Topic 5 Pre-Service CALLA Handbook Ch 3

This chapter focuses on academic language. What is academic language exactly? Well academic language is more difficult and takes longer to learn than social language. Academic language also means the language functions needed for authentic academic context. Third, it is the use of both lower-order and higher-order thinking skills. It encompasses everything from seeking infor and using the who, what ,when, where, and how to gather information which is the lowest level of Bloom's Taxonomy to the most sophisticated and advanced level of Bloom's Taxonomy which is evaluation where a student with assess, synthesize, and verify the worth or an object, idea, or decision. The next question explored in this chapter is why teach academic language now that we know what it is? We must teach it for several reasons. First, a command of academic language is a key to success in the grade level classroom. Second, academic language is best acquired in the classroom and not outside. Third, grade-level content teachers may think that students already have appropriate academic language skills because they are fluent in social language, but as already discussed in the first chapter social language and academic language are two different things. Finally, academic language promotes higher-level thinking and allows for practice in using English.

Next, the chapter moves on to discuss how to select academic language. First, it suggests using observations and recording of language used in content classrooms. In addition, analyze language used in content classrooms. Third, select authentic languge tasks. Finally, allow students the choices in choosing acaeic language to learn and practice.

This chapter wraps up by giving guidelines for teaching academic language. They are the following:

1. Model academic language appropriate to the content topic.
2 Students identify new words and structures they encounter.
3. Provide practice in listening to content information and ansering higher-level questions.
4. Create opportunities for using academic language throug cooperative activities.
5. Have studetns describe, explain, justify, evaluate and express understanding of and feelings about content toics and processes.
6. Have students read and write in evey content subject.
7. Teach learning strategies for all language activities.