The CALLA Handbook

1
The CALLA Handbook Chapter 3 Academic Language
Development in CALLA
Dr. Ellen de Kanter University of St.
Thomas Instructional Strategies for the Content
Area in ESL BIED 5336
2
What is Academic Language?

• Language Functions
• More difficult and takes longer to learn than
  social language.
• Consist primarily of the language functions
  needed for authentic academic content.
• Thinking Skills
• Requires the use of both lower-order and
  higher-order thinking skills.

3
Why Teach Academic Language?

• Used in Content Subjects
• Learned in School
• Teacher Expectations
• Develops Thinking
• Learning Strategies

4
Why Teach Academic Language?

• Command of academic language is the key to
  success in the grade-level classroom.
• Academic language is not usually learned outside
  the classroom setting.
• Content classroom teachers may assume that
  students already have appropriate academic
  language skills.
• Academic language promotes higher-level thinking
  and provides practice in using English as a
  medium of thought.

5
How to Select Academic Language

• Content Classrooms
• Observe and record language used in content
  classrooms.
• Content Textbooks
• Analyze language used in content textbooks.
• Activities
• Select authentic language tasks have students
  use a variety of language skills and functions to
  learn, read, talk, write, and think abut content
  topics.
• Student Interest
• Allow students options in selecting academic
  language to learn and practice.

6
How to Teach Academic Language

• Teacher Modeling
• Model academic language appropriate to the
  content topic.
• Student Input
• Have students identify new words and structures
  they encounter.
• Listening
• Provide practice in listening to content
  information and answering higher-level questions.

7
How to Teach Academic Language

• Oral Language
• Create opportunities for using academic language
  through cooperative activities.
• Speaking
• Reading and Writing
• Have students read and write in every content
  subject.
• Thinking Skills
• Have students describe, explain, justify,
  evaluate, and express understanding of and
  feelings about content topics and processes.
• Learning Strategies
• Teach learning strategies for all language
  activities.

8
The CALLA Handbook Chapter 3 Academic Language
Development in CALLA
Dr. Ellen de Kanter University of St.
Thomas Instructional Strategies for the Content
Area in ESL BIED 5336