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Bricks and Mortar: Strategies that Work in Building True Academic Language Proficiency

Jennifer Hamilton, ELL Instructional SpecialistAlexandria City Public Schools, VirginiaRobin Liten-Tejada, ESOL/HILT Specialist

Arlington Public Schools, VirginiaWIDA National Conference, October 2014

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ObjectivesTo share strategies for building

academic language proficiency that

go beyond merely introducing words and definitions to students

integrate language and content incorporate reading, writing, listening and

speaking provide language for higher order

thinking skills

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Why the focus on academic language?

Current emphasis in research on best practices for ELLs

New standards emphasize higher order thinking, but need the language to express higher order thoughts

APS Program Evaluation indicated area in need of improvement

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How?

www.skyo.com

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So what is academic language exactly?

Academic language is the set of words, grammar, and organizational strategies used to describe• complex ideas• higher-order thinking

processes• abstract concepts.

(p.20)

http://eventcallregistration.com/reg/index.jsp?cid=37182t11

What does that mean?What features of academic language do you find in this excerpt?

Zwiers, J. (2008). Building Academic Language: Essential Practices for Content Classrooms (p.28). San Francisca: Jossey-Bass

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Aspects of academic languageFigurative language to express

abstractionsLong sentencesTransitions/connectives

◦Rather, In additionPassive voiceNominalization

◦we hold the belief thatCondensed complex messages

◦Pluralist future

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Bricks and Mortar Words

Bricksimagery

metaphorrevolution

emancipationhypotenusereciprocal

mitosisgravity

Mortarthereforeas a resultcontains

consists ofthusinfer

dependentmaintain

correspond

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Dimensions of Academic Language

Vocabulary

Syntax

Discourse

http://www.jeffzwiers.com/jeffzwiers-com-new_003.htm

Syntax: sentence frames help students understand how the words are used in sentencesmanipulatives

Vocabulary

Syntax

Discourse

Strategies for teaching Syntax (how words are used in sentences):• Analyze how that word is

used in a sentence.• Use sentence frames for

both oral and written practice.

• Build sentences with manipulatives.

• Lastly generate original sentences.

Otherwise (conjunction) connecting word that means if

you don’t do something, something else will happen

“I have to pay $15 tomorrow, otherwise the jacket will be given to someone else.”

Linda must pay the rent, otherwise she will lose her apartment.

You need to study tonight, otherwise _______

_________________ , otherwise _________

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Did my Level 3 student use “otherwise” correctly?

Many countries have an economy completely bad. The person who has a big family for the bad education, and that person cannot find a job, the only alternative is to emigrate. Otherwise his family will die or only have for eat once a day.

Teach Cause & Effect signal words

becausesincesothereforeconsequentlyas a result

Using the content being studied…Reinforcing language and content!!

Effect + Cause Sentences

___effect (what)__because ___cause (why) __

since The student opened his eyes because Ms.

L-T dropped the book.The student opened his eyes since Ms. L-

T dropped the book.

Cause + Effect Sentences

__cause (why)_______, effect (what)_____

Because Ms. L-T dropped the book, the student opened his eyes.

Since Ms. L-T dropped the book, the student opened his eyes.

BecauseSince

__cause (why)_______ effect (what)_____

Cause + Effect Sentences

, so. Therefore,. Consequently,. As a result,

• Ms. L-T dropped the book, so the student opened his eyes.• Ms. L-T dropped the book. Therefore, the student opened his eyes.• Ms. L-T dropped the book. Consequently, the student opened his eyes.• Ms. L-T dropped the book. As a result, the student opened his eyes.

___effect (what)__because ___cause (why) __

since

__cause (why)_______ effect (what)_____, so. Therefore,. Consequently,. As a result,

Cause + Effect Sentences

__cause (why)_______, effect (what)_____BecauseSince

Night, by Elie WeiselCause & Effect Sentence Practice

Cause (why the effect happened) Effect (what was the result)

The inmates had marched for hours

The inmates were exhausted

Father and son stayed together they were able to survive for a while longer

The inmates were given small rations

the inmates became emaciated

Rabbi Eliahu had lost his son Rabbi Eliahu was searching for his son everywhere

, he they

.

Syntax: sentence frames help students understand how the words are used in sentencesmanipulatives

Vocabulary

Syntax

Discourse

Strategies for teaching Syntax and Discourse:• Use academic

sentence starters to analyze text

StrategiesBackground building

◦ Content specific (ex. the Civil War)◦ Pre-teaching key vocabulary (Tier 2 and Tier 3 words)

Scaffolded instruction◦ Modeling use of target language◦ Gradual release of responsibility through structured

activities◦ Graphic organizers

Explicit academic language instruction◦ Sentence frames◦ Oral and written use of target language◦ Use of target language in context of reading discussions

Cooperative learning◦ Paired and small group tasks for reading, discussion, and

some writing tasks

Sample Sentence Frames & Transitions

According to _______, “______”

The author argues/claims that _____

Based on the text, the reader can infer that the author believes _____

Consequently, the author claims that _____

With this in mind, the author argues _____

Considering the evidence, the author deduces that _____

Although some people believe ______, the author claims that ______

In contrast to popular opinion, the author argues that ______

While popular opinion states that ______, the author claims that _____

Whereas others have argued that ______, the author believes that _____

Instead of “The author says…”

To Show Contrasting Ideas:

For example,For instance, In addition,Furthermore,Moreover,Based on the

evidence,First, (second,

third, finally, etc.)

In summary,

General Transitions:

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Summarizing Arguments with Academic Language

Syntax: sentence frames help students understand how the words are used in sentencesmanipulatives

Vocabulary

Syntax

Discourse

Strategies for teaching Vocabulary through interdisciplinary reinforcement:• Content teachers

collaborate to determine “words of the week”

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Multidisciplinary Content Vocabulary for Level 2 ELLs

Crucial stage in English-language acquisition, acquiring content vocabulary, developing language structures

Teachers created strategies to teach mortar words and phrases across the curricula of language arts, science and social studies

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Mortar Phrases Selected Sixteen paired mortar phrases were selected from Building

Academic Language based on teachers’ informal observation of phrases most used in mainstream academic content classes. In addition, academic brick words and phrases from English language arts, science and social studies SOL word lists were also chosen.

that is to be specific

in other words more precisely

in this manner furthermore

in particular besides

conversely as a result

in spite of this therefore

meanwhile in brief

presently to sum up

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Interdisciplinary Pre-Assessment

Students all took a written interdisciplinary multiple-choice assessment to establish a baseline of their prior knowledge and use of these phrases.SAMPLE QUESTION

Animal scientists have established that the relationship between dogs and humans has existed for thousands of years; __________, canines and people have long been living together.

a) furthermore b) precisely c) in other words d) meanwhile

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Written and Spoken Evidence

Phrases introduced weekly and practiced in each class through cloze activities, skits, picture writing prompts, games

Using the phrases in writing encourages more advanced sentence structures—complex sentences—and more advanced punctuation—semicolons and colons.

Spoken and written evidence demonstrates that students are consistently using the phrases, and speaking and writing more academically sophisticated sentences:

SAMPLE

Harriet Tubman helped fellow slaves to escape to freedom; more precisely, she was a successful conductor on the Underground Railroad.

Syntax: sentence frames help students understand how the words are used in sentencesmanipulatives

Vocabulary

Syntax

Discourse

Strategies for teaching Vocabulary through interdisciplinary reinforcement:• Content teachers

collaborate to determine “words of the week”

Look at a writing sample from Maureen’s class. How many academic mortar phrases are used correctly?

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Is breaking the law ever justified?

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ObjectivesTo share strategies for building

academic language proficiency that

go beyond merely introducing words to students

integrate language and content incorporate reading, writing, listening and

speaking provide language for higher order thinking skills

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Cocktail PartyHow can you use the

information we shared today?

that is to be specific

in other words more precisely

in this manner furthermore

in particular besides

conversely as a result

in spite of this therefore

meanwhile in brief

presently to sum up

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Contact Info

Jennifer Hamilton, jennifer.hamilton@acps.k12.va.us

Robin Liten-Tejadarobin.litentejada@apsva.us