Language Acquisition Theory

Question 1

Long

Answer 1

Language is acquired through authentic face to face interaction in L2

Question 2

Swain

Answer 2

Comprehensible Output, language acquisition is promoted when a student works to express themselves in the L2

Question 3

Thomas and Collier

Answer 3

Documented the positive effects of dual - language programs, which are believed to promote a faster and more reliable acquisition of the L2

Question 4

BICS

Answer 4

Basic Interpersonal communication skills, everyday language, takes less time than CALP to master (1 - 2 yrs), often makes a student appear fully proficient in English when they are not

Question 5

CALP

Answer 5

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency, takes 5 - 7 (or 5 - 12) years to master, much longer than BICS, and students are less exposed to this language than they are to BICS

Question 6

Krashen’s Input Hypothesis

Answer 6

i+1, students learn the most when they hear a level of L2 that is slightly higher than their current level of understanding

Question 7

Whole Language Instruction

Answer 7

How ESL has been taught the past 20 yrs: Present the whole work so students can get the big picture, and then tease out the meaning. Recently there is pushback to this method, saying there needs to be explicit instruction of the components of language.

Question 8

Long Term ELs

Answer 8

Typically U.S. born, their education flatlines around 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade and they do not receive explicit language supports to help them progress past about 4th grade English proficiency.

Question 9

U Curve Hypothesis

Answer 9

Honeymoon, Hostility, Humor, Home. Students can also swing back and forth along the U Curve

Question 10

WIDA Level 1: Entering

Answer 10

Newcomers, Silent Period, Relying on reception skills. Repeat important words and be conscious about nonverbal communication. Need support from peers - group work and side conversations are good. 500 words. 6mo - 1 yr.

Question 11

WIDA Level 2: Emerging

Answer 11

Silent period over. Routines, class management, and other elements of the classroom should be designed to lower the affective filter. Might be in/leaving Honeymoon stage.

Question 12

WIDA Level 3: Developing.

Answer 12

Producing up to 1,000 words. Proficient in BICS, may sound like a native speaker, easy to overestimate their language skills. Need to be able to see their progress. Tend to start shutting down in ESL classes and may opt out. Likely to be in the Hostility stage of the U curve.

Question 13

WIDA Level 4: Expanding

Answer 13

Can be put in a mainstream classroom but will struggle. Beginning to understand language nuances like sarcasm and idioms. Developing understanding of the larger linguistic context of what they learn. May be in or approaching Humor stage.

Question 14

WIDA Level 5: Bridging

Answer 14

Can be put in a mainstream classroom but may struggle. Likely in Humor or Home stage.

Question 15

WIDA Level 6: Reaching

Answer 15

Students are exited from the program. No programming for WIDA level 6.

Question 16

Graves and Colderone

Answer 16

Academic Vocabulary organized into tiers. EL teachers should focus on Tier 2.

Question 17

Tier 1 Language

Answer 17

Common/everyday. BICS. Not explicitly taught except to newcomers.

Question 18

Tier 2 Langauge

Answer 18

General academic terms that could occur in any subject area

Question 19

Tier 3 Language

Answer 19

Highly specialized content specific words.

Question 20

Cummins Model of Language Acquisition

Answer 20

Learning can be context embedded or reduced, and cognitively demanding or undemanding. EL teachers should strive to teach language in context embedded and cognitively challenging situations.

Question 21

Cummin’s 8 factors that impact language acquisition

Answer 21

Age, Disability, Motivation, Access to Language, Level and Type of L1 Proficiency, Quality of Instruction, IQ (fluid)

Question 22

Age and SLA

Answer 22

The younger you are the easier it is to learn a language. Until age 2 you can hear all phonemes, after this ability becomes increasingly limited. Age affects ability to mimic sounds. Age 2 - 12 you acquire both languages in the same area of Broca’s area, after puberty you acquire the L2 in a different area of the brain.

Question 23

Communicative Approach

Answer 23

Communication as the primary purpose of language. Content based instruction. Aims to create a low anxiety authentic environment. Focus on comprehensible input. Integrated Content Based Method (ICP) or Sheltered Instruction.

Question 24

Cognitive Approach

Answer 24

Teaching learning strategies. Emphasis on learner background, thinking processes, metacognition. Development in L1 and L2. Communication is the purpose of language and motivation for language learning (cognition and communication). CALLA method.

Question 25

Grammatical/Linguistic Approach

Answer 25

Top Down and Bottom Up instruction. Emphasis on transfer between language (grammatical approach sees this as a cause for error). Used to emphasis memorization of language rules. Grammar - Translation and Direct Methods.

Question 26

Transitional Bilingual Education

Answer 26

Need well - developed CALP in L1 before students are transitioned out of it. At least 8 years of L1 instruction before students transfer completely into L2.

Question 27

Acculturation

Answer 27

The process of adjusting to a new culture. Occurs in a series of stages characterized as impossible “without sever psychological costs”. U curve Hypothesis: honeymoon, hostility, humor, home.

Question 28

Elements of Literacy

Answer 28

phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency

Question 29

Bottom Up Model

Answer 29

Reading as a process of decoding written symbols into sounds. Hierarchical and strict levels of achievement.

Question 30

Top Down Model

Answer 30

Begins with schema - level analysis and moves down to letter recognition. Based on the idea that the reader accesses their own schema to make sense of readings.

Question 31

Interactive Process Model

Answer 31

Reader simultaneously makes schematic connections and decodes letters and words. Reader takes a more active role when they have extensive schema to relate to the reading. Take a more passive role focused on decoding when they do not have internalized schema to relate to the reading.

Question 32

Prism Model

Answer 32

4 Dimensions of CLD students: sociocultural, linguistic, cognitive, and academic

Question 33

L1 Proficiency

Answer 33

The more proficient a student is in reading in their L1, the faster they will acquire literacy in their L2

Question 34

5 Components of Reading

Answer 34

Phonemic Awareness, names and sounds of letters, phonics rules, sight words, structural analysis skills

Question 35

Models of Instruction

Answer 35

Push in, Pull out, Sheltered Instruction, transitional bilingual education, developmental bilingual education, two way immersion/two way bilingua/dual language immersion, newcomer programs

Question 36

First Language Acquisition

Answer 36

Takes 12 years to fully acquire

Question 37

Interference

Answer 37

knowledge from L1 is applied to L2

Question 38

Interlanguage

Answer 38

A student develops their own language system blending rules from their L1 and L2

Question 39

Language Loss

Answer 39

Weakening of individual’s L1 because of focus on developing L2

Question 40

Language Differences

Answer 40

Differences between rules of L1 and L2

Question 41

Components of Effective EL Learning Environments

Answer 41

(1) Instruction in L1 (2) Content based instruction (3) Students as active learners (4) Students native language and cultures valued (5) Interaction with native English speaking peers (6)Bilingual education program is integral to school

Question 42

Types of Bi/Multilingualism

Answer 42

Sequential vs. Simultaneous, Elective vs. Circumstantial

Question 43

Informal LP Assessments

Answer 43

Observations, Questionnaires, Storytelling, Language Samples,, Cloze Reading

Question 44

Psychometric Properties

Answer 44

Validity and Reliability

Question 45

Formal Assessments

Answer 45

Low psychometric properties, often not normed by native speakers or not sensitive to dialect/circumstantial linguistic differences

Question 46

Recommended Practice for Assessment

Answer 46

• Assess proficiency in L1 and L2
• Assess receptive and expressive skills
• Use current language proficiency data
• Assess BICS and CALP development
• Use both formal and informal methods