Module 5
Module 5
ACROSS THE
CURRICULUM
Module 5
MODULE 5.1
Academic Language Across the subject – Components.
Academic Language
Academic language is the oral and written language used for academic
purposes.
AL is believed to be one of the most important factors in the academic
success.
Language needed by students to do the work in school.
Includes discipline specific vocabulary, grammar, punctuation etc.
Academic language should be taught within a context or topic.
AL cannot be learned through exposure within a classroom setting, but must
be explicitly taught, practiced and applied to a variety of content areas
repeatedly throughout the year.
5.1 Components of Academic Language
3 main components
Vocabulary,
grammatical structures
functions
5.1.1.VOCABULARY
Vocabulary means the words used in a particular language.
2 types –active vocabulary and passive
Active(expressive) vocabulary- words that we use in our daily life.(SW)
Passive (receptive) vocabulary- words that we understand but don’t use yet. (LR)
Importance
Facilitates accurate expression Vocabulary expansion techniques
• Wide reading
Develops power of communication
• Word games & Puzzles
Improves reading speed
• Listen more
Improves reading comprehension • Vocabulary book
Facilitates precise thinking • Dictionary use
5.1.1.VOCABULARY
Different levels of Vocabulary/ 3 tired vocabulary
5.1.1.VOCABULARY
is the study or use of the rules about how words change their form and combine with
other words to express meaning.
GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURE are all the nuts and bolts that hold our sentences
together. Eg: noun, verb, tense etc.
Describe
Narrate
Ask questions
Summarize
Problem/Solution can be a very complex text structure, as it necessitates the use of other structures, too.
Clearly, the author needs to describe the problem. The author would likely also explain the causes and
effects of the problem in order to argue in favour of their solution.
5.1.4. Text Structure- Types
4. COMPARE AND CONTRAST
This text structure involves a comparison involving multiple things, revealing how they are similar
and how they are different.
Make sure your students know that contrasting two or more things doesn't necessarily mean
identifying them as either good or bad. Comparisons simply relay the differences; therefore, one thing
could have both positive and negative traits.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of words and phrases that indicate a text follows the compare/contrast
text structure: