Understanding the Features of
Academic Language
Everyday Language vs. Academic
Language: A “Continuum”
Cognitively undemanding
Context
embedded
Context
reduced
Cognitively demanding
Jim Cummins, 2000
Everyday Language vs. Academic
Language: A “Continuum”
Cognitively undemanding
*Discuss the
weather
*Interview a
classmate
Context
embedded
Context
reduced
Cognitively demanding
Jim Cummins, 2000
Everyday Language vs. Academic
Language: A “Continuum”
Cognitively undemanding
*Discuss the
weather
*Interview a
classmate
*Talk on the
phone
*Read an
email or text
Context
embedded
Context
reduced
Cognitively demanding
Jim Cummins, 2000
Everyday Language vs. Academic
Language: A “Continuum”
Cognitively undemanding
*Discuss the
weather
*Interview a
classmate
*Talk on the
phone
*Read an email
or text
Context
embedded
Context
reduced
*Work in groups
to create a
human or picture
timeline
*Role play scenes
from a novel
Cognitively demanding
Jim Cummins, 2000
Everyday Language vs. Academic
Language: A “Continuum”
Cognitively undemanding
*Discuss the
weather
*Interview a
classmate
*Talk on the
phone
*Read an email
or text
Context
embedded
Context
reduced
*Work in groups
to create a
timeline
*Role play scenes
from a novel
*Read a text
chapter and
write answers to
questions
*Take
“traditional”
tests
Cognitively demanding
Jim Cummins, 2000
Features of Academic Language
 Content-specific vocabulary: The BIG words
“Pellicle, microtubules, euglenas”
 Signal words: Transitions, connections, contrasts
However, therefore, on the other hand, in addition, also,
moreover
 Functions or academic process language:
Analyze, compare and contrast, predict, investigate,
hypothesize, outline etc.
 Discourse Patterns:
Varies by discipline: Persuasion, analogies, metaphors,
interpretation, finding evidence
EdTPA and Academic Language
 Definitions that you should study and internalize!
 Copes for both literacy and math EdTPA
Academic Texts: Dense
"Shortly after the United
States entered World War II,
more than 110,000 people of
Japanese Ancestry who were
living in the United States
were forced to move to
guarded camps." Elements of
Literature: Grade 6, Holt.
Academic Texts: Authoritative
•Passive Voice
•Statements rather than questions
•Use of technical and specialized
vocabulary
"Euglenas do not have cell walls, but they do have an intricate
cell membrane called a pellicle. The pellicle is folded into
ribbon-like ridges, each ridge supported by microtubules. The
pellicle is tough and flexible, letting euglenas crawl through mud
when there is not enough water for them to swim. Euglenas
reproduce asexually by binary fission." High School Biology,
Miller & Levine. Prentice Hall
Academic Texts: Abstract
Nominalization:
Reproduce - reproduction
EXAMPLE:
"Some of the region's physical
features and landforms experienced
(passive voice) violent forms of
creation. Creation (nominalization)
was followed by periods of rapid
growth." The Pacific Northwest:
Past, Present & Future. Lambert
Textbooks: As certain as death and
taxes! However, textbooks are…
 Superficial- they cover so much they can't cover in depth
 Dry!
 Hard to read - they are reference books
 Written with the purchasers in mind, more than the
students who will use them!
 Often inaccurate
 Present as if they are the final word!
 Visually excessively stimulating with important
information located charts, pictures, captions, text, side
bars, etc
 Expensive, which leaves little for other materials, and they
have long lives!
Freeman & Freeman, 2009
Social Studies and Academic
Language: TPA
 TPA Rubrics expectations:
 “How does the candidate identify and support
language demands associated with a key
(literacy) learning task?”
 Level 3 (Target for CWU): “Candidate
identifies vocabulary and additional language
demands(s) associated with the language
function. Plans include general support for use
of vocabulary as well as additional language
demand(s).
Social Studies and Academic
Language: TPA
 “How does the candidate analyze students’ use
of language to develop content understanding?”
 Level 3: “Candidate explains and provides
evidence of students’ use of language function
as well as vocabulary OR additional language
demand(s)”
 Level 4: : “Candidate explains and provides
evidence of students’ use of language function
as well as vocabulary OR additional language
demand(s) in ways that develop content
understandings.
What do we do?
 Content AND language objectives for every lesson
 Activate and/or build background knowledge
 Provide context embedded instruction for academic content
which supports academic language understanding –
contextualize as much as possible!
 Provide explicit content-specific vocabulary instruction
utilizing context-embedded strategies: pictures, word-squares
 Provide explicit academic process instruction with scaffolding
 Model appropriate use of academic language
Everyday Language vs. Academic
Language: A “Continuum”
Cognitively undemanding
Context
embedded
Context
reduced
Cognitively demanding
Jim Cummins, 2000
Identifying and creating sound
learning objectives
Learning to write appropriate and
sound objectives is critical!
Writing Academic Language
Objectives
Analyze the content objectives
Using any of the examples from
concept formation lesson on
writing objectives, with a partner,
write at least one appropriate
language objective
Try This!
 As a table group, plan together a lesson on one of the
following unit topics.
 Write your ideas on the white board.
 FOCUS ON:
 Content Objectives
 Academic Language Objectives ( vocabulary, signal words,
process language)
 Context embedded strategies and supports
Unit Topcs
 Grade K-1 My Family, Your Family, Our Families
 Grade 2
Community Helpers and Leaders
 Grade 3 Coastal and Plains Native Americans:
Lifestyle, habitats, homes
 Grade 4
Hazards of the Oregon Trail
 Grade 5 Taxes, taxes, taxes! Taxing the tea out of our
teapots!!
Resources
 Freeman & Freeman (2009). Academic Language for English
Language Learners and Struggling Readers. New Hampshire:
Heineman.