THE THREE STAGES OF BACKWARD DESIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

1. Identify
Desired
Results. 2. Determine
Big ideas acceptable 3. Plan learning
and skills
evidence experiences and
culminating
instruction.
assessment
task learning
events
 stage one - identify desired results

Identify desired results. (What will the

students be able to do by the end of the
lesson, module, unit, or course?)
 stage one - identify desired results

In the first stage, The instructor must consider the

learning goals of the lesson, unit, or course.

Wiggins and Mctighe provide a useful process for

establishing curricular priorities.

They suggest that the instructor asl themselves the

following three questions as they progressively focus on
the most valuable content:
 stage one - identify desired results

1. what should the participants hear, read, view,

explore or otherwise encounter?
2. what knowledge and skills should participants
master?
3. what are big ideas and important understandings
participants should retain?
 stage two- determine acceptable evidence

Determine assessment evidence. (How will

the students demonstrate what they have
learned?)
stage two- determine acceptable evidence

The second stage of backward design has

the instructor consider the assessments
and performance tasks students will
complete in order to demonstrate evidence
of understanding and learning.
 stage two- determine acceptable evidence

1. How will i know if students have achieved the

desired results?
2. What will i accept as evidence of student
understanding and proficiency
stage two- determine acceptable evidence

Term papers
Short-answer quizzes
Free-response questions
Homework assignments
Lab project
practice problems
Group projects
 stage three- plan learning experiences
and instruction

Plan learning experiences and instruction, (what

types of activities, materials, and resources will
lead to the desired results?
 stage three- plan learning experiences
and instruction
The final stage of backward design is when
The instructor begins to consider how they
will teach.

This is when instructional strategies and

learning activities should be created.

Consider the following question:

 stage three- plan learning experiences
and instruction
1. What enabling knowledge (facts, concepts, principles) and
skills (processes, procedures, strategies) will students need
in order to perform effectively and achieve desired
results?
2. What activities will equip students with the needed
acknowledge and skills?
3. What will need to be taught and coached, and how should
it best be taught, in light of performance goals?
4. what material and resources are best suited to accomplish
these goals?
 stage three- plan learning experiences
and instruction
Leverage the various instructional strategies listed
below:
Large and/or group discussion
interactive lecturing and think-pair-shares
Flipped classroom
Cooperative learning (including team-based and
project-based learning)
Guided note-taking
Guided inquiry for problem-solving.