Mod 6 Discussion: Language Acquisition in a Cultural Context

One of my favorite ways to build morphological awareness while tying in culture is through vocabulary journals and word roots from different languages. For example, when introducing science or social studies terms, I’ll have students break down the words into prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Then, we explore where the word came from (Greek, Latin, etc.) and even compare it to similar words in other languages students may know. This not only helps with vocabulary and decoding, but also creates a cool bridge between language and cultural history. Another activity I’ve used is “Culture Word of the Week.” We choose a word tied to a cultural tradition, holiday, or concept—like “heritage,” “tradition,” or “migration”—and dig into its morphology, meaning, and significance in different cultures. Students then use it in sentences across subjects—writing in ELA, explaining how it relates to a historical event, or even using it in a math word problem for fun. These kinds of cross-curricular activities make language meaningful and help students see themselves and their peers in the content. Plus, it opens up space for really rich classroom discussions and personal connections.