Constructing Meaning Constructing Meaning Explicit Language for Content Area Explicit Language for Content Area
InstructionInstructionAn Institute for Secondary Content TeachersAn Institute for Secondary Content Teachers
Constructing Meaning Constructing Meaning Explicit Language for Content Area Explicit Language for Content Area
InstructionInstructionAn Institute for Secondary Content TeachersAn Institute for Secondary Content Teachers
MCOE Executive OverviewFebruary 28th, 2008
A Focused ApproachA Focused Approach
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I believe….I believe….
Children grow into the intellectual life around them.
- Lev Vygotsky
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Constructing MeaningConstructing Meaning
Institute OverviewInstitute OverviewDay One
A Focused Approach to Constructing Meaning
Day TwoAcademic Strategic Lesson Design
Day Three
Academic Language Production
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Our goals for the instituteOur goals for the institute
Understand the role that academic language plays in content learning
Learn to determine language knowledge essential for accessing content
Learn to plan and deliver focused content specific language instruction
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Recurring CM ThemesRecurring CM Themes
Knowing our students
Identifying discipline-specific language
Connecting reading, writing, listening, and speaking
Building receptive and expressive language
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Access to the CoreAccess to the Core
After adolescent ELs acquire the basic skills, they need to become active readers and writers who use reading and writing processes. Using these processes, learners can examine a text, make conclusions about it, articulate and incorporate those conclusions.
Double the Work, 2007
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Access to the Core Access to the Core (cont.)(cont.)
The process creates awareness about the functions of language, and the reflection inherent in the process helps students practice the kind of highly abstract thinking that is essential to succeeding in high school and beyond into college or the world of work.
Double the Work, 2007
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Day One AgendaDay One Agenda
The Challenge
Effective Reading Practices
Defining Academic English
A Focused Approach: F, F & F
Analysis of Comprehension Task
handouthandout
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In Other WordsIn Other Words
In schools, we could virtually say that “language is the curriculum.”
Beverly Derewianka
Language is very difficult to put into words.
Voltaire
The Focused ApproachThe Focused ApproachThe Focused ApproachThe Focused Approach
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Represent cognitive tasks
Purposes for expressing
thinking
Informs text structure
A Focused Approach A Focused Approach Features of Language Features of Language InstructionInstruction
Needed Tools
Vocabulary and Word usage
Sentence structure and grammatical
features
FluencyFluency
Ease of comprehension and
production
Accuracy
Appropriate to context
FormsFunction
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Thumbnail SketchThumbnail Sketch
How can we use the information in this thumbnail sketch to better:
1.Teach the functional language of our content areas?
2.Move students along a continuum of specific and precise language use?
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13Agenda HandoutAgenda Handout
Day Two AgendaDay Two Agenda
Knowing Our Students• Common Backgrounds
• Levels of English Proficiency
• Previous Coursework
Strategic Lesson Design• Lessons of Adolescent Literacy
• Planning Tool
• Functions Tool
Vocabulary Instruction• Determining Which Words to Teach
• Direct Instruction
Getting to Know Our Getting to Know Our StudentsStudents
Getting to Know Our Getting to Know Our StudentsStudents
In the absence of In the absence of information… information…
…we are in danger of committing “assumicide” -Kelly Gallagher
“Although adolescent English learners share a designation based on their limited English proficiency, they arrive at school via diverse paths and with a wide range of experiences.”
-Norm Gold (LMRI, 2006)
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Factors that affect EL Factors that affect EL experiences experiences
Length of time in American schools
Literacy and content knowledge in primary language
English proficiency level
Life experiences
Previous coursework
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Deepening Our UnderstandingDeepening Our Understanding
Consider one of your students who is learning English as a new language.
First column for jotting what you know about your student
Second column - note the instructional implications of that information
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Function ToolsFunction ToolsFunction ToolsFunction Tools
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Overarching FunctionsOverarching Functions
Cause and Effect
Compare and Contrast
Elaboration
Proposition & Support (Problem/Solution)
Sequencing
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The Function ToolsThe Function Tools
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Strategic Lesson Strategic Lesson DesignDesign
Strategic Lesson Strategic Lesson DesignDesign
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Rationale for Constructing Rationale for Constructing MeaningMeaning
Role of motivation and engagement
Actively construct meaning from text
Interconnectedness of reading, writing, speaking, listening and thinking
Need to use both general literacy strategies as well as discipline-specific literacy strategies
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Lessons of Adolescent LiteracyLessons of Adolescent Literacy
Infused into Lesson DesignInfused into Lesson Design
The CM Analysis tool is designed with these recommendations in mind:
– The prompts focus on linguistic complexities of content-specific instructional materials
– This results in a clear picture of what students will need to access the content.
The CM Planner suggests a sequence and strategies for delivering a tailored lesson aimed at increased fluency of oral and written academic English.
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CM: Infusing Lessons of Adolescent CM: Infusing Lessons of Adolescent
LiteracyLiteracy
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Gradual Release of Gradual Release of ResponsibilityResponsibility
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I Do, We Do, You DoI Do, We Do, You Do
In the gradual release model, what are the additional roles and responsibilities
– of the teacher?
– of the student?
VocabularyVocabularyVocabularyVocabulary
To expand a child’s vocabulary is to teach that child to think about the
world.Stahl & Stahl, 2004
Being selectiveBeing selective
Determining Which Determining Which StrategyStrategy to to UseUse
To support students in becoming independent word learners, consider:
explanations, not definitions
different kinds of context clues
recognizing cognates
To provide in-depth, explicit instruction, consider using:
word sorts concept maps word cards (Frayer) word forms
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Day Three AgendaDay Three Agenda
Building on Recurring Themes• Debriefing the Reading
Entering the Academic Dialogue• Comprehension & Production
• Structured Oral Language Practice
• Writing to Learn
A Genre Approach to Writing• Notetaking Tool, Crafting a Prompt, & Summarizing
• Genre Templates & Rubrics
Entering the Entering the Academic DialogueAcademic Dialogue
Entering the Entering the Academic DialogueAcademic Dialogue
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Nine RoutinesNine Routines
Structured Oral Practice Structured Oral Practice
1. Talking Stick
Talking Chips
Think, Pair, Share
Numbered Heads
Three Step Interview
Give One, Get One
Clock Partners
Lines of Communication
Whip Around
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What is a Genre?What is a Genre?
Genres are goal-oriented; they are meant to serve a purpose.
Genres have an expected overall structure; they rely on well-established patterns.
Genres are marked by specific linguistic features, such as vocabulary and syntax.
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The Common Academic GenresThe Common Academic Genres
Narrative (story, autobiographical event)
Expository (cause & effect, compare & contrast)
Persuasive (problem/solution, opinion)
Response to Literature (fiction/non-fiction analysis)
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A Note-taking ToolA Note-taking Tool
ExpositoryExpository page page 1414
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Genre Drafting TemplateGenre Drafting Template page page 3.243.24
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What are we asking for…What are we asking for…
….when we ask students to “use their own words”?
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The Skills of SummaryThe Skills of Summary
Summarizing requires the ability to
Condense information
Consolidate information
Discern essential details
Simplify language
Restate language
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One teacher’s stated goal:One teacher’s stated goal:
To equip students with the language they need to express the
sophistication of their thinking for academic and real life purposes.
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