I've been thinking a lot lately about traditional objectives. These verb-driven expectations often assume an understanding from students, but without an intentional and structured approach, this understanding can be superficial.
Earlier this term, I shared a scaffold for the MYP Projects; I aligned the Projects objectives with one or two specific ATL skills and developed understandings and guiding questions that could be used to move students beyond just doing to a deeper understanding of why they do what they do, particularly in areas such as goal-setting. I started to wonder if this might work elsewhere in the programme and developed another resource which conceptualises the Language & Literature (Year 5) objectives. I have also aligned the objectives and understandings with what I think are the most appropriate ATL skills. You can download the resource here.
So how -- and when -- might you use these understandings? They are not meant to replace the statement of inquiry. However, they can be used to develop more disciplinary expertise. They are generic understandings that can be utilized within any unit, depending on the key objectives that teachers might prioritise. For example, in the context of a unit entitled Villainous Characters (focus text: Macbeth) in my English Language & Literature class (MYP 4), where our key concept is connections and the related concepts are character and intertextuality, we explore Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as archetypal characters and consider how they have been portrayed in different performances. Throughout this exploration, we examine various adaptations and interpretations, looking closely at how different contexts influence the portrayal of these characters and their motivations. We pay particular attention to non-verbal language, a critical element that often enriches the textual analysis and character understanding. Since this is one of the key objectives of the unit, and we explicitly teach how to analyse and use non-verbal language, I might want to weave in this understanding: Non-verbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, and gestures determine how spoken communication is perceived and understood by conveying emotions and intentions that words alone may not fully express. This nuanced understanding can deepen students’ analyses, enabling them to appreciate the complexity of character interactions and the subtlety of performance, ultimately fostering a richer engagement with the text and its themes.