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Academic Language Overview

Academic Language Overview. Academic Language Takeaways. Academic language is different from everyday language. Some students are not exposed to this language outside of school. Much of academic language is discipline-specific.

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Academic Language Overview

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  1. Academic Language Overview

  2. Academic Language Takeaways • Academic language is different from everyday language. Some students are not exposed to this language outside of school. • Much of academic language is discipline-specific. • Unless we make academic language explicit for learning, some students will be excluded from classroom discourse and future opportunities that depend on having acquired this language.

  3. Academic Language Academic language development is making the language explicit to expand students’ control over language and improve their language choices according to the purposeand audience for the message. Academic language also offers structuresfor developing as well as expressing explanations, evaluations, and analyses. Developing students’fluency in academic language provides access to the “language of school” and academic success.

  4. Academic Language The purposes of Academic Language areto clearly and explicitly define, classify, analyze, explain, argue, interpret and evaluate ideas for all pupils.

  5. Academic Language • Language for academicpurposes differs greatly from every day purposes • These differences include • precisely-defined vocabulary to express abstract concepts and complex ideas • more complex grammar in order to pack more information into each sentence • a greater variety of conjunctions and connective words and phrases to create coherence among multiple ideas • formatting conventions, graphics and organizational titles and headings to guide understanding of texts • a better-defined system of how texts are organized to achieve academic purposes

  6. Academic Language Academic Language also includes instructional language needed to participate in learning and assessment tasks including • discussing ideas • asking questions • summarizing instructional and disciplinary texts • following and giving instructions • explaining thinking aloud • giving reasons for a point of view • writing essays to display knowledge on tests

  7. Academic Languagein TPAC

  8. Connector words: and, but, because, therefore, however Vocabulary Technical vocabulary: triangle, metaphor, metabolize Words whose technical meaning is different than everyday language: “balance” in chemistry, “plane” in mathematics, “ruler” in history/social science, “force” in science

  9. Structure of an explanation • Description of what is being explained • Statements of cause-effect relationships • Sometimes ending with an interpretation or judgment Genres/Forms Have a general structure – e.g., narratives, explanations, arguments

  10. Procedures for a science experiment Literary interpretation Argument proposing causes of an historical event Subject-Specific Genres/FORMS Representing word problems mathematically

  11. Temporal connectives: first, next Causal conditional connectives: because Comparative connectives to introduce counterpoints: consequently, therefore Structures ofArgument Genre/FORM Mental verbs used to express opinions: like, believe Move from personal to impersonal voice Connectives used for logical relations and to link points

  12. (from Knapp & Watkins, 2005) • Simple argument: point/proposition, elaboration • “I like The Simpsons because they make me laugh.” Structure of Arguments Argument with evidence: Proposition, argument, conclusion Discussion: statement of issue, arguments for, arguments against, recommendation Elaborated discussion: statement of issue, preview of pro/con, several iterations of point/elaboration representing arguments against, several iterations of point/elaboration representing arguments for, summary, conclusion

  13. Characteristics of Advanced Academic Language Abstractions: government, electron, linear equation, acid Nominalizations, verbs or adjectives becoming nouns to enable more dense text or more cohesive text: organize into…→ this organization… …were revealed. The trigger for this revelation was… More precise connector words and phrases, going beyond “and” or “but” to “in contrast” or “Given this, it follows that…”.

  14. Academic LanguageCompetencies Measured (Rubric 10) • Understanding language demands and resources for instructional emphasis • Identification of linguistic features of a genre/form/function addressed within instruction • Relation of vocabulary identified to content and to students’ academic language proficiencies • Description of student language strengths and needs

  15. Academic LanguageCompetencies Measured (Rubric 11) • Expanding students’ academic language repertoires • Making key linguistic features related to genre purpose visible to students • Modeling vocabulary and linguistic features and providing opportunities for practice (developing fluency) • (at higher levels) appropriateness of models for students at different levels of language proficiency

  16. Activity • Analyze video for academic language using graphic organizer http://www.learner.org/resources/series33.html

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