Literacy English First Additional Language Study Guide Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the key terms, theoretical frameworks, and pedagogical strategies for teaching Literacy English as a First Additional Language (LEA301).

Additive Bilingualism

An approach to language learning that is inclusive and builds on learners' first language so that additional languages do not replace the first language.

Assessment

The different methods, techniques, and processes used to gather information about learners' progress and achievements to make informed teaching decisions.

Automaticity

The ability to recognize words instantly without having to sound them out or systematically decode them.

Behaviourism

Theories dealing with human responses to environmental stimuli; in reading instruction, it refers to the bottom-up or code-emphasis approach.

Decoding

A learner's ability to analyse the letter-sound relationship involved in the forming of words.

High frequency words

Common words that appear often and are considered easy to read.

Home Language

A learner's first language, mother tongue, or native language; in the South African context, it can also refer to a CAPS subject.

Interactive model

A balanced approach to teaching reading where the teacher focuses on both phonics and meaning while considering learners' background knowledge.

Low frequency words

Uncommon words that do not appear often, are more difficult to read, and require decoding.

Phonics

The sound system of a language and the smallest part of a word taught within programmes in the Foundation Phase.

Psycholinguistic theory

The study of mental mechanisms making language use possible; in reading instruction, it refers to the top-down or meaning-emphasis approach.

Reading fluency

A learner's ability to automatically decode words and read text with accuracy and correct intonation.

Sight words

Words that are recognized automatically on sight and do not require decoding.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases within sentences and paragraphs.

Total physical response (TPR)

A method of teaching an additional language that requires learners to listen to instructions and respond physically using their bodies.

Subtractive Bilingualism

The exact opposite of Additive Bilingualism, where a second language replaces a learner's first language.

Dynamic Bilingualism

Promotes the idea that languages are interdependent and should not be separated, encouraging multilingual practices in a global world.

BICS

Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills; these are social language skills that typically develop within 2 years.

CALP

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency; the formal language skills needed for academic learning, taking $5$ to $7$ years to develop.

CUP

Common Underlying Proficiency; the theory that skills and concepts learned in one language transfer to another.

Universal Grammar

Noam Chomsky's nativist approach viewing language development as a biological process driven by an inborn Language Acquisition Device (LAD).

Input Hypothesis

Stephen Krashen's theory that language is acquired through internal processes and exposure to 'comprehensible input' ($i + 1$).

Affective Filter

A hypothesis by Krashen suggesting that variables like anxiety, motivation, and self-confidence can facilitate or hinder language acquisition.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Vygotsky's concept of the distance between what a learner can do without help and what they can do with support (scaffolding).

Scaffolding

A teaching technique used to provide support to learners as they move toward higher levels of independent language use.

Pre-production Stage

The first stage of language acquisition occurring between $0$ and $6$ months, characterized by non-verbal communication and gestures.

Speech Emergence Stage

Occurs within $1$ to $3$ years; learners can create simple sentences and have good comprehension but still make grammatical errors.

Wernicke's area

The part on the left side of the brain activated when listening to and comprehending language.

Broca's area

The part of the brain activated when talking or producing communicative language.

Fry Graph

A tool used to evaluate the readability of a text by measuring word and sentence complexity.

Graphemes

The written spelling choices for sounds; the English language has more than $120$ for its $44$ phonemes.

Correct Letter Sequence (CLS)

A spelling assessment approach that gives learners one mark for each correct sequence of letters rather than just the whole word.

Process Approach to Writing

Consists of five stages: Pre-writing, Writing, Revising, Editing, and Publishing.

Shared Writing

A collaborative strategy where the teacher acts as a scribe and models writing skills while the whole class participates in creating text.