understanding the features of academic language
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Understanding the Features of Academic Language . Everyday Language vs. Academic Language: A “Continuum”. Cognitively undemanding. Context embedded. Context reduced. Cognitively demanding. Jim Cummins, 2000. Everyday Language vs. Academic Language: A “Continuum”. Cognitively undemanding. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Understanding the Features of Academic Language
Everyday Language vs. Academic Language: A
“Continuum”Cognitively undemanding
Cognitively demanding
Context embedded
Context reduced
Jim Cummins, 2000
Everyday Language vs. Academic Language: A
“Continuum”
*Discuss the
weather*Interview
a classmate
Cognitively undemanding
Cognitively demanding
Context embedded
Context reduced
Jim Cummins, 2000
Everyday Language vs. Academic Language: A
“Continuum”
*Discuss the
weather*Interview
a classmate
*Talk on the phone
*Read an email or
text
Cognitively undemanding
Cognitively demanding
Context embedded
Context reduced
Jim Cummins, 2000
Everyday Language vs. Academic Language: A
“Continuum”
*Discuss the weather
*Interview a classmate
*Talk on the phone
*Read an email or text
*Work in groups to create a
human or picture timeline
*Role play scenes from a
novel
Cognitively undemanding
Cognitively demanding
Context embedded
Context reduced
Jim Cummins, 2000
Everyday Language vs. Academic Language: A
“Continuum”
*Discuss the weather
*Interview a classmate
*Talk on the phone
*Read an email or text
*Work in groups to create a timeline
*Role play scenes from a
novel
*Read a text chapter and
write answers to questions
*Take “traditional”
tests
Cognitively undemanding
Cognitively demanding
Context embedded
Context reduced
Jim Cummins, 2000
Features of Academic Language
Content-specific vocabulary: The BIG words“Pellicle, microtubules, euglenas”
Signal words: Transitions, connections, contrastsHowever, therefore, on the other hand, in addition, also, moreover
Functions or academic process language:Analyze, compare and contrast, predict, investigate, hypothesize, outline etc.
Discourse Patterns:Varies by discipline: Persuasion, analogies, metaphors, interpretation, finding evidence
EdTPA and Academic LanguageDefinitions that you should study and internalize!Copes for both literacy and math EdTPA
Academic Texts: Dense
"Shortly after the United States entered World War II, more than 110,000 people of Japanese Ancestry who were living in the United States were forced to move to guarded camps." Elements of Literature: Grade 6, Holt.
Academic Texts: Authoritative
•Passive Voice•Statements rather than questions•Use of technical and specialized vocabulary"Euglenas do not have cell walls, but they do have an intricate cell membrane called a pellicle. The pellicle is folded into ribbon-like ridges, each ridge supported by microtubules. The pellicle is tough and flexible, letting euglenas crawl through mud when there is not enough water for them to swim. Euglenas reproduce asexually by binary fission." High School Biology, Miller & Levine. Prentice Hall
Academic Texts: Abstract
Nominalization:Reproduce - reproduction
EXAMPLE: "Some of the region's physical features and landforms experienced (passive voice) violent forms of creation. Creation (nominalization) was followed by periods of rapid growth." The Pacific Northwest: Past, Present & Future. Lambert
Textbooks: As certain as death and taxes! However, textbooks
are…Superficial- they cover so much they can't cover in depth
Dry!
Hard to read - they are reference books
Written with the purchasers in mind, more than the students who will use them!
Often inaccurate
Present as if they are the final word!
Visually excessively stimulating with important information located charts, pictures, captions, text, side bars, etc
Expensive, which leaves little for other materials, and they have long lives!
Freeman & Freeman, 2009
Social Studies and Academic Language: TPATPA Rubrics expectations:
“How does the candidate identify and support language demands associated with a key (literacy) learning task?”Level 3 (Target for CWU): “Candidate
identifies vocabulary and additional language demands(s) associated with the language function. Plans include general support for use of vocabulary as well as additional language demand(s).
Social Studies and Academic Language: TPA
“How does the candidate analyze students’ use of language to develop content understanding?”Level 3: “Candidate explains and provides
evidence of students’ use of language function as well as vocabulary OR additional language demand(s)”
Level 4: : “Candidate explains and provides evidence of students’ use of language function as well as vocabulary OR additional language demand(s) in ways that develop content understandings.
What do we do?Content AND language objectives for every lessonActivate and/or build background knowledgeProvide context embedded instruction for academic content
which supports academic language understanding – contextualize as much as possible!
Provide explicit content-specific vocabulary instruction utilizing context-embedded strategies: pictures, word-squares
Provide explicit academic process instruction with scaffoldingModel appropriate use of academic language
Everyday Language vs. Academic Language: A
“Continuum”Cognitively undemanding
Cognitively demanding
Context embedded
Context reduced
Jim Cummins, 2000
Identifying and creating sound learning objectivesLearning to write appropriate and sound objectives is critical!
Writing Academic Language ObjectivesAnalyze the content objectives
Using any of the examples from concept formation lesson on writing objectives, with a partner, write at least one appropriate language objective
Try This!As a table group, plan together a lesson on one of
the following unit topics. Write your ideas on the white board. FOCUS ON:
Content ObjectivesAcademic Language Objectives ( vocabulary, signal
words, process language) Context embedded strategies and supports
Unit TopcsGrade K-1 My Family, Your Family, Our FamiliesGrade 2 Community Helpers and LeadersGrade 3 Coastal and Plains Native Americans:
Lifestyle, habitats, homesGrade 4 Hazards of the Oregon TrailGrade 5 Taxes, taxes, taxes! Taxing the tea out
of our teapots!!
Resources Freeman & Freeman (2009). Academic Language for English
Language Learners and Struggling Readers. New Hampshire: Heineman.