Focusing on Academic Oral Language Development
Classroom Examples of Focusing on Academic Oral Language Development
ELL students must learn on two levels: both the language and the content. As a result, English language development must be taught explicitly to help students gain access to the content. This English language development must be systematic and purposeful as well as explicit. Oral language proficiency should include vocabulary knowledge, grammar, and listening comprehension. Instructors should communicate both content and language objectives to students in all grades.
English language development throughout the day
As Susan Dutro indicates, English Language development should occur throughout the day, both informally and formally. Her suggestions include the following:
- Use teachable moments to illustrate, explain, or model the meaning of a word, concept, or language structure. This can occur during a lesson or just walking down the hallway.
- Front load content lessons with key vocabulary. Pre-teach these words in order to help the English learner access content knowledge. This is a formal lesson that might be given to just the English learners while the rest of the class works independently or cooperatively on another task.
- Teach English Language Development as a discipline in order to help students learn grammar, language functions, vocabulary. Students should build skills in speaking, reading, writing, and listening.
Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy
As Ruddell and Shearer explain, the vocabulary self-collection strategy (VSS) is a strategy in which students are actively involved in the selection of the vocabulary words which they will learn. Students can select the words from a story or text which they are reading. Words may be selected from individuals, partners, or small groups. These words are then shared with the entire class and a mutually agreed upon list of words is generated. This list will vary in length according to the age of the students. This activity may be differentiated according to the language level of the students. In this case small groups will derive a list of words.
[Ruddell, M.R., & Shearer, B.A. (2002). "Extraordinary," "tremendous," "exhilarating," "magnificent": Middle school at-risk students become avid word learners with the vocabulary self-collection strategy (VSS). Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45, 352–363.]
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=296
Word Wall
Word walls are collection of words that are used in thematic instruction or part of content lessons. Word walls can be differentiated in that there may be a word wall or poster for emergent readers and another for more advanced readers. However, the walls should not be cluttered in such a way that it is difficult for students to find the right wall. Once a week students can decide which words to remove from the wall. Although word walls are typically seen in the elementary classroom, they are an effective visual support in content classes for older students.