Building academic language : essential practices for content classrooms, grades 5-12 / Jeff Zwiers.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Zwiers, Jeff.

Series:

Jossey-Bass teacher

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Academic language--Study and teaching.

Academic language.

Physical Description:

xvii, 295 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

San Francisco : Jossey-Bass ; Newark, DE : International Reading Association, [2008]

Summary:

Many students, native English speakers and English learners alike, need extra support in understanding and using the language of school. Language plays a major role in learning, particularly in upper grades as content areas begin to specialize and emphasize different thinking skills, abstract concepts, and complex relationships. Building Academic Language shows what teachers can do to help all students develop the language needed to reach high levels of academic achievement.

Developing academic language involves more than acquiring content-specific vocabulary; it includes learning a wide range of general utility words, figurative expressions, grammatical conventions, and discussion strategies. Drawing from current theory and research, this book provides insights and practical guidance in the following areas: Developing an additive approach that builds on students' existing ways of learning and communicating, Modeling and scaffolding language(s) used by content area experts in language arts, history, science, and math, Designing effective assessments and lessons with language in mind, Strengthening the interweaving strands of language, literacy, and content learning. Building Academic Language offers many practical activities and classroom examples as well as a wide range of tips, tools, templates, and rubrics to help teachers integrate language development into content instruction and assessment every busy day.

Contents:

1 Understanding How Students Use Language 1

2 Language for Academic Thinking 19

3 Cultivating Academic Language Acquisition 41

4 Content-Area Variations of Academic Language 69

5 Academic Classroom Discussions 101

6 Academic Listening and Speaking in Small Groups 135

7 Language for Academic Reading 163

8 Language for Academic Writing 195

9 Building Language into Lessons and Assessments 221

Appendix A Recommended Resources on Academic Language 261

Appendix B Frequently Used Academic Terms 265

Appendix C Suggestions for Before, During, and After Mini-Lectures 271

Appendix D Permanently Borrowing the Language of Standards 275.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 277-288) and index.

ISBN:

9780787987619

0787987611

OCLC:

134989742