building academic language for all learners, including english language learners edc 448 – dr....
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Building Academic Language for ALL Learners, Including English Language LearnersEDC 448 – Dr. Coiro
Objectives Actively engage with new vocabulary and
strategies for analyzing relationships between words
Describe the challenges of academic vocabulary
Identify key concepts (BRICKS) and connector words (MORTAR) associated with your learning/reading objectives (AKA Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 words)
Use a concept/definition map to more deeply represent the nuanced meanings on a key concept in your discipline (homework)
Consider the issues during Thursday’s seminar
Analogies
Analogy Activity
Work in groups of three.
Travel the room to locate index cards; work together to decide where each word fits on your analogy worksheet
Return to seats to decide on the relationship between each set of three analogies
What is Academic Language?
Academic language proficiency: the abilities to construct meaning from oral and written language, related complex ideas and information, recognize features of different genres, and use various linguistic strategies to communicate
Academic language: a set of words, grammar, and organizational strategies used to describe complex ideas, higher-order thinking processes, and abstract concepts
“Brilliant students have been marginalized and unrecognized because of their diverse languages, learning styles, and ways of thinking” (p. 17).
Jeff Zwiers (2008). Building Academic Language.
Why do we needAcademic Language?
1. To Describe Complex Ideas and Relationships Example: human body systems, chemical reactions, geological forces; good and
bad historical figures; complex word problems People struggle to use tools of language to make ideas clear and accessible
2. To Describe Higher-Order Thinking Example: metacognitive reading/thinking strategies – describe, classify,
interpret, justify, compare, sequence, analyze, apply [in science, history, math, lang. arts]
How to bridge language from “outside” school walls to classroom language
3. To Describe Abstraction “On the other hand, the two scientists had differing views on the topic of
evolution.” (language cues are not automatic for everyone) Create situations and tasks that train students to notice this language, and
engage in thinking that reflects these abstractions (e.g., use graphic organizers - the long-term effects of war; evidence that supports opposing positions; similarities between two cultures, interpretations of characters words/actions)
So what’s the big deal about ELLs in the United States? In the last 15 years, ELL populations have grown
between 200% - 500% in states outside the top five states (CA, TX, FL, NY, IL)
96% of English-Language Learners (ELL’s) scored BELOW BASIC on NAEP Reading Exam (2005)
31% of ELL’s drop out of high school (compared to 10% native English speakers)
Content area teachers MUST address their needs!
Teachers must be able to: Teach the meanings of words with multiple definitions and
idiomatic expressions (Tier 2 words)
Create high-level text-dependent questions (we’ll cover next)
Explicitly teach academic language necessary to comprehend complex texts and draw on these to speak & write
Provide with linguistic structures to use evidence, cite sources, and create argumentative speech and writing
Create and use scaffolding and supports so all students can take part in meaningful conversations and writing using complex text
CCSS Initiatives for English Language Learners (2013) – see wikispace for whole document
Extra Resources in Your Handout
Key Elements of Effective Reading Instruction: Explanation and specific focus on English Language Learners
Key Elements of Effective Writing Instruction: Explanation and specific focus on English Language Learners
Aligning Phases of 2nd Language Development (Starting Up > Beginning > Developing > Expanding > Bridging) to Bloom’s Taxonomy
SAVE this! Are these happening in your practicum? What suggestions might you offer your cooperating teachers if they are not? Bring thoughts to Seminar
Explicitly Teaching Academic
Language:
Bricks and Mortar
Bricks: technical words specific to a discipline (vary from concrete to abstract) = Tier 3 words
Mortar: general-utility words that hold the content-specific technical words together (often abstract as well) = Tier 2 words or “connectors”
Useful for explicitly teaching and linking academic language/text & thinking
Can you think of examples in your discipline?
BRICKS MORTAR
Language Arts: Imagery, alliteration, theme, metaphor, plot
That is, implied, contains, leads us to believe, teaches a message
History: revolution, emancipation, right, oligarchy
Therefore, as a result, consequently, consist of
Math: reciprocal, balance, proof, hypotenuse, obtuse, matrix
If…then, end up with, derive, take care of, thus, suppose
Science: mitosis, gravity, force, sublimation
Hypothesis, variable, infer, results, dependent
Explicitly Teaching Academic
Language:
Bricks and Mortar
Teachers need to model, teach, and assess academic language to help all students understand and use language (“talk the talk”) in your discipline
Building your Essential
Vocabulary Lists:
Not ALL terms are critically
important!
How will you decide which words to
select? How many words will you identify as
“critical” or “essential” for each topic? for your discipline? for your grade level??
Deciding what words to put on your vocabulary listDivide your words into three categories:
Tier 1 (or General words): Commonplace words students typically learn from interacting with others or reading
Tier 2 (or Specialized words): Words that have different meanings depending on the discipline used. These are high-frequency and often used to connect ideas. How many meanings of “run” might you encounter in an
academic day?
Tier 3 (or Technical words): Words that are specific to a content area or discipline. Might occur infrequently but can be barriers to understanding content.
Beck & McKeown; Buehl (p. 175)
Strategically selecting words for formal instruction
1. Representation: essential or root word (yes)
2. Repeatability: used often in text/discipline (yes)
3. Transportability: used in discussions, writing tasks, other subject areas/topics (yes)
4. Contextual Analysis: use context clues? (no)
5. Structural Analysis: use word parts? (no)
6. Cognitive Load: too many words? (no)
Fisher & Fry (2008)
Selected words from George Washington Text
Tier 1?
Tier 2?
Tier 3?
The Six Finalists and Why We Chose Them
• Tier 2: Held/hold; occupied; and possession (conceptually related and would help transfer into knowledge base)
• Tier 3: Colony and continent (essential to early U.S. history – roles of leaders could be learned later in a more specific unit)
So, now what? How to Actively Engage Students in
Building Meaning
(NOT looking up in a dictionary)!
Vocabulary Playlist of 5 Activities (Analogy Activity; Vocab Paint Chips; Challenging Words in Pairs; College Talk)
B) Concept Definition Map
Concept of Definition
According to Schwartz & Raphael (1985), we can help students learn how to figure out word meanings by themselves…with some support and practice 1. Practice looking deeply at the concepts’ characteristics
examples & non-examples, and explaining in own words (this is the information that makes a good definition)
2. Using context clues (when they are helpful)
3. Building background knowledge
Concept/Definition Mapping
Homework
Prepare Backward Design Outline for Your Lesson Plan Meeting (SHOW EXAMPLE)
Complete Concept/Definition Map using a Tier 3 word from a challenging homework assignment in another class
Come prepared to Thursday’s Seminar Reflections About and Reactions To Your Interview
Experience Questions, Thoughts, Connections, and Ideas
from your Practicum Experience
Extra Slides from Previous Years
See next slides for additional ideas.
Challenging Features of Academic Language
Figurative expressions (e.g., it boils down to; read between the lines; that answer doesn’t hold water) builds on knowledge of metaphors/cliches
Multiple meaning words (e.g., register; block; note; run – Tier 2 words) require mental flexibility and experiences in different contexts
Supportive evidence to back up claims (what evidence is good?)
Explicit language for “distant audiences” requires different language than that of oral language around the dinner table (note differences)
Long sentences with complex shades of verb meaning (The people could look for shelter elsewhere … would, can, will, shall, might, may, must, should, ought to..) and if/then qualifiers
Challenging If/Then Qualifiers in Academic Language
Scientific method: If I were to add this to the mixture, what would happen?
Alternative possibilities in History: What would have happened if the Germans had repelled the invasion?
Narrative interpretations: How would you feel if you were in her shoes? If the character had been a woman, would the people have respected her less?
Math problem solving: If we put a zero in the denominator, what would happen? Could we solve this if gravity were not a constant?
Supporting Talk & Writing Using Academic Expressions
Academic Expressions In Your Discipline….(SEE YOUR HANDOUT FOR EXAMPLES)
Language Arts: metaphor; persuasion; cause/effect
Science: Scientific Inquiry; Cause/Effect
History: Interpretation; Perspective Taking; Cause/Effect
Math: expressions, questions, and specialized meanings