Building Academic Language for ALL Learners, Including English Language Learners EDC 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 need Academic 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

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?

BRICKSMORTAR 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 list Divide 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, how do we TEACH these words? Develop student friendly explanations Look up definitions and translate into ideas from a student’s point of view Root words or affixes : What other words have the same root word? Examine Concept Characteristics – what is it? what is it like (characteristics)? Examples and non-examples (Concept/Definition Map, Schwartz & Raphael, 1985)

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