Synopses & Reviews
DRAFT
Joy L. Egbert and Gisela Ernst-Slavit
Access to Academics:
Planning Instruction for K-12 Classrooms with ELLs
Written specifically for K-12 pre-service and in-service content area teachers who work with ELLs, this book recognizes that teachers are the ultimate decision-makers when it comes to instruction and is geared towards helping teachers think about issues in ways that they may not have previously considered.
Access to Academics: Planning Instruction for K-12 Classrooms with ELLs takes a different approach to language–addressing it as a tool students must use constantly, in a variety of school venues and in different ways depending on the context. The book shows language as vital to content access and thereby academic achievement, but, more importantly, it also provides step-by-step instructions explaining how to help students acquire the language they need. Although the main emphasis is on English language learners (ELLs), the term “diverse learners” used throughout also encompasses the great variety in any classroom of student backgrounds, abilities, needs, and interests.
"This book carefully outlines exactly what the classroom teacher needs to do in order to correctly accommodate ELL students in the content area classroom." - Kimberley Kreicker, Ph.D., Emporia State University, Lawrence, Kansas
Joy Egbert, PhD, is Professor of ESL and Education Technology at Washington State University, Pullman. She is an award winning teacher, materials developer, and researcher. She is the author of Supporting Learning with Technology: Essentials of Classroom Practice (Pearson, 2009), CALL Essentials (TESOL, Inc, 2005), and seven other books for ESL and technology-using teachers, in addition to many other publications.
Dr. Gisela Ernst-Slavit is a professor at Washington State University Vancouver. She investigates language and education in culturally and linguistically diverse settings using ethnographic and sociolinguistic perspectives. She teaches courses in ESL methods, sociolinguistics, research on second language teaching and learning, and critical issues for Latino students.
Review
"This book carefully outlines exactly what the classroom teacher needs to do in order to correctly accommodate ELL students in the content area classroom."
- Kimberley Kreicker, Ph.D., Emporia State University, Lawrence, Kansas
Synopsis
Access to Academics: Planning Instruction for K-12 Classrooms with ELLs takes a different look at language than most other books – it addresses it as something students must use constantly, in a variety of school venues and in different ways depending on the context. The book shows language as vital to content access and thereby academic achievement, but, more importantly, it also provides step-by-step instructions explaining how to help students acquire the language they need. Although the main emphasis is on English language learners (ELLs), the term “diverse learners” used throughout also encompasses the great variety in any classroom of student backgrounds, abilities, needs, and interests.
About the Author
Joy Egbert, PhD, is Professor of ESL and Education Technology at Washington State University, Pullman. She is an award winning teacher, materials developer, and researcher. She is the author of Supporting Learning with Technology: Essentials of Classroom Practice (Pearson, 2009), CALL Essentials (TESOL, Inc, 2005), and seven other books for ESL and technology-using teachers, in addition to many other publications.
Dr. Gisela Ernst-Slavit is a professor at Washington State University Vancouver. She investigates language and education in culturally and linguistically diverse settings using ethnographic and sociolinguistic perspectives. She teaches courses in ESL methods, sociolinguistics, research on second language teaching and learning, and critical issues for Latino students.
Table of Contents
PART ONE – Understanding the Roles of Language and Content
Chapter 1 – Academic success: Learning the language of school
- Key Issues
- Cartoon – ELLs need to learn much more than just language
- The language of school
- Social language
- Everyday aspects
- Example of concept: What’s in a name?
- Intercultural aspects
- Instructional aspects
Academic language - Vocabulary
- Grammar/Syntax
- Discourse
The BICS/CALP distinction - Connection between BICS/CALP and the language of school
Extensions - For Reflection
- For Action
Chapter 2 – The role of language proficiency in school
- Language proficiency
- Language domains
- Receptive and productive skills
- Factors influencing language proficiency
- Levels of language proficiency
- Starting
- Emerging
- Developing
- Expanding
- Bridging
The role of native languages and cultures Connection between academic language and content - Language functions
- Academic achievement
Communicative competence Keys for developing academic language Extensions - For Reflection
- For Action
PART TWO – Components of Effective Lesson Design
Chapter 3 – Assessing student strengths and needs
- Key Issues
- Background
- Understanding Needs
- Collecting General Information
- Language Background and Needs
- Educational/Academic Background
- Content Background and Knowledge
- Cultural Background
Guidelines for Understanding Student Needs Conclusion Extensions - For Reflection
- For Action
Chapter 4 – Writing and teaching to language objectives
- Key Issues
- Background
- Understanding Objectives
- Content objectives
- Language objectives
Teaching to language objectives Conclusion Extensions - For Reflection
- For Action
Chapter 5 – Connecting to students’ lives
- Key Issues
- Background
- Understanding Connections
- Making personal connections
- Making academic connections
Building Background Knowledge Integrating Connections Guidelines for Making Connections Conclusion Extensions - For Reflection
- For Action
Chapter 6 –Designing Engaging Tasks
- Key Issues
- Background
- Understanding Engaging Tasks
- Elements of Tasks
- Elements of Task Process
- Instructional groupings
- Modes
- Task structure
- Time and pacing
- Scaffolding
- Resources/Texts
- Teacher/Student roles
- Procedural tools.
Elements of Task Product Pedagogical Connections Guidelines for Task Design Conclusion Extensions - For Reflection
- For Action
Chapter 7 – Assessing Lessons and Students
- Key Issues
- Background
- Understanding Assessment
- Assessing Student Process and Product
- Assessing Lessons
- Guidelines for Assessment
- Conclusion
- Extensions
- For Reflection
- For Action
PART THREE – Designing Lessons for Academic Success
Chapter 8 – Unlocking the language of Ssience
- Key Issues
- National and state standards
o Emphasis on inquiry and discovery learning
- The role of students’ languages, cultures and communities
- The specialized language of science
o Vocabulary
o Grammar/Syntax
o Discourse
o Language functions
· Teaching strategies for learning and talking science
· Talking science: An example from the classroom
o For Reflection
o For Action
Chapter 9 – Unlocking the language of mathematics
- Key Issues
- National and state standards
o Emphasis on problem solving
- The role of students’ languages, cultures and communities
- The specialized language of mathematics
o Vocabulary
o Grammar/Syntax
o Discourse
o Language functions
· Teaching strategies for learning and talking mathematics
· Talking math: An example from the classroom
o For Reflection
o For Action
Chapter 10 – Unlocking the language of English language arts
- Key Issues
- National and state standards
o Preparing students for the literacy demands of today and tomorrow
- The role of students’ languages, cultures and communities
- Literacy and language learning: An integrated model
o Texts
o Processes and strategies
o Systems of structure of language
o Audiences
o Contexts
· Teaching strategies for learning language skills and literacies
· Placing the learner at the center: An example from the classroom
o For Reflection
o For Action
Chapter 11 – Unlocking the language of social studies
· Key Issues
· About the field of social studies
· The specialized language of social studies
o Grammatical features
o Discourse
· Strategies for teaching and learning social studies
· Extensions
o For Reflection
o For Action
Chapter 12--Putting it all together
· Key Issues
· Background
· Understanding the whole
· Lesson examples
o Adapting lessons
· Guidelines for creating and adapting lessons
· Extensions
o For Reflection
o For Action
References
Appendix A
Index (to be decided)