Academic Language

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.