Transcript Slide 1

Developing Language Objectives for
Secondary Science
“To communicate within academic communities,
students need appropriate academic language
along with knowledge and skills.”
Freeman and Freeman, 2006
Session Objectives
• Participants will understand the reason for
using language objectives in secondary
science.
• Participants will become familiar with a
formula for developing language
objectives that infuse the teaching of
language skills into the science lesson.
Reasons to Teach Language
Through Content
• Students receive both content and language
instruction.
• Language is kept in its natural context.
• Students have real purposes to use language.
• Students develop the academic vocabulary of
the content area.
(Freeman and Freeman, 2006)
Language Objectives
• Language objectives include the use of linguistic
supports or skills—such as vocabulary, grammatical
structures, and language functions—which are
essential to the integration of language and content
instruction.
• Language objectives answer the question,
What additional language skills should be taught
within the context of the lesson?
(Vocabulary, grammatical structures, and language functions)
Formula for Writing Language Objectives
WHAT + DO + HOW
• WHAT = The content we want the student to know
• DO = What we want the student to do to learn the
content (involving skills of reading, writing, speaking,
or listening)
• HOW = How students will demonstrate understanding of
the content
Examples of Language Objectives
(WHAT + DO + HOW)
• Students will construct models of the structure of DNA
to illustrate the concept taught while using appropriate
vocabulary to describe the model.
• Students will work in small groups to discuss and create
a model which shows how the genetic code of DNA is
carried.
Create Your Own Language
Objectives
WHAT + DO + HOW = Language Objective
• WHAT = Content — use TEKS
• DO = Language Function — use verb list handout
• HOW = Language Support — brainstorm tasks which
incorporate language learning support strategies and
demonstrate student understanding
References
• Freeman, Y. & Freeman, D. (2006). Developing
academic language for school success. Brownsville, TX:
The University of Texas at Brownsville.