English Language Learners’ Development of Academic Literacy and Academic Language Across Contexts

Session Submission Type: Symposium

Abstract

The proposed symposium includes papers united by a common focus on how the opportunities that adolescent English language learners (ELLs) have to develop academic language and literacy mediate their engagement with content across the subject areas. Despite this shared focus, the papers represent divergent approaches to examining the relationship between academic language, literacy, and content. The papers include investigations of adolescent ELL students’ participation in activities in a wide range of in- and out-of-school settings and employ a variety of research approaches. All the papers bridge theory and practice by discussing the implications of research findings for the types of classroom practices that have the potential to facilitate the development of ELL students’ academic literacy and language.

Sub Unit

• Division K - Teaching and Teacher Education / Section 4: Multicultural Education (Including English Language Learners & Special Education) in PK-12 classrooms

Chair

• Timothy J. Boals, University of Wisconsin

Papers

• The Relationship Between Academic Language and Content: A Framework and Tools to Inform Classroom Practice - Edynn Sato, WestEd

• Developing Academic Language and Literacy in Middle and High School Content Area Classrooms - Deborah J. Short, ALRT

• Bilingualism-as-Participation: Examining Students’ Competencies Across In-School, Out-of-School, and Online Settings - Mariana Pacheco, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Patricia E. Venegas, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Opportunities for Academic Language and Literacy Development for English Language Learners During Group Work - Naomi Lee, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Daniella Molle, University of Wisconsin

Discussant

• Kris D. Gutiérrez, University of Colorado - Boulder