Reading

Notes for Access to Academics

You can work with colleagues as long as you have a deep understanding of the content in each chapter. Use the Key
Issues Chart at the beginning of each chapter to guide your thinking. Read and tab/underline key points in each chapter.
Add descriptions, page numbers, or lists as part of your note keeping. This is the foundation for your study for teaching
English as a second language and is very important that you come to a deep understanding of this material.

Take notes on these key points and add missing points based on the Key Issues Chart at the
beginning of each chapter. Your notes must be sufficient for you to attain and retain the basic
information in each chapter and to effectively lead a class group discussion when asked to do so.
You will be defining, summarizing and/or describing the various key components in each chapter.
Key
Issues
Ch. 1:
Language Language of school is a distinct and multifaceted type of English
of School The language of school includes both social and academic language
Social language - everyday, casual interaction
Specific linguistic features associated with different content areas characterize academic language
The basic interpersonal communicative skills (BICS) and cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP)
distinction highlights some of the differences between social and academic language.
Learning the Language of School
Following directions, taking turns, clean up area, form a line, share attention of one adult
EL - students are expected to learn in a language they havent mastered and are not yet familiar with
Students learn the use of language, through language, and about language.
Language of School
3 types of social language - everyday, intercultural, instructional (classroom)
3 types of academic language - vocabulary, grammar/syntax, and discourse
BICS Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills: These skills include your everyday communication skills
and are usually the easier of the two forms for ELs to master.
CALPS Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency: This represents the students ability to use and
understand academic language. This is the more difficult of the two to master and can prove detrimental if EL
students are unable to use academic language proficienetly.
Social Language - the foundation of academic language. Needed both in and out of the classroom for a
functional conversation
Google academic language register and define
There are five language registers or styles. Each level has an appropriate use that is determined by differing
situations. It would certainly be inappropriate to use language and vocabulary reserve for a boyfriend or
girlfriend when speaking in the classroom. Thus the appropriate language register depends upon the
audience (who), the topic (what), purpose (why) and location (where).
You must control the use of language registers in order to enjoy success in every aspect and situation you
encounter.
1.
Static Register
This style of communications RARELY or NEVER changes. It is frozen in time and content. e.g. the Pledge
of Allegiance, the Lords Prayer, the Preamble to the US Constitution, the Alma Mater, a bibliographic
reference, laws .
2.
Formal Register
This language is used in formal settings and is one-way in nature. This use of language usually follows a
commonly accepted format. It is usually impersonal and formal. A common format for this register are
speeches. e.g. sermons, rhetorical statements and questions, speeches, pronouncements made by
judges, announcements.
3.
Consultative Register
This is a standard form of communications. Users engage in a mutually accepted structure of
communications. It is formal and societal expectations accompany the users of this speech. It is professional
discourse. e.g. when strangers meet, communications between a superior and a subordinate, doctor &
patient, lawyer & client, lawyer & judge, teacher & student, counselor & client,
4.
Casual Register
This is informal language used by peers and friends. Slang, vulgarities and colloquialisms are normal. This is
group language. One must be member to engage in this register. e.g. buddies, teammates, chats and

emails, and blogs, and letters to friends.

5.
Intimate Register
This communications is private. It is reserved for close family members or intimate people. e.g. husband &
wife, boyfriend & girlfriend, siblings, parent & children.

Ch. 2:

Ch. 3

Rule of Language Use:

One can usually transition from one language register to an adjacent one without encountering
repercussions. However, skipping one or more levels is usually considered inappropriate and even offensive.
Key Issues
Language proficiency is multidimensional and entails linguistic, cognitive, and sociocultural factors.
As students learn a second language, they progress at different rates along a continuum of predictable
stages.
CAN DO Descriptors depict what students can do with language at different levels of language proficiency.
Communicative competence involves more than linguistic or grammatical competence.
Native languages, cultures, and life experiences are resources to be tapped and pro\vide a solid foundation
for learning language and content.
Language Proficiency
Language proficiency requires knowledge, skills, background knowledge, critical thinking, and metacognitive
skills. Language proficiency also requires the ability to appropriately use the four language domains.
Language Domains
Language domains include listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Receptive language refers to the information someone receives through listening or reading.
Productive language refers to the information produced to convey meaning.
There are five English Language proficiency standards and five levels or languages.
Level 1: Starting, Level 2: Emerging, Level 3: Developing, Level 4: Expanding, Level 5: Bridging.
Communicative Competence
The communicators comprehensive knowledge and appropriate application of particular language in a
specific context.
The four elements of communicative competence are grammatical or linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, and
strategic.
Native Language and Culture
Key Issues

Students bring with them different backgrounds, which express themselves as skills, abilities, knowledge,
family and community characteristics, and experiences.
Students strengths and needs, including linguistic, content, educational, and cultural, have their roots in
these backgrounds.
Addressing students strengths and needs can affect learning or language and content.
Teachers can uncover their students strengths and needs so that they can build on them to help students
achieve.
Background
A students culture plays a large role in the way they learn, understand, and actively participate in learning.
It is important for teachers to be aware of not only the educational backgrounds of students, but also their
cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Teachers will learn basic information/facts about students directly; however, some information will be learned
through observation and assessment.
Not every assignment needs to be tailor-made to the student; however, teachers should be prepared to offer
a variety of effective tasks.
Understanding Strengths and Needs
In order to understand the students strengths and needs, information/data must be gathered regarding the
students background, then the information gathered can be integrated into instruction.
General information can be gathered through surveys, wall writes, conversations, interviews, and dialogue
journals.
Linguistic information can be gathered through standardized language tests; however, a more effective
approach is to ask basic questions about the students background, which can be developed from the CAN
DO Descriptors. Language can also be observed.
Academic information can be gathered from the students files, which may contain test scores, previous
grades, teacher comments, etc.
Content information can also be gathered from the students files; however, another useful technique is the
use of KWL charts.
Cultural information can be gathered through research of the students native country; however, surface

information is not enough. Therefore, interviews, dialogue journals, and personal narratives will provide more
specific/detailed information.
Guidelines for Understanding Student Strengths and Needs.
Guideline 1: Model the Techniques
Share appropriate, personal stories and relate them to learning helps students understand this connection.
Guideline 2: Try Not to Assume.
Foreigners may not be comfortable asking about rules or following them to learning helps students
understand this connection.
Guideline 3: Embrace Variety
Change up your methods, strategies, and modes to help students access content.

Ch. 4

Explain- all teachers are language teachers

Objective writing
Measurable Verbs: Link to Common core State Standards
Direct Instruction Overview
ELD Adaptations
Teaching the Language of the Discipline: Vocabulary lesson model introduced
General Assessment information across disciplines
Teaching to Language Objectives Guidelines: List and summarize
Key Issues
All teachers are language teachers. Every content area needs to be focused on more than just the specific
subject and also focus on teaching language to ELs.
Students language and content strengths and needs provide a foundation for creating learning objectives.
Content objectives support facts, ideas, and processes.
Language objectives support the development of language related to content and process.
Objectives must be directly addressed by lesson activities.
Understanding Objectives
Objectives are statements of attainable, quantifiable lesson outcomes that guide the activities and
assessment of the lesson.
Objectives typically follow a general format which is usually:
Students will be able to + concrete,
measurable outcome + content to be learned
Content objectives should influence the language objectives. Although some content standards and curricula
do address general language and communication goals, language objectives are specifically based on
helping students access the content of a particular lesson.
Content Objectives: ideas, facts, and content processes students will learn because of the lesson. SWBAT
identify three attributes of visual art.
Language Objectives: support the development of language related to the content and process.
Language needs to fall into the following five categories: Vocabulary, language functions, grammar,
discourse, and language learning strategies.
Teaching to the Language Objectives
Guideline 1: Integrate Language and Content
Contextualize the language instruction by using content as the language source.
Guideline 2: Use Pedagogically Sound Techniques
Effective language instruction needs to be authentic, taught both explicitly and implicitly, it needs to be
multimodal, relevant, and based on social interaction.
Guidelines 3: Break Down the Language
Teach whole and parts to address the different needs of students.

Ch. 5

Key Issues
All students bring experience and knowledge to school.
Connections between students lives and the task demonstrate to students reasons for listening and
participating in tasks
Connecting tasks and topics to students lives increases engagement.
Connections can be made by teachers or students.
Understanding Connections
There are three main types of connections important for students.
Explicitly linking to the students background experiences
Explicitly linking to past learning and new concepts
Pedagogical or instructional connection
Making connections to the material makes learning more meaningful for students.
Connections between students lives and the task demonstrate to students reasons for listening and

participating in tasks
Students should also be encouraged to make connections to the material by creating a link between their
previous learning and to their lives outside of school.
Making personal and academic connections from instruction to students background and interest is key
to building their ability to access the language and content of a lesson. Teachers should be willing to
adapt lessons so that connections between themselves and the students are able to be made.
Building Background Knowledge
When background knowledge does not exist, teachers can use different techniques to build background
knowledge needed to access the content and language.
Preteach and reinforce vocabulary:
Cue-Do-Review and other techniques
Field trips or hands-on experiences
Visitors
Visuals
Integrating connections
Guidelines for Making Connections
Guideline 1: Be Deliberate
Guideline 2: Help Students Transfer Connections Back to Their Lives
Guideline 3: Consider Culture
Once a connection is made, teachers can involve students in a discussion of their personal connections
-Helping students make personal connections to topics
Start by thinking of what the main topic/idea of the lesson is
Thanksgiving, penguins, addition, Washington D.C.
Think of ways that students may have had experience with the topic
If no real link between topic and student, go more general with the topic
Example: If the topic is Thanksgiving, and you have ELD students who never celebrated it, you
can generalize the topic to feasts or celebrations.
He students make personal connection to the lesson content, it is important for the teacher to:
Start thinking about the main topic or main idea,
Think of ways, based on knowledge of students backgrounds
If there is no link between the lesson, and personal life, the teacher can:
Go more to a general exploration of the experiences included within the topic
1. Specific Focus
2. More general Idea
3. Most Common Idea
Once this has been established, the teacher can involve the students in discussing their personal connections
and narrow the topic to the specific focus of the lesson.
Connections can be made by teachers or students
Guideline for making connections
Guideline 1: Be Deliberate
Teachers should carefully plan to make academic and personal connections and help students build any
background necessary for each lesson.
Confirm that the students have made the connection and that it has served its purpose of gaining
students interest and preparing students for engagement.
Guideline 2: Help students transfer connections back to their lives.
Connections should be obvious and ongoing throughout the unit.
Techniques include keeping a journal so they can link their learning to their lives.
Guideline 3: Consider culture
The connections made will be dependent on the students culture.

Ch. 6

Key Issues:
1 Tasks are designed to help students meet objectives.
The design of learning tasks must also emphasize access & engagement. (Egbert, 80)
2 Tasks must be engaging in order for students to learn.
The amount of time spent on a task equals the amount of engagement students feel. (Egbert, 80)
Engaged students receive more. (Egbert, 80)
Engaging activities does not mean that they are always fun
3 Strategies for engagement:
1.) Making connections to students lives,
2.) Having students interact
3.) Creating responsive classrooms (students needs, wants, abilities & interests)

Task Process: what happens when the learning takes place (Egbert, 81)
Task Product: the end result of a task
Elements of Task Process: Instructional settings (homogeneous or heterogeneous), modes, task
structure, scaffolding, resources/texts, teacher/student role, procedural tools (differentiation)
Elements of Task Product: audience, modes
3 Engaging tasks make pedagogical connections between students backgrounds & needs in relation to lesson
objectives.
Teachers should be considering the background & interests of their students when creating tasks
Connections lead to student success. (Egbert, 85)
Successful learning tasks are due to students being encouraged to produce products using their
creativity & experiences. (Egbert, 85)
4 Tasks should incorporate culture & be culturally responsive.
Principles for connecting instruction to students lives: 1.) listen to students, 2.) respond to students, 3.)
interact with students, 4.) connect with speaking, listening, reading & writing activities, 5.) encourage
students to express their understanding, 6.) encourage students to use first & second languages in
instructional activities. (Egbert, 86)
Integrating cultural facts: (refer to table 6.3 on page 86)
5 Students can help design & carry out tasks.
Guideline 1: Give students a reason to listen
Guideline 2: Do not do what students can do
Tasks students can do: write test questions, help peers, lead in brainstorming, explain tasks, form
groups, decorate a classroom, provide feedback, search for resources, find facts, find cultural facts,
create choices for products
Guidelines for designing engaging tasks: (refer to table 6.3 on page 88)

Ch. 7

Key Issues:
1 Teachers can assess their lessons before, during & after their implementation.
2 Teachers can assess student progress toward both content & language.
3 Assessments should be integrated into the lesson & focus on students ways of knowing.
Assessment refers to the general process of gathering data about something or someone, while
evaluation refers to a final judgment.
Teachers can use assessments to make an evaluation, or they can use the data they gather for goals.
Alternative assessments are alternatives to traditional assessments and consist of any open-ended
method that uncovers what students know and can do as students create an answer.
They include verbal reporting, observation, oral interviews, demonstrations, retellings, role plays,
portfolios, and journaling.
Hybrid test or quiz questions include features or both traditional (multiple choice/true and false) and
alternative assessments (open ended questions).
A rubric is a scoring tool for alternative assessments. It contains criteria, developed by teacher/students
that are linked to the content and language learning objectives.
Interactive Homework include:
Teacher's guide involvement and interaction.
Parents do not teach- students are responsible for learning and sharing.
Parents interact with children in new ways.
Teachers show children that they understand the importance of family interaction.
Tasks are engaging and challenging.
Interactive homework is assigned two or four times per month. Family interaction is expected to be 10 to
15 minutes per task, and two to three days may be given for completion.
Tasks are content-and language-based, relevant, interactive, and written in simple language.
Teachers provide follow up meetings.
Transparency affects assessments and supports student achievement is transparency.
Students should be aware of how task elements affect process and outcomes.
Teachers can begin transparency by:
Making sure that students know what the language and content objectives are and how they will be
assessed. (Post them on the board, or refer to them, discuss them).
Model and explain the task that links to the objective.
Explain what the product expectations are and how achievement can be demonstrated in relation to the
objectives.

Ch. 8

Key Issues
Science texts, materials, and processes may present many challenges to English language learners.
o Science texts are complex, passive voice is pervasive.
o Assessments dont always match classroom or lab activities.
o Content is covered fast.
o Directions are multistep and complex.
o Making guesses or drawing conclusions may not be a part of students prior experiences.
Hands-on, inquiry based, and experimental science activities provide an ideal setting for learning.
Language and content simultaneously.
o Multifaceted activity that includes:
Making observation
Posing questions
Examining sources (books and other sources)
Planning investigations
Reviewing evidence
Using tools to analyze and interpret data
Proposing answers, explanations, and predictions
Communicating the results
The specialized language of science is filled with technical terms and features needed to describe the
natural and physical world.
o Language is used to:
Describe relationships of taxonomy, comparison, cause and effect, hypothesis, and
interpretation.
Describe procedures explicitly via the use of language functions
Connect abstract ideas illustrated by various media
Use generalized verbs in the present tense to describe phenomena, how something
occurs, and why
Appear to be highly objective
Use many new and big words with new meanings, many of which are
nominalizations.
Practicing compare-and-contrast and cause-and-effect methods and the language of scientific inquiry
can benefit all students, particularly ELLs.
o Compare-and-contrast: identifying how things are similar and how they are different, evaluate
and synthesize
o Cause and effect: essential for explaining how things happen the way they do, one way to
teach this is to teach signal words (aka secret code or nerd words)
A key component in learning how to talk science is to analyze the Greek and Latin roots as well as
the prefixes and suffixes that permeate scientific language.
o Generate the overwhelming majority of science terms
Helping students to brainstorm the origin and meaning of technical words might unveil potential
connections among the meaning of the words, the students background, and the science register.
(p. 117)

Ch. 9

ELD: Language of the disciplines: Explain key points in each discipline

Adaptations in disciplines
Integration of PE and content Areas
Language of the discipline applied to VAPA and PE
Key Issues:
The mathematics reform movement, with its current emphasis on communicating mathematically,
may pose some challenges for English Language Learners (ELLs).
The language of mathematics uses unique symbols, technical language, and diverse
representations.
Mathematics may not always be universal language, there are many variations across languages and
cultures.
Mathematical language used in tasks, tests, texts, and teacher talk can have many confusing
usages.
Explicit instruction, speech modification, and modeling are necessary for students to learn the
language of mathematics.
Challenges of ELLs:
Many students have never worked with manipulatives
In some countries, periods are used instead of commas when representing large numbers.
Many ELLs are familiar with the metric measurement system and are not familiar with feet, pints, miles,

ounces, etc.
5 Standards that apply to all grade levels:
To understand and value mathematics.
To reason mathematically.
To communicate.
To solve problems.
To make connections to contexts and other academic subject areas.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) says that all standards are documents placed equity,
communication, and mathematics for all at the heart of mathematics reform.
Mathematics register: a critical component of developing mathematical understanding in all students, including
ELLs.
Instructional formats and ways to support ELLs:
Design multisensory lessons (visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic).
Use visuals (graphs, charts, diagrams, models) when possible.
Use graphic organizers to visually represent mathematical concepts.
Point to or explicitly connect terms with a visual representation.
Design hands-on activities.
Use different technologies
Vary grouping throughout the lesson (independent work, pairs, groups, whole class).
Use real life problem solving situations to teach.
Make connections.
Wait-Time: refers to the time that students are given to respond to a question posed by the teacher.
Use cognates as much as possible; Cognates- is a word in one language that is similar in meaning and form to a
word in that same language.

Ch. 10

Key Issues:
English text and tasks with various idioms, figurative language, imagery, and symbolism present
challenges to ELLs.
Language arts include: reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and visually representing.
Educators need to draw on various literacy practices to that students develop in and out of school.
Early elementary grades focus on learning to read, then later on reading to learn.
Students benefit from receiving extensive and varied vocabulary instruction.
Four language domains: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Today however, k-12 language arts curriculum
has included viewing and representing to make it six rather than four.
Multiple literacies: There has been a drastic increase of multiple literacies beginning to show among students.
Students are learning literacy practices in a variety of context with the influx of technology in and out of the
classroom and schools are diversifying their strategies due to demographic changes.
Key Elements for Improving Literacy
Theoretical Orientation
Determining what strategies should be utilized and varying the instruction with each student and EL
students.
Language-Rich Environment
Surrounding ELs with several opportunities to listen and use language for meaningful purposes.
Meaningful Literacy
Learning how to read and write with more efficient ways compared to traditional ways of
teaching.
Culturally Relevant Literacies Practices
Cultural practices are vital for successful literacy learning.
Emphasis from Day One on Academic Language

Ch. 11

Key Issues
1. The field of social studies includes many disciplines (e.g., archaeology, history, philosophy, psychology),
each with its own set of language demands.
2. Social studies may be the most difficult content area for English Language Learners because they may be
unfamiliar with many of the topics, particularly in relation to history.
3. Many terms in social studies are abstract, hard to translate, and culturally based.
4. Social Studies textbooks and curricula assume that students have a great deal of background knowledge
-knowledge that U.S. students accumulate over time from one grade level to the next.
5. Many strategies and approaches are available for enhancing the learning experiences of English language

learners (ELLs) in social studies classrooms of all types.

Potential Challenges for ELLs in Social Studies Classrooms

Lack of prior knowledge from instruction in U.S. elementary classrooms

Unfamiliar with historical concepts and vocabulary

Worldview, perspectives, and values presented in textbooks and curricula may be different from those of
ELLs families and countries.
About the Field of Social Studies
Social studies is the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence
Educators believe that social studies may be the most challenging content area due to invisible features of
many of the topics.
1. Content may be new - students may be unfamiliar with terms/concepts such as liberty, free will, civil rights,
and democracy.
2. Topics are not only abstract but language-dependent, to.
3. The field of social studies incorporates many disciplines.
4. The field relies on extensive background knowledge.
5. History is presented in a linear manner, like a timeline.
The Specialized Language of Social Studies
Many social studies passages/text contain complex vocabulary terms and difficult grammatical constructions,
which can cause great confusion for ELLs.
1. Vocabulary many of the words, phrases, and expressions included in social studies do not have direct
translations to other languages.
a. Many terms and concepts within social studies may have different meanings dependent upon the
students worldview/perspective; therefore, the meaning of a word or symbol may carry a different
emotional charge from one student to another.
2. Grammatical Features
3. Discourse
Strategies for Teaching and Learning Social Studies
1. Develop Socially Supportive Classrooms provide a classroom that supports and encourages ELLs native
languages, cultures, and experiences. Make connections to prior knowledge, use collaborative groups, allows
students to lead the lesson (flip the classroom), and provide hands-on opportunities for learning and sharing
knowledge.
2. Explicit Teaching of Academic Skills help students to learn and understand the content by using
instructional approaches that focus on learning strategies for ELLs, plan for academic discussions where ELLs
are actively involved in academic talk, use direct/deliberate instruction, and utilize graphic organizers as visual
aids/models for understanding and applying concepts and terms.
3. Reducing Cognitive Load and Increasing Accessibility of Complex Content provide the same content/topic
information written using simpler more direct language, or in the students first language for background
knowledge. Also provide visuals such as power points to support students understanding. Preview new reading
materials and vocabulary terms.
Conclusion
When planning social studies lessons it is important to provide deliberate and explicit instruction regarding
vocabulary, grammatical structures, and genres that comprise the language of social studies, as many ELL
students for not have the background knowledge or experience to interpret and understand the content.

Ch. 12

Key Issues
1 Every lesson must be accessible to all students.
2 Lessons that focus on content and language, connections to students, engaging tasks, and authentic
assessments are more accessible than those that do not.
3 Every lesson can be improved in some way.
Lesson Examples
Creating a new lesson (based on concepts presented in Figure 7.7)
Step 1: Find and Create the Learning Targets - after reviewing the content standards (what each student
is required to be able to do), the teacher can create a variety of content objectives as well as provide
language objectives for the students to meet successfully.

Step 2: Make Initial Connections - Making connections to previous lessons, background knowledge,
and/or interests prior to presenting the lesson objective(s) allows the teacher to gain the students
attention/interest as well as present essential vocabulary.
Step 3: Create Engaging Tasks - Planning lessons to include tasks that meet the students needs and
interests (being aware of students skills, abilities, learning preference, etc.) encourages students to
actively participate, gain and express knowledge, and succeed in meeting the objectives.
Step 4: Assessment - Include an assessment plan that provides students with the ability to practice and
review throughout the lesson. Provide students with feedback and rubrics so that they know exactly what
is expected.
Adapting Lessons (the text provides 3 examples of lesson adaptations)
For example, the first adapted lesson includes the addition of essential components such as language
objectives that are related to the content objectives, the presentation and discussion of the objectives and
assessment of the lesson, and homework.
The second adapted lesson includes access to the content and language for diverse learners. For
example, language objectives are included, introducing a new perspective and new vocabulary, and
making links between activities.
The third adapted lesson also includes language objectives, and making prior connections.
Guidelines for Creating and Adapting Lessons
1 Guideline 1: Do Not Reinvent the Wheel
If a lesson plan is not provided by administration or the curricula there are standard-based lessons
provided by websites, as well as colleagues, which can be adapted to meet the needs of your students.
2 Guideline 2: Share
Utilize your colleagues and lesson planning sites to discuss effective and successful lessons.
Conclusion:
The universal goal for all educators should be student achievement. In order for me to help each student achieve
his or her full potential, I need to continue to refine my teaching pedagogies, access new research, and evaluate
if what I am doing is really working. Text like this one, help give new ideas, strategies, and insights into how I can
reach each student.