Continuing the Conversation: Vocabulary Development for English Learners Nancy Frey, PhD San Diego State University
Making Group Work Productive Students must know how to talk to one another.
Language Registers • Fixed or frozen (Pledge of Allegiance) • Formal (speeches and presentations) • Consultative (academic classroom discourse) • Casual (friends) • Intimate (family)
Registers Used During the Inauguration Fixed: Oath of Office, Quotations from Bible Formal: Inaugural Address Consultative: Press interviews Casual: conversations with friends Intimate: whispering to his wife while dancing
A Closer Look at the Consultative Register • Language domain • Accuracy • Linguistic function • Cognitive demand • Language structure • Vocabulary How do these differ in social and academic settings?
Accountable Talk Describes high levels of engagement and critical thinking among learners • Accountability that discussions are on the topic • Accountability to use accurate information • Accountability to think deeply about what is being said
Promoting Accountable Talk • Press for clarification and explanation: Could you describe what you mean? • Require justification of proposals and challenges: Where did you find that information? • Recognize and challenge misconception: I don’t agree because ... • Demand evidence for claims and arguments: Can you give me an example? • Interpret and use each other’s statements: David suggested … Institute for Learning, University of Pittsburgh
Reciprocal Teaching SUMMARIZING State the most important ideas Search for key points QUESTIONING Formulate questions about the text Reinforces summary CLARIFYING Discuss difficult content or words Encourages searching for meaning PREDICTING What will the author tell you next? Activates background knowledge
Promoting Vocabulary for English Learners • Create opportunities for students to talk to one another using academic vocabulary • Build their capacity to interact using accountable talk • Support their efforts by using language frames that give them the academic language