Building Academic Language: Essential Practices for Content Classrooms, Grades 5-12
Building Academic LanguageEssential Practices for Content Classrooms, Grades 5–12Many students, native English speakers and English learners alike, need extra support in understanding and using the language of school. Language plays a major role in learning, particularly in upper grades as content areas begin to specialize and emphasize different thinking skills, abstract concepts, and complex relationships. Building Academic Language shows what teachers can do to help all students develop the language needed to reach high levels of academic achievement.Developing academic language involves more than acquiring content-specific vocabulary; it includes learning a wide range of general utility words, figurative expressions, grammatical conventions, and discussion strategies. Drawing from current theory and research, this book provides insights and practical guidance in the following areas:Developing an additive approach that builds on students' existing ways of learning and communicatingModeling and scaffolding language(s) used by content area experts in language arts, history, science, and mathDesigning effective assessments and lessons with language in mindStrengthening the interweaving strands oflanguage, literacy, and content learningBuilding Academic Language offers many practical activities and classroom examples as well as a wide range of tips, tools, templates, and rubrics to help teachers integrate language development into content instruction and assessment every busy day.Praise for Building Academic Language"Building Academic Language is a thoroughly practical book that is entirely well grounded in theory—it is, without doubt, the best discussion we have to date of academic language and its crucial impact on school success."—James Paul Gee, Mary Lou Fulton Presidential Professor of Literacy Studies, Arizona State University"Zwiers shows and tells how to weave academic language into everything. He offers content teachers new ways to fortify familiar teaching strategies such that diverse students authentically internalize the language of school . . . I will definitely use this resource in my work with teachers and in my own teaching."—Kristin Stout, teacher coach and professional development provider, Sequoia Union High School District, Redwood City, California