We all want our students to build real proficiency. We want them to use language in meaningful ways, not just complete activities. But when we are handed a unit Can-Do Statement like:
"I can compare my daily eating habits to those of the target culture."
it can feel a little big. For teachers and for students.
Not because students cannot get there, but because the path is not always clear. What does this look like day to day? How do we help students build the skills they need, not in one giant leap, but in small, manageable steps?
This month I have been digging into this question with a group of teachers and I wanted to share what we talked about in our first session - how to break down a unit Can-Do into digestible, student-friendly daily targets that layer together to create meaningful progress.
Daily learning targets are more than objectives. When framed as Can-Do Statements, they help students:
Daily Can-Do learning targets also help teachers stay aligned to the unit's end goals so each task becomes purposeful, and progress is intentional, not accidental.
Every unit has one or more culminating performance goals. Think of these as the destination. For example a novice unit Can-Do might be something like:
"I can compare my daily eating habits to those of the target culture."
Before we think about lessons or activities, we pause and ask:
What does success actually look like?
What would a student say or do to show they can do this?
Here are a few examples:
These small example performances help us clarify the elements students need to build.
We looked at how this Can-Do Statement naturally breaks into smaller sub-skills. In our session, we identified four things students would need to know and be able to do to successfully meet this objective.
Each of these become a Daily learning target. Each is a small goal that moves students one step closer to the final destination.
Here is what that looks like in practice.
Daily Can-Do:
"I can describe what I usually eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner using simple words or phrases."
Students focus on their routines first. This is accessible and confidence-building.
Daily Can-Do:
"I can identify key details about eating habits in the target culture from a short text, image, or video."
Students gather cultural knowledge through interpretive input.
Daily Can-Do:
"I can use simple words and phrases like 'in ___ but...' or 'both...' to show a similarity or difference."
Students practice the function of comparing
Day 4. Putting It Together (Mini Performance)
Daily Can-Do:
"I can state one similarity or one difference between my eating habits and those of the target culture."
This is a small, achievable bridge task before the full performance.
Instead of treating the final Can-Do as a big task at the end, daily learning targets:
And most importantly, students feel successful every day, not just at the end.
Here is a simple process you can use anytime:
This turns one big goal into a clear, manageable learning journey.
Download the slide deck here with additional resources and examples.
Together, we can make learning more meaningful, more communicative, and more student-centered. One Daily Can-Do at a time.
Coming soon…Aligning tasks to Can-Do statements.