"We discovered that even after instruction that allowed students to understand content area concepts, students still couldn't write and express their learning much beyond a basic level about such topics. We've begun to use the sentence frames for compare and contrast, cause and effect...from the Functional Language Module to help reinforce the students' learning AND develop their use of academic language. We've incorporated them in social studies, science, and language arts. They can be done quickly, cross-curricular, and repeatedly - as we find that students need ample practice."
–Karin Foster, Secondary Teacher
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Secondary Academic Language Tools
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DESCRIPTION:
SALT Institutes provide secondary educators with the tools and skills necessary to analyze the academic language demands of course-specific texts and materials. SALT supports teachers in designing effective instruction that meets those demands.
SALT participants learn how to:
- Conduct a detailed analysis of the linguistic demands of classroom texts and materials
- Provide purposeful instruction in vocabulary
- Monitor comprehension on a consistent basis
- Backward plan from State Standards and content outcomes
SALT Modules:
- Vocabulary Instruction
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing to Learn
- Functional Language
OUTCOMES:
- Understand the seminal educational research in the fields of Content Area Literacy and Academic Language
- Understand the role language plays in making content-specific instructional materials accessible to students, particularly English learners
- Apply and implement the basic components of backwards design to content-specific textual analysis and lesson development
- Utilize criteria and strategies for selecting and teaching vocabulary, increasing reading comprehension, using writing to learn, and acquiring functional language skills
- Be prepared to implement instructional strategies that are designed to increase student access to and use of academic language
- Apply the principle of instructional sequencing and identify opportunities to provide students with academic language practice and application
HOW WILL ENGLISH LEARNERS BENEFIT?
- Explicit instruction in the discipline specific literacy skills necessary for success
- Instruction in learning strategies which are transferable to all content areas
- Skills leading to greater learner autonomy and the increased motivation that is a result
- Cohesive instruction linking literacy skills to content areas-making it relevant
- Becoming strategic readers
- Improved ability to participate in discipline-specific dialogue
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION AND RESOURCES:
- The SALT professional development can be customized according to areas of focus and need. Each module includes SALT Foundations and requires one full day.
- CRLP’s approach to professional development is interactive and hands-on. CRLP’s work with teachers focuses on their content area, their materials, and their students, making it immediately relevant and applicable.
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