Literacy Strategies And

Academic Language

Adelina Alegria, Ph.D.Occidental College

Agenda

1. Define academic language

2. Literacy Strategies to develop academic language

3. Examples

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)

How do you develop Academic Language?

1.Vocabulary development

2.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.

What are literacy strategies?

They are activities, approaches, or techniques that involve reading, writing, listening, speaking,

and visual representations that support concept development.

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)

Our Literacy Strategies:

Assignment –

1. Explain strategy

2. Present concept(s)

3. Explain how/when would you use the strategy?

Concept or Word

Definition:(OR Non-Characteristics)

Frayer Model

Examples: Non-Examples:

Characteristics:

Vocabulary Word, Part of Speech, and Definitions:

Vocabulary Word, Part of Speech, and Definitions:

Other Forms of the Word:

Other Forms of the Word:

SynonymsSynonyms

AntonymsAntonyms

Sentence or Phrase from Text:

Sentence or Phrase from Text:

My Association, Sketch, and/or Example:

My Association, Sketch, and/or Example:

My Own Sentence:

My Own Sentence:

Word/Term:

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

Ocean Unit

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.

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

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.

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.

I-CHART (Inquiry Chart)1. 2. 3. 4.

What We Know

Source 1:Reference Books

Source 2:

Source 3:

Other

Thinking at Right Angles

(What you OpinionsKnow)

Facts (What the book tells you)

What is this whole thing about?

What is being

compared?

How it is different

How it is different

How they are similar

Main Ideas

This is the chart form of a Venn Diagram.

Compare And

Contrast

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)

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)

References• Tama, C., M., & McClain, A., B. (2001). Guiding

reading and writing in the content areas: Practical strategies (2nd ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.

• Tompkins, G. E. (2004). 50 literacy strategies: Step by step (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

• Wood, K. D., & Taylor, D. B. (2006). Literacy strategies across the subject areas (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

• www.readwritethink.org