Content-Area Learning, Academic Language, and Achievement

Question 1

applying prior knowledge and cultural background

Answer 1

teachers need to determine the extent to which students have prior knowledge about a certain topic. Teachers must recognize that students’ prior knowledge of a topic may be influenced by cultural practices from their home language and culture, and their prior knowledge may differ from the background experiences of the teacher. Teachers may need to design classroom experiences that will build the necessary background information

Question 2

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

Answer 2

academic language skills can be developed as the need for them emerges from the content

Question 3

Content-based ESL

Answer 3

Content-Based ESL Curriculum (CBEC) provides purposeful, meaningful, and genuine opportunities for ESL students. age-appropriate content knowledge. opportunities to catch up with mainstream students’ background knowledge. read authentic texts. meaningful vocabulary learning opportunities. learn technical vocabulary and use it in context

Question 4

Pre-teaching vocabulary

Answer 4

teach unfamiliar words used in a text PRIOR to the reading experience. Define and discuss words.

Question 5

Structures of US textbooks

Answer 5

texts difficult to understand: unfamiliar words, lack of background knowledge, difficult concepts, complex syntax - can interfere with comprehension.

Question 6

Student learning styles

Answer 6

there are 7: visual, aural (auditory-musical), verbal, physical, logical, social, and solitary