1. The Academic Language: Definition, features, Functions and Strategies
Presented by Leila Kanso, Ph.D.

2. Objectives
Distinguish between academic language and social language
Explain the features and functions of academic language
Explore research based strategies that enhance academic language
a. Yes-No-Why
b. Possible Sentences
c. Word Pair Analysis
d. Shades of Meaning
e. RAFTS
f. Lifted Sentence

3. What is Academic Language?
Academic language refers to the specialized vocabulary, grammar, discourse, and functional skills associated with academic instruction and academic materials and tasks.

4. Academic Language can be defined as:
1) the language used in the classroom and workplace
2) the language of text
3) the language of assessments
4) the language of academic success
5) the language of power.

5. Academic Language: Six Domains/Features
Information
Density
Lexical
Preciseness
Academic
Stance
Linking
Ideas
Academic register
Discourse
Structure

6. Domain 1: Information Density
To understand the dense information in the academic language, students need to emoply the knowledge of: a. complex words:
* Multi-syllabic words with prefixes, suffixes, Greek &
Latin roots
* Nominalization: Ex. Pursue=pursuit, happy=happiness,
b. complex sentence:
Example:
“Begun on the margins of the newspaper in which the statement appeared while I was in jail, the letter was continued on scraps of writing paper supplied by a friendly Negro trusty, and concluded on a pad my attorneys were eventually permitted to leave me.”

7. Domain 2: Linking Ideas
Students need to acquire the skills needed to track themes or participants in referential chains
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
The ability to understand connecting words (therefore, consequently, however; by the same token, further more, in contrast to)

8. Domain 3: Discourse Structure
Students need to have a solid knowledge of text organization
* Problem/Solution
* Compare/Contrast
* Cause/Effect
* Description
* Directions
* Chronological/Sequence
* Fiction: Plot

9. Domain 4: Awareness of Academic language register
Ability to identify language that conforms to academic language expectations in contrast to colloquial/slang language register. Recognizing the various contexts of language use.
Ex: So it really hit me one night not that long ago… And I don’t know it just kind of snuck up on us.
vs.
Eventually, I realized that I needed to reconsider my priorities and---

10. Domain 5: Academic Stance
Detached or passive voice
* Ex. research says--, all men are created equal
Hedging: mechanism used to manage the tone, attitude, and information (Using authoritative,
vague or cautious statements)
* Ex. Verbs= will, must, would, may, might, could; believe, assume, suggest; seem, tend, look like, appear to be, think, believe, doubt, be sure, indicate, suggest; adverbs= often, sometimes, usually; certainly, definitely, clearly, probably, possibly, perhaps, conceivably; adjectives =certain, definite, clear, probable, possible; nouns= assumption, possibility, probability; clauses = it might be true that--, It might be suggested that

11. Domain 6: Lexical Preciseness
Using precise vocabulary to express ideas. Ex. Wordsmithing
Say
Negative
Positive
Tired:
Grumbled
Sighed
Mumbled
Angry:
Screamed
Shouted
Fumed
Scared:
Stammered
Gasped
Trembled
Needy:
Pleaded
Begged
requested
Happy:
Joked
Laughed
rejoiced
Caring:
Comforted
Supported
suggested

12. Increasing Specialization of Literacy Development
Disciplinary
Literacy
Disciplinary
Literacy
Intermediate Literacy
Basic Literacy

13. Increasing Specialization of Literacy Development
These are skills taught in the early grades typically known as the “learning to read” grades. Literacy skills such as decoding and knowledge of high-frequency
words that underlie virtually
all reading tasks. It is the stage where students basically learn to read
Disciplinary
Literacy
Disciplinary
Literacy
Intermediate Literacy
These are skills that are taught in the early grades typically known as the “learning to read” grades. During these early years students are taught:
Basic decoding
Understanding of various print and literacy conventions (e.g. directionality)
Recognition of high-frequency words
Basic fluency routines (e.g. responding appropriately to basic punctuation)
Organizational structures (e.g. problem-centered formulation of stories)
Assumption of an author
Basic Literacy

14. Increasing Specialization of Literacy Development
Literacy skills common to many tasks,
including generic comprehension strategies, common word meanings,
and basic fluency.
Disciplinary
Literacy
Disciplinary
Literacy
Intermediate Literacy
During the upper elementary grades students begin to go beyond these basic aspects of reading. They acquire skills that are a little more sophisticated and not as widely applicable BUT they are NOT linked to specific disciplines.
These skills are gained by the end of middle school, but it is common to find high school students who are still struggling with these skills.
These skills include:
Decoding multi-syllabic words
Responding with automaticity to words that are not part of the high-frequency words
Interpreting less common forms of punctuation
Knowing the meaning of a larger bank of words
Learning to monitor their own reading comprehension
Reading with more stamina
Learning more complex forms of text organization (e.g. parallel plots, cause-effect)
Understanding that authors have purpose
Basic Literacy

15. Increasing Specialization of Literacy Development
Disciplinary
Literacy
Disciplinary
Literacy
During middle school and high
School students are expected to master more specialized reading routines and uses of language. Literacy skills specialized to history, science, mathematics, literature or other subject matter.
Intermediate Literacy
During middle school and high school, students many (but not nearly enough of) students begin to master more specialized reading routines and uses of language.
Batman and Superman: It is important for content area teachers to continue the “teaching of reading” to their students by teaching them the discipline literacy of their content. Think about it this way,
some kids are like SUPERMAN. They don’t need any help. They can figure out what they need to do to succeed and to study well in any content classroom.
But, most of our kids are more like BATMAN. They need our help, like Batman needed the butler’s help and the car and the cape and all of his high tech gear to accomplish the same things as Superman.
Both Superman and Batman achieve the same goals, but they need different amounts of help along the way.
Basic Literacy

16. Deep Dimension of Academic Language

17. Functions of Academic Language
Observe and explore the environment, acquire information, inquire
Identify, report or describe information
Describe similarities and differences in objects or ideas
sequence objects, ideas, or events.
Group objects or ideas according to their characteristics.
Separate whole into parts, identify relationships and patterns
Make inferences, predict implications, hypothesize.
Give reasons for an action, decision, point of view; convince others
Define and represent a problem; determine a solution
Combine or integrate ideas to form a whole group
assess and verify with of an object, idea or decision.