building academic language at palmer's college

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Research by The National Literacy Trust 2013

At the end of AS Year I asked students to write a letter to new AS students about the challenges that they would face from September.

A male student said that: “A weakness of mine is interpreting what the author is saying.” “I need to develop my vocabulary and make sure I am using academic language and not being conversational.”

During the parents’ meeting with a female student and her mother in November:

“There were so many terms to learn.” “We never did anything like this at GCSE.” We just learned what we needed to pass.”

Her self-confidence in her ability to read and write academically was a major issue for this student. It affected her behaviour and attendance. She wanted to be a primary school teacher.

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Extract from “The Class”

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“Comprehensible input” Prof. Stephen Krashen

�http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K11o19YNvk

How can we embed A.L. across Palmer’s?

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Bricks MortarEnglish Literature

Imagery, alliteration, theme, metaphor, plot, genre, characterisation,

Presents, suggests, exemplifies, compare the ways; what are the methods . . .?

Maths

Reciprocal, proof, hypotenuse, obtuse, equation, Pi

Find x, solve, hence, show that, otherwise, rounding,

Biology Solvent, osmosis, thrombin, fibrin,Gene Therapy

Define, describe the meaning of; what is meant by the term . . .?

Graphics Collage, computerised, tone, pattern, typography, framing, contrast, texture,

What techniques? What are the artist’s intentions? In what style? What effect?

Examples of Brick and Mortar Terms in Different Subject Areas

Adapted from Jeff Zwiers’ Building Academic Language (2009)

Avril Coxhead’s Academic WordlistA new academic word list. Tesol Quarterly 34 (2) 213-238 (2000)

�There are 570 Word families with “headwords”�These words account for more than 75% of the

vocabulary students need to cope with the language demands of university.

�The most commonly used words are in sub list one, then sub list 2, etc.�You could adapt and expand the AWL to suit the needs of your classes.

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Guess which of these students got the higher grade from his or her answer:

Martin: Like, to divide em, you turn the second one over and times it by the first one. But ya gotta see if any numbers fit into the top and bottom to cross em out and get em smaller so you don't get big numbers at the end. At the end you see if you can make the top and bottom as small as possible.

Leslie: In order to divide two fractions, take the reciprocal of the second one and multiply it by the first. Before multiplying, though, see if any numerators and denominators have common factors that cancel out. For example, if a 9 is above and 3 below, divide by 3 and you end up with 3 on top and 1 below. Multiply the numerators across the top and the denominators across the bottom. See if the answer can be further reduced.

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Tier 2 terms with specialised meanings in Maths

Balance Interest DifferenceCoordinate Power Terms

Even Similar RadicalImaginary Irrational Improper

Plane Axis ChanceProduct Mixed ExpressionRound Cube PrincipalScale Value FactorSlope Represent Simplify

Square Find FunctionPositive Field RealTangent Proof Odd

Adapted from table 4.10, “Building Academic Language” by Jeff Zwiers 2014

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Some Maths Imperatives

Maths Questions and Expressions

PlotGraphInterpret CalculateEstimateConstructConvertCompareSubstituteFind the relationship between X and YDesign it to minimiseWork backwardPredictIsolate

Which system of equations represents the situation?Which ratio represents an approximation of . . .?What is the measure of . . .?AverageEquivalentRelevant informationAscent, Descent, AltitudeOperationsVary directlyReasonableDimensionsIf X equals . . . then what is . . .?

Adapted from table 4.11, “Building Academic Language” by Jeff Zwiers 2014

A list of expressions often used in problem solving in Maths

We need to figure out exactly what they want.

This is like the problem we did on . . .

Let’s break it down into parts. First, . . . We need to identity the . . .

Information that I need is . . . because . . We don’t know . . ., so let’s make it a variable.

There are different ways to solve it. Maybe the data table will work because . . .

The best solution is . . . because . . . This answer makes sense because . . .

I predict that . . . I think we need to try another way.

We can draw this part as . . . I think that the answer is . . . because . . .

We can check our answer by trying . . . This word means that the final units need to be in . . .

I don’t think this information is important because . . .

I bet that . . . because . . .

Adapted from table 4.12, “Building Academic Language” by Jeff Zwiers 2014

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63

Cross Subject Language

64

Tier 2 Words

https://www.iggy.net/gobbyacademy#gobby

Term 1 Term 2 Term 3

Top Trump CommentInterpretDemonstrateInvestigate Predict

AnalyseAssessCreate Clarify Contrast

ChallengeDebate, ExpandEvaluate

Depth Charge Words Objectivity Culture

Diversity

Inside Track Words Evidence, Summary

InferenceMethod

Reliability

Weighty Words Authority Theory Convention

Peacock Words Furthermore Controversially Conceptually, ContraryConversely

Speaking objectively, advanced maths can be confusing for new students.

An aspect of objectivity in mathematics is about the relationships between the mathematical and the physical.

Does maths exist objectively or is it a human creation?

For a maths expert, numbers have an authority all their own

Example sentences

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Proficient (3) Approaching (2) Below (1)(T) Thinks and talks like a scientist-Observes and hypothesises;-Proposes ways to experiment;Isolates variable; uses evidence.-Refers to scientific terms and syntax.-Applies science to real life.

Makes some connections; uses some complex sentences and scientific terms; makes some applications.

Uses few connections or scientific reasons; uses short sentences and mostly social language.

(F) Stay focused.-Builds comments.-Connects ideas to topic well.-Negotiates conflicting ideas and word meanings.-Offers few, if any, tangential thoughts.

Stays mostly on topic; shows some idea building and negotiation; goes on some tangents and deviations; shows some confusion.

Rarely connects or builds on ideas; go on many tangents and offers unrelated information; demonstrates no negotiation of differing ideas.

(S) Supports ideas and opinions with examples from texts, previous lessons and life; clearly explains and elaborates on ideas.

Offers some prompting for and support of ideas with examples and clarifications.

Offers little or no support of ideas and reasons; shows lack of appropriate prompting.

(P) Paraphrase partner ideas to clarify, deepen, and stay focused; synthesise key points or steps at end.

Offers some paraphrasing and synthesising of key points or steps.

Offers little or no paraphrasing or synthesising.

(C) Uses communication behaviours; actively listens (eyes and body) takes turns; values partner’s comments; respectful.

Shows some appropriate listening and turn-taking behaviours.

Shows little eye contact or listening; interrupts; dominates talk or does not contribute at all.

Sample Academic Conversation Rubric for Science

Dimensions Features Skills

Message

Clarity & coherence Register for participants & purposes Density of ideas and their

relationships Message organisation & structure

(visuals, paragraphs) Organization of sentences

Create a logical flow of and connections between ideas, knowing how ideas develop and need to develop

Match language with the purpose of the message (Clear, complete, focused, logical, appropriate to the discipline)

Create, clarify, fortify, & negotiate ideas

Sentence

Sentence structure (compound/complex) & length

Transitions & connectives

Complex verb tenses and passive voice

Pronouns and references

Craft sentences to be clear Use of a variety of sentence types to clarify a

message and condense information Combine ideas, phrases, and clauses.

Word/ Phrase

Cross-disciplinary terms Figurative expressions & multiple

meanings

Content vocabulary

Affixes, roots, and transformations

Choose and use the best words and phrases communicate

Figure out the meaning of new words and terms

Use and clarify new words to build ideas or create products

Dimensions, Features, and Skills of Academic Language (complex language)

(Adapted from WIDA, 2012)

© 2013 ALDNetwork.org | From Zwiers, O’Hara, & Pritchard (in press) Common Core Standards in diverse classrooms: Essential practices for developing academic language and disciplinary. Stenhouse.

Students will be able to ( skill or function )Using ( specific language )In or during a (type of activity ).

An example from Science

Students will be able to compare the features of two metals using connectives ( however, on the other hand ),during a lab discussion with a partner on the report.

An example from MathsStudents will be able to: evaluate two ways to solve a two-step algebra word problemusing reasoning language ( because, in order to, effective, )during a conversation about the problem and in a quiz.

How to design language objectives from content demands in course specifications

Next steps for Academic Language in Palmer’s College

Establish PLCs = Professional Learning Communities of two or more tutors who could examine issues in students’ learning by creating Inquiry-based learning questions.

Inquiry Cycle for Action Research

Analyse Evidence (e.g., student work)

•Find patterns, surprises, gaps in data•What is the evidence showing and not showing?•Brainstorm possible factors that caused the patterns•Brainstorm factors that might improve outcomes

Teach & Assess•Teach and observe learning•Gather evidence (Formative, Summative, Self-)•Observe other teachers, co-support, & discuss•Investigate existing research, models, theories, cases, and practices that relate

Reflect, Plan, Modify•Agree on evidence types to bring in that will show improvement •Make a plan for assessment and data collection •Clarify teaching that will happen•Clarify what we will do and how (e.g., teach similarly/differently)

Inquiry Focus

Adapted from Academic Conversations by Jeff Zwiers and Marie Crawford, 2011

How can I improve my students’ abilities to infer and interpret themes in texts,evidenced by essays and exit tickets; shortconferences with students,using strategies of a theme visual organiser and academic conversations?

How can I develop my students’ confidence to speak in groups and whole class settings,evidenced by observations of group work and class discussion,using strategies of paired academic conversations and elaborated feedback?

How can I develop my students’ skills at writing coherent lab reports,evidenced by lab reports, exit tickets, and students’ oral explanations of scientific phenomena,using strategies of lab group conversations that focus on peer editing and self-assessment of writing?

Developing an Inquiry Question

How can I improve the_________ ____[result] ___________,

demonstrated by ____________[evidence(s)]_____, by

using ______________________[strategy(s)] _________?

Desired Results Evidence Strategy Intervention

Adapted from ALLIES: Academic Language in Every Subject

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More experts worth Googling to find out more about Academic Language

�Kate Kinsella Lily Wong Fillmore Robin Scarcella

Mary J. Schelppegrel Jeff Zwiers