EDUC 179A Midterm Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the majors concepts, theories, policies, and instructional practices for teaching multilingual learners based on the EDUC 179A Midterm Study Guide.

English Learner (EL)

A student who is not yet proficient in English and requires specialized support to access grade-level content.

Limited English Proficient (LEP)

A term often used in policy contexts to describe students who are still developing English language skills, though it is increasingly viewed as deficit-oriented.

Multilingual Learner

An asset-oriented term for students who are developing proficiency in multiple languages, including English.

Long-Term English Learner (LTEL)

A student typology referring to ELs who have been enrolled in U.S. schools for six or more years and have not yet met reclassification criteria.

Newcomers with Interrupted Formal Education

A specific group of recent immigrants who have experienced gaps or inconsistencies in their schooling prior to arriving in the U.S.

IFEP

Initially Fluent English Proficient; students whose home language is not English but who are identified as fluent in English upon their initial assessment.

RFEP

Reclassified Fluent English Proficient; students who were formerly English Learners but have met the criteria to be considered fluent.

Home Language Survey

The initial document used to determine if a student has a language other than English spoken in their home, which may trigger an EL proficiency assessment.

ELPAC

English Language Proficiency Assessments for California; the assessment used to determine initial identification, annual progress, and reclassification for ELs.

Behaviorism

A perspective on language development that emphasizes modeling, practice, and reinforcement or feedback.

Innatist Perspective

A theory suggesting that humans have an innate capacity for language and that development occurs through rich language exposure.

Interactionist Perspective

A theory that language development occurs through meaningful social interaction.

Krashen

A theorist known for emphasizing the importance of comprehensible input and a low-anxiety environment for language acquisition.

Swain's Output Hypothesis

The idea that language development requires opportunities for students to produce language through speaking and writing.

Vygotsky's Perspective

A theory emphasizing that language acquisition is supported by social interaction, scaffolding, and appropriate support.

Bilingual Education Act/Title VII

Legislation from the 1960s-1970s that focused on providing access and civil rights to language minority students.

Lau v. Nichols

A landmark Supreme Court case establishing that providing the same instruction to ELs as to native speakers without special support is not equitable.

Proposition 227

A California initiative from the late 1990s that emphasized English-only approaches and significantly limited bilingual education.

California English Learner Roadmap

A contemporary policy framework that emphasizes equity, multilingualism, and college/career readiness for all ELs.

State Seal of Biliteracy

An award recognizing high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing one or more languages in addition to English.

Structured English Immersion (SEI)

An instructional model where nearly all classroom instruction is provided in English but with curriculum and presentation designed for students who are learning the language.

Dual Language Immersion (DLI)

A program model where students learn content through two languages, with the goal of biliteracy and bilingualism for all participants.

Integrated ELD

Instruction in which the California ELD Standards are used in tandem with the state-adopted academic content standards throughout the day and across all disciplines.

Designated ELD

A protected time during the school day where teachers use the CA ELD Standards to build the language skills ELs need for successful participation in content areas.

Content Objective

A statement that identifies what students will know or be able to do with the subject matter during a lesson.

Language Objective

A statement that identifies how students will use language to learn, process, or demonstrate their understanding of content.

Academic Language

The specific language, register, and vocabulary used in academic settings and across different disciplines.

Language Register

The variety of language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting, ranging from informal to formal/academic.

Language Functions

The specific purposes for which language is used, such as to explain, justify, compare, describe, argue, or interpret.

Translanguaging

An instructional strategy and linguistic practice where students leverage their full linguistic repertoire, including their home language, to support learning.

Cross-linguistic Transfer

The process by which skills, knowledge, and strategies from a student's primary language are applied to the learning of a second language.

Cognates

Words in two languages that share a common etymological origin and are similar in spelling, pronunciation, and meaning.

Culturally Responsive Teaching

An assets-based approach that centers students, supports and challenges them simultaneously, and leverages their linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Culture Iceberg Analogy

A concept illustrating that while some aspects of culture are visible, the majority of cultural influences (values, beliefs) are hidden beneath the surface.

Scaffolding

Temporary instructional supports that allow students to access rigorous, grade-level content without lowering the cognitive demand or rigor.