Deconstructing Academic Language

Academic Discourse and Text Complexity in the ClassroomShelley HartfordJulia LaraErin Sullivan

JLara Educational Consulting, LLC

1Module I:Overview of Common Core2Chunk and Sort the CCSSForm groups of 4. Read each standard in the envelope.Discuss the standard with the members in your group.Categorize the grade level standard under each anchor standard.

3Gallery WalkWrite key components of your standard on your large sheet.Post the sheet on the wall.Go around the room and add statements on each standard by completing one of these sentence frames:One challenge for ELs that I have encountered within the __________ standard is _________________.One challenge for Els that I anticipate within the __________ standard is _________________.One benefit for ELs I have encountered within the __________ standard is _________________.One benefit for Els I anticipate within the ___________ standard is _________________.

4Common Core State StandardsDefine what students should know and be able to do for college and career readinessAddress K-12 in English/language arts and mathematicsHave been adopted by 45+ statesWere developed by states with leadership from Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and National Governors Association (NGA)

5Key FeaturesStandards are research-basedFoster the independent reading of complex texts that are crucial for college and career readiness, Emphasize importance of informational texts.

Standards are aligned with the expectations of employers and collegesAddress concern that adult reading levels are disturbingly lowInclude rigorous content and application of knowledge through higher-order skillsAre internationally-benchmarked6Limitations Standards do not specify:

How students should be taught Nature of advanced work to be provided to above average students Interventions for students below grade level Supports to ELL students 7Common Core StandardsK-56-12English Language Arts/Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical SubjectsMathSpeaking and Listening, Reading, Writing, Language and Standard 10 Rang, Quality and Complexity

English Language ArtsMathLiteracy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical SubjectsSpeaking and Listening, Reading, Writing, Language and Standard 10 Rang, Quality and Complexity8What are the implications of the CCS for ELLs? Student performance expectations within the Common Core are very high.

Educators of ELLs will be challenged to identify materials and methods that support ELLs in meeting the standards.

Districts will be challenged to develop methods of validly and reliably assessing the progress and performance of ELLs toward meeting the standards.

Districts must build the capacity of teachers to support ELLs toward meeting the standards.

9ELLs Need SupportPredictable, clear, and consistent instructionExtended explanationsOpportunities to practice and expand languageVisual cues Opportunities to build and connect background knowledgeTargeted vocabulary instructionExplicit language instruction

10Anticipation Guide Read the statements. Select if you agree or disagree.Justify your response.Divide into jigsaw groups.Read the article. Share out within your jigsaw group.

11What Does Text Complexity Mean for English Learners and Language Minority Students?Lily Wong FillmoreCharles Fillmore

12Anticipation Guide (cont.)Confirm your original response.

Justify your response by citing the appropriate paragraph.

13Module 2:Academic Discourse14

"Reading and writing float on a sea of talk.15Self-Assessment Read the statements.Indicate whether this applies to you or your classroom : often, sometimes, seldom, or never. Give yourself the following points per item:Often = 3Sometimes = 2Seldom = 1Never = 016Teachers face two tasks in language classrooms:

1) Offer enough high-quality English language input

2) Offer more opportunities for students to meaningfully use the target language. 17Teacher talk makes up around 70% of classroom language. (Cook, 2000; Chaudron, 1988; Zhao Xiaohong, 1998).

Silent Response: Place your fingers on your chest to rate the accuracy of this statistic for classrooms in your school.Show 1 finger (highly accurate), 2 fingers(somewhat accurate), 3 fingers (not accurate)18Turn and TalkWhen the teacher speaks lessStudents know the information is important.Students listen more attentively.Students work harder to process the information.Students have added opportunity for interest and challenge.

19

Turn and TalkWhen students speak more

They have increased opportunities to become familiar with the new material.They have more chances to experiment with and personalize the language. They develop better communication skills. They must work together to repair the miscomprehension.

20

Teacher Talk TimeStudent Talk TimeShould be 20% of the lesson.The teacher must speak more when providing explanations and examples early in the lesson. Elsewhere he may speak less as students need ample opportunity to practice the new material.Should be 80% of the lesson. Student language use should promote qualitative thought. Students need some drills to become familiar with and absorb the target language.Too many drills result in students who fail to critically observe, analyze, and practice with the new language.

21Too Much Student Talk Can Be ProblematicWong-Fillmore found that successful SLA occurred in teacher-dominated classes. In contrast, little SLA took place in classes with too much interaction among students. Fillmore explained these results in terms of the type of input which was received in the different classrooms.

22Too Much Student Talk Can Be ProblematicIn successful classrooms the teachers serve as the main source of input. In student-centered classrooms, the pupils did not receive as much teacher input, and tended to use the L1 when talking among themselves.

23Too Much Student Talk Can Be ProblematicFillmore argued the amount of teacher talk time should not be decreased blindly. These two conditions must be met for successful SLA to occur with reduced teacher talk:

The students must have a high enough level of language proficiency to communicate with their teacher and among themselves.There must be enough students who want to communicate in class.

24Swains (1985) Output Hypothesis argues that comprehensible input is not a sufficient condition for SLA.

It is only when input becomes intake that SLA takes place.

The need to produce output encourages the learner to develop the necessary grammatical resources, which are referred to as pushed language use.

Moving from Input to Intake25Output provides the learner with the opportunity to try out hypotheses to see if they work.

Production helps to force the learner to move from semantic to syntactic processing. It is possible to comprehend a message without any syntactic analysis of the input it contains.

Production is the trigger that forces learners to pay attention to the means of expression.Moving from Input to Intake26The role of interaction (Van Lier, 1988:93)

27Remedies for the Talkative TeacherBuild Daily Routines for InteractionVobackulary Shades of Meaning Information GapListen and WriteDigital Oral Storyboarding28Vobackulary

HORSES29

30horseshoe

31saddle

32stampede

33foal

34mane

35hooves

36tail

37trot

38canter

39gallop

40Vocabulary PracticeQuizlet41Shades of MeaningSelect a word.Ask students to brainstorm other words with similar meaning. Guide students in ranking the words in order of greatest specificity, detail, or impact. Write the words in order on a paint sample.

42Microscopic PlanktonPut words in order of size.Use in oral sentences.Describe PlanktonSmallMy feet are small.

LittleMy sister is little.

TinyA baby is tiny.

Itty BittyA snail is itty bitty.

Microscopic Plankton are microscopic.Plankton no can swim.

Plankton can float.

The fish eat the plankton.43Horses can gallop.Horses can canter.Horses can trot.Horses can walk.44Information GapLook at the pictureDO NOT SHOW YOUR PARTNER YOUR PICTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO PEEKING!!!!!!!!!!Partner A: Use the words in the box to describe picture A to your partner.Partner B: Draw the picture that your partner is describing to you.SWITCH!!!!45Listen and Write Mr. Ed46Digital Oral StoryboardingDigital Oral StoryboardingJlara Educational Consulting, LLC47Go Digital!Windows Movie Maker Photo Story 3PowerPoint iMovie Digital Oral StoryboardingJlara Educational Consulting, LLC48HorsesWrite a short story describing the interaction between two people who are negotiating the sale of a horse. Include:at least 6 vocabulary words that describe characteristics of the horsedrawings or photos dialogue 49DirectionsCreate storyboard by drawing pictures and writing story. Choose program. Take pictures, videos, or scan drawings.Record voice on computer. Add titles.Publish!50ExamplesWindows Movie Maker Photo Story 3PowerPoint iMovie

51Module III:Academic Text Complexity 52What is Academic Language? Academic English is extended, reasoned discourse. It is not short responses or just one sentence after another. It is logical, connected discourse that is much more precise in reference than ordinary spoken language.

Wong-Fillmore, 200453What is Academic Language? Academic English uses grammatical devices that allow speakers and writers to pack as much information as necessary for interpretation into coherent and logical sequences.

Wong-Fillmore, 200454Simplified Text In an effort to create ELL-friendly materials, textbook publishers have created materials that are devoid of academic language. These texts are being used with ELLs, who are then completely unprepared to transition to authentic academic readings.55Example 1:ELLs read about plants.

56What is a Plant?From Longman Science page 32What do you know about plants? Most plants are green. They need light and water to grow. Some plants have beautiful flowers. Many plants are good to eat.

Plants are living things. They are part of a large group of living things called the plant kingdom. Plants are the same as animals in some ways. They need food and water. They reproduce, or make new plants. They grow and, in time, die.57Is it Academic Language?Does it have extended, reasoned discourse?Is it not just one short sentence after another?Is it more precise in reference than ordinary spoken language?Does it employ grammatical devices that allow for large amounts of information to be coherently included in one sentence?

58What is a Plant?From Longman Science pg 32What do you know about plants? Most plants are green. They need light and water to grow. Some plants have beautiful flowers. Many plants are good to eat.

Plants are living things. They are part of a large group of living things called the plant kingdom. Plants are the same as animals in some ways. They need food and water. They reproduce, or make new plants. They grow and, in time, die.59Simplified texts are boring!S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o. S-v-o.

60Example 1: Simple = Boring. How can we engage students and support them in mastering academic language with texts that are devoid of grammatical complexity?

61Example 2:ELLs read about an astrolabe

62From The Astrolabe

The astrolabe (in Greek, star reckoner) is a manual computing and observation device with myriad uses in astronomy, time keeping, surveying, navigation, and astrology. The principles behind the most common variety, the planispheric astrolabe, were first laid down in antiquity by the Greeks, who pioneered the notion of projecting three dimensional images on flat surfaces. The device reached a high degree of refinement in the medieval Islamic world, where it was invaluable for determining prayer times and the direction of Mecca from anywhere in the Muslim world.

Nicastro, Nicholas. Circumference: Eratosthenes and the Ancient Quest to Measure the Globe. New York: St. MartinsPress, 2008. (2008)

63Is it Academic Language?Does it have extended, reasoned discourse?Is it not just one short sentence after another?Is it more precise in reference than ordinary spoken language?Does it employ grammatical devices that allow for large amounts of information to be coherently included in one sentence?

64From The Astrolabe

The astrolabe (in Greek, star reckoner) is a manual computing and observation device with myriad uses in astronomy, time keeping, surveying, navigation, and astrology. The principles behind the most common variety, the planispheric astrolabe, were first laid down in antiquity by the Greeks, who pioneered the notion of projecting three dimensional images on flat surfaces. The device reached a high degree of refinement in the medieval Islamic world, where it was invaluable for determining prayer times and the direction of Mecca from anywhere in the Muslim world.

Nicastro, Nicholas. Circumference: Eratosthenes and the Ancient Quest to Measure the Globe. New York: St. MartinsPress, 2008. (2008)

65Rich, juicy sentences are interesting to read and to teach!The astrolabe (in Greek, star reckoner) is a manual computing and observation device with myriad uses in astronomy, time keeping, surveying, navigation, and astrology.Parenthetical devicesGreek rootsModifiersSerial commas66Horses (3-5)/Black Beauty (6-8)Read the text

Use the criteria to evaluate the level of complexity.

67Evaluate Text ComplexityCriteriaEvidenceDoes it have extended, reasoned discourse?Is it not just one short sentence after another?

Is it more precise in reference than ordinary spoken language?

Does it employ grammatical devices that allow for large amounts of information to be coherently included in one sentence?

68Evaluate Text Complexity-Horses (3-5)Criteria

Does it have extended, reasoned discourse?

Is it not just one short sentence after another?

Is it more precise in reference than ordinary spoken language?

Does it employ grammatical devices that allow for large amounts of information to be coherently included in one sentence?

EvidenceYes, particularly in the first paragraph.No. When a horse walks, each hoof leaves the ground at a different time. It movesYes. Palominos, pintos, the body swings gently

Noun Phrases Most horses that look white are actually gray.Informational Density When a horse trots, its legs moves in pairs, left front leg with right hind leg, and right front leg with left hind leg.

69Evaluate Text Complexity-Black Beauty (6-8)CriteriaDoes it have extended, reasoned discourse?Is it not just one short sentence after another?

Is it more precise in reference than ordinary spoken language?Does it employ grammatical devices that allow for large amounts of information to be coherently included in one sentence?

EvidenceYes, explanation for Gingers biting habitNo. Short sentences only appear in the dialogue.Yes. Fond farewell, box lined with clean, fresh hay, sweet oats, patted me and left me to settle in.

Noun Phrases So the poor horse that was killed in the hunt when I was young was my brother.Informational Density We started slowly, then we started trotting and cantering and when we were on the common by Highwood, he gave me the lightest touch of the whip and we had a splendid gallop.Adverbial Clause- After I had eaten, I looked around my stall and into the one beyond.Frequent tense changes within the narrative.

70Instructional Activities for Academic LiteracySimple to ComplexSentence ChainPoint of View RewritesSystematic RevisingJuicy Sentences

71Simple to ComplexRead the sentences.

Write one complex sentence, including as much of the original information as possible.

Share your sentence with a partner.72Sentence Chain FoldableRead the sentence strip. Rewrite the sentence at the bottom of the page by:Adding a sentence connector.Adding a complex noun phraseChanging to conditional tenseAdding a prepositional phraseAdding an appositiveAdding an adverbial phraseChanging to past tenseChanging the subjectFold your sentence up and tape it closed!73Point of View Rewrites1. Take out your digital oral storyboard.2. Using your dialogue, think about the horses point of view.3. Brainstorm the horses feelings during the sale.4. Use this information to rewrite the story of the horses sale from the horses point of view.5. Increase the complexity of your text by rewriting at least three sentences using the grammatical structures practiced during the Sentence Chain activity.74Systematic FeedbackImportant to be consistent in your editing/feedback system within your class and through out schoolCreate of find a list of symbols to use in revising and editingFocus on content and form separatelyStudent Example: Bella Sciveri system used at Glen Burnie H.S.75Juicy SentencesHandoutVideo Clip76Juicy SentencesThe Chincoteague Pony, now a registered breed, descends from the 'wild' horses on Assateague Island, a 37 mile long barrier island off the coast of Maryland and Virginia.77Juicy SentencesRead the sentence orally with students.Write what you think the sentence means on a post-it.Deconstruct the sentence.Ask HOT questions. Students answer with text support.Identify morphology.Write what the sentence means to you now on a post it.

78Juicy SentencesThe Chincoteague Pony is a type of pony.The Chincoteague Pony is a registered breed.The Chincoteague Pony descends from the 'wild' horses on Assateague Island.Assateague Island is a 37 mile long barrier island.Assateague Island is off the coast of Maryland.Assateague Island is off the coast of Virginia. 79Juicy SentencesChoose a text exemplar.Find a juicy sentence.Break it down.Develop HOT questions.Identify morphological/grammatical structures you can teach.80