1. Academic language and literacy—bridging the gap between school and students
Thursday, March 1, 2018

2. Before I forget---
Reflection 2 is due March 8—Comparison of authentic text from the “field” and middle level text used in your subject area
As with the previous reflection, it would be helpful to have a word document uploaded to your OneDrive folder. This allows me to provide deeper feedback on your work.

3. Reflection 2: For this reflection, you will need to identify two texts to reflect upon. First, return to the interview you conducted for your first reflection. What is an authentic text that this person interacts with on a daily basis? For example, if you interviewed a lawyer, you might recognize that case laws are a regular part of their daily work. Or, if you interviewed a travel agent, you might identify tourism sites as important texts for the agent. Once you've identified an authentic text, locate an example of this type of text. You might ask your interviewee for a copy of a text or you might find an example online or in the library. Julie Derden, our educational librarian, would be a great resource for this. Then, spend some time studying the academic language of the text. What do you notice about the vocabulary and symbols? The syntax? The Discourse? What skills would students need to develop to be successful with the text? Once you've spent some time reflecting on the authentic text, locate a textbook that is commonly used in your discipline. Again, the 6th floor of Milner is a great place to locate these. Once again, spend some time studying the academic language of the text. What do you notice about the vocabulary and symbols? The syntax? The Discourse? What skills would students need to develop to be successful with the text? Finally, compose a reflection that shares your observations and compares and contrasts the two texts. How helpful is the textbook in teaching students about authentic texts and ideas in the discipline? You will post your reflection to a new page on your website titled "Your Name Reflection 2”. PLEASE POST A PHOTO OR SCREENSHOT OF THE COVERS OR HOMEPAGES OF BOTH TEXTS. Also remember to allow for commenting on your reflection on Weebly so other class participants can provide feedback.

4. Agenda 5:30-5:45 1. Review of academic language 5:45-6:15
2. Back to Brian—Looking at Traditional Texts and their Limits for Literacy
6:15-7:00
3. Finding discourse and syntax in the world around us
7:15-7:45
4. Connecting that discourse and syntax to our subject areas
7:45-8:20
5. Lesson planning—bridging the gap between academic texts and worldly texts

5. A major goal of our subject areas…
To encourage students to see concepts played out in their daily lives
To grow in their ability to analyze the information around them
To improve in their vocabulary of our subject areas
To have opportunities to evaluate and create within our subject areas

6. Our goal from a literacy standpoint
Our goal is to explore the idea of making academic language and literacy more accessible to our students—To bridge the gap between academic texts and literacies and adolescent texts and literacies

7. Broad trajectory of our course
Grow in understanding of types of literacies
Consider how different factors play a role in how we experience literacies
See how schools communicate, encourage, and discourage literacies
Consider our own classroom practices in light of previous discussions
Consider literacy strategies to use with students given our better understanding of their perspectives
Types of literacies and their impact on students
Our classroom practices
What we see in the world outside of school
Types of literacies and their impact on students
Our classroom practices
What we see in the world outside of school
Types of literacies and their impact on students
Our classroom practices
What we see in the world outside of school
Types of literacies and their impact on students
Our classroom practices
What we see in the world outside of school
Types of literacies and their impact on students
Our classroom practices
What we see in the world outside of school

8. Our goal tonight is to explore the idea of making academic language more accessible to our students—To bridge the gap between academic texts and literacies and adolescent texts and literacies
Function of language
Vocabulary
Discourse
Syntax

9. Close alignment between school and students….
Function of language
Vocabulary
Discourse
Syntax

11. Little alignment between students and school…
Function of language
Vocabulary
Discourse
Syntax
Function of language
Vocabulary
Discourse
Syntax

12. We achieve these goals by….
Understanding the language function, vocabulary, discourses, and syntaxes of our subject areas and of our students
Looking to find ways to connect them all through classroom experiences

13. 1. Review of academic language 5:30-5:45
I. Language function: explain what the students will actually do (observable verb)
II. Vocabulary: Terms or concepts that are necessary to perform the function
III. Discourse: How members of the discipline talk, write, and communicate with one another—What do they create? Broadly, the culture of how they communicate
IV. Syntax: The rules for organization of words or symbols together. What rules or conventions must students follow to be clear in their discourse?

14. If your ELA class is writing letters to members of Congress….
Function of language
Compose, describe, defend
Vocabulary
Congress, position, argument, tax
Discourse
Written letter, few exclamations, avoid threats or explicit language, complete sentences
Syntax
Spelling, thesis statement, signature, proper grammar generally

15. If your science class is creating models of “The Cell”
Function of language
Create, explain, describe
Vocabulary
Mitochondria, membrane, chromosomes
Discourse
written, spatial model, relative location
Syntax
Spelling, relative location, color coding

16. In some of the professions you interviewed….
Language function
Vocabulary
Discourse
Syntax

17. 2. Back to Brian—Looking at Traditional Texts and their Limits for Literacy 6:15-7:00
The challenges with the literacy analysis texts you described:
Overwhelming amount of information
Unfamiliarity with vocabulary in this context
Lack of ability to apply the ideas to your life
Gaps in knowledge that impacted broader understanding

18. Function of language
Vocabulary
Discourse
Syntax
You
The texts

20. To address these issues….
How to address
Overwhelming amount of information
Break information into smaller pieces (chunking)
Unfamiliarity with vocabulary in this context
Metaphor, simile, example, collaboratively created meaning
Lack of ability to apply the ideas to your life
Emphasis on how concepts can be seen outside the classroom
Gaps in knowledge that impacted broader understanding
Multiple approaches to understanding a concept

21. Back to Brian…

22. Back to Brian— Another example of the Population Activity from last session
Like many of your colleagues did with Literacy Analysis texts, Brian may struggle to demonstrate deep literacy with these texts. Our goal is to provide variance with the language function, vocabulary, discourse, and syntax to provide a venue for Brian to improve his literacy within this subject area, and subsequently a better “reader” of the subject.

23. Brian’s reading samples
History

24. Brian’s reading samples
Science

25. The text Brian used Function of language Vocabulary Discourse Syntax
The text Brian used
A class scenario or activity in which Brian participates, demonstrating a concept within the reading
Function of language
Vocabulary
Discourse
Syntax

26. To address these issues….
How to address
Overwhelming amount of information
Break information into smaller pieces (chunking)
Unfamiliarity with vocabulary in this context
Metaphor, simile, example, collaboratively created meaning
Lack of ability to apply the ideas to your life
Emphasis on how concepts can be seen outside the classroom
Gaps in knowledge that impacted broader understanding
Multiple approaches to understanding a concept

27. Disciplinary Groups for this evening
3. Finding discourse and syntax in the world around us (6:15-7:00)
Disciplinary Groups for this evening
Math1
Math2
SS1
SS2
Sci 1
Sci 2
ELA1
ELA2
Jaclyn Z
Korri
Lauren
Jamie S
Jenn C
Hannah W
Krissy
Courtney
Natalie B
Kelly
Carlie
Jeffrey
Mary H
Jon C
Ashley S
Ashley P
Brittany

28. Time for a field trip. As we go throughout campus, look for ways these subject areas are applied in the world outside the academic classroom.
Math
Science
Social Studies
ELA
ELL
Examples of concepts or skills you see put in use
Vocabularies you see put in use
Discourses you see put in use
Syntaxes you see put in use

29. 4. Connecting worldly discourse and syntax to our subject areas (7:15-7:45)
With your subject area group, select topic/concept from above, (#3) from your content area and then work to locate that concept/topic or something similar in the textbooks that are provided. If you have time, consider examples that you may not have seen in the world, or cannot find in the text. Ultimately, the goal is to provide ourselves examples of the application of concepts and topics in BOTH the world and in textbooks.

30. Examples located in the world Examples located in the text
Concept or topic
Examples located in the world
Examples located in the text

31. 5. Lesson planning—bridging the gap between academic texts and worldly texts 7:45-8:20
Putting the worldly literacies and the academic literacies in your subject are side by side, draft out a lesson that includes both an academic text literacy (reading from the book) and a worldly literacy.

32. Learning Objectives, (1a, 1c, 3c)
Purpose/Rationale
(1a, 1b, 3a)
Learning Objectives, (1a, 1c, 3c)
Academic Language (1a, 1e, 3a, 3b)
1. Language demand—
2. Vocabulary—
3. Discourse—
4. Syntax—
Standards (1a, 1e)
Assessments (formative and summative)
(3a, 3b, 3d, 3e)
Resources or Materials used (1d)
Opening engagement (1b, 2a, 2b, 2e,)
Instructional Strategies (Class Procedures)
(1b, 1e, 2c, 2d, 2e, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Closure (1b, 1e, 1f, 2c, 3a, d,) 1.
Modifications/Differentiation
(1b, 1c, 1d, 1f, 2a, 3a, 3d, 3e)

33. For next week
Reflection 2-- Comparison of authentic text from the “field” and middle level text used in your subject area
BLL, Chapter 3