Key Concepts Related to Academic Language, Common Core, and Assessment
Academic Language Definition
Academic Language: Refers to the oral, written, auditory, and visual language proficiency required for effective learning in academic settings.
Distinct from Conversational Language: Academic language involves:
Vocabulary
Grammar
Syntax
Discipline-specific terminology
Rhetorical conventions
Essential for navigating classroom assignments, tests, and expectations.
Importance of Academic Language
Science
Ability to ask questions, construct explanations, and argue from evidence
Next Generation Science Standards
Align with academic skills in critical thinking and problem solving
Common Core Standards
Focus on preparing students for college and career readiness through a robust understanding of academic language.
Strategies to Teach Academic Language
Task Analysis: Break down tasks into smaller components to facilitate understanding.
Differentiated Instruction: Tailor teaching methods to address different learning needs.
Research-Based Strategies:
Asking questions
Summarizing information
Generating and testing hypotheses
Identifying similarities and differences
Synthesizing sources in both oral and written forms.
Common Core Standards Overview
Definition: A set of academic standards designed to ensure students acquire necessary skills by the end of each grade, promoting readiness for post-secondary education and careers.
Aligns curriculum across states to maintain quality and rigor.
Applying Assessment Strategies
Types of Assessments:
Norm-Referenced Assessment: Compares an individual’s abilities to peers (e.g., standardized tests).
Criterion-Referenced Assessment: Assesses based on pre-defined standards or skills.
Dynamic Assessment: Measures a student's potential through engagement in learning tasks.
Language Assessments: Understand children's language development through various assessment tools and approaches.
Summarizing Techniques
Teach students to:
Keep important information
Delete trivial material
Substitute common language for precise terms
Create topic sentences to summarize information effectively.
Strategies for Question Types in Language Learning
Facilitate questioning skills through varied types:
Yes/no questions
Open-ended questions (e.g., Explain, Describe)
Comparative questions (e.g., Compare this to…)
Application-based questions (e.g., What would happen if…?)
Identifying Similarities and Differences
Use Venn diagrams to compare concepts and build vocabulary skills.
Encourage students to articulate similarities and differences verbally and in writing using sentence starters.
Importance of Incorporating Academic Language into Therapy
Enhances educational outcomes for students with language impairments.
Provides structured frameworks for language development that align with academic expectations.