Reading Notes for Access to Academics

You can work with colleagues as long as you have a deep understanding of the content in each chapter. Use the Key
Issues Chart at the beginning of each chapter to guide your thinking. Read and tab/underline key points in each chapter.
Add descriptions, page numbers, or lists as part of your note keeping. This is the foundation for your study for teaching
English as a second language and is very important that you come to a deep understanding of this material.

Take notes on these key points and add missing points based on the Key Issues Chart at the
beginning of each chapter. Your notes must be sufficient for you to attain and retain the basic
information in each chapter and to effectively lead a class group discussion when asked to do so.
You will be defining, summarizing and/or describing the various key components in each chapter.
Ch. 1: 1. Explain language of school
Language  it is distinct and complex type of English
of School  involves different types of registers
2. The routines and how we do things
 Language competencies that ELL must learn to fully participate and function in class
 “distinct, multifaceted type of English”

3. Social Language

 Everyday – casual interactions (ordering food, bus conversations)

 Intercultural- customs that may seem normal to us “eyes here please” is disrespectful in other cultures
 Instructional- ordinary classroom comm. Not common to students and brings about challenges

4. Academic Language: includes multiple, dynamic, and interrelated competences

1. Vocabulary: individual words or short phrases
 Ex: constitution, essay, microscope, symmetry

2. Grammar/syntax: syntax, mechanics, sentence and paragraph structure

 Ex: punctuation, subject-verb agreement, topic sentence

3. Discourse features: cohesion and coherence in texts and across genres

 Ex: lab reports, development of theme, ellipsis, word problems

*Academic language involves cultural knowledge about ways of being in the world, ways of acting, thinking,
interacting, valuing, believing, speaking, and sometimes writing and reading, connected to particular identities
and social roles.

5. Linguistic Features/content areas- Explain



6. BICS- Explain
 Basic interpersonal communication skills
 The development of conversational language
 Used to talk with peers at lunch or on the playground
7. CALP- Explain
 Cognitive academic language proficiency
 “decontextualized language”
 Academic dimension of language necessary for school success
 Used to write a report on photosynthesis or to take a content area test
 Students who have not developed CALP in their native language suffer disadvantage

*What have schools decided on with the BICS AND CALPS? Are the critiques valid?

8. Google academic language register and define

 used to describe the characteristics of language that make it 'academic'. In particular, the
features of vocabulary and grammar that help to create the academic 'feel' of the
language. In general, we can say that writers choose more formal words when writing
academic texts.

Ch. 2:  Language Proficiency: multidimensional and entails linguistic, cognitive, and sociocultural factors.
 Ability to use language accurately and appropriately in its oral and written forms in a variety of settings
 Requires background knowledge, critical thinking and metacognitive skills and cultural nuances beliefs
and practices in context

 Language Domains: are interrelated, but they can develop at different rates and independently from each
other
 Listening
 Speaking
 Reading
 Writing

 Can Do descriptors: depict what students can do w/ language at different levels of language proficiency
 Provide a starting point for planning and implementing instruction
 Each proficiency level has a set of descriptors relating to separate language domains

 Elements of Communicative Competence:

 Idea: the communicator’s comprehensive knowledge and appropriate application of particular language in
a specific context
 Does not only apply to oral language
 It means competence in all 4 languages domains- both productive and receptive
 The 4 elements:
 Grammatical or linguistic competencies: accuracy of language used
 Sociolinguistic competencies: language in an appropriate manner or style; Ex: status of
participants, cultural norms, social conventions
 Discourse competencies: ability to put together phrases and sentences; Ex: be a sender and
receiver of messages and alternate those roles in conversations/ written language
 Strategic Competencies: how to get in/out of a convo, break silences, hold conversations

 Resources
 Native languages: primary or first language spoken by an individual
 Using in the classroom grouped with others of the same language
 Cultures: acquired first for an individual and what they identified themselves at 1 st
 Life experiences

Ch. 3  Learning Strengths and Needs of EL Students – List/describe

 Collecting general information: by giving a survey, casual conversations

 Gathering information on learners’ language backgrounds: using standardized tests(LAS) to see where
they need to be placed in the ESL program
 Understanding Educational/ Academic Background: looking at the school file to see where they are at
and what type of culture they come from and how that culture educated their students
 Discovering Content Background and Knowledge: SEPARATE content knowledge from language
knowledge. Looking at files, test scores, discussions w/ previous teachers.
 Exploring Cultural Background: it will help teachers choose how to organize their instruction and
understand students’ reactions to it. The point of this information is to accept and accommodate the
students

 Guidelines for understanding student strengths and needs: List/describe

1. Model the techniques: suggest/ show why survey data and other information is necessary to your
students. Sharing appropriate personal stories to make the connection that helps students see why info is
needed.
2. Try Not to Assume: share reasons or stories why teachers must not assume things about their students;
Ex: student has accident 3 days in a row… teacher calls parents… student scared to ask to use
bathroom… unsure of the rules
3. Embrace Variety: in order to teach students we must accept that we need to use different methods,
strategies, techniques, and modes.

Ch. 4  Explain- all teachers are language teachers

 All teachers have the responsibility of giving their students access to content, but if language is a
barrier to that content then they must think of ways to get their students access to the language they
 need. Each subject has specific vocabulary for that area that teachers must have students use which
is why they must help develop that language. That is why all teachers are language teachers to some
extent even if they are teaching in that one content area.
 Objective writing –
 Supports the development of facts, ideas, and processes
 Teacher chooses depending on standards, grade-level requirements, and curricula
 Developed based on what students already know and need to know
 Provides a strong guide for what needs to happen for the rest of the lesson
 Measurable Verbs: Link to Common core State Standards
 Direct Instruction Overview
 ELD Adaptations
 Teaching the Language of the Discipline: Vocabulary lesson model introduced
 General Assessment information across disciplines
 Teaching to Language Objectives Guidelines: List and summarize
1. Integrate Language and Content: language and content objectives should be integrated into the lesson
and not taught in isolation from it.
2. Use pedagogically sound techniques: It is authentic in a way that it is language that students need for a
real purpose. Students are indirectly and directly exposed so they can use strategies to figure out
meaning on their own. Students are exposed to language in a variety of ways (graphics, reading,
listening). Make it relevant to student and know if you should direct it to small groups, whole class, or
individuals. Collaboration allows for learners to test their assumptions on language.
3. Break down the language: teach whole and parts to address the different learning needs of students.

Ch. 5  Connecting to Students: How do you do this? Summarize supporting research.

 How do you make academic connections?
 Building Background Knowledge: Explain How and Why
 What is an anticipatory Set? How do you use them to engage learners? Provide an example.
 Using VAPA and PE Content for making connections to students explain the guidelines for connections (p.76)

Ch. 6  Student Engagement: Explain engagement and tasks

 Engagement: making connections to students’ lives, having students interact, and creating
responsive classrooms. It is not one that is fun but one that is worth doing due to it being interesting
or meaningful to students
 Tasks: must be engaging in order for students to learn, meet objectives, incorporate culture and are
culturally responsive, students can help and carry out tasks. It is what students do and how they do it.
 Pedagogical Connections
 In order to design effective tasks
 Teachers must think of backgrounds and interests of students
 Design of tasks that support achievement for all learners, work with personal and academic
connections to provide students with both access and reasons to engage
 List/explain elements of task process and product
 Task process: what happens when the learning takes place (Ex: groupings, modes, task structure,
time and pacing, resources/text, teacher/ student roles, procedural tools
 Task product: the outcome of the process or the end result (Ex: essays, plays, art pieces, dioramas)
 List /explain guidelines for task for connecting instruction to students’ lives
1. Give students a reason to listen: give a follow up assignment to the listening assignment whether
it be asking a question from the presenter or filling out a worksheet.
2. Do not do what students can do: give students autonomy and tasks that they can do just as
easily as you can such as provide feedback, search for resources, and help their peers review.

Ch. 7  How do you assess before, during and after a lesson?

 Before: use a component checklist based on ideas in the chapters. You may use the “Preparation”
and “building background” sections of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol. If something is
missing for the lesson you can still implement it.
 During: Use observation and discussion with student to see how lesson is going and see if it is
appropriate for the students. If there are problems use “just-in-time” adjustments with objectives in
mind
 After: Review the lesson and jot down observations of individual students & whole class. Take note of
when on task and engagement were not obvious and where students need more help in. See to what
extent objectives were met and create ideas for revising. Ask others to review your lesson. Ask
students what they thought
  Assessing student process and product: Explain
 Be transparent: Students must be aware of how of task elements affect their PROCESS and
outcome in their work. They need to know the language and content objectives and how they will be
assessed. Post them-Refer to them-Discuss them as needed. Explain what PRODUCT expectations
are and how achievement can be reached.
 Developing assessments to measure content standard achievement: Explain
 Observation: informal when students are doing tasks or use a formal checklist to look for specific
items
 Oral/written interviews: individually or in groups on any aspect of the task or theme
 Demonstrations: use of props can help students remember what they want to say
 Oral/written retellings: after reading students retell what they understood which allows for teachers to
see what students comprehend
 Role plays: for students who need help in language and are comfortable with drama, acting out can
help them show what they know
 Portfolios: show students what they know by assembling and explaining a variety of their work
 Journaling: helps students express their understandings without fear or being evaluated
 Creating multiple opportunities for students to learn content: How and Why?

It allows for students to be able to understand the material better when they are able to learn it in a variety of
ways. It is more adaptable to each of the students in the classroom and isn’t only fit for a few students. By
reviewing the lessons and assessing them we can see what is successful and what did not help bring more
knowledge.
Ch. 8  ELD: Language of the disciplines: Explain key points in each discipline
 Science texts, materials, and processes may present many challenges to ELL’s
 Hands-on, inquiry based, experimental science activities provide an ideal setting for learning
language/ content simultaneously
 Science is filled with technical terms and features needed to describe the natural and physical world
 Practice compare/contrast and cause/effect methods
 Teach how to “talk science” by analyzing Greek& Latin roots that tend to permeate scientific
language
 Adaptations in disciplines
 Key principle of “science for all”. Want all students to be scientifically literate.
 Making observations, posing questions, examining books and other sources, planning investigations,
reviewing what is already known, using tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data, proposing
answers/explanations/predictions, Communicating the results
 “Talk Science”
 Participation in meaningful science activities enhances the process of learning scientific language
 Provide explicit and deliberate vocabulary instruction; highlight the different meanings of words
 Have them be aware of the grammatical features and what context they are being used in

 Integration of PE and content Areas

 During the school day if students look uninterested or sleepy have them to do some exercises. When
students go without doing exercise the brain becomes less active and unable to process as much as
a brain that just did exercise.
 Language of the discipline applied to VAPA and PE
 Language of the discipline can be applied to VAPA through science by doing art work that deals with
the material being taught. For example, when speaking of Geology, you can first introduce
vocabulary to the class and make it more clear for ELD students. The words being mineral, fault, and
soil. Once that is done we can do an art work drawing a volcano or constructing one with clay.
Through this you are not only doing science but applying ELD for your students and VAPA standards.
Through this we can also incorporate PE by asking students to take breaks to do exercises when
needed in the lesson.

Ch. 9  ELD: Language of the disciplines: Explain key points in each discipline
 The mathematics reform movement, current emphasis on communicating mathematically, may pose
some challenges for ELL’s
 Reform: 1989 clear set of standards were presented, in 2000 they were reformed into 1.
Understand and value mathematics 2. Reason mathematically 3. Communicate mathematics 4.
Solve problems 5. Make connections to contexts and other academic subject areas.
 Emphasis on communicating mathematically:
 Select tasks to engage students’ intellect and interest
 Deepen students’ understanding of math and its applications
  Orchestrate classroom discourse in ways to promote investigation and growth
 Help students use technology and other tools to pursue math investigations
 Help seek connections to previous and developing knowledge
 Guide individual, small group, and whole class work
 Challenges:
 Other countries emphasize calculations not mathematical thinking
 Many students have never worked with manipulatives and may not take it seriously
 Periods are used instead of commas when using large #’s and commas instead of period
when using decimals in some countries
 Familiar with metric measurements but not words like feet, pints, miles, ounces, etc.
 Students must read math from left to right, but also right to left, up and down

 The math language uses unique symbols, technical language, and diverse representations
 ELL’s with prior school experience in their countries of origin may find that familiar symbols,
expressions, and methods differ from those they encounter in U.S. classrooms. The barriers
increase when they encounter word problems that can be worded in many ways.

 Mathematics may not always be a universal language; many variations across cultures/languages
 Number and letters might be written differently
 Multiples of thousands are separated by different symbols some use commas others use periods
 Different methods are used for solving division

 Language used in tasks, texts, tests, and teacher talk can be confusing
 The terms that signal the same operation such as addition can be said using: add, plus, combine,
sum, total, more than, increased by, greater than
 Math is concise and to the point, but dreadful because each word no matter how big or small
holds so much information
 They take a simple problem and add more steps and more sophisticated
 Same pronoun is used to refer to different subjects
 Unclear directions
 Use of several small words
 Shifting subject referents
 Explicit instruction, speech modification, and modeling are necessary for students to learn the
language of mathematics
 Explicit instruction: design multisensory lessons, use visuals, use graphic organizers, point to or
explicitly connect terms with visual representation, hands-on activities, different technologies,
make connections
 Introduce new vocabulary in a thoughtful and integrated manner
 Identify and highlight key words with multiple meanings
 Speech modification: providing comprehensible input
 Enunciate clearly and slowly without speaking louder
 Pause between sentences or concepts
 Use gestures and visuals to enhance meaning
 Avoid using idioms and slang
 Use key words frequently
 Repeat, rephrase, restate
 Simplify the language rather than the mathematical concept taught
 Allow non-English language group discussion or help of teaching assistants
 Focus on the content not on the form
 Be aware that additional wait time may be needed for ELL’s

 Adaptations in disciplines: Use preview and review, search for cognates so we are validating students'
languages and cultures, use cooperative learning and promote opportunities for interaction, teach
organizational and study skills, create an atmosphere for risk taking and making mistakes

 Integration of PE and content Areas

The students can integrate math into their PE by counting as they do their exercises or forming shapes using
bodies depending on the standards that need to be fulfilled. In the classroom PE can be incorporated in Math
by making sure students are awake and alert during the lesson and if not have them do exercises to wake
them up
  Language of the discipline applied to VAPA and PE
Language of the disciple can be applied to VAPA by making sure that you students are understanding the
vocabulary and having it be repeated and rehearsed various times. That the language being used in nothing
extensive or unintroduced. Words that students have only been introduced to are necessary. Every word
used in Math is needed to understand the concept, even if you are applying it with VAPA or PE. The
language must be attainable for students.
Ch. 10  ELD: Language of the disciplines: Explain key points in each discipline- Language of English Language Arts
is the main discipline for Chapter 10, which includes reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and
visually representing of the English language. English texts, tasks, and their abundance of idioms, figurative
language, imagery, and symbolism can present challenges for EL learners.
 Adaptations in disciplines- To make adaptations in English Language Arts teachers need to affirm and draw
on the different literacy practices that students develop in and out of school. It is shown that students benefit
from receiving extensive and varied vocabulary instruction. Other students may not be familiar with the
structure and format of the English language, through that teachers can use pre-reading strategies for
developing motivation, purpose, and background knowledge, with strategies such as graphic organizers, field
trips, films, and discussing critical terms and concepts. For those who struggle to read there are different
strategies depending at what level they are at. Some of these strategies are guided reading, choral reading,
readers’ theater, think aloud, and literature response journals. In all areas, language and literacy instruction is
enhanced if it is meaningful to the students. Adaptations for enhancing EL students writing skills can include
inquiry activities, summarization, and collaborative writing.
 Integration of PE in content Areas- Teachers could incorporate PE into language arts in a lot of varying
ways. For example, during a PE lesson you could have a read aloud of the new physical skills you will be
learning, or you could have in depth station cards, and instructions for different activities that involve the
given PE skill.
 Language of the discipline applied to VAPA and PE- VAPA can be applies to Language of English Language
Arts in varying ways, the teacher could read a book, and have the students draw what the story meant to
them, there is readers theater for the students to participate in, or the teacher could have an art lesson, and
turn it into a language arts lesson where the student writes about what they learned from the VAPA
assignment. For PE, the teacher could explain vocabulary words, have students write about their favorite
work out, or physical activity, or watch physical education videos and have collaborative talks about them.
These are just a few ways that language arts can be applied in VAPA and PE.

Ch. 11  ELD: Language of the disciplines: Explain key points in each discipline- The main discipline in chapter 11 is
Social studies which include archeology, history, psychology, and philosophy. Many of these disciplines are
abstract, culturally based, and hard to translate. The textbooks assume that students and readers have a
good grasp on the content, and that they enhance their knowledge from grade to grade.
 Adaptations in disciplines- Many strategies are available for enhancing learning for EL students. These
strategies include developing a socially supportive classroom through linking the unfamiliar with the familiar
by tapping into student’s previous knowledge, use collaborative groups for tackling complex reading
materials, level the field by making students the teachers and the teachers the learners, and build on the
funds of knowledge of students, families, and communities. Another strategy is Explicit teaching of academic
skills through classroom discussions, using deliberate instruction, using graphic organizers, and encouraging
questions. The third strategy is through reducing cognitive load and increasing accessibility of complex
content through role playing, previewing reading assignments, and provide students with materials in their
native language.
 Integration of PE in content Areas- PE can be integrated into social studies content areas through making
certain lessons more hands on and moving. For example, if you were teaching about ships, you could
actually take the class to a ship which would have them actively moving. When learning about other content
you could play with a beach ball where students pass the ball to one another while answering questions that
you give.
 Language of the discipline applied to VAPA and PE- The language of social studies can be applied to VAPA
and PE through doing an art lesson based on a history lesson such as drawing the mayflower, or reenacting
the first thanksgiving. The language can be applied into PE through setting up stations with vocab words, or
content from lessons where you have to be moving around. Or setting up a scavenger hunt for certain
lessons where the students can be moving.

Ch. 12 Review and discuss learning for EL students across all disciplines.

Learning for ELL’s across all disciplines is a hard task. Even in the subjects that we thought were easier to
comprehend, such as math still have barriers. There are already so many factors in how a student learns so
when you take an ELL you add another dynamic that includes many more different variables. The level and pace
students are at is effected on how well they did in their previous language. If a student excelled in their language
then they have better chances of excelling in English, but if they had very low success then it would be more
difficult for them. There is not one case that can be looked at the same. No matter what the content is we must be
aware of the challenges that they will face and what resources to use to better equip them to understand what
they need.

List 5 key points that are new learning that you will use in instructional practice from this reading.
1. Every one of my lessons must be accessible to all of my students
2. Be able to find and create the learning targets and be clear about them WITH the students
3. Make initial connections to students’ backgrounds and interests so students are captured
4. Create engaging tasks by getting to know the class and what they work better in and what they work
better with
5. Conducting assessments whether they be informal or formal, but making sure that I am gathering data
that will help me better teach my students and see what their needs and wants are
Reflect: How will you bring this research in to your professional practice?

There are so many great elements to reflect on and incorporate into my future professional practice. I believe that
to apply all in one school year may be necessary, it is not likely. I will be able to get to know my students after
various assessments and I will be able to see which strategies apply better to them. Also, I would make sure to
recognize that because one strategy is not needed one year doesn’t mean I won’t use it the coming year in a new
class. I believe the one research concept I will take with me and see the importance of it is assessments. That
they are crucial to the student’s success and my success as an educator. If we lack constant assessments, then
we will be set in our ways and not be adjusting for the better of the students rather than the comfort of our own
knowledge and set ways.