1. Bricks and Mortar: Strategies that Work in Building True Academic Language Proficiency
Jennifer Hamilton, ELL Instructional Specialist
Alexandria City Public Schools, Virginia
Robin Liten-Tejada, ESOL/HILT Specialist
Arlington Public Schools, Virginia
WIDA National Conference, October 2014

2. Objectives
To share strategies for building academic language proficiency that
go beyond merely introducing words and definitions to students
integrate language and content
incorporate reading, writing, listening and speaking
provide language for higher order thinking skills

3. Why the focus on academic language?
Current emphasis in research on best practices for ELLs
New standards emphasize higher order thinking, but need the language to express higher order thoughts
APS Program Evaluation indicated area in need of improvement

4. How?

5. So what is academic language exactly?
Academic language is the set of words, grammar, and organizational strategies used to describe
complex ideas
higher-order thinking processes
abstract concepts. (p.20)

6. What does that mean?
What features of academic language do you find in this excerpt?
Zwiers, J. (2008). Building Academic Language: Essential Practices for Content Classrooms (p.28). San Francisca: Jossey-Bass

7. Aspects of academic language
Figurative language to express abstractions
Long sentences
Transitions/connectives
Rather, In addition
Passive voice
Nominalization
we hold the belief that
Condensed complex messages
Pluralist future

8. Bricks and Mortar Words
Mortar therefore as a result contains consists of thus infer dependent maintain correspond
Bricks imagery metaphor revolution emancipation hypotenuse reciprocal mitosis gravity

9. Dimensions of Academic Language
Vocabulary
Syntax
Discourse

10. Vocabulary
Syntax
Discourse
Strategies for teaching Syntax (how words are used in sentences):
Analyze how that word is used in a sentence.
Use sentence frames for both oral and written practice.
Build sentences with manipulatives.
Lastly generate original sentences.
Syntax: sentence frames help students understand how the words are used in sentences manipulatives

11. Otherwise (conjunction) connecting word that means if you don’t do something, something else will happen
“I have to pay $15 tomorrow, otherwise the jacket will be given to someone else.”
Linda must pay the rent, otherwise she will lose her apartment.
You need to study tonight, otherwise _______
_________________ , otherwise _________

12. Did my Level 3 student use “otherwise” correctly?
Many countries have an economy completely bad. The person who has a big family for the bad education, and that person cannot find a job, the only alternative is to emigrate. Otherwise his family will die or only have for eat once a day.

13. Teach Cause & Effect signal words
because
since so
therefore
consequently
as a result
Using the content being studied…
Reinforcing language and content!!

14. Effect + Cause Sentences
___effect (what)__because ___cause (why) __
since
The student opened his eyes because Ms. L-T dropped the book.
The student opened his eyes since Ms. L-T dropped the book.

15. Cause + Effect Sentences
__cause (why)_______, effect (what)_____
Because Ms. L-T dropped the book, the student opened his eyes.
Since Ms. L-T dropped the book, the student opened his eyes.
Because
Since

16. Cause + Effect Sentences
, so
. Therefore,
. Consequently,
. As a result,
__cause (why)_______ effect (what)_____
Ms. L-T dropped the book, so the student opened his eyes.
Ms. L-T dropped the book. Therefore, the student opened his eyes.
Ms. L-T dropped the book. Consequently, the student opened his eyes.
Ms. L-T dropped the book. As a result, the student opened his eyes.

17. Cause + Effect Sentences
___effect (what)__because ___cause (why) __
since
__cause (why)_______ effect (what)_____
, so
. Therefore,
. Consequently,
. As a result,
__cause (why)_______, effect (what)_____
Because
Since

18. Night, by Elie Weisel Cause & Effect Sentence Practice
Cause (why the effect happened)
Effect (what was the result)
The inmates had marched for hours
The inmates were exhausted
Father and son stayed together
they were able to survive for a while longer
The inmates were given small rations
the inmates became emaciated
Rabbi Eliahu had lost his son
Rabbi Eliahu was searching for his son everywhere , . he
they

19. Vocabulary
Syntax
Discourse
Strategies for teaching Syntax and Discourse:
Use academic sentence starters to analyze text
Syntax: sentence frames help students understand how the words are used in sentences manipulatives

20. Strategies Background building Scaffolded instruction
Content specific (ex. the Civil War)
Pre-teaching key vocabulary (Tier 2 and Tier 3 words)
Scaffolded instruction
Modeling use of target language
Gradual release of responsibility through structured activities
Graphic organizers
Explicit academic language instruction
Sentence frames
Oral and written use of target language
Use of target language in context of reading discussions
Cooperative learning
Paired and small group tasks for reading, discussion, and some writing tasks

21. Sample Sentence Frames & Transitions
Instead of “The author says…”
To Show Contrasting Ideas:
General Transitions:
According to _______, “______”
The author argues/claims that _____
Based on the text, the reader can infer that the author believes _____
Consequently, the author claims that _____
With this in mind, the author argues _____
Considering the evidence, the author deduces that _____
Although some people believe ______, the author claims that ______
In contrast to popular opinion, the author argues that ______
While popular opinion states that ______, the author claims that _____
Whereas others have argued that ______, the author believes that _____
For example,
For instance,
In addition,
Furthermore,
Moreover,
Based on the evidence,
First, (second, third, finally, etc.)
In summary,

22. Summarizing Arguments with Academic Language

23. Vocabulary
Syntax
Discourse
Strategies for teaching Vocabulary through interdisciplinary reinforcement:
Content teachers collaborate to determine “words of the week”
Syntax: sentence frames help students understand how the words are used in sentences manipulatives

24. Multidisciplinary Content Vocabulary for Level 2 ELLs
Crucial stage in English-language acquisition, acquiring content vocabulary, developing language structures
Teachers created strategies to teach mortar words and phrases across the curricula of language arts, science and social studies

25. Mortar Phrases Selected
Sixteen paired mortar phrases were selected from Building Academic Language based on teachers’ informal observation of phrases most used in mainstream academic content classes. In addition, academic brick words and phrases from English language arts, science and social studies SOL word lists were also chosen.
that is
to be specific
in other words
more precisely
in this manner
furthermore
in particular
besides
conversely
as a result
in spite of this
therefore
meanwhile
in brief
presently
to sum up

26. Interdisciplinary Pre-Assessment
Students all took a written interdisciplinary multiple-choice assessment to establish a baseline of their prior knowledge and use of these phrases.
SAMPLE QUESTION
Animal scientists have established that the relationship between dogs and humans has existed for thousands of years; __________, canines and people have long been living together.
a) furthermore b) precisely
c) in other words d) meanwhile

27. Written and Spoken Evidence
Phrases introduced weekly and practiced in each class through cloze activities, skits, picture writing prompts, games
Using the phrases in writing encourages more advanced sentence structures—complex sentences—and more advanced punctuation— semicolons and colons.
Spoken and written evidence demonstrates that students are consistently using the phrases, and speaking and writing more academically sophisticated sentences:
SAMPLE
Harriet Tubman helped fellow slaves to escape to freedom; more precisely, she was a successful conductor on the Underground Railroad.

28. Look at a writing sample from Maureen’s class
Look at a writing sample from Maureen’s class. How many academic mortar phrases are used correctly?
Vocabulary
Syntax
Discourse
Strategies for teaching Vocabulary through interdisciplinary reinforcement:
Content teachers collaborate to determine “words of the week”
Syntax: sentence frames help students understand how the words are used in sentences manipulatives

29. Is breaking the law ever justified?

30. Objectives
To share strategies for building academic language proficiency that
go beyond merely introducing words to students
integrate language and content
incorporate reading, writing, listening and speaking provide language for higher order thinking skills

31. Cocktail Party How can you use the information we shared today?
that is
to be specific
in other words
more precisely
in this manner
furthermore
in particular
besides
conversely
as a result
in spite of this
therefore
meanwhile
in brief
presently
to sum up

32. Contact Info
Jennifer Hamilton,
Robin Liten-Tejada