Academic Language and the PACT Teaching Event Identifying

Academic Language and the PACT Teaching Event: Identifying Language Demands and Scaffolding Content Learning and Language Development David Whitenack San José State University Department of Elementary Education January 31, 2007

Pedagogical note: “Teach the SIOP by using the SIOP” I’m attempting to model the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) http: //www. siopinstitute. net/index. html

Content Objectives (We will…) Study the stages of second language acquisition Identify the language demands in a literacy lesson Scaffold student learning according to students’ language levels and the lesson’s language demands Link lesson plans to ELD standards Determine key features of the PACT Elementary Literacy Teaching Event

Language Objectives (We will…) Read and engage in dialogue about a brief research summary Read and engage in dialogue about a standards document Read and engage in dialogue about a teacher assessment protocol Quickwrite to summarize thinking and engage in related dialogue

Links to Background (Thumbs up if you …) Have had English learners in your classroom? Have student teachers with English learners in their classrooms? Have studied the stages of second language acquisition?

Links to Past Learning (Shoulder buddy) What do you remember from Andrea and Roxana’s presentation last week? What is integrated throughout the tasks of the PACT Literacy Teaching Event? Yes! It’s academic language. Let’s investigate.

Key Vocabulary: What does it mean to know a word? Core meaning (e. g. , definition) Related forms (noun, verb, adjective, etc. ) Grammatical usage (in a sentence) Related words and concepts (synonyms, antonyms, homophones, etc. ), categorical distinctions Picture/drawing (optional)

Key Vocabulary: Academic language Core meaning: “[A] cognitively demanding and relatively decontextualized register [that] relies on a broad knowledge of words, concepts, language structures, and interpretation strategies. . . ”

Key Vocabulary: Academic language Core meaning (continued): “. . . Skills related to mastery of academic English include summarizing, analyzing, extracting and interpreting meaning, evaluating evidence, composing, and editing. ” -Wong-Fillmore, L. , & Snow, C. (2000). What elementary teachers need to know about language. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. Retrieved January 31, 2007 at http: //www. cal. org/resources/digest/0006 fillmore. html.

Key Vocabulary: Academic language Related forms (noun, verb, adjective, etc. ) N/A E. g. , planned, planning, etc.

Key Vocabulary: Academic language Grammatical usage (in a sentence) E. g. , A student who can converse and use social language has not necessarily acquired the academic language necessary to comprehend content concepts.

Key Vocabulary: Academic language Related words and concepts: BICS and CALP Academic English Book/school language Standard English--culture of power (Delpit, Hutchinson) Literate language, purposeful talk (Calkins, Dorn)

Building Background: Stages of L 2 Acquisition Note: L 2 = Second language Number off 1 -5 in clusters of 3 (e. g. , “one, one; two, two; etc. ) Share w/ jigsaw group one question you have re: L 2 acquisition Jigsaw read re: L 2 acquisition stages Discuss in groups Report out (Notetaker? ) Remaining questions?

Identifying Language Demands Key questions: Which aspects of this lesson/learning task require knowledge of language? What kinds of language knowledge are required to successfully complete this lesson/language task?

Identifying Language Demands Brainstorm examples: Which aspects of this lesson/learning task require knowledge of language? What kinds of language knowledge are required to successfully complete this lesson/language task? Examples:

Identifying Language Demands Activity: Stay in groups #1 -5 Read the task of the PACT Literacy Teaching Event that corresponds to your group # (e. g. , group 1 read task 1, etc. ) Identify the language demands embedded in the task Report out

Language Issues in the PACT Literacy Teaching Event See EL-703415480 context commentary Read 1 st or 2 nd half of context commentary (split room) Note language-related aspects of the context commentary Discuss in your small group (#1 -5) Report out

Building Background: ELD Standards “Walk through” ELD standards Read carefully one “chunk” (e. g. , listening and speaking: strategies and application: Beginning ELD level) Note: approx. one “chunk” person

Language Issues in the PACT Literacy Teaching Event “Walk through” lesson plan and student work portion of teaching event materials (EL-703415480) Note how, if at all, lesson links to your “chunk” of the ELD standards Note language demands and scaffolding Share w/in 3 -person group (#1 -5) Report out

Practice/Application Work w/in 3 -person group (#1 -5) See “weak” commentary and lesson Note how, if at all, lesson links to your “chunk” of the ELD standards Note language demands and scaffolding Discuss as whole group

Review/Assessment Review key vocabulary: academic language Review key content concepts L 2 acquisition stages ELD standards Language demands and scaffolding Invisible ball catch (address one of the following): How do you now think differently about academic language? What new insight do you have into the PACT Literacy Teaching Event do you now have? How will you take what you’ve learned today and use it with your supervisees?