Teaching Academic
Language in Secondary
Social Studies to ELLs
Mark Neudorf
Elizabeth Montague
Kimberley Dalmaijer
WHAT IS ACADEMIC LANGUAGE?

CALP – Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
The level of language proficiency that promotes
cognitively demanding and abstract language
development.


usually developed at Level 4 (Intermediate Fluency)
approx. 12,000 words, can take 3-4 yrs to learn
(Cruz et. al., 2003, p. 19)
CUMMINS
Academic language is not just the vocabulary specific
to the subject area
 It is also the language functions needed to succeed in
that subject area
 E.g. analyzing, evaluating, persuading
 Helps describe abstract ideas and develops students’
conceptual understanding

(Chamot & O’Malley, 1994, p. 40)
THINK BLOOM’S TAXONOMY

“To accomplish these functions successfully with
academic content requires the use of both lower-order
and higher-order thinking skills… Higher-order
thinking skills involve using language to analyze,
synthesize, and evaluate. The overlap in terminology
used for thinking skills and for language functions
suggest a close relationship between language
functions and levels of thinking skills.”
(Chamot & O’Malley, 1994, p. 41)
THE CHALLENGE


Academic language is best learned in the classroom
and not usually learned outside the classroom
ELLs’ exposure to academic language is limited,
especially when pulling students out of classrooms
(Chamot & O’Malley, 1994, p. 44)
A PROPOSED SOLUTION: CALLA
Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach
by Anna Chamot & J. Michael O’Malley
 Created with 3 types of ELLs in mind:
 Students with BICS, but not CALP
 Students who can speak CALP in their native
language, but not English
 Bilingual speakers who have yet to develop CALP in
either language

(Chamot & O’Malley, 1994, p. 9)
WHAT DOES CALLA DO?
AND WHY?
CALLA integrates grade-appropriate content
topics (POS), academic language development
and explicit instruction and practice in using
learning strategies
 Goal of CALLA is to improve ELLs’ declarative
and procedural knowledge
 Declarative – knowing facts, the “what”
 Procedural – knowing the “how” to do something

(Chamot & O’Malley, 1994, p. 10)
LEARNING STRATEGY INSTRUCTION
“Strategies are taught explicitly by naming the
strategy, telling the students what the strategy does to
assist learning, and then providing ample instructional
supports while students practice and apply the
strategy.”
 3 types: Metacognitive, Social/Affective, Cognitive

(Chamot & O’Malley, 1994, p. 11)
OTHER TECHNIQUES
Link what is already known and familiar to new
concepts
 Give many opportunities to engage with texts
 Thinking and Reflection
 Cooperative and interactive learning
 Cognitive instruction

(Chamot & O’Malley, 1994, p. 22)
APPLYING THE PROCESS
Preparation: assess prior knowledge, set objectives
(content, language, learning strategies), assemble
materials
 Presentation: new information should be presented
and explained in different ways
 Practice: remember, cooperative learning
 Evaluation: both teacher and students assess learning
 Expansion: integrate new information and skills into
their thinking

(Chamot & O’Malley, 1994, p. 94)
IMPLEMENTING CALLA IN SOCIAL
STUDIES



The goal of the Social Studies curriculum is to create
democratic and civically engaged students
both conceptual understanding and hands-on practice
are required… CALLA supports both!
Higher-order thinking skills such as critical thinking,
persuading and justifying are all essential to success
in Social Studies, as well as class discussion and
participation
(Chamot & O’Malley, 1994, p. 257)
THE
Preparation
 Presentation
 Practice
 Evaluation
 Expansion

PROCESS
CHALLENGES UNIQUE TO SOCIAL
STUDIES

Social Studies promotes democratic participation,
students might not be from democratic countries

Historical perspectives can be different

Immediately disadvantaged
(Szpara & Ahmad, 2006, p. 1/4)
REFERENCES



Chamot, Anna Uhl, & O’Malley, J.Michael (1994). The
CALLA Handbook: Implementing the Cognitive
Academic Language Learning Approach. Don Mills,
ON: Addison-Wesley.
Cruz, Barbara C., Nutta, Joyce W., O’Brien, J.,
Feyten, Carine M., Govoni, Jane M. (2003). Passport
to Learning: Teaching Social Studies to ESL
Students. Silver Spring, MD: NCSS.
Szpara, Michelle Y., & Ahmad, Iftikhar (2006).
Making Social Studies Meaningful for ELL Students:
Content and Pedagogy in Mainstream Secondary
School Classrooms. Long Beach: C.W. Post Campus.
This Section by Elizabeth
Montague
• Drama activities are flexible.
•They are active, fun, and engaging.
• They can easily be used as an interdisciplinary support for ELLs
with only minor adaptations.
• They are community building which fosters a positive learning
environment for ELLs.
• They provide a meaningful way for students to learn academic
language and vocabulary, and to reinforce content learning.
ACTIVITIES AS STRATEGIES


I will look at 3 drama activities that I have
adapted to be used in the Social Studies
classroom. Each activity represent one of the
three types of strategies within the CALLA
method and while they are ideal for social
studies, they can easily be adapted for other
subjects.
Note: the activities I am presenting are my
personal interpretation/adaptations from my
experience as a BA Drama major. The activities
may go by several other names (as many drama
activities do) or they may be similar to other
activities.
TYPES OF STRATEGIES
1.
Cognitive – “activating prior knowledge, making
inferences, and using imagery and linguistic transfer”.
2.
Social/Affective – “questioning, working with peers,
positive self-talk in learning to communicate and learn.”
3.
Metacognitive – “planning, monitoring, and evaluating to
reflect on their own thinking and learning processes”.
(Moughamian et. al., 2009, pp. 11-12)
CALLA PRINCIPLES TO CONSIDER


“Teachers may or may not be familiar with the
cultures students bring with them to the classroom,
and students are often unfamiliar with both the
content knowledge and the rituals of their newly
adopted culture. Moreover, social studies curriculum
is inherently culture specific.” (p. 3)
It is possible that the prior educational experiences of
ELL students or the cultures of their native countries
may not have prepared them for questioning
authority, speaking in the classroom without fear of
reprisal, and asserting their point of view on
controversial issues. Therefore, for cultural reasons or
due to lack of verbal skills in English language, they
may not express themselves openly” (p. 3)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Arrange class in circle so that everyone can see each
other; include the teacher in the circle.
Ask a check-in question that links to the unit being
studied. Ensure that any content or terms used in the
check-in question have been taught prior to this activity.
Ex: “what in your life would be different if globalization
did not exist?” (Answers may include loss of many
technologies; phone, computer, TV, or differences in
clothing stores and restaurants; things that are often
relevant in teen’s lives.)
Go around the circle from the left or right of the teacher ,
answering in order with the teacher answering last.
Debrief/Closure: Reinforce what students should have
learned. Ask students what they can learn from what has
just been discussed.
ALIGNMENT




Cognitive Strategy – prior knowledge, inferences,
linguistic transfer
“Social studies helps students develop their sense of
self and community, encouraging them to affirm their
place as citizens in an inclusive democratic society
(Program of Studies, 2007, p.1 ).”
Social Studies should provide us with “opportunities
for students to express who they are with confidence
as they interact and engage with others (p. 4).”
Social Studies Classroom deals explicitly with culture.
Through the check in, we can create a positive
community atmosphere which allows us to celebrate
cultural diversity. Gives ELLs a safe space to take
healthy risks, to learn to express their point of view
(which may be new to them) and to grow.
CALLA PRINCIPLES TO CONSIDER


“In the mainstream classrooms [ELLs] struggle to
learn both social studies content as well as English
language. They may passively memorize names and
facts for the purpose of passing a test, but rote
learning contributes little to their intellectual and
social growth” (p. 3).
“Social-affective strategies teach how to elicit needed
clarification, how to work cooperatively with peers in
problem solving, and how to use mental techniques
or self-talk to reduce anxiety and increase a sense of
personal competency” (p. 125).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Divide class into two teams (one and two) and send
one member from each team into the hall.
Class decides on a vocabulary term or concept being
studied. Ensure that these terms have already been
taught.
Bring students back into the room. Have them
stand/sit at the front of the class.
Team one starts.
Team one members begin calling out descriptions of
the term/concept and simultaneously make a
gesture; you can not speak without making a
gesture.
6.
7.
8.
9.
If students are having trouble defining the terms,
encourage them to talk through the activity, to work
together, and to use gestures to help them
communicate their thoughts. Keep time; students
have one minute to do this.
While students are defining the term, the team one
student at the front of the class should try to guess
the term and ask for clarification and communicate
with their team as needed.
After one minute has passed ask students to stop
describing. If the team one student has not guessed
the term, the team two student gets one chance to
steal their point. If they guess wrong, neither team
receives a point, and the term goes back into the pot.
Repeat until all desired terms have been covered.
The team with the most points wins.
ALIGNMENT


Social/Affective - “questioning, working with
peers, positive self-talk in learning to
communicate and learn” (Moughamian et. al.,
2009, p. 11/12).
As we saw earlier, ELLs often find themselves
memorizing facts to pass exams. This activity
requires students to memorize those facts in
order to take part, but more importantly requires
their understanding of the concepts; they must be
able to apply their knowledge and interpret
information to successfully participate.
CALLA PRINCIPLES TO CONSIDER


“Metacognitive strategies help students to plan, monitor, and
evaluate their learning processes. Teachers help students to
preview the main concepts in material to be learned, plan the
key ideas that must be expressed” (p. 125).
CALLA says that study skills needed in the social studies
classroom include: reading and listening skills; academic
communication skills; map, graph, globe, table, picture, and
chart skills; information-locating skills; critical thinking
skills; group discussion skills; the ability to argue a point of
view, and the ability to work cooperatively with classmates
(p. 257).
1.
2.
3.
Have students go through their text book
chapter or study materials in groups of 2-3
max, noting down key concepts, terms, and
information.
Prior to this activity, teach students strategies
for retrieving and interpreting information
from texts; such as mapping, taking notes,
drawing diagrams etc. Encourage students to
use methods that work for them and to work
together to support learning.
Circulate, guiding students and providing
feedback when necessary.
4.
5.
6.
Instruct students to write a 2-3 minute
scene/dialogue to present to the class.
Inform students that they must use a minimum
of 5 concepts/terms/references from the study
material being used.
Give students a basic outline to get them
started, but allow them to opt to invent their
own. Ex: you encounter a problem; you try
three things to solve the problem, and on the
third try you are either successful or
unsuccessful. Remind them to choose
appropriate settings and characters that
support the content. Ex: An international
airport for our unit on globalization.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Next, divide the class in two teams. One
pair from group one will perform their
scene.
Instruct students who are watching to write
down all of the references to the unit being
studied that they hear in the scene.
Both teams will be given a minute to
secretively discuss what they saw and total
the number of references they heard.
Divulge/discuss findings. The team with
the most correct references will receive the
number of references in points. If the teams
tie, they both get the points.
The team with the most points wins.
ALIGNMENT




Metacognitive - planning, monitoring, and evaluating to
reflect on their own thinking and learning processes”.
(Moughamian et. al., 2009, p. 11/12)
Preparation for the activity ask students to interpret
information, to evaluate their understanding, to reflect on
strategies they have been taught and to use those that work
best for them.
Students must also plan a way to express this learning to
the class.
Finally, students are given a fun and engaging way to
present their findings to the class.
What
is a tradition
that you celebrate?
REFERENCES
Moughamian, A.C., Rivera, M.O., & Frances, D. J.
(2009). Instructional models and strategies for teaching
English language learners. Portsmouth, NH: RMC
Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.
Alberta Education, (2007). Program of studies: Social
studies 10-2.
Chamot, Anna Uhl, & O’Malley, J. Michael. (1994). The
CALLA Handbook: Implementing the Cognitive
Academic Language Learning Approach. Don Mills,
ON: Addison-Wesley.
EVIDENCE FOR TEACHING
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE

Integrating content-area language and
language learning strategies
DEVELOPMENT OF CALLA
Three strands of research led to the development of
CALLA
1.Transfer: Language acquisition requires
concurrent skills development in L1
 Cummins (Collier)
Research with Canadian language minority
immigrants led findings on BICS and CALPS.
CALPS is context-reduced and takes longer to
learn.
Collier supported these findings and added
evidence about age of arrival making a difference.
DEVELOPMENT OF CALLA
2. Content-area instruction: Use of language and
its function helps L2 development
Cohen, DeAtila, and Intili
Research in a bilingual program in math and
science proved learners improved academic
performance and English language skills in a n
academic context.

Genesee
Canadian French Immersion programs showed
success in content area focused studies.

DEVELOPMENT OF CALLA
3. Language Learning Strategies (LLS): use of
strategies improve language learning
Chamot & O’Malley et al
Effective language learners are better at selecting
and applying LLS.

Language learning strategies AND content area
curriculum improves language learning.
There is a relationship between MENTAL
PROCESSES and LLS for acquiring language.
COGNITIVE LEARNING THEORIES





Features of Cognitive Learning
Learning is active and dynamic
Learning moves through three stages:
declarative, procedural, and automatic
Automatic skills allow learners to pay selective
attention to new material
Focus allows students to organize, relate, retain,
and use information for learning
CALLA AND SOCIO-COGNITIVE
ASPECTS OF LEARNING
Goals
To increase motivation, interest, and responsibility for
learning.

CALLA
 integrates learning strategies with content-area
instruction
 Metacognitive processes allows students to develop
their skills and become independent learners
Duffy
Research shows students must engage in authentic
content to use strategic learning skills and apply them
to develop lasting language skills (Chamot & O’Malley,
p. 5)
CALLA AND SOCIO-COGNITIVE
ASPECTS OF LEARNING
Learning process:
 Engagement with authentic content allows
students to apply strategies (Duffy)
 Repeated exposure with multiple contexts aids in
retention and comprehension
 Using cognitive, metacognitive, and affective
strategies increases self-efficacy
 Motivation improves when positive self-efficacy
develops
 Expand learning frameworks and develop higher
order thinking skills (Chamot & O’Malley)
EVIDENCE FROM A CALLA
PROGRAM
Chamot & O’Malley
 CALLA program evaluation in mathematics has
shown consistent above average achievement.


Dale and Chamot used think-aloud interviews to
record how high-implementation and lowimplementation (skills) classes performed.
High-implementation classes performed better
using more metacognitive skills, problem-solving
procedures, and correct solutions.
CALLA
AND A
SOCIAL STUDIES
CONTEXT
Schall-Leckrone and McQuillan
 In a study to determine pre-service preparedness,
“doing history” means
 Language functions help to understand how to be
more engaged


Higher order thinking skills are developed when
history students use language
Developing literacy skills allows for engagement
and participation in a democratic society
CALLA AND A SOCIAL STUDIES
CONTEXT


“Doing history”
“‘Doing history’ connotes processes historians use
to construct knowledge, including sourcing,
contextualizing, and corroborating (Hynd,
Holschuh, & Hubbard, 2004; Wineburg, 1991)” (p.
2).
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL):
Framework for linking language choices and
meaning to analyze language patterns. Group work
is used to contextualize, source, analyze and
corroborate historical information (Schall-Leckrone
& McQuillan).

FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR CALLA

In another article, Diana Townsend asserts that
words can be used as a scaffold for students to
understand registers or academic discourses used
in specific content areas.
Canale and Swain
Communicative competencies: linguistic, discourse,
sociolinguistic, strategic



Language acquisition is helped by developing
theses competencies
Generating thought in language helps to develop
these competencies
FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR CALLA

Making Input Comprehensible is a requirement
for building academic language
“Comprehensible input (Krashen, 1985) and
opportunities to produce comprehensible output
(Swain, 1985) to ensure full understanding” (Day 2
Slides)
REFERENCES

Chamot ,Anna Uhl. O'Malley, J. Michael. “The
cognitive academic language learning approach: a
bridge to the mainstream” TESOL Quarterly.
McQuillan, Patrick J. Schall-Leckrone, Laura.
“Preparing history teachers to work with English
learners through a focus on the academic
language of historical analysis”. EBSCO.
 Lightbrown, Patsy M. Spada, Nina. (2006). How
languages are learned. London, England: Oxford
University Press.
 Saville-Troike, Muriel. (2006). Second language
acquisition. Cambridge, England: Cambridge
University Press.
