Using Content Standards to Identify and Teach High Mileage Academic Language

Anny Fritzen CaseGonzaga University

Agenda

• Academic Language Introduction• The challenge: With so much possible AL to

teach, how do you decide what to prioritize?• Deriving AL from content standards• Embedding AL in content lessons• Five “High-Octane” Strategies• You Try It

http://youtu.be/V6pZyY6mM3g http://youtu.be/WRS3i-ukOnk

A Definition

• ". . . the set of words, grammar, and organizational strategies used to describe complex ideas, higher-order thinking processes, and abstract concepts."

– Jeff Zwiers, Building Academic Language, 2008, p. 20

“Brilliant students have been marginalized and unrecognized (and “left behind”) because of their diverse languages, learning styles, and ways of thinking. This results from limited views that mistakenly equate a person’s use of a mainstream register with intelligence and potential. . . We need to build on existing language use and thinking and help students add mainstream conventions to their repertoire of skills, just as we must add to our repertoire the various values and practices that our diverse students bring.” Jeff Zwiers

appointed“national security adviser”“shared a belief”realpolitikbased on ____ rather than ____ideologyformulatedforeign policydétente“easing tensions”confrontation“resolve issues”

One short paragraph!

A few categories of academic vocabulary

• Need to know for a short period• Fundamental to a particular discipline• Fundamental across disciplines• Need to understand (orally or in writing)• Need to understand and produce• Technical terms (bold-faced words)• General language that allows you to use

technical/academic vocab appropriately

“Brick” Terms – Technical words specific to a discipline (the boldfaced vocabulary)

Photosynthesis

Hypotenuse ImageryMonarchy

MitosisReciprocal

Thesis Statement

“Mortar” Terms – general utility words that hold technical terms together; often abstract; used to communicate complex ideas

Therefore If . . . then . . . dependent

In contrast to . . . suppose leads us to believe

High Mileage Words

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1082498

Language & Thinking Tasks

• Understand and analyze story elements

• Explain character change over time

• Describe point of view

• Compare and contrast point of view

• Explain recurring themes using evidence

Language Needed to Do It

• Character, theme, point of view

• Evolve, transform, change, at first, later, in the end . . .

• According to _____, From his/her perspective _____

• Similarly, in contrast, unlike, from a different perspective

• Based on ____, according to _____, _____suggests that

The ProcessBased on the standard, ask yourself:–What are the key words?–What is the academic task?–What language is needed to do it?–What are my students ready to do?

From there, – Contextualize the tasks using relevant content– Design assessments– Embed attention to academic language in your

planning

Let’s Try It

• Formulate one or more hypotheses based on a model or theory of a causal relationship. Demonstrate creativity and critical thinking to formulate and evaluate the hypotheses.

•What are the key words?•What is the academic task?•What language is needed to do it?

Embedding AL into Content Lessons

• Teach • Post • Model

• Practice• Review• Assess

Five High-Octane Strategies

Word Frames

According to _______, _______.

The function of____ is to _____.

Photosynthesis causes __________.

Student Authored Glossaries

• Students create and share definitions

• Students nominate several to be recorded

Adapted Oral Texts

Street Talk Translation

Writing Test Questions

You Try It• Select a learning standard • Imagine a connected lesson• Based on the standard,–What are the key words?–What is the academic task?–What language is needed?

• Brainstorm possible ways to embed this into content instruction– Teach, Post, Model, Practice, Review, Assess