1. Academic Vocabulary Development for English Language Learners
LANGUAGE CENTRAL
FOR MATH
Academic Vocabulary Development for
English Language Learners
Grades 3-8

2. Program’s History
Language Central for Math started from a dedicated group of teachers, within an ethnically diverse school district, who decided to address their problem of poor ELL Math performance.
Fitchburg Public Schools
Applied for a grant from the MA Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a content-based ESL curriculum. The subsequent curriculum served as the foundation for Language Central for Math.

3. Dr. Jim Cummins
Dr. Cummins is a professor and research chair at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. Dr. Cummins framed the coherent and highly deliberate plan that makes up the structure of Language Central. His collaboration with Pearson created the outline of a five-principle framework of instruction for teaching content-area subjects to English language learners – a teaching philosophy embedded with the program.

4. Academic Vocabulary Development for English Language Learners
What do you first think of when you hear or read the word face?
Picture it in your mind.

5. Academic Vocabulary Development for English Language Learners
Did your picture look something like this?

6. Academic Vocabulary Development for English Language Learners
Label the face in this drawing.
face
__________
_________
__________
This is the academic challenge for ELL students

7. Program Goal
“The goal of the program is to directly address the academic vocabulary challenges that prevent students from focusing on the math concepts being taught… Often, it’s the language, not the math, holding them back.”
Patti Aube, Math Coach
Fitchburg Public School District

8. Program Overview
Develops the academic language of math for ELL students
Utilizes accessible math examples that allow students to focus on the language needed to comprehend key concepts
An instructional design that enables all teachers to teach ELL students
Supplements any core math curriculum
4-page Lessons
20-25 Lessons per Grade

9. Flexible Implementation Model
Preferred model: 4-part lesson is completed in 1 full class during the week (in either the Math or ESL class) in preparation for learning the math content
15 min each
Weekly language practice moves students from supported to independent language production and provides practice with all language domains: reading, writing, listening, speaking

10. Daily language practice moves students
Flexible Implementation Model
Option 2: If full class period is unavailable: minutes per day, 4 days/week (at beginning of Math class or in ESL class prior to studying the math)
1 each day
Daily language practice moves students
from receptive to productive language;
from scaffolded to independent language
production

11. Program Pedagogy
“How can teachers make complex academic English comprehensible for children still in the process of learning English? We can scaffold students’ learning by modifying the input itself.”
- Dr. Jim Cummins,
Consulting Author, University of Toronto Professor,
and world-renowned language acquisition expert

12. Research-based instructional design
5 principles for teaching ELL students
Explicitly stated objectives in each lesson/module
Students express their understanding through speaking and writing activities; reflect on successful strategies
Opening activities connect to and assess prior knowledge
Hands-on activities utilize multiple modes of instruction: visual, verbal, aural, kinesthetic
Pair and group work promotes language practice in both listening/speaking and reading/writing activities

13. Components Only 2 program components
keep instruction simple and effective:
Student Worktext: (Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
*Modifies the math content so students gain access to language needed for basic skills and concepts
*Provides reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities so students practice and apply academic vocabulary

14. Components Only 2 program components
keep instruction simple and effective:
Teacher’s Edition: (For Grades 3-5 or 6-8)
*Modular teach-what-you-need lessons for targeting content and language needs
*Step-by-step guidelines support all teachers
*Differentiated instruction for language proficiency levels
*Explanations of language particularly confusing for ELL students
*Notes on cultural issues that cause challenges

15. Provides students with . . .
• an introduction to—and practice with—the academic language of math
• accessible math examples that allow students to focus on language development in preparation for their core math curriculum
• key vocabulary and concepts presented with multiple learning styles —hands-on, visual, and verbal

16. Student Edition
(Gr.6 Volume Lesson- Page 1)
Communicates and clarifies math concepts in each lesson
Sentence Starters provide language practice

17. Student Edition
(Gr.6 Volume Lesson- Page 2)
Highly visual support for math language, skills, and concepts
Sentence Starters to prompt spoken language

18. Student Edition
(Gr.6 Volume Lesson- Page 3)
Emphasis on hands-on activities demonstrate and clarify, allowing students to experience meaning
Pair and group activities build language fluency and confidence

19. Student Edition Experiential learning
(Gr.6 Volume Lesson- Page 4)
Experiential learning
Activities provide practice for all language domains— listening, speaking, reading, writing
Systematic instructional plan that moves from receptive to productive language

20. Provides teachers with . . .
*Easy-to-follow instructional steps that support research-based principles
*Differentiated instruction for students at multiple levels of language proficiency
*Tips on language issues particularly challenging for ELL students
*Cultural considerations for teaching math
*Annotated Teacher Edition helps guide discussion and gives teachers tools to teach ELL students

21. Teacher Edition (Gr.6 Volume Lesson; pages 1&2)
Student Pages
Annotated Teacher’s Edition helps guide discussion
Provides teachers with . . .
• easy-to-follow instructional steps that support research-based principles for teaching ELLs
• differentiated instruction for students at multiple levels of language proficiency
• tips on words that typically cause confusion for ELLs
• cultural considerations for teaching math
• TE with annotated student pages helps guide discussion

22. Teacher Edition (Gr.6 Volume Lesson)1
Easy-to-follow instruction supports research-based principles for teaching ELL students 2 3 3 2 1

23. Teacher Edition (Gr.6 Volume Lesson)5
Easy-to-follow instruction supports research-based principles for teaching ELL students 4 4 5

24. Teacher Edition (Gr.6 Volume Lesson)
Differentiated instruction for students at multiple levels of language proficiency

25. Teacher Edition (Gr.6 Volume Lesson)
Explanations of language that causes confusion for ELL students and cultural considerations for teaching math

26. Academic Vocabulary Development for English Language Learners
LANGUAGE CENTRAL
FOR MATH
Academic Vocabulary Development for
English Language Learners
Grades 3-8