Landrum MMSC: 2012

1Academic language: Vocabulary Plus

The primary purpose of this session is to give middle school classroom teachers background information and a working definition of academic language. Key components of academic language-- vocabulary, word density, discourse markers, genre, register and code switching-- are illustrated and applied within a classroom context from a cognitive and socio-cultural perspective. Hopefully, teachers who attend will leave this session with a better understanding of how to develop their students’ language skills, thinking skills, and socio-cultural skills through academic language.

Academic language Academic language is the language of school and the professional workplace, and it refers to both expressive and receptive language. Unlike everyday conversation, academic language exudes a distant authoritative persona, characterized by technical words and a succinct style (Nagy, & Townsend, 2012; Schleppegrell, 2009; Schleppegrell & O’Hallaron, 2011; Snow & Uccelli, 2009; Zwiers, 2007). More specifically, academic language encompasses

1. the technical vocabulary used within specific subjects as well as the general vocabulary common across all academic disciplines;

2. the various genres for speaking and writing that are accepted in academic and professional venues; 3. the way a writer/speaker structures, presents and contextualizes information; 4. the way a reader/listener comprehends and organizes information so that it can be retained and

recalled; 5. a way of thinking (Bunch, 2011; Duff, 2010; Nagy & Townsend, 2012; National Research Council;

Schleppegrell, 2009; Snow, 2010; Snow & Uccelli, 2009). 6. Register/stance and code switching act as an umbrella that stretches over all these elements.

More specifics on each element 1. Vocabulary has three tiers (in regards to academic language) (Beck, McKeown, & Osmanson 1987;

Beck, McKowen, & Kucan, 2008)a. Tier I: common words, which most children acquire in daily conversations in their first

languageb. Tier III: content specific technical words, which may be commonly used or rarely used.c. Tier II words: two paradigms

i. “. . . words that define written text—but are not so common in everyday conversation” (Beck, et al., 2008, p. 7). More sophisticated and precise than words used in conversation; examples are from well-written children’s lit.

ii. General academic vocabulary refers to the words from the Academic Word List [AWL] (Coxhead, 2000). Those using the AWL for the vocabulary of academic language draw their examples primarily from academic texts (science, math, social studies) taught in school, rather than literary texts taught in school. “These words have strong overlap with our Tier II words. And, of course, for the same reason: Tier Two represents our effort to identify highly useful, though not necessarily high frequency words” (Beck, et al., 2008, p. 14).

1. Word Generation Lists developed by the Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP, 2011). www.wordgeneration.org

2. See examples (Landrum) on last paged. TPA and Common Core Standards

i. Both paradigms are merged.ii. Elementary sources often call Tier II vocabulary function words

iii. TPA refers to Tier III as the bricks and Tier II words as the mortarExamples

Tier I Words use, for, shoe, she, yes, quickly, cold, the, etc.Tier III Words freise, poem, microscope, market share, multiply, melody, etc.Tier II Words intricate, exquisite, pry, lurched, parched, precarious, subtle, etc.General Academic Vocabulary

analyze, assess, consist, data, evident, indicate, interpret, occur, percent, principle, simulate, theory, vary, etc.

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2

2. Genres (K-12 students need to be able to read and write the genres of all content areas)a. Example: recent research on succeeding by knowing the genre, not the data.b. Rhetorical context: Audience, purpose, speaker c. What are the characteristics of various genre structures MS students need to know?

i. Examples: map key; lab report; labeling parts of a _____; musical staff; syntax of a math problem or proof; performance program (and behavior).

ii. Oral: class discussion; presentation; meetings (small group work)d. When reading and writing are taught in tandem, students’ learning of both grows exponentially.e. Genres evolve:

i. Use of “I” in primary researchii. Broadening of argumentative/persuasive discourse

iii. Use of intervention/comparison as opposed to experimental/control

3. Structure/Presentation/Contextualizing information (Expressive language)a. Teaching Master’s students about writing a thesis:

i. Use of and correct presentation of subheadsii. Paragraph #1 (purpose and structure)

iii. Guiding question (purpose and presentation)iv. Chapter I (contextualizing the study)

b. Middle School (ask for examples to model)c. Discourse markers

i. Phrases that signal what information is being presented ii. That being said

iii. In conclusion, In summary, First, . . . . Second, . . . . ., Third,. . . ., If/then, Therefore, because, since, as a result, in conclusion, etc.)

iv. Important note: Using discourse markers is not just a way of reading and writing a text. It is a way of organizing thoughts to make ideas as well as text comprehensible.

4. Organization of information (Expressive and receptive language--inclusive list)a. Chronologicalb. General to specificc. Ordinal (superimposed) First, . . . Second, . . . Third,. . . and so forthd. Hierarchy Most to least important (or least to most important)e. Key idea followed by supporting pointsf. Visual (left to right)g. Presentation/placement of information on a given page (especially important in math)

5. Thinking process embedded in general academic vocabularya. How to teach it: Explicit instruction, modeling, guided practice and independent practiceb. Sentence framesc. Cause/effect; If . . ., then; results vs. conclusion; Summarizing info, etc. (Function words)d. Logic (syllogism and enthymeme)

6. Register/Stance/Code switchinga. Academic register: authoritative, formal, precise, efficient, and abstract. Academic language

uses technical words and general academic wordsb. Example: teenage boy talkc. Code switching

What else?

Landrum MMSC: 2012

3References

Beck, I. L., McKeown, M.G., & Kucan, L. (2008). Creating robust vocabulary: Frequently asked questions and extended examples. New York: Guilford Press.

Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G., & Osmanson, R. (1987). The effects and uses of diverse vocabulary instructional techniques. In M. G. McKeown and M. E. Curtis (Eds.), The nature of vocabulary acquisition (pp. 147-163). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Bunch, G. C. (2011). Preparing mainstream secondary content-area teachers to facilitate English language learners’ development of academic language. National Society for the Study f Education, 109(2), 351-383.

Coxhead, A. (2000). A new academic word list. TESOL Quarterly, 34(2), 213-238.Duff, P. (2010). Language socialization into academic discourse communities. Annual

Review of Applied Linguistics, (30), 169-192. doi:10.1017/S0267190510000048Nagy, W. & Townsend, D. (2012). Words as tools: Learning academic vocabulary

as language acquisition. Reading Research Quarterly, 47(1), 91-108.National Research Council. (2010). Language, diversity, school, learning, and closing

achievement gaps: A workshop summary. M. Welch-Ross, Rapporteur. Committee on the Role of Language in School Learning: Implications for closing the achievement gap. Center for Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12907.html

Schleppegrell, M. (2009). Language in academic subject areas and classroom instruction: What is academic language and how can we teach it? Paper prepared for the Workshop on the Role of Language in School Learning: Implications for closing the achievement Gap, October 15-16, Hewlett Foundation, Menlo, Park, CA. Retrieved from nationalacademies.org/cfe/paper_Mary_Schleppegrell.pdf

Schleppegrell, M. & O’Hallaron, C.L. (2011). Teaching academic language in L2 secondary settings. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 31, 3-18. doi: 10.1017/S0267190511000067

Snow, C.E. (2010). Academic language and the challenge of reading for learning about science. Science, 328, 450-452. doi: 10.1126/science.1182597.

Snow, C.E., & Uccelli, P. (2009). The challenge of academic language. In D.R. Olson & N. Torranace (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Literacy. (pp. 112-133). Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Strategic Education Research Partnership. (2011). Word Generation Lists. www.wordgeneration.org Zwiers, Jeff. (2007). Teacher practices and perspectives for developing academic language.

International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 17(1), 93-116.Strategic Educational Research Partnership. (2011). Word generation. Retrieved from

www.wordgenerating.orgTownsend, D., Filippini, A., Collins, P., & Biancarosa, G. (2012). Evidence for the importance

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Landrum MMSC: 2012

5Appendix

Headwords of the Word Families in Coxhead’s Academic Word List(Note: Coxhead rates the words from 1-10 depending up frequency of use. This list only includes words rated a 1 or 2. I also added words (next list) that were a “3” or higher according to Coxhead, but which I felt were also prominent in academia.) Achieve Acquire Administrative AffectAnalyse Approach Appropriate areaaspect assess assist assume authority available benefit biascategory chapter commission community complex compute concept conclude conduct consequent consist constitute construct consume contract createcredit culture data definederive design distinct distributeeconomy element environment equateestablish estimate evaluate evidentexport factor feature financefocus formula function identifyimpact income indicate individualinterpret invest involve issueitem journal labour legallegislate maintain major methodnormal obtain occur participateperceive percent period policypositive potential previous primaryprinciple proceed process purchaserange regulate relevant requireresearch reside resource respondrestrict role sector sectionsecure seek select significantsimilar site source specificstrategy structure survey texttheory tradition transfer vary

Landrum’s additions to Coxhead’s AWLabstract 6 access 4 adequate 4 aggregate 6 alter 5 alternative 3 ambiguous 8 apparent 4 approximate 4 assemble 10 attribute 4 capacity 5 clarify 8 compensate 3 component 3 comprehensive 7 considerable 3 constant 3 context 8 contrast 4contribute 3 core 3 correspond 3 criteria 3 cycle 4 deduce 3 deviate 8 differentiate 8framework 3 hypothesis 4 implement 4 implicate 4imply 3 impose 4 infer 7 input 6link 3 locate 3 manipulate 8 negate 3paradigm 7 parallel 4 predict 4 proportion 3protocol 9 retain 4 sequence 3 specify 3subordinate 9 subsequent 3 summary 4 task 3thesis 7 trend 5 valid 3 virtual 8whereas 5