The document provides guidance on setting SMART goals. It begins with reviewing common goals idioms and having students practice using them. It then explains what SMART goals are and each component: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Examples are given for writing goals that meet each of these criteria. Students participate in activities to identify true/false statements about SMART goals and write their own goal using the SMART framework in point form. The lesson concludes by having students reflect on what they learned and assigning homework to write an English learning goal for the next year.

1. LanguageCircle:
SMARTGoals
basedon GoalsIdioms
1

2. 2
Objectives
• Review and practice Goals Idioms. Use them in a related
activity
• Speak about your own goals
• Read about SMART goals
• Write a SMART Goal using point form to plan
• Reflect on your learning today

3. 3
Review the idioms
in this related lesson
https://livelearn.ca/lessons/language-training/goals-idioms/

4. 4
Review the idioms in this related lesson
“To dig your heels in something” – to refuse to change your
plans or ideas, especially when someone is trying to persuade
you to do so
“To explore all avenues”– to try everything in order to obtain the desired result
“Beyond one’s wildest dreams” – better or more than someone had ever thought
possible
“To kill two birds with one stone” – to achieve two aims at once
“To raise to the occasion” – to make the special effort that is required to
successfully deal with a difficult situation

5. 5
Practice the idioms: Quiz time!
1. She said he always digs his heels in gambling. She meant…
a) he is on the heels of starting to gamble
b) he refuses to change his habit of gambling
c) he has to dig something to fit his heels.

6. 6
Practice the idioms: Quiz time!
1. She said he always digs his heels in gambling. She meant…
a) he is on the heels of starting to gamble
b) he refuses to change his habit of gambling
c) he has to dig something to fit his heels.

7. 7
Practice the idioms: Quiz time!
2. Choose the synonym to the expression “to explore all avenues” from the
expression below:
a) to try everything
b) to explore all adventures

8. 8
Practice the idioms: Quiz time!
2. Choose the synonym to the expression “to explore all avenues” from the
expression below:
a) to try everything
b) to explore all adventures

9. 9
Practice the idioms: Quiz time!
3. If the results are beyond your wildest dreams it means
a) you are still dreaming about the results
b) they are better than you thought possible
c) they are far behind expectations.

10. 10
Practice the idioms: Quiz time!
3. If the results are beyond your wildest dreams it means
a) you are still dreaming about the results
b) they are better than you thought possible
c) they are far behind expectations.

11. 11
Practice the idioms: Quiz time!
4. When you try to kill two birds with one stone you…
a) try to achieve two aims at once
b) you are a bird killer
c) are trying to get two birds to sit on one stone

12. 12
Practice the idioms: Quiz time!
4. When you try to kill two birds with one stone you…
a) try to achieve two aims at once
b) you are a bird killer
c) are trying to get two birds to sit on one stone

13. 13
Practice the idioms: Quiz time!
5. When his teacher told him “he rose to the occasion”, what did she mean?
Answer: ________________________________

14. 14
Practice the idioms: Quiz time!
5. When his teacher told him “he rose to the occasion”, what did she mean?
Answer: That he made the special effort to deal with a difficult situation

15. 15
Agenda
1. Speaking
2. Reading
3. Writing
4. Reflect on learning

16. 16
Speaking

17. 17
Speaking activity
What are goals?
Can you share a personal goal that you set for
yourself at the beginning of 2022 and that you have
achieved by the end of the year?

18. 18
Reading

19. 19
SMART Goals
Goal setting is a helpful way to build the career you want.
By setting objectives and creating a clear roadmap for how you’ll reach
your intended target, you can decide how to apply your time and
resources to make the most progress.
Without goals, it can be difficult to determine how to work toward a
certain job, promotion or another milestone.
Adapted from: https://www.indeed.com/career-
advice/career-development/smart-goals

20. 20
SMART Goals
When creating any goal, a common acronym to use as a framework
is SMART, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant
and Time-bound.

21. 21
S – Specific
When setting a goal, be specific about what you want to accomplish.
The more narrow your goal, the more you’ll understand the steps
necessary to achieve it.
Example: “I want to earn a position managing a development team for
a start-up tech company.”

22. 22
M – Measurable
How will you determine if you meet the goal? How will you measure
success?
For example, if your goal is to earn a position managing a development
team for a start-up tech company, you might measure progress by the
number of management positions you’ve applied for or interviews
you’ve completed.
Setting milestones along the way will give you an opportunity to re-
evaluate and course-correct as needed. When you achieve your
milestones, remember to reward yourself in small but meaningful.
Example: “I will apply to three open positions for the manager of
a development team at a tech start-up.”

23. 23
A – Achievable
Setting goals you can reasonably accomplish within a certain
timeframe will help keep you motivated and focused.
Think about how to accomplish the goal and if you have the
tools/skills needed. If you don’t currently possess those tools/skills,
consider what it would take to attain them.
Using the above example of earning a job managing a development
team, you should know the credentials, experience and skills necessary
to earn that position.
Example: “I will update my resume with relevant
qualifications, so I can apply to three open positions for
the manager of a development team at a tech start-up.”

24. 24
R – Relevant
When setting goals for yourself, consider whether they are relevant.
Each of your goals should align with your values and larger, long-term
goals.
If a goal doesn’t contribute toward your broader objectives, you might
rethink it. Ask yourself why the goal is important to you, how achieving
achieving it will help you and how it will contribute toward your long-
term goals.
Example: “To achieve my goal of being in leadership, I will update my
resume with relevant qualifications so I can apply to three open
positions for the manager of a development team at a tech start-up.”

25. 25
T – Time-Bound
What is your goal time frame? An end-date can help provide motivation
and help you prioritize.
For example, if your goal is to earn a promotion to a more senior
position, you might give yourself six months. If you haven’t achieved
your goal by then, take time to consider why.
Your timeframe might have been unrealistic, you might have run
into unexpected roadblocks or your goal might have been unachievable.
Example: “To achieve my goal of being in leadership, I will
update my resume with relevant qualifications so I can
apply to three open positions for the manager of a
development team at a tech start-up this week.”

26. 26
True and False Activity
Answer the following questions:
1. Making my goal “Specific” helps me plan how I will achieve it.
2. The M in SMART means “Methodical”.
3. Achievable does not mean realistic.
4. If a goal is aligned with your long-term objectives it means it is
relevant.
5. An end-date can help provide motivation.

27. 27
True and False Activity
Answer the following questions:
1. Making my goal “Specific” helps me plan how I will achieve it. True
2. The M in SMART means “Methodical”.
3. Achievable does not mean realistic.
4. If a goal is aligned with your long-term objectives it means it is
relevant.
5. An end-date can help provide motivation.

28. 28
True and False Activity
Answer the following questions:
1. Making my goal “Specific” helps me plan how I will achieve it. True
2. The M in SMART means “Methodical”. False
3. Achievable does not mean realistic.
4. If a goal is aligned with your long-term objectives it means it is
relevant.
5. An end-date can help provide motivation.

29. 29
True and False Activity
Answer the following questions:
1. Making my goal “Specific” helps me plan how I will achieve it. True
2. The M in SMART means “Methodical”. False
3. Achievable does not mean realistic. False
4. If a goal is aligned with your long-term objectives it means it is
relevant.
5. An end-date can help provide motivation.

30. 30
True and False Activity
Answer the following questions:
1. Making my goal “Specific” helps me plan how I will achieve it. True
2. The M in SMART means “Methodical”. False
3. Achievable does not mean realistic. False
4. If a goal is aligned with your long-term objectives it means it is
relevant. True
5. An end-date can help provide motivation.

31. 31
True and False Activity
Answer the following questions:
1. Making my goal “Specific” helps me plan how I will achieve it. True
2. The M in SMART means “Methodical”. False
3. Achievable does not mean realistic. False
4. If a goal is aligned with your long-term objectives it means it is
relevant. True
5. An end-date can help provide motivation. True

32. 32
Writing

33. 33
Writing in point form (a.k.a. in bullet points)
How do you write point form?
• Think of a bullet point as a mini headline.
• Highlight elements key to understanding the content of your article.
• Keep it simple.
• Keep bullets thematically related.
• Make your bullet points symmetrical . . . just like the ones here.
• Work in keywords.
• Don’t overdo it.

34. 34
Let’s Write a SMART Goal
Write your thoughts in point form in the chat.
INITIAL
Write the goal you have in mind
GOAL
Choose a generic goal as a class
(example: Know how to drive a car / Obtaining a full driving
license)

35. 35
Let’s Write a SMART Goal
Write your thoughts in point form in the chat.
S
What do you want to accomplish? Who needs to be
When do you want to do this? Why is this a goal?
SPECIFIC

36. 36
Let’s Write a SMART Goal
Write your thoughts in point form in the chat.
M
How can you measure progress and know if you’ve
successfully met your goal?
MEASURAB
E

37. 37
Let’s Write a SMART Goal
Write your thoughts in point form in the chat.
A
Do you have the skills required to achieve the goal?
not, can you obtain them? What is the motivation for
goal? Is the amount of effort required on par with
the goal will achieve?
ACHIEVABLE

38. 38
Let’s Write a SMART Goal
Write your thoughts in point form in the chat.
R
Why am I setting this goal now? Is it aligned with overall
objectives?
RELEVAN
T

39. 39
Let’s Write a SMART Goal
Write your thoughts in point form in the chat.
T
What’s the deadline and is it realistic?
TIME-
BOUND

40. 40
Let’s Write a SMART Goal
Write your thoughts in the chat.
SMART
Review what you have written, and craft a new goal
statement based on what the answers to the questions
above have revealed
GOAL

41. 41
Reflect
on
learning

42. 42
What did you learn today?
• Review and practice Goals Idioms. Use them in a
related activity
• Speak about your own goals
• Read about SMART goals
• Write a SMART Goal using point form to plan
• Reflect on your learning today

43. 43
Homework
Read the article on our website about setting English learning
SMART goals and create one English Learning goal for yourself
to achieve in one year.
Setting English learning goals the SMART way – Live & Learn
(livelearn.ca)

44. Thankyou!
Questions?
Created by : Ruxandra Nicolescu – English Online
44
https://pixabay.com/photos/cup-of-coffee-laptop-office-macbook-1280537/ shared under CC0