Читать книгу Language Power - Margo Gottlieb - Страница 26

This section summarizes ideas presented on each perspective. We discuss how teachers can take the DARE to benefit students, especially those who have been historically underserved, namely English language learners, ELLs with disabilities, and speakers of other varieties of English.

Because academic language affords students opportunities to access college and career readiness standards, content, and practices, it is vital that students who have been historically underserved—ELLs, students with interrupted formal education, students with diverse socioeconomic status, and students with disabilities, among others—experience, develop, and use academic language. Throughout the book, we offer ways to be more inclusive of students in integrating language into the planning and designing of curriculum, assessment, and instruction.

Spotlighting academic language in the classroom can be influential in promoting students’ academic achievement; however, it is more powerful as a focus at the school level. Systemic approaches to enhancing academic language for all students provides the most effective impact on their academic achievement. To accomplish this, it is important for every educator in the school or system to have a common definition and understanding of academic language. Learning and working together promotes collaboration among educators and, most important, provides consistency for students across classes and grade levels. It is here that the role of administrators becomes critical in creating structures and opportunities for educators to come together and plan around academic language use.

Figure P.3 Reasons for Promoting Academic Conversations in School

Source: Adapted from Gottlieb and Ernst-Slavit (2014, p. 17).

Take the DARE

Use the questions from the following table to find out about or document the language use of your students who receive support services. Share the data you gather with other educators who work with these students.