The Language of Social Studies EDUC 583: Content-Based Instruction

1. The Language of Social StudiesEDUC 583: Content-Based Instruction Presented by Soomin Chung Sheila Myers 2.20.08

2. “Language and history are deeply interconnected in that interpretations of history influence the language use”(Srole, 1997, 104)

3. Discourse Vocabulary Sentence Structure Linguistic Features of Social Studies Cummins’s Framework (1994) Short, 2005, 419

4. basic discourse skills & higher-level thinking skills An Introduction to Lincoln Discourse • includes the arrangement of text as well as the content conversation • expository discourse in a variety of text forms • dense amounts of text-lecturing & reading Thorton 1994, in Short, 2005, 419 across language skills . . .

5. The trouble with discourse • multiple types of text are used • textbooks cluttered with side bars, captions, vignettes & images Bernier, 1997, 102 NonFiction: • expository textbook • primary source • newspaper & magazine • biography & autobiography • content-related websites • documentary & film Historical Fiction: • stories, novels, thematic series, comic books, movies

6. Vocabulary • embedded historical terms & abstract concepts • 3 Types of Vocabulary: Berneir, 1997, 96-97 1. Content Terms: common knowledge terms of social studies 2. Language Terms: non-content terms, but academically relative 3. Language Masking Content Terms: terms with double / variant meanings archaic language socially biased terms colloquialisms idioms borrowed words cultural idioms hyperboles metaphors acronyms historically specific metaphors oxymorons

7. multiple embedded clauses Chapter 1 Overview - The First Americans The first Americans arrived thousands of years ago. Scientists believetheycrossed a land bridge from Asia to Alaska during the last Ice Age. These nomads were moving from place to place searching for food.Severalgroups developed great civilizations. In some parts of Mexico and Central America, the Maya created great cities and studied astronomy and mathematics. The Aztec founded a permanent home in Central Mexico. The American Journey  2007 http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078743893/student_view0/unit1/chapter1/chapter_overviews.html Sentence Structure • passive voice • tense switching • “because” phrases • pronoun usage • rhetorical structures Chamot (1994) 260 & Srole (1997) 110

8. Practice: Primary Source Pamphlet c. 1840: In Defence of Laissez-faire • Circle each historical vocabulary term; underline each embedded clause; highlight any idioms or archaic language… “In legislation, upon some subjects at least, it seems as if we stumbled upon the highroad of truth, only after having travelled, in vain, every byeway of error, and until we have been driven, by some impassable barrier, to retrace our steps.” http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1840laissezfaire.html

9. Language Skills Required for Social Studies • Academic Language Skills • Procedural Skills Chamot (1997)

10. study skills & strategies higher-order thinking Interpreting information Making inferences Representing text visually Identifying alternatives & consequences Procedural Skills Short, 2005, 419 • critical thinking skills Map • social / cooperative skills Chamot (1997)

11. Academic Language Skills • Students are expected to be able to… • READ: read & react to variety of difficult texts at grade-level • WRITE: essays (3 types), research, narratives, etc. • LISTEN: teacher-talk, for details, for context clues • SPEAK: demonstrate comprehension & higher order thinking, contribute critical thought Chamot (1997)

12. Students are expected to… Sociocultural Assumptions & Behaviors • store & apply background knowledge of historical context • share political & cultural ideologies • acculturate or biculturate • analyze, organize & express critical thoughts • process dense information • stay motivated to learn ! ! ! Chamot (1997; King (1992))

13. “language education should focus not on operational (lecture) or knowledge-building (episteme) aspects of language use, but on the empowering and democratising potential of language awareness and language use to transform people in positive ways” Brady, A. 2006, 229

14. Works Cited • Bernier, A. (1997). The challenge of language and history terminology from the student optic. In Brinton, D.M., & Snow, M.A. (Eds.), The Content-based Classroom. (pp. 95-103). White Plans, NY: Longman. • Brady, A. (2006). University language study for civic education: A framework for students’ participation to effect individual and social change. Language Awareness, 15 (4), 229-243. • Chamot, A.U., & O’Malley, J.M. (1994). The CALLA Handbook. Reading, MA: Addison- Wesley. • King, M., Fagan, B., Bratt, T., & Baer, R. (1992). Social studies instruction. In Richard-Amato, P.A., & Snow, M.A. (Eds.), The Multicultural Classroom (pp. 287 - 299). White Plains, NY: Longman. • Nelson, G. & Burns, J. (2000). Managing information for writing university exams in American History. In Pally, M. (Ed.) Sustained Content Teaching in Academic ESL/EFL (pp. 132-157). Boston/NY: Houghton Mifflin. • Short, D. (2005). Readign and ‘riting and…social studies: Integrated language and content instruction. In Richard-Amato, P., & Snow, M. (Eds.) Academic Success for English Language Learners (pp. 414- 435). White Plains, NY: Longman. • Srole, C. (1997) Pedagogical responses from content faculty: Teaching content and language in history. In Brinton, D.M., & Snow, M.A. (Eds.), The Content-based Classroom. (pp. 104-116). White Plans, NY: Longman.