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| Subject: we'll never know !!! | |
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Author: Marcia |
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Date Posted: 17:34:39 09/15/10 Wed Educators must focus on the academic language needed for academic achievement Topic sentence: For English language learners, academic English is like a third language Academic English is like a third language for English Language Learners. It is a different language not only for English language learners, but in some way even for those who have English as their first language. The reason for this is that Academic Language is full of unfamiliar words, expressions, grammar structures and communication strategies; its context is formal and impersonal, as a characteristic of scientific discourse. Also, the lexicon used in conversational interactions is very different from that used in more literate and academic contexts: the first brings many more Anglo-Saxon in origin words while the second relies more on Graeco-Latin origin words, whose use are not very common in English conversations, being so considered more difficult to understand. These linguistics features make Academic Language for some experts a third language for EEL. Topic sentence: Academic Language is largely found in written texts KRASHEN(1993) has repeatedly emphasized that extensive reading is crucial for academic development since academic language is found primarily in written text. As a matter of fact Academic Language is used to make science communication and research founding. Its purpose is to inform, describe and explain facts and concepts concisely and precisely, usually written in Academic Language. To be able to understand the complex language of science or other subject and deal with the particularity of academic and literate register students need to be trained since it is not one simple task. It is a complex assignment to work on more abstract ideas such as that found in academic texts. It also requires decoding and metacognitive ability. To prepare students to express their ideas properly, producing and organizing discourse coherently, educators must encourage them to keep contact with written text. It is an excellent reliably source of Academic Language. Trough them students can acquire high level literacy skills and get academic success. If students are not getting access to written texts extensively, they hardly are learning this variety of language. Conclusion It is clear that Academic Language or CALP (Cognitive-Academic Language Proficiency) differs from everyday conversational language or BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills). The distinctions among them are consistent and empirically proved, although there isn’t a clear line separating them. The knowledge acquired in BICS is not transformed automatically CALP. For that reason English learners not exposed to Academic Language, even proficient speakers, have no guarantee to use competently Academic Language. In short, Academic Language needed for academic achievement must be taught and educators should focus on that in order to help students to achieve their goal academically speaking. References: CACERES, Isabel. New Perspectives in Understanding Academic Language. OPC Publications, 2006. COLEMAN, Rhoda and GOLDENBERG, Goldenberg; What does research say about effective practices for English Learners? Part II - Academic Language Proficiency. Kappa Delta Pi Record, v46 n1 p10-16, 2009. CUMMINS, Jim; Putting Language Proficiency in Its Place: Responding to Critiques of the Conversational/Academic Language Distinction. University of Toronto, 2000. MOTA-ALTMAN, Norma; Academic Language: Everyone's “Second” Language. California English, 2006. ZWIERS, Jeff; The Third Language of Academic English, University of San Francisco, 2009. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |