1. Literacy Strategies And Academic Language Adelina Alegria, Ph.D. Occidental College

2. Agenda 1.Define academic language 1.Literacy Strategies to develop academic language 2.Examples

3. What is Academic Language? 1.Academic language is the language used in instruction, textbooks and exams. 2.Academic language differs in structure and vocabulary from language used in daily social interactions. 3.Academic language includes a (1) common vocabulary used in all disciplines, as well as a (2) technical vocabulary inherent to each individual discipline. 4.Low academic language skills are associated with low performance in school. (Norman Herr, Ph.D. CSUN)

4. How do you develop Academic Language? 1.Vocabulary development 1.Explicit instruction *Teachers must clarify key ideas, build student background knowledge and provide additional resources that facilitate language development. 3. Literacy Strategies *Teachers must demonstrate how to apply academic language skills. *Teachers must provide visuals and resources that graphically highlight essential concepts.

5. What are literacy strategies? They are activities, approaches, or techniques that involve reading, writing, listening, speaking, and visual representations that support concept development.

6. Our Literacy Strategies: Frayer Model (Table 1) Word Maps (Table 2) Word Sort – (Table 3) I-Chart (Table 4) Feature Analysis Chart (Table 5) Thinking At Right Angles Compare and Contrast RAFT (Table 6)

7. Our Literacy Strategies: Assignment – 1.Explain strategy 2.Present concept(s) 3.Explain how/when would you use the strategy?

8. Concept or Word Definition:(OR Non- Characteristics) Frayer Model Examples: Non-Examples: Characteristics:

9. Vocabulary Word, Part of Speech, and Definitions: Other Forms of the Word: Synonyms Antonyms Sentence or Phrase from Text: My Association, Sketch, and/or Example: My Own Sentence: Word/Term:

10. Word Sort - Closed How do you think these words should be sorted? Write them on a yellow square on the Word Sort. Whales, Oysters, Lobsters, Sea Weed, Plankton, Starfish, Clownfish, Dolphins

11. I-CHART (Inquiry Chart) An I-Chart or Inquiry Chart is used to investigate several sources for a series of guiding questions or main concepts about a topic.

12. I-CHART (Inquiry Chart) The first time a teacher introduces this strategy, she/he needs to determine what the questions and concepts should be. Later, when the students are individually using them, they need to determine the questions and concepts

13. I-CHART (Inquiry Chart) Next, the questions are listed at the top of the chart. The sources to be used are listed on the left hand side of the chart.

14. I-CHART (Inquiry Chart) The students investigate the questions using the sources. The teacher and the students discuss their work. Last, the students will write paragraphs/papers based on their learning.

15. I-CHART (Inquiry Chart)1.2.3.4. What We Know Source 1: Reference Books Source 2: Source 3: Other

16. Thinking at Right Angles (What youOpinions Know) Facts (What the book tells you)

17. What is this whole thing about? What is being compared? How it is different How they are similar Main Ideas This is the chart form of a Venn Diagram.

18. Role Audience RAFT Writing Strategy R = Role of the writer (Who or what is the writer? e.g., a scientist, a famous person, an object, and so forth) A = Audience (To whom is this written? e.g., a friend, a famous person, an object)

19. Format Topic RAFT Writing Strategy F = Format (What is the form? e.g., a journal, a letter, a newspaper column) T = Topic (What is the topic? e.g., persuade a company to change its policies, demand a new brand name, show evidence of unfair treatment)

20. References Tama, C., M., & McClain, A., B. (2001). Guiding reading and writing in the content areas: Practical strategies (2 nd ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt. Tompkins, G. E. (2004). 50 literacy strategies: Step by step (2 nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Wood, K. D., & Taylor, D. B. (2006). Literacy strategies across the subject areas (2 nd ed.). Boston: Pearson. www.readwritethink.org