Transcript Academic Language

Teaching Performance
Assessment ConsortiuM
(TPAC)
Andrea Whittaker. Ph.D.
Stanford University
September 2011
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity
Academic Language
• Defining TPAC constructs
• Examples in Practice
• Rubric Descriptors
• Other resources
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity
2011
Multiple Measures
Assessment System
Embedded Signature Assessments
TPAC Capstone
Assessment
Integration of:
Child
Case
Studies
Analyses
of
Student
Learning
Curriculum/
Teaching
Analyses

Planning

Instruction

Assessment
Analysis of
Teaching

Observation/Supervisory Evaluation &
Feedback
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity 2011
with attention to
Academic Language
TPAC Artifacts of Practice
Planning
• Instructional and
social context
• Lesson plans
• Handouts, overheads,
student work
• Planning
Commentary
Instruction
• Video Clips
• Instruction
Commentary
Assessment
• Analysis of Whole
Class Assessment
• Analysis of learning
and Feedback to two
students
• Instructional next
steps
• Assessment
Commentary
Daily Reflection Notes
Analysis of Teaching Effectiveness Commentary
Evidence of Academic Language Development
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity 2011
WHY include Academic
Language?
• Academic language is different from everyday
language. Some students are not exposed to this
language outside of school.
• Much of academic language is discipline-specific
and deepens subject matter THINKING.
• Unless we make academic language explicit for
learning, some students will be excluded from
classroom discourse and future opportunities that
depend on having acquired this language.
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity
Academic Language
• Academic language is the oral and written
language used in school necessary for learning
content.
• This includes the “language of the discipline”
(vocabulary and forms/functions of language
associated with learning outcomes) and the
“instructional language” used to engage
students’ in learning content.
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity
Vocabulary
• Technical vocabulary: triangle, metaphor,
metabolize
• Words whose technical meaning is different than
everyday language: “balance” in chemistry,
“plane” in mathematics, “ruler” in history/social
science, “force” in science
• Connector words: and, but, because, therefore,
however
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Vocabulary
• Brainstorm discipline specific
vocabulary
• Technical
• Multiple meaning
• Connector…
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Three F Words
The FUNCTIONS of Academic Language are to
clearly and explicitly define, classify, analyze,
explain, argue, interpret and evaluate ideas for
distant audiences.
Every language function has FORMS or structures
that are common and often discipline specific (text,
sentence or graphic/symbolic)
Developing students’ FLUENCY in academic
language forms and functions provides access to the
“language of school” and academic success
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity
“F” Words
Brainstorm discipline specific
FUNCTIONS – THINK VERBS!
Brainstorm discipline specific
FORMS or structures -- oral,
written/text, graphic or symbolic
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity
Academic Language
• Brainstorm Instructional Language
• Language teachers use to direct student engagement in
learning (task directions, routines, questions,…) and
language that students need to participate with each
other in a learning activity (questions, …)
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity
Academic Language
Competencies Measured
• Understanding students’ language development
and identifying language demands
• Supporting language demands (vocabulary, form
and function) to deepen content learning
• Identifying evidence that students understand and
use targeted academic language in ways that
support content learning and language
development.
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity 2011
Activity
• Analyze video for academic language:
• Vocabulary
• Function/Form
• Instructional Language
http://www.learner.org/resources/series33.html
13
Rubric Dimensions
Language
demand
Scaffolds
Provided
Form/Function
Vocabulary
Instructional
Language
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity
Student
Understanding
and Use?
Additional
Resources
• Jeff Zwiers
• Building Academic Language: Essential Practices for
Content Classrooms, Grades 5-12
• SIOP
• Academic Language webinars archived on the
TPAC Ning
• Melanie Hundley - Tennessee
• Ann Lippincott and Laura Hill Bonet
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity
2011
Academic Language
Takeaways
• Unless we make academic language explicit for
learning, some students will be excluded from
classroom discourse and future opportunities
that depend on having acquired this language.
• Language of the Discipline
• Three “F” Words
• Vocabulary
• Instructional Language
Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity