Academic Language Instruction for Students and Families

Description

Academic Language Instruction for Students and Families
3 In-service Credits/ 45 hours, Instructor Valerie Hanley, January 3-30, February 1-28,  March 1-30, April 1-30, May 1-30, June 1-30, July 1-30, August 1-30

Understanding academic language is a proven way to improve student learning outcomes and academic performance. In this course, participants will research, develop, plan, and share information and strategies for decoding and understanding academic language with students, families, and colleagues. Participants will learn strategies for teaching academic language to students and families, and they will research and test which strategies and resources work best for their classroom learners and their families. Through thoughtful research and reflection, participants will determine how to consider the individual and cultural backgrounds of their students and their families as they work to make understanding academic language easy and effective. After conducting meaningful research on prior knowledge of academic language, participants will build an academic language instruction program that teaches students and families how to improve understanding and knowledge of academic language. Participants will design strategy sheets, lessons, and activities that allow students and families to apply what they learn about academic language in the classroom. Lastly, participants will inspire students, families, and colleagues to be agents of change in their school and local communities by teaching them to share their academic language knowledge and understanding in creative and interesting ways.