1. Demystifying "Academic" Language: Supporting candidates and colleagues in the everyday events of school  
Student Teaching Seminar
Spring 2016
Brown/Coupland
Portland State University
Stanford Teacher Education Program Laura Hill-Bonnet, 11/2/13

2. Goals and Outcomes Define Academic Language
Examine Academic Language Components of edTPA
Provide resources for planning academic language instruction for all learners
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13
Stanford Teacher Education Program Laura Hill-Bonnet, 11/2/13

3. Where Are You Right Now? Individual free write:
“What is your present definition of
academic language? What does it
mean in your own words and in your context?”
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

4. Academic Language
Academic language development is making the language of the school, content, and classroom explicit to expand students’ control over language and improve their language choices according to the purpose (function) and audience for the message.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

5. Why Include Academic Language in the edTPA?
Academic language is different from everyday language. Some students are not exposed to this language outside of school or due to their disability, have not yet developed it.
Much of academic language is discipline-specific and deepens subject matter THINKING.
Unless we make academic language explicit for learning, some students will be excluded from classroom discourse and future opportunities that depend on having acquired this language.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

6. How Do I Identify the Communication Skill for Learning Goal?
Think about what communication needs the student has that will allow them to participate in the task and demonstrate learning.
What are examples of learning tasks from your edTPA plans?
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

7. Language Demands Language Functions
(lesson components that are challenging)
Language Functions
(what we ask students to DO in those challenging components)
Language Forms
(linguistic structures of those functions)
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13
Stanford Teacher Education Program Laura Hill-Bonnet, 11/2/13

8. Academic Language Vocabulary Language functions Syntax Discourse
There are language demands that teachers need to consider as they plan to support student learning of content, which include:
Vocabulary
Language functions
Syntax
Discourse
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

9. Academic Language “Demands” in Instruction
Seek Information - use who, what, when, where, how
Inform - recount information or retell
Compare - explain graphic organizer showing contrast
Order - describe timeline, continuum or cycle
Classify - describe organizing principles
Analyze - describe features or main idea
Infer - generate hypotheses to suggest cause/outcomes
Justify & Persuade - give evidence why “A” is important
Solve Problems - describe problem-solving procedures
Synthesize - summarize information cohesively
Evaluate - identify criteria, explain priorities, etc.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

10. In edTPA You Are Asked to…
Consider communication demands associated with content understandings in the learning segment. These include the oral and written academic language that students will need to understand or produce in your learning segment.
Identify the verbs (function) used in learning goal and choose appropriate form needed to master goal.
Be specific and explicit on how you plan to support the learner in developing the communication skill to participate in learning.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

11. In Planning Task 1: Prompt 4 – Rubric 4
Two Evaluated Components of Academic Language/Communication in the edTPA
In Planning Task 1: Prompt 4 – Rubric 4
In Assessment Task 3: Prompt 3 – Rubric 14
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

12. Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

13. Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

14. Functions (genres/purposes)
The tasks or purposes AND uses of language.
We use language to accomplish something in formal or informal settings, for social or academic purposes.
Social purposes include: exchanging greetings, expressing needs, making jokes, indicating agreement or disagreement, participating in personal conversations, etc.
Different language functions require different grammatical forms.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

15. Vocabulary
Vocabulary includes words and phrases (and symbols) that are used within disciplines including:
Words and phrases with subject specific meanings that differ from meanings used in every day life (e.g. table, ruler, force, balance);
General academic vocabulary used across disciplines (e.g., compare, analyze, and evaluate); and
Subject-specific words defined for use in the discipline.
The topic determines the vocabulary you need to teach.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

16. Grammar is…
Grammar consists of set rules regarding language and sentence structures, such as no splitting infinitives and no hanging prepositions.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

17. Putting Grammar in its Place
However, just as the ability:
decode ≠ reading
grammatical knowledge ≠ language
It greases the wheels for us to be able to communicate ideas.
But remember…Functions First!
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

18. Syntax is…
Conventions for organizing symbols, words, and phrases together into structures (e.g., sentences, graphs, tables, in music – a staff, etc.).
Syntax is how a sentence is worded and structured and in ways that can impact meaning.
This includes types of sentences (declarative ,imperative) and word order (passive vs. active voice), and even length of sentences (short vs. long).
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

19. Discourse is… Structures of written and oral language
Discipline specific
Within Discourse
Narration/Narrative
Description
Exposition/Expository
Argument
Think about how these texts/modes are used or developed in different subject areas.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

20. Language/Sentence Frames
Use language/sentence frames to scaffold writing or oral production.
Students may then internalize the frames and cease to need them (depending on their particular areas of challenge).
Use different fonts or contrasting colors as needed.
Allow students the use of technology.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

21. Sentence Frames
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

22. Verb Bank: (present tense +s)
However, sentence starters DO NOT provide sufficient structure for accurate responses
Prompt How does your best friend get to school?
Sentence Starter My best friend __________________.
Sentence Frame My best friend ______s to school
Verb Bank: (present tense +s)
walks rides her bike gets a ride
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

23. Identifying AL Functions and Forms
What is it that you want students to do/read/write/say/draw?
Say/write/draft what an “appropriate” student response might be.
What content words does it contain?
What grammatical structures does it contain?
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

24. Social Studies
In social studies, long sentences with multiple embedded clauses are common.
Cause and effect statements are frequent.
Because there will be more people in the world in the future, we will need more land on which to build towns and cities.
Various verb forms are used:
“I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.” Augustus is supposed to have spoken these words as he lay dying. He was Rome’s first emperor, and started the first of its great building programs. He claimed that he had had over 80 temples rebuilt.
Frequent use of pronouns it and they as referents.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13
Stanford Teacher Education Program Laura Hill-Bonnet, 11/2/13

25. Mathematics Comparatives: Prepositions: Passive voice:
6 is greater than 4
Maria earns six times as much as Peter
Lin is as old as Roberto
Prepositions:
(divided) into, divided by,
2 multiplied by 6 and X exceeds 2 by 7
Passive voice:
X is defined as a number greater than 7.
Reversals: The number a is five less than b.
Logical connectors: if…then
If a is positive then -a is negative.
Stanford Teacher Education Program Laura Hill-Bonnet, 11/2/13

26. Science Use of passive voice Multiple embeddings
Long noun phrases serving as subjects or objects
If…then constructions
Logical connectors (if, because, however, consequently)
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13
Stanford Teacher Education Program Laura Hill-Bonnet, 11/2/13

27. Science
The Calvin cycle is sometimes referred to as the “light-independent reactions”because, unlike the light reactions, it does not require light to begin. However, this does not mean that the Calvin cycle can continue running in a plant kept in the dark. The Calvin cycle requires two inputs supplied by the light reactions, ATP and NADPH.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13
Stanford Teacher Education Program Laura Hill-Bonnet, 11/2/13

28. Assessment Prompt 3 Evidence of Language Understanding and Use:
You may provide evidence of language use with your video clip(s) from Task 2, through the student work samples analyzed in Task 3, or an additional video clip.
Refer to examples from the clip(s) (with time stamps) and/or student work samples as evidence.
Explain the extent to which your students were able to use language (selected function, vocabulary, and additional identified demands) to develop content understanding.
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13

29. Why Include Academic Language in the edTPA?
Free write:
Why do you think Academic Language has been included in the edTPA?
Who is academic language for?
Laura Hill-Bonnet, STEP (Stanford Teacher Education Program), 11/2/13