Planning for Language Development
Why plan for language when teaching content?
While most EAL students make great strides in learning English, sometimes gaining the equivalent of two or more years of language development in one calendar year, English-speaking students continue to develop their vocabulary, reading skills, and ability to construct complex sentences and longer forms of writing. Imagine the task facing a 15-year-old newcomer who is beginning to learn English and must catch up to students who have been learning English for 15 years - and who are continuing to move ahead.
It is possible to transform classrooms into supportive language-learning environments by replicating as closely as possible the nurturing and supportive conditions in which young children learn their L1, which include:
Exposure to vast quantities of language
Many opportunities to interact with more proficient language users
No expectations to understand or produce language that is too far beyond their current stage of language development
Language directed to them is simplified (e.g. shorter sentences, slower rate of speech, repetition of words and phrases)
Language directed to them is strongly linked to context (e.g. visuals, key vocabulary)
Language errors are seldom pointed out or criticized
Speech errors are seldom corrected; rather rephrased to model correct utterances
Language learners' responses are expanded upon
Language is learned through purposeful use.
- Coelho, E. (2016). Adding English: A guide to teaching in multilingual classrooms (pp. 160-163). University of Toronto Press.
Copy of 2019 - Paradis - Language and Literacy Skills of middle school ELLs.pdfEstablishing Language Learning Targets
If we want students to be engaged with their learning, we need to plan for that engagement.
What do we want students to know?
What is the language and vocabulary they will need to be able to show that they know?
Content objectives identify what students should know by the end of the lesson and are tied to curricular learning outcomes.
Language objectives are how the students will show what they are learning and are tied to the four domains of language: Speaking; Reading; Listening; and Writing.
If we want students to be able to use disciplinary language, we need to explicitly teach the forms, structures and vocabulary of that discipline. Students need between eight and ten exposures to this language in order for it to become part of their long-term memory. Using all language domains, and making cross-linguistic and cross-cultural connections, enables students to interact with the content more deeply.
Students need language objectives to know what language they need to focus on. Without something to focus on, frustration can set in and they can become disengaged.
Content-and-Language-Objectives-powepoint.pptxLearning Guide 5 - How do teachers plan lessons that include content and language objectives.pdf
"Language objectives are small moves that make a big impact.
They should be displayed, reviewed at the beginning and end of the lesson, and annotated together with students to ensure the goals and vocabulary are understood by all."
- Dr. Carol Salva (Impact 2022)
Language Functions vs. Language Structures
Language functions are the purposes for using language. Are we using language to:
make friends?
get around the school or community?
persuade?
compare?
explain?
describe?
summarize?
Language structures are how words are strung together into phrases, sentences and paragraphs to support those language functions.
Let's compare language functions to a building, where each building has a particular purpose. For example, a house is for sleeping and living with family, while a gas station is for getting gas. Those two buildings have two different purposes.
Houses and gas stations have different structures in place to be able to fulfill their purposes. Language structures are how we construct language to be able to perform language functions such as making friends, explaining, persuading, etc.
When designing language objectives, think about the language functions you are asking your students to perform. What language structures (grammatical forms, phrasing, keywords) do they need to be aware of to be able to perform those tasks?
Colorin Colorado - Academic Language Functions (1).pdfUse "Ctrl F" to see which academic language function is associated with a task you are asking students to do. You will then see which language structures or key signal words students will need to know in order to complete that task.
snakes ladders graphic 12Jan18.pdfAcademic-Language-Functions-toolkit.pdfAccountable Talk Frames to Support Language Functions
"The intentional teaching of language structures- the “mortar”- enables students to internalize the patterns needed to express concepts, ideas, and thinking" (p. 2).