Outcomes are what learners should be able to do or have done at the end of the class or course.

Indian student smiling

Outcomes are similar to aims but are more focussed on end results and often describe what actually happened rather than what the teacher intends to happen.

Example
Learners are doing a video project on local tourist sites. Learning outcomes for this work include better speaking skills, increased vocabulary, and more learning skills.

In the classroom
The outcomes question 'What do I really want my learners to be able to do when we finish this?' is a very useful prompt for planning.

See also:
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/aims

Further links:
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/debbie-candy-deepali-dharmaraj-cpd-framework-materials-development
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/syllabus-writing

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

See our publications, research and insight