Study Strategies: SMART Goals

SMART goals can help you structure your learning and see your progress.

Understanding SMART Goals:

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. SMART goals can help provide a framework for setting clear, achievable objectives to help you reach your goals.

Specific: Your goals should be clear. Instead of setting a vague goal like “improve my English,” aim for something specific like “increase my vocabulary by learning 50 new words for to business English.”
Measurable: How you will measure your progress? You could decide on a number of new words to learn, a number of hours you will spend practicing, or a score you want to achieve on an English proficiency test.
Achievable: Your goals should be realistic within a reasonable time frame. Consider your current level of English proficiency, available resources, and time commitment when setting your goals. Aim for challenges that stretch your abilities without overwhelming you.
Relevant: Your goals should be relevant to your learning objectives and your personal interests and needs. Choose goals that are meaningful to you and the reasons you are studying.
Time-Bound: Your goals should have a deadline. Break down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks with deadlines to keep you on track.

Example of a SMART Goal for English Language Learning:

Specific: Improve my English writing skills by practicing writing one short essay (250-300 words) on interesting topic each week.
Measurable: Track my progress by assessing the quality of my writing, use of vocabulary, and grammar in each essay.
Achievable: Make time each week to brainstorm ideas, plan, revise, and edit my essays to ensure improvement.
Relevant: Improving my writing skills will support my academic and professional goals and help me communicate effectively in English.
Time-Bound: Complete and submit one essay every Sunday evening for the next 10 weeks, starting from [start date]. Make sure I proofread each essay before I finish.