NJTESOL-BE Conference
New Brunswick, NJ
May 2014
How to Integrate Academic Language Learning and Content
Deborah J. Short, Academic Language Research & Training
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Guidelines to Build and Activate Background
Discuss prior knowledge and personal experiences
Incorporate visuals, such as photos and realia, and brief video clips
Use Anticipation Guides, KWL charts, Hands-on Discovery Activities, Field trips
Include L1 resources, reading materials, in print and online, in classroom and school library
Have L1 academic discussions with outputs in English (with adults, peers, tutors)
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Guidelines to Build Vocabulary
Word Building: Visuals, Realia, Demonstrations, Text glosses, Personal dictionaries, VSS
Word Knowledge: Cognates, Prefixes, Suffixes, Roots, Word generation
Word Practice: Role play, Writing, Vocabulary games, Mix & Match, Zip-A-Round
Word Study: 4 Corners chart, Frayer maps, Word sorts, Familiarity ratings
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Guidelines to Practice Oral Language Skills/Interaction
Discuss topics of high interest – essential questions
Use sentence starters and language frames to practice key terms, phrases, and turn-taking
Combine note-taking with listening skills (two-column charts, graphic organizers)
Use Think-pair-share, Chunk and chew, Roam and review, Mix and match, Conga line,
Inside-outside circle, Mingle to music
Guidelines to Promote Reading Instruction
Provide access to meaningful and diverse texts
Engage with relevant purposes – Essential questions and culminating projects
Provide explicit and supportive instruction: 5 reading components + oral language
Give time and practice to develop competence with strategies (“I want to be good at it!”)
Guidelines to Promote Writing Instruction
Write from the start, link reading, writing and oral discourse + new vocabulary
Teach and scaffold the writing process with sentence frames and story continuers
Provide models of text
Use grammar mini-lessons and incorporate grammar in editing stage
Unpack and write to a prompt: RAFT: R – role; A – audience; F – form; T - topic
Sample Academic Language Frames
Analyze
• The significance of ____ is ….
• _____ did _____ because ….
• One reason ____ happened was ….
Compare/Contrast
• A key difference is ….
• ___ differs from/is similar to ___ in that…
• Both are ____, but ___ is ….
Bias/Point of View
• In this excerpt/article/text, ____ is
arguing that ….
• ____disagrees with him because ….
• One view is ___, but another is …
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© D. Short, 2014
Justify/Explain
My reason is …
Based on the ___, we decided to …
After we noticed ____, we then …
Because ___ happened, we concluded that
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Technique
4 Corners
Vocabulary
New Brunswick, NJ
Description
Building Background & Vocabulary Activities
Students divide a paper in four quadrants. They write the word in the top
left corner, illustrate the word in the top right, give a definition in the bottom
left, and use the word in a sentence in bottom right.
Word
Picture
Definition
Frayer Map
Word
Generation
Shades of
Meaning
Foldables
Word
Familiarity
Rating
May 2014
Sentence
Students place a new word in a small circle in the center of a paper and
create 4 quadrants around it. In the quadrants they label and list essential
characteristics, nonessential characteristics, examples, and non-examples.
Other options include synonyms and antonyms.
A root (or affix) is provided, and students brainstorm words that include that
root. The class analyzes the meaning of brainstormed words to figure out
what the root means. The teacher may give hints or explain it. Then
students apply the meaning to the words in the list.
Students focus on word choice. They arrange synonyms by intensity
(content-happy-gleeful-delighted; walk-jog-run-dash).
Fold a sheet of paper in half. The front half is then cut into a number of
flaps (e.g., 3), with the cut going up to the fold. On the outside front, a key
word is written on each flap. When it is lifted, a definition is written on the
top half and a picture on the bottom half. [Loose-leaf paper can be foldables
(lengthwise) and kept in binders too.]
At start of unit, students rate their knowledge of key words (1 = I know it, 2 =
It looks familiar, 3 = I have no idea). At end of unit, they return to list and rate
again. It is a self-assessment of their learning.
Word
I know this
word
The word is
familiar
I don’t know
this word
volcano
magma
erupt
Oral Language Activities
Conga Line
(variation of
Inside-Outside
Circle)
Guess the Fib
Mingle to
Music
© D. Short, 2014
1. Distribute index cards. Students write or draw something unique on card
(e.g., favorite landform, favorite character in a story).
2. Divide students into two groups. Group 1 stands in a line (by shoulder);
Group 2 in a parallel line, facing Group 1. Students should face a partner.
3. Group 1 shares information from the index card with partner from Group
2. Partner comments. Group 2 then shares information with same partner
from Group 1. Partner comments.
4. After a few minutes, have group 2 take one step to the left so each
person faces a new partner from Group 1. The last person in Group 2’s line
moves to other end of same line. Repeat sharing of ideas on index cards.
1. Students are presented with three statements about a concept from the
lesson. Two statements are true and one is a fib. The students must decide
which of the statements is a fib and correct it.
2. As a variation, ask student groups to create their own “truths” and “fibs.”
A group may write the three statements on note cards and play “Guess the
Fib” as a game with another group.
Students respond to a teacher prompt by writing on an index card or paper.
Prompts should generate unique responses like What strategy do you use
th
most to study? or What do you think was the best invention of the 20
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NJTESOL-BE Conference
New Brunswick, NJ
May 2014
century? Teacher has students stand with cards and mingle while music
plays in the background. When music stops, students find a partner nearby
and discuss the info on their cards. Music plays again, students mingle
again, music stops, students pair and discuss. This continues 3-4 times.
Practice & Application Activities
Word or
Sentence
Strips
Living
Diorama
1. (Newc./Beg.) Write a sentence, one word per card, on index cards. Give
individual students a card and ask them to get in order. Once arranged,
they read their cards aloud, making the sentence.
2. (Inter./Adv.) Write steps in a process, math problem solution steps, the
order of historical events, or a summary of a story on individual sentence
strips. Give individual students a strip and asked to put themselves in order.
Once arranged, they read their strips aloud and explain their order.
Additional strips can be added in, such as those with sequence words (e.g.,
first, second, next, finally) or other connectors, or key vocabulary.
Students pose in a scene (e.g., animals and plants in a habitat, historical
figures at an event). They are given cards with their assigned role/label and
group themselves as they think is best. They orally justify their sorting. Then
they create the scene. One student is a reporter and interviews the rest.
Review Activities
Numbered
Heads
Together
Pass the Note
Card
Students in equal groups number off. The teacher poses a question and the
members in each group work together to determine an answer. Each
member should know the answer, but the teacher calls only one number and
that individual responds.
Teacher distributes blank index cards. Students are told to use one
sentence starter and one vocabulary word to write something they learned
on the card. Then students stand in one large circle, each holding his/her
card. Teacher plays music. While the music plays, students pass the cards
around the circle. When the music stops, students read what is written on
the index card they now have. Teacher randomly calls on some students to
share the information on the card with all. Repeat 2 or 3 times.
RESOURCES
ESL Student Textbook Series:
Edge (National Geographic Learning/Cengage) - High School (newcomer to advanced), 4 levels
Inside (National Geographic Learning/Cengage) - Middle School (newcomer to advanced), 5 levels
Reach (National Geographic Learning/Cengage) - Elementary School (beginner to advanced), 6 levels
SIOP Texts:
Echevarria, J., Short, D. & Peterson, C. (2012). Using the SIOP Model with Pre-K and Kindergarten
English Learners. Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon.
Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E. & Short, D. (2013). Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The
®
th
SIOP Model, 4 Edition. Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon.
Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E., & Short, D. (2010). The SIOP Model for Teaching Mathematics to English
Learners. Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon.
Short, D., Vogt, M.E., & Echevarria, J. (2011). The SIOP Model for Teaching Science to English Learners.
Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon.
Short, D., Vogt, M.E., & Echevarria, J. (2011). The SIOP Model for Teaching History-Social Studies to
English Learners. Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon.
®
Vogt, M.E., & Echevarria, J. (2008). 99 Ideas and Activities for Teaching English Learners with the SIOP
Model. Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon.
Vogt, M.E., Echevarria, J., & Short, D. (2010). The SIOP Model for Teaching English-Language Arts to
English Learners. Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon.
Websites:
www.ngl.cengage.com/access
© D. Short, 2014
www.siop.pearson.com
www.cal.org/siop
Sponsored by National Geographic Learning/Cengage