TEFL Chicago Heights Illinois

Linguistic Learning (72) In the classroom, teachers expose english language learners to a plethora of academic language. This can be incredibly overwhelming to students, though if done in a well-informed manner, students will benefit highly. First and foremost, we use academic language to describe complex concepts as efficiently and effectively as possible. This includes all the complex ways in which relationships function and the language we use to describe them. Second, academic language is used to describe higher order thinking, including the six levels identified by Benjamin Bloom: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Zwiers 24). Lastly, we use academic language to describe abstraction which requires us to use various cognitive skills such as cause and effect thinking, persuasion, interpretation, and comparison (Zwiers 25). Considering the development of academic language in the classroom, Lev Vygotsky presented research that claims students “internalize the thinking and language patterns of more proficient speakers” (Zwiers 48). As teachers we are models for our students, and we should be presenting “new language and concepts that are just above the student's current levels of proficiency” (48). Learning within Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) requires scaffolding that starts students with a high level of support and gradually reduces supports as the student becomes more confident and proficient in using academic language. CALP, cognitive academic language proficiency, consists of what Dutro and Moran refer to as Brick and Mortar terms, content-specific and academic language, respectively (Zwiers 22). These Brick and Mortar terms are cognitively complex and abstract, requiring various teaching techniques and learning strategies to make this language comprehensible to EL students and those who struggle with academic language. teachers should start with high levels of linguistic and conceptual support in the form of modeling thought processes, visual aids and handouts, and graphic organizers to aid students in understanding the content. Steven Krashen stated that students need exposure to comprehensible input, a plethora of academic and content-specific language that must be received in an authentic context (Zwiers 42). Upon several exposures to academic language in various real-life contexts, students acquire this language. teachers need to model the use of brick and mortar terms in authentic contexts, such as including explanations of thinking behind decision-making, or simply put, thinking aloud. Language theorist Merrill Swain stated that students need to produce language to fully internalize it. Swain talked about the receptive model as allowing for the listener to focus on the meaning of the message rather than the meaning plus mode of delivery (42). With productive language, the speaker focuses on both the message and the syntax and grammar involved (43). Students need various opportunities to practice productive language in an environment where they can feel safe to take risks and interact at their own level of ability. There are various features of academic language, many of which may seem automatic to teachers. We use figurative expressions by employing concrete ideas/ objects to represent more complex, abstract ideas. In speaking figuratively, we assign multiple meanings to words based on discrete nuances and contexts. Being explicit for our students requires that we speak clearly and effectively, using modal verbs to convey intent, probability, and other conditional factors. Through the use of qualifiers, students are exposed to a mode of language that doesn't contain absolutes and indicates use of personal knowledge and interpretation. As teachers, we can make the abstract more concrete through the use of analogies and metaphors to describe ourselves, prosody for stressing emphasis and rhythm of thought, and we can help students “unpack” condensed language so it is accessible to all students. Work Cited: Zwiers, Jeff. Building Academic Language: Essential Practices for Content Classrooms, Grades 5-12. san francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008. Print.