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The CALLA Handbook – Chapter 3 Academic Language Development in CALLA. Dr. Ellen de Kanter University of St. Thomas Instructional Strategies for the Content Area in ESL BIED 5336. What is Academic Language?. Language Functions More difficult and takes longer to learn than social language.
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The CALLA Handbook – Chapter 3 Academic Language Development in CALLA Dr. Ellen de Kanter University of St. Thomas Instructional Strategies for the Content Area in ESL BIED 5336
What is Academic Language? • Language Functions • More difficult and takes longer to learn than social language. • Consist primarily of the language functions needed for authentic academic content. • Thinking Skills • Requires the use of both lower-order and higher-order thinking skills.
Why Teach Academic Language? • Used in Content Subjects • Learned in School • Teacher Expectations • Develops Thinking • Learning Strategies
Why Teach Academic Language? • Command of academic language is the key to success in the grade-level classroom. • Academic language is not usually learned outside the classroom setting. • Content classroom teachers may assume that students already have appropriate academic language skills. • Academic language promotes higher-level thinking and provides practice in using English as a medium of thought.
How to Select Academic Language • Content Classrooms • Observe and record language used in content classrooms. • Content Textbooks • Analyze language used in content textbooks. • Activities • Select authentic language tasks; have students use a variety of language skills and functions to learn, read, talk, write, and think abut content topics. • Student Interest • Allow students options in selecting academic language to learn and practice.
How to Teach Academic Language • Teacher Modeling • Model academic language appropriate to the content topic. • Student Input • Have students identify new words and structures they encounter. • Listening • Provide practice in listening to content information and answering higher-level questions.
How to Teach Academic Language • Oral Language • Create opportunities for using academic language through cooperative activities. • Speaking • Reading and Writing • Have students read and write in every content subject. • Thinking Skills • Have students describe, explain, justify, evaluate, and express understanding of and feelings about content topics and processes. • Learning Strategies • Teach learning strategies for all language activities.
The CALLA Handbook – Chapter 3 Academic Language Development in CALLA Dr. Ellen de Kanter University of St. Thomas Instructional Strategies for the Content Area in ESL BIED 5336