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| Subject: Introduction - UNIT 4 | |
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Author: Fernanda Pires |
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Date Posted: 14:03:44 09/07/10 Tue Girls, Complementei a introduction... Please take a look!!! por favor, chequem tb se as citações estão corretas e uma revisão ortográfica e de conteúdo é bem vinda... bjs THE ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY Educators must focus on the academic language needed for academic achievement INTRODUCTION Academic language (CALP - Cognitive-Academic Language Proficiency) differs from everyday language (BICS - Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) and knowing the differences is important for effective academic instruction. Academic language refers to the sort of language competence required for students to gain access to content taught in English and, more generally, for success in school and any career here mastering large and complex bodies of information and concepts is needed (Fillmore and Snow 2000). Academic language, the language of texts and formal writing, is different from everyday speech and conversation, what Cummins (1984) has referred to as Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS). Educators must focus on the academic language needed for academic achievement. Yet, we are lacking a solid research base that identifies effective techniques and approaches. It is important to note that there is a connection between conversational and academic language; they are not completely distinct from each other. Using students' everyday experiences can help students learn academic language. That is, if students are familiar with a task in a social context, they may be able to adopt appropriate language from that task and transfer it to school-based tasks. There is not a clear line separating conversational from academic language. Academic language is the linguistic glue that holds the tasks, texts, and tests of school together. If students cannot use this glue well, their work is likely to fall apart. In the article The Third Language of Academic English, Jeff Zwiers (2004) defines academic language as the set of words and phrases that (1) describe content-area knowledge and procedures, (2) express complex thinking processes and abstract concepts, and (3) create cohesion and clarity in written and oral discourse. Many English language learners need to learn English at accelerated rates to perform on grade level. Fluency in social language is not enough to help close the achievement gaps that are often created by the lack of academic language. Educators must train their students to hear, harness, and own the academic language that they need for success. They also need to help English language learners develop a set of automatic strategies (learning habits) that they can use to acquire academic language in any setting. Educators must set up learning environments in which students feel safe to take risks with their envolving academic language. In other words, educators must focus on the academic language needed for academic achievement. (395 words) [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |