their relationship?
A- GOALS:
1- Goals are a way of putting into words the main purposes and
intended outcomes of your course.
2- Goals are general statements, but they are not vague. For
example:
- “Students will improve their writing” is vague.
- Compare the above with “By the end of the course students
will have become more aware of their writing in general and be
able to identify specific areas in which improvement is needed”
I. What are goals and objectives and
what is their relationship? (cont.)
3- A goal states an aim that the course will explicitly
address in some way.
For example: if one of the goals of a course is to help
students develop learning strategies, then the class time
will be explicitly devoted to that goal.
4- Goals should be realistically achieved within the
constraints and resources of your course.
I. What are goals and objectives and
what is their relationship? (cont.)
5- Goals are future-oriented.
Goals are “what the students should be able to do when they
leave the program” J.D Brown (1995)
For example: “By the end of the course students will have
developed the ability to write letters for a variety of purposes”
I. What are goals and objectives and
what is their relationship? (cont.)
6- Goals are the benchmark of success for a course.
Analogy:
• Our course = a journey
• The goals = ??? Destination
• The objectives = ??? Different points we pass on the way

The course is successful and effective if the objectives and goals

are reached.
I. What are goals and objectives and
what is their relationship? (cont.)
B- OBJECTIVES

1- Objectives are statements about how the goals will be

achieved.
Through objectives, a goal is broken down into
learnable and teachable units. Course designer should
ask himself “ Will achieving this objective help to reach
the goal?”
OBJECTIVES (cont.)
• 2- Objectives are in hierarchy relationship to goals.
• Which one is more general?
• Which one is more specific?
• 3- The relationship between goals and objectives is that
of CAUSE and EFFECT.
• Which one is the CAUSE?
• Which one is the EFFECT?
The relationship
• If the goal remains important but not achieved
through the means of objectives
 the objectives: examined / changed / refined.
II. FORMULATING GOALS
II. FORMULATING GOALS
• Step 1: List all the possible goals you could have for
your particular course, based on your conceptualization
of content, your beliefs, and your assessment of
students’ needs.
• Step 2: Look for redundancies/overlapping, and
identify priorities based on your beliefs and your context.
• Step 3: Organize your list of goals into a coherent
plan using the following suggestions:
FORMULATING GOALS (cont.)
• Suggestion 1: Use the framework of KASA
(Knowledge, Awareness, Skills, Attitude)
- Knowledge goals address what students will know and
understand.
- Awareness goals address what students need to be aware of
when learning a language.
- Skills goals address what students can do with the language.
- Attitude goals are those that address the affective and value-
based dimensions of learning: students’ feeling towards
themselves, towards others, the target language and culture.
 FORMULATING GOALS (cont.)
• Suggestion 2: use Stern’s framework (1992)
(Cognitive goals, Proficiency goals, Affective goals, Transfer goals)
Matching: A. include learning how to transfer what one
learns/does in classroom to situations outside
classroom to continue learning.
B. include explicit knowledge, information and
1. Cognitive goals conceptual learning about language (e.g.,
grammar and other system aspects of
2. Proficiency goals
communication) and about culture (e.g., rules of
3. Affective goals conduct, norms, values)
4. Transfer goals C. include achieving positive attitudes towards the
target language and culture as well as to one’s
own learning of them.
D. include what students will be able to do with the
language (e.g., mastery of skills, ability to carry
out functions.
FORMULATING GOALS (cont.)
• Suggestion 2: use Stern’s framework (1992)
(Cognitive goals, Proficiency goals, Affective goals, Transfer goals)
Match A with B:
- 1.B - Cognitive goals: include explicit knowledge, information and
conceptual learning about language (e.g., grammar and other system aspects
of communication) and about culture (e.g., rules of conduct, norms, values)
- 2.D Proficiency goals: include what students will be able to do with the
language (e.g., mastery of skills, ability to carry out functions)
- 3. C Affective goals: include achieving positive attitudes towards the
target language and culture as well as to one’s own learning of them.
- 4. A Transfer goals: include learning how to transfer what one
learns/does in classroom to situations outside classroom to continue
learning.
Task: Identify the following objectives as Cognitive,
Proficiency, Affective or Transfer:
1. Students will develop effective writing skills transferable to any
context.
2.Students will gain awareness of the influence of socio-cultural issues
on their writing.
3.Students will develop confidence in their ability to write in English.
4. Students will develop an appreciation for the contribution of their
knowledge and experience (and that of their peers) makes to the
learning process.
5. Students will gain an understanding of how they can continue to
improve their writing skills.
 FORMULATING GOALS (cont.)
• Suggestion 3: use framework by Genesee and Upshur
(1996)
- Language goals: language skills learners are expected to acquire
in the classroom.
- Strategic goals: strategies learners use to learn the language.
- Socio-affective goals: changes in values, attitudes or social
behaviors that result from classroom instruction.
- Philosophical goals: changes in values, attitudes and beliefs of a
more general nature.
- Method or process goals: the activities learners will engage in.
SOME EXAMPLES OF GOALS
Task: Classify the following goals as Cognitive,
Communicative, Affective, or Learning.
1.To encourage learners to develop confidence in using the
target language. Affective
2.To develop skills in monitoring performance in spoken
language. Learning
3.To establish and maintain relationships through exchanging
information, ideas, opinions, feelings, experiences and plans.
Communicative
4.To develop the ability to study, in English, at university.

Cognitive
Some guidelines to consider when
formulating goals
1. Goals should be general, but not vague
2. Goals should be transparent. Don’t use jargon.
3. Goals should be reached.
4. Goals should be realistic and achievable.
5. Goals should be relatively simple. Unpack them and make
them into more than one goal if necessary.
6. Goals should be something the course will explicitly address
in some way. In other words you will spend class time to
achieve that goal.
III. FORMULATING OBJECTIVES
FORMULATING OBJECTIVES
A- The classical model to formulate objectives
by Mager (1962):
performance – condition – criterion
- Performance: describes what the learners will be
able to do.
- Condition: describes the circumstances in which the
learner are able to do something.
- Criterion: the degree to which they are able to do
something
 FORMULATING OBJECTIVES (cont.)
B- Brown’s model (1995): 5 components
- Subject: who will achieve the objective
- Performance: what the subject will be able to do
- Conditions: the way in which the subject will be able to perform
- Measure: the way the performance will be observed or
measured
- Criterion: how well the subject will be able to perform
 FORMULATING OBJECTIVES (cont.)
• Task read the objective below and identify the subject,
performance, conditions, measure, and criterion.

“All students at the Guangzhou English Language Centre

will be able to write all missing elements on the
appropriate lines in a graph, chart or diagram from
information provided in a 600-word 11th grade reading
level general science passage”

- Subject:
- Performance:
- Conditions:
- Measure:
- Criterion:
 FORMULATING OBJECTIVES (cont.)
• Task read the objective below and identify the subject,
performance, conditions, measure, and criterion.

“All students at the Guangzhou English Language Centre

will be able to write all missing elements on the
appropriate lines in a graph, chart or diagram from
information provided in a 600-word 11th grade reading
level general science passage”

- Subject: students at GELC

- Performance: write missing elements ….. passage.
- Conditions: on the appropriate lines … passage.
- Measure: to write the correct words (observable part)
- Criterion: the criterion is 100% students and all the
missing elements
FORMULATING OBJECTIVES (cont.)
C- Saphier and Gower’s (1987) cumulative
framework for objectives:
- Coverage: the material that will be covered in the lesson
- Activity: what students will do in a unit, lesson
- Involvement: how students will become involved in what
they do in the unit, lesson
- Mastery: what the student will be able to do as a result of
the unit, lesson
- Generic thinking: how the students will be able to problem
solve and critique in the unit, lesson.
 Task: Classify the following objectives into the five
components of Spahier and Gower’s framework (1987):
Coverage
Activity
Involvement
Mastery
Generic thinking

GOAL: Students will develop effective writing skills

transferable to any context.
Coverage - Activity – Involvement – Mastery – Generic thinking
1. Students will develop criteria for a well-written paragraph,
essay, and short research paper. Involvement
2. Students will use assessment forms to evaluate their own
and their peers’ writing. Activity
3. Students will be able to determine and articulate
characteristics of a well-written paragraph, essay, and
short research paper Generic / Critical thinking
4. Students will work with peers to generate ideas, get
feedback, and to write a research paper. Involvement
5. Students will be able to use the process writing model. Mastery
6. Students will use a five-step process writing model to write
3 paragraphs: descriptive, personal narrative (memory),
and expository; Activity
7. Students will be able to assess writing (their own and
others’) based on criteria for good writing Mastery
IV. EXAMPLES
 Goals and Performance Objectives –
Example 1
General standard 1: Students will be able to use English for
communication.
General standard 2: Students will develop cross-cultural skills and
understanding.
Goal 1: Students will be able to utilize the skills of listening and
speaking for the purposes of: socializing, providing and obtaining
information, expressing personal feelings and opinions, persuading
others to adopt a course of action, in the targeted topics by:
Objectives: Students will be able to:
1. Comprehend messages and short conversations when listening to
peers, familiar adults, and providers of public services in face-to-
face interactions.
 Goals and Performance Objectives –
Example 1
2. Understand the main ideas of some discrete information in
television and radio or live presentation.
3. Initiate and sustain conversation, face-to-face, with native
speakers or fluent individuals.
4. Select vocabulary appropriate to a range of topics, employing
simple and complex sentences in present, past and future time
frames.
5. Exhibit spontaneity in their interactions, particularly when the
topic is familiar, but often relying on familiar utterances.
Goals and Performance objectives –
Example 2
• By the end of the training period the trainees should be able to
undertake the following to a level acceptable to the Diplomatic
Service:
1- Deal with enquiries and requests by supplying pertinent and accurate
information in a succinct and acceptable letter form.
2- Initiate correspondence by requesting and conveying information
concerning routine letters.
3- Deal with written requests, arrangements and coordination of diplomatic
activity using acceptable letter forms. Respond accurately to specific
requests.
4- Organize, through correspondence, arrangements and schedules for
visitors including initial contacts, suggested venue and schedules, selection
of guests and confirmation.
Goals and Performance objectives –
Example 3
• Students (Indonesians studying engineering in
the UK) should be able to:
1- follow formal lectures in a range of native
speaker accents
2- relate spoken information in a lecture to
accompanying notes.
3- understand the explanation of practical tasks in
a range of native speaker accents.
4- ask for clarification, explanation, advice and
assistance, and understand the response.
5- understand the requirements of test questions
and assignments
6- write answers to test questions under a time
limit.
7- plan, write and edit formal reports on practical
assignments.
8- locate and understand specific information in a
written text.
9- communicate adequately in everyday situations
for social survival.
Enabling skills expressed as objectives
– Example 1
After completing a reading course, the students will be able to:
1- use skimming when appropriate to ensure that they read only
what is relevant and to help subsequent comprehension.
2- Make use of non-text information (especially diagrams etc.)
to supplement the text and increasing understanding.
3- read in different ways according to their purpose and the type
of text.
4- not worry if they do not understand every word, except when
complete accuracy is important.
5- recognize that a good writer chooses his words carefully and
would have meant something different if he had chosen A
rather than B.
6- make use of the reference system, discourse makers… to help
them understand the meaning of difficult passages
WRAP-UP GAME
Some guidelines to consider when
formulating objectives
specific than goals and should
1- Objectives are more _________
directly related
___________to goals.
cause-effect
2- Objectives and goals should be in a ______________
relationship.
WRAP-UP GAME

short-term Goals are

3- Objectives are relatively _________.
relatively long-term.
4- Objectives should focus on what students will learn, not
activity
simply on the__________.
more objectives than goals.
5- There should be _______
However, one objective may relate to more than one goal
 one objective Limit
• 6- Don’t try to pack too much on __________.
each objective to a specific skill or language area.
a sense
• 7- The goals and the objectives give _______of the
syllabus of the course. Objectives are like the building
blocks of the syllabus.
• 8- A clear set of goals and objectives provides the
basis for evaluation of the course (goals) and
________
assessment of students’ learning (objectives)