Running Head: Teaching Academic Content and Language Skills to ELLs

Week 1 Literature Review Domain A

Ian Frasier
National University

In partial fulfillment for the requirements for TED 690

Professor Clifton Johnson
June 3, 2016

Teaching Academic Content and Language Skills to ELLs

Abstract
This literature review compares Helen Abadianos and Jesse Turners views regarding sheltered
instruction to Madeline Hunters views in Teach for Transfer (chapters 4 6). This review also
summarizes how I have used the methods presented within this article within a first grade
phonics lesson, and how it has helped me to meet the TPE Domain A.

Teaching Academic Content and Language Skills to ELLs

Teaching For Transfer

Comparisons

Sheltered Instruction

Material should be taught

so it becomes well learned,
and not taught once over
lightly.
The more completely one
task is learned it is more likely
to transfer and facilitate
learning another task.
Time spent successfully
learning an easier task will
produce better results in
accomplishing a related
difficult task.
Make situations similar.
Associate two learnings
and label them clearly.
An adequate degree of
learning should be gained
before moving on to new
material.
Identify essential and
unvarying elements.
Identify and label the
critical attribute that makes the
situation what it is.
Poorly learned material if it
transfers at all, is more likely
to transfer inappropriately and
result in interference with new
learning.

Apply new learning to past

experiences and learning.
Make sure that lesson
content and objectives are
clearly stated for students.
Provide students with many
chances to display their
knowledge of key concepts.
Make sure knowledge is
being gained appropriately.
make situations similar
within learning.

Write content and language

objectives clearly for students.
Choose content concepts
that are appropriate for age
and educational background.
Use supplementary
materials such as graphs,
models, and other visuals.
Adapt the content to all
levels of proficiency.
Plan meaningful activities
that include lesson concepts
with language practice,
opportunities for reading,
writing, listening, and
speaking.
Link new content to
students background
experiences and past learning.
Explain academic tasks
clearly.
Provide frequent
opportunities for interaction
and discussion about lesson
concepts.
Provide hands-on material
for students.
Use questions that promote
a higher order of thinking.
Make sure the lesson is
paced appropriately for
students.
Give ample opportunities
for students to clarify key
concepts of lesson.
Provide enough wait time
for student responses.
Give a comprehensive
review of key content
concepts.

Teaching Academic Content and Language Skills to ELLs

These two teaching strategies are very similar to one another regarding the overall goals
and projected outcome involved with each. That being said, there are differences within these
two teaching styles that set them apart. In Hunters model for teaching for transfer, a focus is
placed on making sure new content is well learned before anything new is introduced to the
learning environment. Hunter states, poorly learned material if it transfers at all, is more likely
to transfer inappropriately and result in interference with new learning (Hunter, 1971). Hunter
mentions two methods to ensure new material is being learned efficiently so transfer can be
utilized.
One practice mentioned focuses on returning to concepts until they are comfortably
learned, and not simply covering a topic once. Hunter provides support for this method by
saying, adequate learning usually in not accomplished in one exposure so we may need to return
to a concept many times (Hunter, 1971). Furthermore, Hunter also recommends focusing on
successfully teaching an easier task before moving onto a more difficult task. Research on this
method supports the fact that spending time on an easier task will produce better transfer to the
accomplishment of more difficult related topics (Hunter, 1971). These two methods have shown
to improve the successful transfer of newly learned material within students.
In contrast to Hunters views on teaching for transfer, Abadiano and Turner support a
strategy known as sheltered instruction. In this strategy much of the focus is placed on using
supplementary material such as graphs, models, and other visuals to provide improved
instruction (Abadiano & Turner, 2002). Furthermore, in this strategy it is important to provide
hands on materials to practice content knowledge, as well as providing students with activities to
integrate language skills within the lesson.

Teaching Academic Content and Language Skills to ELLs

Even though the paths taken to educate students for transfer varies somewhat between
these two strategies, they do contain similarities. For example, both strategies place a focus on
applying previous learned material and background information to enhance the learning of new
material. They also place an emphasis on making situation as similar as possible to provoke the
transition of new material from their short-term memories into their long-term memories.
These two strategies mentioned in this article can be directly related to TPE Domain A:
making subject matter comprehensible to students, and also support the methods used within the
lesson plan presented as Artifact 1 of my Professional Development Quest Portfolio (PDQP).
This article supports the strategy of focusing on multiple exposures to specific concepts being
learned within a lesson in order to ensure that all students understand the material fully.
Throughout the lesson plan I presented for artifact number one of domain A I used multiple
activities in order to ensure that every student was receiving the material in a way that catered to
their preferred method of learning. Furthermore, this article also supports the idea of using
supplementary materials throughout a lesson, including but not limited to, graphs, models and
various other visuals in order to provide an improved and all encompassing instruction in order
to differentiate for all student levels. Throughout the lesson I used a number of different activities
to promote a deeper understanding for all learning styles present within the class.

Teaching Academic Content and Language Skills to ELLs

Conclusion
These two strategies have shown to both have their similarities and differences in
instructional strategies. However, their overall goal is to provide students with gained knowledge
that can be utilized throughout their educational careers, and even later on. Both strategies show
they are beneficial in the overall learning outcomes of students.

Teaching Academic Content and Language Skills to ELLs

References
Abadiano, H. R., & Turner, J. (2002). Sheltered instruction: An empowerment framework for
English language learners. New England Reading Association Journal, 38(3), 50-55.
Hunter, M. (1971). Teach for Transfer. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.