We’re All Language and Content Teachers:

Principles and Practices in Integrating Language and

Content InstructionDr. JoAnn (Jodi) Crandall

University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)

crandall@umbc.edu

Who’s Responsible for English Language Learners (ELLs)?

“I can’t teach science or mathematics or social studies; I’m an English teacher.”

“Send them to me after they’ve learned English; I’m not an English teacher.”

The Dilemma

“Students cannot develop academic knowledge and skills without access to the language in which that knowledge is embedded, discussed, constructed, or evaluated.

Nor can they acquire academic language skills in a context devoid of [academic] content.”

(Crandall 1994:256)

The Answer:Language and Content Teachers:

Collaboration & CooperationContent Teacher’s Rolecontent related to language skillscurriculum & materials for content learningmethods of teaching & assessing content learning

Language Teacher’s Rolelanguage related to academic contentcurriculum & materials for language learningmethods of teaching & assessing L learning

Together: An Integrated, Content-Based Approach

Rationale for Integrated Instruction

Language is acquired most effectively in meaningful contextsContent provides that meaningful baseIntegrated instruction helps bring together linguistic, cognitive, & social development Integrated instruction focuses on needed school genres/discourse

(Adapted from Genesse, F. 1995)

Understanding the ELL

Who?What problems?What strengths?

Understanding the ELL

Language acquisition issuesIssues of prior education and literacyCross-cultural issuesOther issuespoverty, war, family

What Makes Content Areas Difficult for ELLs?

Your experiences?

What Makes Content Areas (Texts and Discussions) Difficult for ELLs?

Complex conceptsUnfamiliar (academic) languageUnfamiliar discourse structureLack of/different background knowledgeUnclear directionsOther

Two Types of Language ProficiencySocial Language (BICS)(Basic, Interpersonal Communicative Skills)

Everyday (primarily oral) communicationInformal, contextualized, interactive, clues outside of language, cognitively easyAcademic Language (CALP)(Cognitive, Academic Language Proficiency)

Restricted (primarily written) communicationformal, decontextualized, little interaction, few cues, cognitively complex(Adapted from J. Cummins, 1981)

Levels of Language Proficiency(and appropriate questions to ask)

Level 1: Pre Productionminimal comprehensionno speechlisten, point, act out, draw.clap, show me

Level 2: Early ProductionLimited comprehensionOne/two word responsesname, list, either-or, yes-no, some Wh-H Qs

Level 3: Speech Emergenceincreased comprehensionspeak in phrases/short sentences with errors tell, describe, role play, Wh-Qs

Level 4: Intermediate Fluency Good comprehensionConverse sociallyBegin to develop academic Lanalyze, support, evaluateWhat do you think?What would happen if….?

What Can We Do to Adapt Instruction for ELLs?

What has worked for you?

Jim Cummins’ Model

Cognitively undemanding1 3

Context- Context-Embedded Reduced

2 4Cognitively demanding

Less-Demanding More Demanding

Developing simple vocabulary

Following demonstrateddirections

RepeatingAnswering simple Qs

Simple reading & writingEngaging in routine

conversationsWriting answers to simple

Qs

Developing academic vocabulary

Participating in academicdiscussions

Writing simple science reports

Understanding academic presentations w/out visuals/demonstrations

Oral presentationsTaking standardized tests

What Can We Do to Adapt Instruction for ELLs?

Three Guidelines

Increase sources of information (context)Decrease complexity (of concept, text or task) Increase interaction

Increase Sources of Information:Reduce Reliance on Academic Text

Use pictures, charts, graphs, mapsUse demonstrations, gesturesInvolve students in discovery & experiential learning Embed in meaningful context: thematic teachingProvide opportunities to learn from othersUse multiple media & opportunities to learn

Decrease Complexity of Concept, Text, or Task

Activate background knowledgeFocus on vocabularyChunk informationProvide graphic organizers, outlinesParaphrase, repeat, summarizeUse comprehension checks & clarification questionsConsciously teach learning strategiesUse variety of texts Use variety of assessmentsAdapt texts

Increase Opportunities for Interaction

Use cooperative activitiesJigsawRound Robin/Round TableNumbered Heads Together

Encourage peer- , cross-age, cross-proficiency tutoringIncrease interactive writing

Journals, response logsTry content literature circlesEncourage project work

Adapting Texts for ELLs

Reduce text (“Less is more!”)Select most important informationUse graphic organizersAssign different sections to studentsSimplify structurePut topic sentences firstReduce complex sentencesMake relationships clearBuild redundancyRepeat key ideas, words, phrases

Adapting Texts for ELLs

Simplify vocabularyAvoid non-essential vocabularyPre-teach, define difficult wordsAvoid synonyms

Provide visual supportUse graphic organizers, outlines

Relate to students’ experiences

Developing Thematic Units to Integrate L & C Instruction

IDENTIFY THEME OR TOPICIDENTIFY APPROPRIATE TEXTS TO USE OR ADAPTIDENTIFY LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES

VocabularyGrammarFunctions

IDENTIFY ACADEMIC CONCEPT OBJECTIVESIDENTIFY CRITICAL THINKING/STUDY SKILLS/STRATEGY OBJECTIVESDEVELOP ACTIVITIESSEQUENCE ACTIVITIES INTO A UNIT

Sample Thematic Unit PlanTopic: Food and NutritionStudent Profile: Beginning or Intermediate/Elementary Grade StudentsLanguage Skills:

Listening: Listen to a story (A Very Hungry Caterpillar) Speaking: Talk about foods (good for you/not so good)Retell storyWrite dialogue for caterpillar and act out story Sing caterpillar song Reading: Read language experience storyRead and sequence sentences from story (strip story) Writing: Fill out calendar/graph of caterpillar’s foodsFill out own calendar of daily foodsMake a caterpillar book and label

Content: Understand the value of different foodsStudy skills/Strategies: Sequence information

Make predictions and confirm/disconfirm themLanguage Objectives:

Grammar: Like/don’t likeOn + days of the weekPast tenseVocabulary: Days of the week, colors, fruits, other foods (pizza, cake, ice cream), caterpillar, cocoon, butterfly

The Importance of Vocabulary

Needs to be consciously taught and practicedIs responsible for much of comprehension and motivation to read Should be taught in chunks when possibleMajor resource: Academic Word List

Academic Word Listhttp://language.massey.ac.nz/staff/awl/headwords.shtml

Based on 3,500,000 word academic corpus

Consists of 570 “headwords” with related words for total of 3,000 words

Most frequent academic wordsOccurred in Arts, Commerce, Law, ScienceOccurred over 100 times in corpusOccurred at least 10 times in each area

Excluded are the 2000 most frequent words from West’s General Service List proper nouns, Latin forms

http://www.jbauman.com/aboutgsl.html

(Developed by Adrien Coxhead & colleagues in Wellington, NZ)

Teaching Vocabulary: 25% on eachLearning from input (L,R)Most common 2,000 words (about 80%)Stored as one unitFocused language learning100,000 + most infrequent wordsTeach patterns; roots & affixesLearning from output (S,W)Use words; repetitionFluency activities (L,S,R,W)Use known words & grammar

(Paul Nation)

Some Vocabulary Activities

Word wallsMatchingWord analysisWebsWord games Personal dictionariesCloze/fill in blankAct out/draw/circle/point to items that match definitionIntensive and extensive reading

The Importance of Writing

Writing is: a form of output a means of building fluency a way of developing accuracy (in grammar, vocabulary, etc.) a critical skill for academic success a source of input

Writing and Reading:Complementary Practices

We learn to read by reading, andWe learn to write by writing.

ButWe also learn to read by writing, and

We learn to write by reading.

Some Guiding Principles

Writing:is a way to demonstrate proficiencyhelps us discover what we do or do not knowis a process (not everything needs to be graded)is more than a paragraph or essayconventions differ cross-culturallycan be collaborative

Collaborative Writing

Writing does NOT need to be a solitary act. Any stage in the writing process can be collaborative (pre-writing, drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, publishing)

Collaboration:Provides opportunity for meaningful communicationPromotes meta-cognition and meta-discussion of writing (and language)

Writing to Build Fluency

Low-risk way to draw upon implicit knowledgeJournals or LogsPen or Key PalsFree-writing or QuickwritesInformal Writing: emails, blogs, discussion boards

Fluency or Accuracy: Not Both

Important to focus on EITHER Fluency OR Accuracy

Fluency: focus on meaning, use of implicit learning, risk-takingAccuracy: focus on form, use of explicit (monitored) learning, care

Focus on Fluency AND Accuracy only after practice with both.

Some Last Thoughts

Focus on key concepts & languageModify your own languageProvide multiple opportunities to acquire both language and conceptsLet students work togetherProvide time to think, rehearseValidate students’ prior knowledgeEncourage hands-on learningAsk questions at students’ level of English

Some More Last ThoughtsThe Changing School Population

1 of 3 children is ethnic or racial minority1 of 5 speaks a L other than English at home1 of 10 was born outside the U.S.1 of 5 has a parent who was born outside the U.S.ELLs are fastest-growing population in our schools

Further Reading:The following are available at:http://userpages.umbc.edu/%7Ecrandall/index.htm

Crandall, J. A. (ed.) (1987). ESL through content-area instruction: Mathematics, science, social studies. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents. Crandall, J. A. (1994). Content-centered language learning. ERIC Digest ED 367142. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. Crandall, J. A. (1998). Collaborate and cooperate: Teacher education for integrating language and content instruction. English Teaching Forum, 36(1), 2-9.Crandall, J. A. (1998). The expanding world of the elementary ESL teacher. ESL Magazine, 1(4), Crandall, J. A., Jaramillo, A., Olsen, L., & Peyton, J. K. (2002). Using cognitive strategies to develop English language and literacy. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics.

http://userpages.umbc.edu/%7Ecrandall/index.htm

Additional References

Crandall, J. A. (1999). Cooperative language learning and affective factors. In J. Arnold (Ed.), Affective factors in language learning. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.

Crandall, J.A. & Kaufman, D. (eds.) (2003). Content-based instruction in higher education settings. Alexandria, VA: TESOL.

 Kaufman, D. & Crandall, J. A. (eds.) (2005). Content-based instruction in elementary and secondary school settings. Alexandria, VA: TESOL.

Crandall, J. A., Nelson, J., and Stein, H. (2006). Providing professional development for mainstream and novice or experienced ESL and bilingual teachers. In Field, R., & Hamayan, E. (eds.) Educating English language learners: A handbook for administrators. Philadelphia: Caslon, Inc.