CALLA

CALLA

1. Explanation

   • Combining content instruction with academic language development while explicitly teaching learning strategies
   • Design Components
     • Topics from major content subjects
     • Development of academic language and literacy
     • Explicit instruction of learning strategies
   • "human beings think, seek and construct knowledge, and enjoy learning, often through interaction with others."

2. Theories

   • Cognitive
     • Declarative Memory
       • Interconnected concepts and ideas
       • Best retained when connected to background knowledge
     • Procedural Memory
       • what we know how to do
       • Best retained through practicing skills that are goal oriented and meaningful.

3. Concepts

   • Cross-Curriculum Literacy: Content teachers use language development activities associated with content areas
   • Language Experience: what is said can be written down and what is written down can be read.
   • Balanced reading: phonics instruction plus authentic texts in both the fiction and nonfiction genres
   • Process writing: writing involves thinking, refelction, and multiple revisions
   • Cooperative Learning: Groups of students working together to complete a task.
   • Inquiry Approaches: Activities where students acquire knowledge through experiences
   • Standards-Based: Instruction based on national or state standards.

4. Content-Based Curriculum

   • Why
     • Creates a knowledge base through authentic curriculum
     • Teaches content procedures
     • More motivating than teaching language skills in isolation
     • Provides authentic context for learning and applying strategies.
   • Selecting
     • Use content teachers as a resource.
     • Use Content standards
     • Utilize a variety of informational text.
     • Include student interests and background
     • Analyze curriculum
   • Teaching
     • Identify content objectives
     • Link to prior knowlege
     • Promote learning through experiences, not facts
     • Plan for multiple ways of learning
     • Pre-teach key vocabulary
     • Use higher order questioning
     • Monitor student comprehension
     • Teach students to self-monitor comprehension
     • Use graphic organizers
     • Teach strategies explicitly

5. Academic Language

   • Why is it hard?
     • limited context
     • Linked to Specific purposes
     • Uses both lower and higher order thinking skills.
   • Why Teach it
     • Students need to know how to use academic language.
     • The classroom is the best place to learn it.
     • Helps students meet teacher expectations
     • Fosters thinking
     • Facilitates learning strategy instruction.
   • How to Select it
     • Observe a classroom
     • Analyze a Text book
     • Use content based authentic language tasks
     • Seek student input and allow options
   • How to teach it
     • Model academic language for students in and out of the classroom
     • Have students identify academic language they need to learn.
     • Make students aware of prior knowledge in L1 and L2
     • give students practice in listening to content
     • Have students practice speaking using academic language
     • Have students use academic language in reading and writing
     • Ask higher order questions
     • Teach learning strategies

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