Module 5 Discussion: Language Acquisition in Content Areas

There are many language activities that can be consistently worked into a cross curricular curriculum to reinforce morphological awareness and other linguistic skills, all while deepening the understanding of content. Below provides a few examples:

Morning message: Everyday previewing the day’s activities by speaking them aloud and writing them on the board. This will demonstrate important organizational functions for writing (left to right, letter-by-letter sequence)

Rules and Procedures: record the established classroom rules and procedures on anchor paper. ELL students will experience the spoken words transferred to print on paper. 

Word Wall: Creating a word wall. Allow students to contribute to word wall. Incorporate daily choral readings. 

Read alouds/repeated reading: students follow along while the teacher reads aloud reinforces sight vocabulary. Repeated readings will enhance comprehension. Providing visuals to aid text. Having a variety of books to suit all reading levels and interests.

Language Experience Approach: have students dictact a story, record story on chart paper, ask students to read what has been written. The LEA approach builds important techniques that include functional writing and reading, illustration of sound to speech and sound-symbol correspondence, and development of sight vocabulary. 

Sight Word Activities: word walls, dialogue journals, sentence strips, flash cards, matching games, and “around the room” picture Dictionary - students love it! They are given index cards that name a few items around the room, they need to find that item, and draw a picture of it. Not only are they exposed to new words and vocabulary, but it allows them to become familiar with the classroom and feel more at ease.