CALLA: Accelerating Academic Achievement for English Learners

1. CALLA: Accelerating Academic Achievement for English Learners Oxford Round Table March 19, 2007 Anna Uhl Chamot The George Washington University

2. Objectives Identify English language learners and their academic needs; Describe an instructional model that meets these needs; Provide guidelines for developing content knowledge, language and literacy, and learning strategies.

3. Who are EnglishLanguage Learners? Linguistically and culturally diverse. Differing educational backgrounds. Variety of approaches to learning. Range of levels of family literacy. Differing family attitudes towards school. Differing family expectations.

4. What Do English Language Learners Need to Learn? Socialization and acculturation to school. Conceptual development. Linguistic development. Literacy development. Learning how to learn.

5. The CALLA Model: An Instructional Approach for Academic Development Cognitive-Social theoretical model. Research-based. Content aligned to state and national standards. Academic language focusing on literacy. Explicit instruction in learning strategies.

6. CALLA Components COGNITIVE LEARNING MODEL: Learning is mentally active, based on prior knowledge. CURRICULUM CONTENT: Content topics aligned with National and State Standards. ACADEMIC LANGUAGE: Integrated language development across the curriculum. LEARNING STRATEGIES: Metacognitive awareness, explicit instruction, scaffolding.

7. Why implement CALLA? Promotes academic and linguistic development. Benefits diverse students. Emphasizes higher level thinking. Documented effectiveness. Motivates students.

9. CURRICULUM CONTENT Aligned to National and State Standards for content subjects. High priority topics from science, mathematics, history/social studies, and literature. Linked to students’ prior experiential and cultural knowledge. Taught through hands-on/inquiry-based/cooperative learning tasks.

10. ACADEMIC LANGUAGE Integrated language development across all curriculum subjects. Vocabulary and discourse of science, mathematics, history/social studies, literature, and writing. Focus on literacy in all subjects. Linked to students’ prior linguistic knowledge. Development of language awareness.

11. LEARNING STRATEGIES Thoughts and actions that assist learning tasks. Ways to understand, remember, and recall information. Ways to practice skills efficiently.

12. What does the research say? Effective learners’ strategies are varied and flexible. Use of learning strategies is correlated to self-efficacy. Strategy use improves academic performance.

13. Teaching Learning Strategies Focus on the learning process. Model and teach learning strategies explicitly. Develop students’ awareness of their own thinking and learning - their metacognition.

15. PREPARATION Teacher provides overview and objectives; Elicits students’ prior knowledge; Develops vocabulary; and Uses students’ native language as a resource.

16. PRESENTATION Teacher addresses different learning preferences; Models language processes explicitly; Explains learning strategies; and Discusses connections to students’ prior knowledge.

17. PRACTICE Students engage in interactive activities; Practice different cooperative learning structures; Use authentic content and language tasks; and Use learning strategies.

18. SELF-EVALUATION Students reflect on their own learning; Identify preferred strategies; Keep learning logs; and Evaluate themselves.

19. EXPANSION Students apply what they have learned to their own lives; Make connections between language and other content subjects; and Relate new information to own culture. Parents contribute to learning.

20. CALLA Assessment Linked to Standards. Standardized test practice. Portfolios of best work. Self-assessment and reflection. Teacher reflection.

21. CALLA Instruction Is... Research-based Learner-centered Reflective Supportive Focused Enthusiastic