Language+Terms

= Language Learning Terms﻿  = =//__ Common Acronyms used in Education __//= //You will hear and see these terms when teachers are speaking about English as a Second Language Students. It is important that teachers and students are aware of these terms so there is an understanding between everyone.//

These are language skills needed in social situations, such as the cafeteria, speaking with peers and teachers, ordering food, buying groceries, etc.
BICS develops much faster than academic language, these skills are usually present within 6 months to two years of beginning language study, if you are reading this, you possess BICS.

CALP - Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
These language skills are required for academic language study. This type of language is used for comparing, contrasting, and synthesizing. CALP takes around 5-7 years to develop, this is the language that is in your textbooks and school materials. ** Visit The National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum to read an article about BICS and CALP: @http://www.naldic.org.uk/ITTSEAL2/teaching/SLA.cfm **

Haynes, J. (2007). //Explaining BICS and CALP.// Retrieved from: [] (citation for both BICS and CALP)
** ESL - English as a Second Language ** English taught to people whose first language is not English. There are ESL students around the world. Visit Dave's ESL Cafe to find more information for the teaching and learning ESL: Dave's ESL Cafe

ESL (2011). In //MacMillan Dictionary Thesaurus//. Retrieved from: []

** LEP - Limited English Proficiency ** This term is used to classify students who are not fully proficient in English. All ELL students are classified LEP, until they exit the ELL program at their school.  Visit the Limited English Proficiency Federal Interagency Website for more information on laws and legislation applying to LEP students at: @http://www.justice.gov/crt/lep/

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (n.d.). //Limited English Proficiency.// Retrieved from @http://portal.hud.gov:80/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/promotingfh/lep

**NELB - Non English Language Background** This term is used to classify students who are not from an English speaking background, it could be because the student's home language is not English, or the student is from another country. You are considered Non English Language Background, since English is probably not the first language at your home. Visit this Tennessee State Board of Education Word document to read further about NELB qualifications: Or visit: @http://www.tn.gov/education/

= __//General Language Learning Terms//__ =

Cognate - "Words descended from a common ancestor"
It is very important that you learn about cognates if you are a native speakers of a Latin derived languages. Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Italian all share cognates with English. Sharing these cognates with your language will make an instant connections to content language. There are words like "el mapa" in Spanish, and in English we say "map" these words are essentially the same, if you can understand that you can learn a lot of words at once.

Visit: @http://www.cognates.org/ to see all the cognates available to you. Cognates. (n.d.). //Similarities over differences.// Retrieved from: @http://www.cognates.org/

Comprehensive Literacy - an approach used to "help learners construct meaning through reading, writing, listening, viewing, speaking and/or representing"
This approach is currently used in our English Language Development Reading classes in Middle Schools in the Metro Nashville Public Schools. We use the following framework: Interactive Read Aloud, in which the teacher reads a short book aloud to you, as the teacher and students interact with each other while reading, much like reading bedtime stories Menu Options, Differentiated Instruction in which you have options to express what meaning you have found from the read aloud or a silent reading book Group Reading, small group reading with peers of the same reading level and Leveled Reading, the reading of books in the area of comprehensible input.

To learn more about how to use Comprehensive Literacy in your classroom go to: @http://www.learning.info/literacy/comp_lit_curr/baa_Comp_LitCurr.html //Comprehensive literacy overview.// (n.d.) Retrieved from @http://www.learning.info/literacy/comp_lit_curr/baa_Comp_LitCurr.html

== Multiple Intelligences - Howard Gardner developed the theory of Multiple Intelligences, these intelligences show teachers how their students learn, and can help teachers understand how to present information for all students. The Intelligences are: Verbal-Linguistic, Mathematical-Logical, Musical, Visual-Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist, and Existential. Using these intelligences can help you tap into how your students learn and how you can use this information to differentiate instruction to aide in better learning and understanding. ==

To find what your MI is take the following quiz: @http://literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html Taking this quiz will help you greatly improve how you learn, and help you understand more about yourself. Educational Broadcasting Corporation. (2004). //What is the theory of multiple intelligences (MI)?// Retrieved from: @http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html

**Phoneme - "the smallest contrastive unit of a language, a minimal unit that serves to distinguish between meanings of words** An example of a phoneme is in the minimal pair of rip and lip the phonemes are /r/ and /l/."

To learn more about phonemes for ESL students go to the Phonemic Wizard at: @http://www.eslwizard.com/content/phonemic-chart SIL International. (2004). //What is a phoneme?// Retrieved from @http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsAPhoneme.htm

Phonological Language Development - "refers to knowledge of the sound units (phonemes) used in a language, including the ability to hear and produce separate phonemes".
Phonological awareness is very important for beginning ELL’s because it is the first step in language acquisition and beginning literacy skills. Once students begin to recognize the sounds (phonemes) of the language then they will begin to understand how words are formed and will begin to more on to syntax and grammar.

Go to Songs for Teaching to find numerous songs that can be used in teaching phonological awareness at: @http://www.songsforteaching.com/phonemicawareness.htm Mayer, R. (2008). //Phonological awareness.// Retrieved from: @http://www.education.com/reference/article/what-phonological-awareness/

** Syntax - "the arrangements of words in a sentence" ** Syntax is how words are arranged in a sentence and the knowledge of how to say what you mean.

To learn more about grammar and syntax watch some of the "Lord Syntax" videos on YouTube at: @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esVI_ncRAiY  Nordquist, R. (2011). //Syntax.// Retrieved from @http://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/syntax.htm

Vocabulary - the entire set of words used by a particular language
Vocabulary is the set of words that is employed by a language, it can also be thought of as a particular set of words used by a specific discipline, such as the vocabulary used in a Social Studies or Science class.

To learn more vocabulary check out the Pocket English (ESL) iPod app at: @http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket-english-esl-beginner/id316487889?mt=8 "Vocabulary " (2011). In //Miriam-Webster Online Dictionary//. Retrieved from @http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vocabulary