Academic Language
Key Concepts
Oral language development promotes vocabulary development and comprehension.
English learners and students with more limited language and vocabulary require extensive instruction in the development of oral language skills to help promote comprehension. Oral language instruction should focus on teaching syntax, conventions of language, academic language, and the use of abstract foundational words such as “will, can, have, and because” preferably within the context of the readings available in the core reading program.
The definition of academic language is complex.
Academic language includes (a) words that occur frequently and uniformly across a wide range of academic material (e.g., title, chapter, paragraph), (b) words whose meanings change in different content areas (e.g., form, process), (c) words that appear in specific contexts (e.g., mean, median, mode), and (d) words that are important to understand connected text (e.g., adjectives, prepositions, adverbs).
Discussing familiar topics helps students develop accurate use of grammar and syntax.
ELs benefit from having a block of time devoted to the development of academic language. Content to build academic language can be drawn from information in the core program or from other subject areas that teachers have already covered in the classroom (e.g., mathematics, biology, social studies). The focus of academic language instruction should be more on correct language use than on concept attainment
Explicit instruction on how to use comprehension strategies effectively is necessary to support ELs comprehension and academic language.
Teaching ELs how to use academic language to implement comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading connected text is important to capture their attention and facilitate their engagement. Teaching comprehension strategies can be done through teacher “think alouds” and guided practice where teachers and students practice using think alouds together to make the use of comprehension strategies overt.
Using sentence frameworks helps support ELs language development.
It is important that ELs always answer in complete sentences to a teacher question to help them understand the connection between words (e.g., where adjectives are placed in English, correct use of verb agreement, appropriate word selection to discuss a specific topic). Teachers should always repeat what students say using correct grammar and syntax.
Acquiring English language proficiency depends on curriculum and instruction.
Although it is true that acquiring English language proficiency takes longer than learning to read, the amount of time it takes depends on curriculum and instruction. Students who are exposed to a strong, focused, language curriculum integrated to content areas (see the Academic language pathway) and to effective features of instruction will acquire language proficiency faster than students who are minimally exposed to academic language and to effective instruction.
Professional Development Presentation
Apply the Concepts
Practice Activities
1. Lesson Reflection Tools
Much of our understanding of academic language derives from an awareness of how language is used in our own classrooms: How do I model language? How are students using language? Whom do I call upon? These observation tools help guide reflection about our own classroom language use.
2. Identifying the Characteristics of Academic Language
This PowerPoint presentation, Increasing EL Vocabulary and Comprehension through Explicit and Systematic Teaching Routines, guides an ever-deepening analysis of academic language. Each set of slides provides background information and an activity designed to deepen your understanding of the characteristics of academic language.
3. Narrative Versus Expository Text
Using the PowerPoint described in Activity #3, review the characteristics of both narrative and expository text with slides 49 - 54. In addition, listen to Kate Kinsella discuss academic language with the following videos posted on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd5L9RQLFB4
4. Classroom Applications of Academic English
Go to the following URL at the What Works Clearinghouse section on English Learners at the following URL: http://dww.ed.gov/Literacy-in-English-K-5/Develop-Academic-English/learn/?T_ID=13&P_ID=23. With a group of colleagues, listen to Robin Scarcella define academic language. Discuss the importance of academic language for the instruction of English Learners. Use the discussion questions to guide your reflections.(5:13 min)
Resources
1. AccELLerate Summer 2008
Academic language is the focus of this edition of the quarterly newsletter from The National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA). In the article Academic Language: Clarifying Terms, Robin Scarcella gives an overview of academic language. She identifies three types of classroom language: Foundational Knowledge of English, School Navigational Language and Curriculum Content Language. Scarcella encourages grade 4-12 teachers to include background knowledge and metalinguistic awareness in their content area instruction.
2. Structured and Accountable Classroom Language Use Across the Curricula: A Key to Narrowing the K-12 Verbal Gap
In this presentation, given at the OELAS annual conference in 2009, Kate Kinsella distinguishes between oral fluency and accurate oral fluency. She provides practical guidance in identifying accurate language use in the classroom.
3. What is Academic Language?
This document clarifies the terms academic literacy, academic language and academic domain knowledge. It compares definitions of academic vocabulary distinguishing between domain-specific academic vocabulary and general academic vocabulary. The article provides an example of how to select vocabulary for instruction and offers suggestions for further reading. Intended for educators of middle and high school students.
4. IES Practice Guide – Recommendation 4: Academic English
This presentation summarizes recommendation #4 of the IES Practice Guide, Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades: Develop Academic English. Although the number of research studies that have been conducted in this area is scarce, expert opinion believes that English learners require considerable explicit and deliberate instruction to learn formal English. This document provides suggestions on how to carry out the recommendation and potential roadblocks and solutions.
Links
1. Language Development for English Language Learners Professional Development Module (K-12)
This URL is a link to the Center on Instruction’s professional development module on English Language Learners. Intended for state and district leaders, this professional development module developed by the Center on Instruction provides background knowledge on language development, language assessment of English Language Learners, academic language instruction and vocabulary K-12. It is designed to be used as a four-hour, train-the-trainer session. Other options include using the materials in the Facilitator's Guide as a study group tool with other ELL professionals or using the information and completing the activities as a self-study guide
2. Developing Academic Discourse Skills for English Learners in Grades K-12
Nationally-known expert in vocabulary and language development Dr. Kate Kinsella has established a comprehensive website supporting the acquisition of academic language. The Santa Clara County Office of Education supports the site. Her website offers an extensive list of activities, PowerPoint presentations, videos and lesson strategies around this topic. An example of these materials includes the following:
“Structured Academic Discussion Strategy: These documents will help you scaffold your students' use of academic language by showing how teachers can lead active instructional discussions with their students. Handouts include a classroom observation tool, a set of guiding questions to use during lesson planning, a step-by-step implementation guide for teachers, and examples of language response frames.”
3. Word Generation: Middle School Literacy Development Using Academic Language
This excellent site is developed by the Strategic Education Research Partnership and sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation and other foundations. Its focus is on developing reading comprehension skills in the middle grades. Within the site, you will find extensive information on teaching vocabulary in general as well as Dr. Catherine Snow and others providing a definition and explanation of academic language. In addition, a number of videos that present strategies for developing vocabulary including academic vocabulary are available.
4. A Review of the Literature on Academic English: Implications for English Language Learners
This literacy review from the George Washington University Center for Equity and Excellence in Education, intended for policy makers, researchers and practitioners, summarizes current research in four areas: the challenges of defining the term academic language, instruction including vocabulary development, grammar, discourse, and the academic language of science, math, and social studies, teacher preparation with an emphasis on standards-based instruction and current state policy. The review concludes with recommendations for future research.
