WEEK 2: My Reflections on the ABCD model

It was interesting to read about the Pennsylvania State University's ABCD model (Audience-Behavior-Condition-Degree) to state learning objectives. Writing effective learning objectives for a lesson may not be easy. They may be either too broad or too brief. They may focus on the behavioral aspect, but overlook how that behavior will be evaluated. They may be aligned with a textbook or syllabus, but fail to meet the needs of a specific group of students.

Thus, the ABCD model can be a useful alternative tool to write learning objectives for teachers in general and for novice ones in particular. Although it may look simple or schematic at a first glance, it comprises specific and essential aspects that need to be taken into account when planning and teaching a class such as the students’ age, background knowledge and learning styles (Audience), what they are expected to do in the target language in that particular task or class (Behavior), what the learning context will be (group dynamics, methodology, materials, resources, etc, (Context) and the criteria for assessing and grading students’ performance (Degree).

In addition, I believe teachers should not only state the learning objectives in their lesson plan, but they should also make them explicit to students. Doing this makes the lesson purposeful for them, helps students become more aware of their learning process, and fosters students’ autonomy and self-assessment as well. Although seeing the need to share the lesson objectives with students may sound obvious, from my experience observing classes, it does not happen as often as it should.

Margarita