the icon you see of two persons putting together two puzzle pieces.
Source: BrainPOP®, https://www.brainpop.com
To read a QR code, you must have a smartphone or tablet with a camera. We recommend that you download a QR code reader app that is made specifically for your phone or tablet brand.
The QR codes that are embedded in the pages throughout the book take you directly to the BrainPOP® website where you are able to utilize the cited source. We hope that you take advantage of these free materials, including movies, text, graphic organizers, activities, concept maps, and games. We have used these materials as a jump start for thinking about and illustrating academic language use in classrooms.
The references that relate to the four perspectives are presented at the close of each chapter and include cited references as well as seminal work in the field we suggest for further reading. We feel that the close proximity of references to the topic at hand increases the awareness of the literature base from which we draw and reinforces our ideas. References also serve as resources unto themselves for those of you who wish to probe more deeply into specific content.
How to Use This Book
Language Power is geared to stimulating in-depth conversations among educators in K–8 settings that lead to mutually agreed-upon goals for teaching and learning. It is written to foster collaboration, first and foremost, among teachers who wish to delve into refocusing curriculum, assessment, and instruction around academic language use. Our intent is to reach out to classroom teachers, content specialists, and special education teachers to ask them to think deeply about how to represent language learning more equitably within content learning for their students, with special attention to English language learners (ELLs), ELLs with disabilities, and students who speak other varieties of English (other English learners). In the same spirit, we also encourage partnerships between language specialists and content experts, whether teachers, coaches, or other instructional leaders.
School leaders who embody the mission and vision of their building are invited to see how academic language works in tandem with content throughout their schools. Building a school climate that is inclusive of the linguistic and cultural assets of its student body will be embraced by the community and the students themselves. There are resources dedicated to envisioning academic language use that are applicable to standards, curriculum design, and assessment that can readily be implemented at a school level.
Reenvisioning Teaching and Learning Through Key Uses of Academic Language
As teachers and teacher educators who have tried our utmost to instill confidence in our students by building their academic language through content, we hope we have shared our passion and our can-do spirit throughout this book. We believe that all teachers need opportunities to be introspective and think deeply about how they use language to best promote their students’ academic achievement to ensure their success in school.
We ask you to refer to the figure “Reenvisioning Teaching and Learning Through Key Uses of Academic Language” often, as it serves as an overview of the book. The focus on key uses of academic language highlights its positioning in relation to the multiple perspectives we address in planning, assessing, and implementing teaching and learning experiences, as well as the active role of stakeholders in the process. Language is a powerful tool for reasoning, communicating, being, and doing; we hope you join us in furthering academic language use in school.
References and Further Reading
Anstrom, K., DiCerbo, P., Butler, F., Katz, A., Millet, J., & Rivera, C. (2010). A review of the literature on academic English: Implications for K–12 English language learners. Arlington, VA: George Washington University Center for Equity and Excellence in Education.
Bailey, A. L., & Butler, F. A. (2007). A conceptual framework of academic English language for broad application to education. In A. L. Bailey (Ed.), The language demands of school: Putting academic language to the test (pp. 68–102). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Chamot, A. U., & O’Malley, J. M. (1994). The CALLA handbook: Implementing the cognitive academic language learning approach. Boston, MA: Addison Wesley.
Cummins, J. (1981). The cross-lingual dimensions of language proficiency: Implications for bilingual education and the optimal age issue. TESOL Quarterly, 14, 175–185.
de Oliveira, L. C. (2013). Academic language in the social studies for English learners. In M. B. Arias & C. J. Faltis (Eds.), Academic language in second language learning (pp. 149–170). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
de Oliveira, L. C. (Ed.). (2014/2015). The Common Core State Standards and English language learners. Alexandria, VA: TESOL Press.
de Oliveria, L. C. (Ed.). (2016). Common Core State Standards for literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects for English language learners. Alexandria, VA: TESOL Press.
Echevarria, J., Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. J. (2017). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP model (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Freeman, Y. S., & Freeman, D. E. (2009). Academic language for English language learners and struggling readers: How to help students succeed across the content areas. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Friedberg, C., Mitchell, A., & Brooke, E. (2016). Understanding academic language and its connection to school success. Retrieved from http://www.lexialearning.com/sites/default/files/resources/Whitepaper_Understanding_Academic_Language.pdf
Gottlieb, M. (2003). Large-scale assessment of English language learners: Addressing educational accountability in K–12 settings. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.
Gottlieb, M., & Ernst-Slavit, G. (2013). (Eds.). Academic language in diverse classrooms: Promoting content and language learning. Mathematics, Grades K–2, 3–5, 6–8. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Gottlieb, M., & Ernst-Slavit, G. (2014a). Academic language in diverse classrooms: Definitions and contexts. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Gottlieb, M., & Ernst-Slavit, G. (2014b). (Eds.). Academic language in diverse classrooms: Promoting content and language learning. English language arts, Grades K–2, 3–5, 6–8. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Scarcella, R. (2003). Academic English: A conceptual framework. Irvine: University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute.
Snow, C. E., & Uccelli, P. (2009). The challenge of academic language. In D. R. Olson & N. Torrance (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of literacy (pp. 112–133). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
WIDA. (2012). Amplification of the English language development standards, Kindergarten–grade 12. Madison: Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
WIDA. (2016a). Can do descriptors: Key uses edition. Grades
