ACADEMIC
LANGUAGE
Prepared by Tracie McLemore Salinas, CAS (modified by Rwany
Sibaja - History Dept.)
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edTPA Basics
A C A D E M I C L A N G U A G E
S E S S I O N
G O A L S
Define academic
language
Consider language
demands
Discuss language
supports for
students
Preview where
academic language
comes into play in
edTPA
A P P A L A C H I A N S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y
What is …
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE?
In his book, Zwiers describes academic language as the “set of
words, grammar, and organizational strategies use d to
d escribe complex ideas, higher-order thinking processe s, and
ab stract concepts.”
– Zwiers, Building Academic Language
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A C A D E M I C L A N G U A G E
Academic language refers to “word knowledge that makes it possible for
students to engage with, produce, and talk about texts that are valued in
school” (Flynt & Brozo, 2008, p. 500).
ACADEMIC
LANGUAGE
IN TEACHING 9-12 HISTORY/
SOCIAL STUDIES
SUBJECT-SPECIFIC
EMPHASIS
* What is the main focus?
BIG IDEA(S)
* What’s the big picture? What larger
lessons can students apply to their daily
lives through social studies?
DAY-TO-DAY
OBJECTIVES
* What learning targets should students
aim for?
LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS
*What exactly are language
functions in history/social
studies?
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WHY DEVELOP
ACADEMIC
LANGUAGE?
Academic language development is making the language
of our discipline (History/Social Studies) and our
classroom explicit, in order to expand students’ mastery
over content language and improve their language
choices, as they consider the purpose (or function) and
audience of their work. (From Merino & Zozakiewicz, SCALE)
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PREPARING FOR
LANGUAGE DEMANDS
Every content area is characterized
by its own language demands.
Teachers must plan to support
learning or content through:
1. Vocabulary
2. Language functions
3. Syntax
4. Discourse
A C A D E M I C L A N G U A G E
LANGUAGE DEMANDS
1. VOCABULARY
Vocabulary refers to the words, phrases, symbols, etc. that are
used to communicate within or about a discipline.
These include:
• Words or phrases with specific meaning within the subject
that may differ from those in everyday life (e.g., power,
agency, right)
• General academic vocabulary used across disciplines (e.g.,
compare, analyze, evaluate), and…
• Subject specific words defined for use in the disciplines (e.g.
scale – when reading maps, constitution, neutrality)
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Agency
E XAMPLE # 1 (VOCABULARY)
In history, we discuss "agency" to analyze the
capacity of individuals to act independently and to
make their own free choices. By contrast, structure
is those factors of influence (such as social class,
religion, gender, ethnicity, ability, customs, etc.)
that determine or limit an agent and his or her
decisions.
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Civilization
E XAMPLE #2 (VOCABULARY)
In history – especially World History – students come to
understand the basic building blocks of civilization
(natural barriers for protection, food, water,
transportation / government & laws / social structure /
defined roles, etc.). The goal of course is that by
studying ancient civilization they can better analyze our
own civilization (society) in the U.S., and other modern
civilizations around the world
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LANGUAGE DEMANDS
1. VOCABULARY
A final word …
For students who speak a Latin-based language such as Spanish,
cognates will help in teaching a number of words. For example,
decision in English is decisión in Spanish; civilization is civilización;
construct is construir; etc.
Use cognates when possible to help ELLs understand history/social
studies language demands for vocabulary
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LANGUAGE DEMANDS
2. LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS
Language Functions are the content and language focus of
learning tasks, usually represented by the action verbs within
the learning outcomes. They represent the purposes for which
the language is used.
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IT’S IN THE STANDARDS!
WH.H.2.9 – Evaluate the achievements of ancient civilizations in terms of their enduring cultural impact
USH.H.5.1 – Summarize how the philosophical, ideological and/or religious views on freedom and equality
contributed to the development of American political and economic systems through Reconstruction
CE.C&G.2.4 - Compare the Constitutions and the structures of the United States and North Carolina
governments (e.g., the various NC Constitutions, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Rights, Preambles, the
organization of, the powers of, responsibilities, etc.).
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Because language functions are the content and language
focus of learning tasks, they stem from the NCES objectives. If
you are aligning state curriculum to your UEQ, LEQs, and
Learning Targets (from your Unit Map and Lesson Plans) … you
have already embedded other action verbs/language demands!
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EXAMPLE of LANG. FUNCTIONS
AH1.H.4.4
Analyze the cultural conflicts that
impacted the United States through
Reconstruction and the
compromises that resulted (e.g.,
displacement of American Indians,
Manifest Destiny, slavery,
assimilation, nativism)
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LEARNING TARGET (KNOW) –
UNIT MAP
Students will be able to …
evaluate the various
competing interests of people
living in Texas before the
Mexican-American War
A C A D E M I C L A N G U A G E
In History, students often need to:
Compare & Contrast - explaining or showing
contrasts & similarities
Interpret - describe a timeline or sequence; maps;
graphs; data tables
Evaluate - an author's purpose, message, likely
audience
Analyze - main ideas, arguments, bias; causes of
historical, economic, geographic, and political
events
Examine - evidence an author/historian uses to support
claims
Defend - argument(s) with evidence - use of sources
Synthesize - summarize or integrate information
across sources
Evaluate - decisions by historical actors, debates
among scholars
2. LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS: HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES
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LANGUAGE DEMANDS
3. SYNTAX
Syntax refers to how we organize symbols, words, and phrases
into structures, such as sentences, graphs, tables, or other
structures that are specific to a discipline. Think about the ways
we typically present a thesis argument, structure history essays,
use graphs- maps-images to support claims, cite sources, etc.
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LANGUAGE DEMANDS
3. SYNTAX
The writing of a scientific lab report is not the same as the writing of a
persuasive speech or the writing of an essay comparing the Allied and
Axis countries’ goals and actions during World War II … right?
Because syntax are the rules of the language (English), you want to
show how you will be emphasizing basic word order. This means
that when students present their cartoon analysis, for example,
you expect them to orally explain their viewpoint with coherency
OR write in complete sentences.
When they create a graph – do they know how to label and organize
their data?
When they generate a map – do they know how to show longitude,
latitude, scale, and provide a legend for symbols (capital city, city,
river, mountains, etc.)?
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LANGUAGE DEMANDS
4. DISCOURSE
Discourse refers to the organizational structures of our oral and
written communication in a discipline. Discourse structures can be at
the sentence, paragraph, or symbolic level.
*For example, historical narratives vs. journalistic writing conventions;
text supporting maps; analysis of graphic and material culture. If you
took an AP course, think back to how you would make a claim (thesis
statement), cite sources, explain an author's bias (or POV), etc.
**This is also where you design activities where students explain &
analyze primary sources (cartoons, images, speeches, charts, etc.)
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LANGUAGE DEMANDS
4. DISCOURSE
Learning target: “Students will generate a topic sentence that
explains the best trade routes for Portuguese exploration of the Indian
Ocean.” Here, understanding how to detect and construct your own
topic sentence helps students recognize text structure (language
discourse).
Basic Text Structures
• Description (living conditions of black slaves in the U.S. South vs. Brazil)
• Cause and Effect (Treaty of Versailles > Weimar Republic & Rise of Nazism)
• Compare/Contrast (Sunni vs. Shi’ia; Spartan vs. Athenian social structures)
• Order/Sequence (events leading to the Civil War, Napoleon’s march through Russia)
• Problem-Solution (the Jewish question after WWII > formation of Israel)
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LANGUAGE DEMANDS: 4. DISCOURSE
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Among other tasks, part of our work as history/social studies educators
is to help students learn how to write topic sentences, structure their
essays, and, of course, learn how to write a decisive thesis statement.
We also teach students how to group primary sources and how to make
these groups clear when they organize their writing. Applies to oral
assignments as well.
Contrasting phrases
“On the one hand… Yet, on the other hand/ [X] supported___, while [Y]
challenged__
Meta-commentary (interpreting & processing)
“To put it another way…” or “In other words…”
“What ____________ really means is ____________”
Conclusions / Thesis
“My argument, then, is that ____________.”
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE?
For students to be successful, they must:
• Know what they are being asked to do
• Have something to say
• Have the words to say it, or
• Have the other representational
structures to present it.
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WHY FOCUS ON
A C A D E M I C L A N G U A G E
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE IN
edTPA
When you plan, deliver, and evaluate your teaching, you will
analyze your language demands. Select a key language
function, a learning task, and additional language demands
required for the task.
**See Rubrics 4 and 14 in particular.
Note that language can be fundamental to other rubric
components as well, such as student misunderstandings or
errors.
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SAMPLE ACADEMIC LANGUAGE PLANNING
World History
WH.H.8.5 - Explain how population growth, urbanization, industrialization,
warfare and the global market economy have contributed to changes in the
environment (e.g., deforestation, pollution, clear cutting, Ozone depletion,
climate change, global warming, industrial emissions and fuel combustion,
habitat destruction, etc.).
What would an appropriate learning outcome be to support this standard?
• For your learning outcome, consider what the language function is:
Explain [change over time; human impact on the environment].
• Consider the vocabulary needed to accomplish the learning function and be
successful? (urbanization, warfare, market economy)
• Discourse: How will students present their summary? What organizing
structures will they use based on the product (essay, oral, chart)?
• Are there any English-language syntax rules that students need to properly
and effectively use in order to share their summaries?
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PLANNING FOR
LANGUAGE SUPPORTS
Once you identify language demands,
you will want to plan for language
supports. These may model language
functions for your students, review or
support their vocabulary use, provide
opportunities to practice or evaluate
syntax, or provide structures or
templates for discourse.
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A C A D E M I C L A N G U A G E
A SAMPLE ACTIVITY
LANGUAGE
VOCABULARY
LANGUAGE
FUNCTION
SYNTAX
DISCOURSE
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TIPS FOR WORKING ON ACADEMIC LANGUAGE IN
edTPA
Read the edTPA rubrics carefully and highlight all instances where
language is vital.
Identify all language demands as you plan, deliver, and reflect on your
lesson.
Be attentive to your use of language and supports during your video
clips. You can't add those examples in later!
Be specific and accurate in your use of language in your
commentaries, and be certain that you use correct language and
notation in your lesson materials and video clips.
Language is always important in teaching. Use edTPA to start
developing good habits in its use.
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