Academic Language/Literacy Strategies for Adolescents: A "How-To" Manual for Educators
By Debra L. Cook Hirai, Irene Borrego, Emilio Garza, Carl T Kloock
* Publisher: Routledge
* Number Of Pages: 304
* Publication Date: 2009-10-28
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0415999650
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780415999656
Product Description:
Fast-paced, practical, and innovative, this text for pre-service and in-service teachers features clear, easily accessible lessons and professional development activities to improve the delivery of academic language/literacy education across the content areas in junior/middle school and high school classrooms. Numerous hands-on tools and techniques demonstrate the effectiveness of content-area instruction for students in a wide variety of school settings, particularly English language learners, struggling readers, and other special populations of students.
Based on a strong professional development model the authors have been instrumental in designing, Academic Language/Literacy Strategies for Adolescents addresses:
Motivation
Attributes of Academic Language
Vocabulary: Theory and Practice
Reading Skills Development
Grammar and Writing.
A wealth of charts, graphs, and lesson plans give clear examples of academic language/literacy strategies in action. The appendices - a key component of the practical applications developed in the text - include a glossary, exemplary lessons that address key content areas, and a Grammar Handbook.
In this era of increased accountability, coupled with rapid demographic change and challenges to traditional curricula and pedagogical methods, educators will find this book to be a great resource!
Contents
Foreword by Sheryl L. Santos xiii
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xix
Chapter 1 Background 1
A Short History of the Term Academic Language 2
Instruction from an Academic Language Perspective 5
Why Should We Teach Academic Language? 8
How Th is Book Can Help 16
Chapter 2 Motivation 17
Th e Importance of Motivation 18
Research on Student Motivation 19
Students’ Perception of What Motivates Th em 21
Setting a Purpose for Learning: Th e Anticipatory Set 24
Active Learning and Hands-On Activities 28
Modeling and Guided Practice 29
Summary: What Motivates Students? 29
Chapter 3 Attributes of Academic Language 31
Receptive and Expressive Language 31
Application of Receptive and Expressive Strategies 33
Professional Input and Feedback for Academic
Language Literacy Instruction 39
Summary 43
Chapter 4 Vocabulary: Th eory and Practice 45
Developing Vocabulary 45
Learning and Acquisition: Th e Importance of Multiple
Exposures 48
Cognates, Root Words, and Affi xes 51
Contextualizing Vocabulary 57
Personalizing and Operationalizing Vocabulary 59
Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary 60
Specifi c Activities/Techniques 61
A Sample Lesson 67
Summary 73
Chapter 5 Reading Skills Development 75
Importance of Reading in the Content Areas 75
Research on Reading and Reading Comprehension 76
Literacy and Reading 77
Content Literacy 79
Expository vs. Narrative Text 81
Th e Phases of Reading: Reading Into, Th rough, and Beyond 82
Strategies for Getting Students “Into” Reading 83
“Into” Activities 85
Strategies for Getting Students “Th rough” Reading 85
“Th rough” Activities 86
Strategies for Getting Students “Beyond” Reading 87
Integrated Activities 88
Sample Lesson: Geometry Proofs 91
Summary 96
Chapter 6 Grammar and Writing 97
Th e Importance of Grammar to Language Acquisition 98
How Should Grammar Be Taught? 99
How Are Writing Skills and Grammar Related? 100
Brick and Mortar Words 102
Why Should Content-Area Teachers Teach Grammar? 103
Writing and Academic Language Literacy 104
Th e Relationship between Verbal and Written Language 105
Student Writing Skills 106
Building the Academic Register For Writing 107
Assessing Writing in Order to Develop Writing Skills 108
Writing: “Into, Th rough, and Beyond” 112
Activities that Develop Writing Skills 113
Sample Lesson: Th ree Search Papers on the Holocaust 114
Summary 120
x • Contents
Chapter 7 Summing Up 121
Glossary 123
Appendix 1 Expressive and Receptive Language Strategies and
Model Lesson Plan Format 127
Appendix 2 Sample Lesson Plans Including Expressive and
Receptive Language Prompts 131
Sample Lesson Plan 2.1: Sentence Analysis and
Rephrasing (Earth Science) 131
Sample Lesson Plan 2.2: Using the Text (Algebra) 136
Sample Lesson Plan 2.3: Classifying the Elements
(Chemistry) 138
Sample Lesson Plan 2.4: Using a Science Notebook
(General Science) 146
Sample Lesson Plan 2.5: Stem-and-Leaf Plots (Graphing) 150
Appendix 3 Sample Lesson Plans without Expressive and
Receptive Language Prompts 159
Sample Lesson Plan 3.1: Unit Analysis
(Math and Science) 159
Sample Lesson Plan 3.2: Word Problems (Math) 169
Sample Lesson Plan 3.3: Scientifi c Method
(General Science/Biology) 172
Sample Lesson Plan 3.4: Linear Equalities
in 2 Variables (Math) 178
Sample Lesson Plan 3.5: Introduction to Relations
and Functions (Math) 193
Appendix 4 Sample Writing Rubric 199
Appendix 5 List of Useful Web Sites for Math and Science 203
Appendix 6 Common Cognates 207
Appendix 7 Grammar Handbook 213
References 271
Index 279
Foreword
Academic Language/Literacy Strategies for Adolescents: A “How To” Manual
for Educators by Drs. Debra Cook Hirai, Irene Borrego, Emilio Garza, and
Carl Kloock is a fast-paced, practical, and innovative textbook for preservice
and in-service teachers. In this decade of increased accountability, coupled
with rapid demographic change and challenges to traditional curricula and
pedagogical methods, educators will fi nd this book to be a great resource!
Reading in the content areas has been brought to the forefront most recently
due to the fact that nationally 25% of our secondary students are reading
at below basic levels. Content-area teachers face the challenge of teaching
subject matter to students who struggle with comprehension and literacy
skills. Yet, literacy programs for populations such as struggling readers and
English learners have generally not taken into consideration the importance
of teaching academic language in the content areas. Th e result has been low
test scores in the content areas and high numbers of school dropouts. Th is
textbook provides educators with resources and appropriate techniques to
improve comprehension and English language literacy.
In this text, Professors Cook Hirai, Borrego, Garza, and Kloock have
addressed a critical need for classroom practitioners and thus made a great
contribution to the fi eld of professional development and training as well
as teacher preparation. Th e authors take simple concepts and infuse them
with teaching strategies that use academic language. Th e chapters stimulate
the “practical voice” for content-area teachers about key concepts in how
to teach literacy in subject matter. Th e charts, graphs, and lesson plans give
clear examples of how teachers can provide academic language in various
settings including the use of “hands-on” ideas. Th e text includes an appendix
of proven, exemplary lessons that address key content areas.
I know that my CSUB colleagues have not only put their hearts into this
textbook about academic language use in the classroom, but all their ideas
are based on their considerable experience with best practice research as well
as their work with classroom teachers. I commend the authors for their hard
work and dedication as they have accomplished their vision for supporting
teachers in a meaningful way.
Dr. Sheryl L. Santos, Dean
College of Education
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
xiv • Foreword
xv
Preface
Th is book evolved out of the need to have easily accessible lessons and professional
development activities to demonstrate the eff ectiveness of teaching
literacy in the content areas at the upper elementary, junior high/middle
school, high school, and college levels. Th is is, to our knowledge, one of the
fi rst texts available to specifi cally address strategies for academic language
instruction in the content areas above the primary grades (K-3). Th e use
of academic language instruction is relatively limited in intermediate and
secondary schools. Most of the available material relates to English learners
only and does not address all student populations. Th is book addresses
academic language instruction across the content areas. We believe that
the techniques it presents will aid instruction in the content area in a wide
variety of school settings.
Academic Language/Literacy Strategies for Adolescents is intended for
use in teacher education professional development training and credential
coursework, college reading methodology, and literacy methodology classes
integrating all aspects of the listening, speaking, reading, and writing curriculum,
as well as staff development training. It will also be useful as a reference
book, particularly the grammar section in appendix 7.
Our style of writing is friendly and comprehensible, yet academic in
nature. We try not to lecture our audience, rather, we engage readers in the
learning process. We off er valuable resources for instructional strategies using
research-based theory presented in a user friendly format.
Overview
Chapter 1 provides a history of academic language and academic literacy
and presents the arguments for why teachers need to address it in their
content-area classroom.
Chapter 2 deals with the issue of student motivation, including data from
student surveys. It presents not only information on what students themselves
fi nd motivating, but also specifi c strategies based on the survey information.
Th is chapter also discusses lesson strategies to eff ectively engage students.
Chapter 3 breaks down the concept of academic language into observable
teaching behaviors. Here we off er strategies to teach the receptive (R) and
expressive (E) skills students would benefi t from in understanding the language
of their content areas. Chapter 3 also includes an observation checklist
that can be helpful in peer coaching.
Chapter 4 addresses numerous eff ective strategies for vocabulary development,
specifi cally highlighting the diff erences between acquisition and
learning of vocabulary and the importance of developing both receptive and
expressive language skills. In this chapter the reader will also fi nd helpful the
vocabulary lists, including signal words, root words, and affi xes. Th ese lists
were developed by the authors, with the assistance of the English language
development teaching staff at Delano Joint Union High School District in
California.
Chapter 5 focuses on the receptive skill of reading and emphasizes the
importance of reading in the content areas. Discussions of “Into,” “Th rough,”
and “Beyond” reading strategies, as well as integrated reading strategies,
include helpful examples.
Chapter 6 deals with the expressive skill of writing. It gives the rationale
for teaching writing along with teaching and assessment strategies in the
content areas. Aft er a brief discussion of why grammar rules are important
concepts for students to learn, this chapter also clarifi es the pedagogy of
teaching grammar. “Th e Grammar Handbook” (appendix 7) is a fairly comprehensive
reference guide for both student and teacher use. Th is is included
as an aid to teachers in the content areas who, based on our experience, are
sometimes hesitant to engage in grammar instruction.
Chapter 7 off ers a summary of what is covered in the preceding chapters
and a short explanation of how to use the lessons for reviewing the elements
of academic language.
Th e appendices form a major part of the practical applications developed
in the book.
Appendix 1 is a sample lesson • plan outline which is used for all sample
lessons found in the text.
• Appendix 2 includes three science and two math lessons, with the
receptive and expressive skills for academic language identifi ed in the
lessons.
• Appendix 3 includes three math and two science lessons which do not
have the receptive and expressive skills listed.
xvi • Preface
• Appendix 4 is a model rubric for writing assignments
• Appendix 5 is a list of Web sites which may be helpful for the math
and science teachers.
• Appendix 6 is a list of social studies, math, and science Spanish cognates.
• Appendix 7 is the grammar handbook.
Th e intended overarching objective of this text is to share with readers
the authors’ wealth of experience in assisting teachers and schools to improve
student academic achievement through the use of academic language
instructional strategies in the content-area classroom.
Th is book evolved from two highly successful grant implementations
and the experiences of the authors while designing eff ective staff development
sessions and instructional strategies for these grants which were
awarded to the teaching credential program at California State University,
Bakersfi eld. Th e fi rst grant, English Language Development Professional
Institute (ELDPI), funded by the State of California, 2000–2003, produced
many innovative instructional strategies for English learners, especially in
the content areas. Th e latest grant, a 4-year grant from the California Post
Secondary Commission (CPEC), which funnels No Child Left Behind
funds through the State of California, called Cognitive Academic Language
Literacy Instruction (CALLI), targets academic language instruction in the
secondary math and science content areas (2005–2009). Th e intent of this
grant was to create an eff ective professional development model through collaboration
between faculty from the School of Education and the School of
Natural Science and Mathematics at California State University, Bakersfi eld,
and Bakersfi eld College and the Delano Joint Union High School District.
Th e professional development model focuses on working with secondary
math and science teachers to improve their delivery of academic language
instruction embedded in their content-area classroom, and, through this
process, increase the achievement of their students. Th e high school math
and science teachers participating in this grant work in a low income, high
English learner population district.
As we began to develop instructional strategies to provide professional
development for the teachers participating in the grants, we realized that
there were a limited number of resources currently available for instruction
in academic language/literacy for content-area teachers of all students: not
just English language learners. Th us, we began to develop our own materials
and strategies, based on collaboration with content-area experts and the
knowledge and expertise gained from teaching language acquisition methodologies
courses for second language learners, literacy strategies across content
areas, as well as other experiences such as grant presentations, conference
presentations, and publications. The result is this book. |