This document discusses adapting program and student learning outcomes to lesson plans. It begins by outlining the agenda and distinguishing between program learning outcomes (PLOs), student learning outcomes at the syllabus level (SLOs), and student learning outcomes at the lesson level. It describes how to narrow syllabus-level SLOs down to more specific lesson-level SLOs. Finally, it addresses how to link assessments and activities to lesson-level SLOs and some challenges in assessing student learning at the lesson level.

1. Copyright protected. Request permission to distribute.
Adapting Program
and Students’
Learning Outcomes
(PLO/SLO) to Lesson
Plans
Dr. Kate Mastruserio Reynolds
Qatar University,
Foundation Program,
English Language Forum,
January 21, 2014

2. Agenda
 At the conclusion of this session, participants
will be able to
 Distinguish between PLOs, SLOs (syllabus and
lesson level) and Course Goals
 Recognize and create learning-focused SLOs
 Narrow their syllabus-level SLOs to lesson-level
SLOs
 Link exercises, activities, tasks, products and/or
assessments to their lesson-level SLOs

3. PLOs
 Program Learning
Outcomes (PLOs)=
 Definition: what the
learners should be able to
do upon completion of a
program.
 Purpose: A benchmark for
the program to measure its
successes or failures.
 Format: Broadly descriptive
of all learning in all courses
in a program.
 Aligned to TESOL, CEFR
or ACTFL Standards
Program Learning
Outcomes
Student
Learning
Outcomes at
the syllabus-
level
Student
Learning
Outcomes
at the
lesson-level

4. Objectives
Standards
textbook objectives
instruction
Objectives and Assessment
4
assessment
end goals/
learner
outcomes
Information added to build skills. Not found in text.
backward design
analyze enabling objectives

5. SLOs & Course Goals
 Student Learning Outcomes
(SLOs)=
 Definition: what the learners should
be able to do upon completion of a
course.
 Course goals differ from SLOs in
that they emphasize content, skill
development, products and
processes. They describe what will
happen during the course.
 Purpose of SLOs: A benchmark for
the teachers/learners to measure
the learning accomplishments in
the course.
 Format: Narrowed descriptions of
learning on specific language skills
in single course.
 Aligned to TESOL, CEFR or ACTFL
Standards
Program Learning
Outcomes
Student
Learning
Outcomes at
the syllabus-
level
Student
Learning
Outcomes
at the
lesson-level

6. Challenges of a Shared Syllabus
 All instructors must accomplish the
same syllabus-level learning
outcomes.
 Consistency between courses, so that
all learners receive similar information
is vital when programs offer numerous
sections of a given course.
 Controlling teachers and dictating
lesson-level learning outcomes
hampers the educator and the
learning.
 Freeing educators to make decisions
relevant to their population and their
needs is essential; Lesson-level
learning outcomes adapted from the
syllabus-level SLOs is how to balance
this.

7. SLOs and Lesson Objectives
 SLOs are called the
same thing at the
syllabus and lesson
levels.
 The lesson-level
SLOs, we could call
Lesson SLOs, are:
 Narrowed to what the
learners will learn and
be able to do after
one class meeting.
Program Learning
Outcomes
Student
Learning
Outcomes at
the syllabus-
level
Student
Learning
Outcomes
at the
lesson-level

8. Narrowing Syllabus-Level SLOs to Lesson-
Level SLOs
 Due to the nature of language learning, SLOs
at the syllabus-level still need narrowing.
2. Express
ideas and
facts
effectively
in writing
2.1 Produce well -edited texts appropriate to level (in length
and genre)
2.2 Demonstrate competence in writing process appropriate to
level
2.3 Write appropriately for genre, purpose and audience
2.4 Use organizational tools appropriate to text and level (such
as paragraphing, thesis statements, topic sentences,
supporting sentences, adverbial linking phrases* and
connectors)
ENGL C002 Syllabus

9. Learning Outcome Objectives
 SLOs are not descriptive of what the learner or
teacher will DO; Rather, they emphasize what will
be LEARNED.
 Format:
Students will be able to…
___________ in _______
_______________________________
action verb mode format, topic, and/or degree of
accuracy* [at the conclusion/end of instruction].
*when appropriate

10. Learning Outcome Objectives
 Format:
Students will be able to…
___________ in _______ _______
action verb mode format, topic, and/or degree of
accuracy [at the conclusion/end of instruction].
 EX: Students will be able to
 read the article on Modern Mummies, and list how mummies
occur and where
 describe in writing 3-5 complete sentences how mummies
happen today
 use sequential language (first, then, next..)
 employ simple past tense with 80% accuracy

11. Analysis Task
1. Choose a group
leader, recorder and
time keeper for your
group.
2. Discuss what you
think is included in
this SLO.
3. Make a list for your
group on the paper
provided.
 ENGL C002 Syllabus
 3.2 Initiate, extend
and sustain
conversation in a
variety of academic
contexts

12. Transformation Task
1. With your group,
choose one concept
from our list to develop
into a sequence of
lesson-level SLOs.
2. Please suggest an
optimal time frame to
teach these.
3. Please use the format
suggested and write
your examples on the
flip chart paper.

13. Language
Goal
Duration of the Academic Term
Content topic (e.g., history)
Speaking
Listening
Reading
Writing
Grammar
Vocabulary
Pronunciation
Teach
Interpersonal
presentation
Teach giving opinions.
Commenting on others’ opinions.
Teach presenting in
class.
Teach listening for
main ideas
Teach listening for
details
Teach listening to history readings and
videos for opinions
Teach textbook
reading strategies
Teach the writing process
Teach regular past tense & verbs
common in history readings
Teach history and ELL vocabulary necessary.
Teach multisyllabic word stress for
(3+ syllable words)
Teach reading history text
for mains ideas & details
Teach reading to form an
opinion
Teach writing notes in the
Frayer model
Teach irregular
past tense
Teach identifying past tense
relationships in cause/ effect and
sequencing of events
Teach stem sentences for giving opinions,
cause/effect, & transition words & sequencing
language.

14. How do I know if my students
learned the SLOs during the
lesson?

15. Relationships between Standards, Goals, Objectives…
17
*Post Method Pedagogy.
Kumaravadivelu, 2001.
Assess
ment
Materials
Standards
Goals
ObjectivesLessons
Tasks/
Activities
Reflection

16. How would you measure your
lesson-level SLOs?
 When we are designing the lesson –level SLOs,
we should be considering what data we will
observe or gather from learners as evidence of
their learning.
 What product(s) will we ask them to produce in
tasks?
 What exercises or quizzes will we employ?
 What comprehension checks will we use?
 What closures will we use to ascertain their
comprehension and learning?
 Will we use exit tickets, for example?

17. How would you measure your
lesson-level SLOs?
 Task:
 Taking your group’s lesson-
level SLOs, link them to
either one holistic
assessment or
tasks/activities you will
conduct in class.

18. Assessment Issues with Lesson-
Level SLOs
 Obstacle: Learners
need time to practice
the language. When
should I start
assessing their
learning?
 Solution?

19. Assessment Issues with Lesson-
Level SLOs
 Obstacle: One
cannot assess every
lesson-level SLO in
each lesson.
 Solution?

20. Closure
 What ideas resonated with
you in our session?
 What will you change as a
result of this session?