Academic language in the sciences, its features and associated thinking and how to embed academic (complex) language skills in science based subjects at Palmer's College. The hand-outs are mostly not on this presentation.

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22. Cause and Effect thinking in Science Science has a fascinating range of
cause-and-effect linkages across its
branches.
A major practice in science is figuring out
causes and effects (Thier & Daviss, 2002).
This includes hypothesising possible
causes and effects of scientific
phenomena and using cause-and-effect
thinking to identify variables that bring
about changes in experiments
Physical sciences tend to emphasize
causes and effects of geology, gravity,
electricity, and light
Chemistry emphasizes causes and effects
at the molecular level
Biology tends to emphasize causes and
effects in cells and adaptations of
organisms.
Sports Science???

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26. Science Thinking Skills, Prompt Frames, Response Frames
Core Thinking Skills in
Science
Sample Prompt Frames Sample Response Frames
Observe some aspect of the
physical or natural universe
What did you observe?
What do we see
happening?
What does that mean? Why
did that happen?
What can we learn from
this phenomenon?
Why is it important?
I notice that . . .
I observed that . . .
We have all seen . . .
Look at the way that the . . .

27. Perform experiments
and do research;
gather data, interpret
it, and organise it.
How do we quantify our
observations?
What data do we have?
What does the data mean?
How do we organise the
data?
The control group does not
get treatment.
The data should go into a
table because . . .
We need to measure the . .
.
As the . . . increases, the . . .
decreases.
There is a correlation
between . . . and . . .

28. Make conclusions
about experimental
data, its validity, and
its support of the
hypothesis.
What is the data telling
us?
What evidence supports
our conclusions?
What does that mean?
How can we extrapolate
from the data?
Is this set of data valid?
What might critics argue
about this data?
The data shows that . . .
We discovered that . . .
Our data was not valid or
reliable enough to make
solid conclusions about . .
.
We found a negative
correlation between . . .
Based on these numbers,
it is likely that . . .
Our research
demonstrated that . . .
The results seem to
indicate that . . .

29. Students Asking Probing Questions is Important for each Practice
For example students can ask:
Is this worth knowing?
Is it knowable?
How solid are the results?
Could other variables have affected the results?
Is there a better way to perform the investigation?
Are there alternative hypotheses to the ones proposed so far?
Do we need more data and evidence to make our claims?
Questions like these allow students to communicate effectively how they think about
scientific processes, such as relating evidence to explanations, using models to
clarify concepts or posing alternative explanations. Adapted from Building Academic Language, 2011

30. Building science questioning habits
Derek Ang, of East Palo Alto High School in
California, has students use a “So and Why”
protocol in which, after starting with an open
question, they build on each answer with so or
why questions. They can do this as a whole
class, in groups or in pairs.

31. An exchange using this protocol could look like
this:
“What happened in this reaction?”
“Heat was released and a solid was formed.”
“Why was heat released?”
“Because chemical bonds were broken and
reformed.”
“So how can we apply this?”
As students continue to ask so and why question,
they think more and more like scientists.

33. A vital skill is using previously-learned principles and
laws to learn new concepts. For example, we would
want students to use the principles and laws on
gravitational forces that they have already learned in
order to understand a new unit on orbits.
Students need to be able to refer to “umbrella”
principles and laws in conversations. Even the
question, “How does that work?” can prompt a
student partner to bring up foundational
principles of the discipline that apply. A partner,
for instance, might refer to principles of
adaptation during and after a dissection lab.

34. Dimensions, Features, and Skills of Academic Language (complex language)
Dimensions Features Skills
Message
 Clarity & coherence
 Register for participants & purposes
 Density of ideas and their
relationships
 Message organisation & structure
(visuals, paragraphs)
 Organization of sentences
 Create a logical flow of and connections
between ideas, knowing how ideas develop
and need to develop
 Match language with the purpose of the
message (Clear, complete, focused, logical,
appropriate to the discipline)
 Create, clarify, fortify, & negotiate ideas
Sentence
 Sentence structure
(compound/complex) & length
 Transitions & connectives
 Complex verb tenses and passive
voice
 Pronouns and references
 Craft sentences to be clear
 Use of a variety of sentence types to clarify a
message and condense information
 Combine ideas, phrases, and clauses.
Word/ Phrase
 Cross-disciplinary terms
 Figurative expressions & multiple
meanings
 Content vocabulary
 Affixes, roots, and transformations
 Choose and use the best words and phrases
communicate
 Figure out the meaning of new words and
terms
 Use and clarify new words to build ideas or
create products
(Adapted from WIDA, 2012)
© 2013 ALDNetwork.org | From Zwiers, O’Hara, & Pritchard (in press) Common Core Standards in diverse classrooms: Essential practices for developing academic
language and disciplinary. Stenhouse.

35. How to design language objectives from content demands in course
specifications
Students will be able to ( skill or function )
Using ( specific language )
In or during a (type of activity ).
An example from Science
Students will be able to compare the features of two metals
using connectives ( however, on the other hand ),
during a lab discussion with a partner on the report.
An example from Maths
Students will be able to: evaluate two ways to solve a two-step algebra word problem
using reasoning language ( because, in order to, effective, )
during a conversation about the problem and in a quiz.

37. Sample Assessment, Academic Conversation Rubric for Science
Proficient (3) Approaching (2) Below (1)
(T) Thinks and talks like a scientist
Makes some connections; uses some
-Observes and hypothesises;
complex sentences and scientific terms;
-Proposes ways to experiment;
makes some applications.
Isolates variable; uses evidence.
-Refers to scientific terms and syntax.
-Applies science to real life.
Uses few connections or scientific reasons;
uses short sentences and mostly social
language.
(F) Stay focused.
-Builds comments.
-Connects ideas to topic well.
-Negotiates conflicting ideas and word meanings.
-Offers few, if any, tangential thoughts.
Stays mostly on topic; shows some idea
building and negotiation; goes on some
tangents and deviations; shows some
confusion.
Rarely connects or builds on ideas; go on
many tangents and offers unrelated
information; demonstrates no negotiation
of differing ideas.
(S) Supports ideas and opinions with examples
from texts, previous lessons and life; clearly
explains and elaborates on ideas.
Offers some prompting for and support
of ideas with examples and clarifications.
Offers little or no support of ideas and
reasons; shows lack of appropriate
prompting.
(P) Paraphrase partner ideas to clarify, deepen,
and stay focused; synthesise key points or steps
at end.
Offers some paraphrasing and
synthesising of key points or steps.
Offers little or no paraphrasing or
synthesising.
(C) Uses communication behaviours; actively
listens (eyes and body) takes turns; values
partner’s comments; respectful.
Shows some appropriate listening and
turn-taking behaviours.
Shows little eye contact or listening;
interrupts; dominates talk or does not
contribute at all.

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39. Tutors need to nudge students towards
academic answers by guiding them towards
using appropriate uses of language and ways
of thinking ,
This type of nudging helps students into more
academic ways of thinking and doing ; but it
takes a lot of effort and patience, especially
when working with students who lack the
home experiences with such types of
describing.
No doubt, you have already done this many
times in the past.

40. Questions?
• Thank you for listening and my best wishes for
this academic year.