Language+Terms

Language Terms  These are terms used when working with ESL students. I have included links which will give you more information.


 * **Bilingual language acquisition** - The simultaneous acquisition of two or more languages before the age of three years such that each language is acquired with native competency. [|Bilingual Acquisition]


 * **Building Background**-Building connections to students' lives through real life applications, examples, and writing assignments.[| Building Background Knowledge]


 * **BICS** - Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills. These are the day to day language skills needed to interact socially with other people. [|BICS]


 * **CALP- Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency -** Formal academic learning which includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing about subject area content material**.** [|CALP]

 ** [|Frequently Asked Questions About //Reading Instruction//] ** (**//Curriculum Instruction//**) [|Instructional Strategies online]
 * **Cognates -** words that exist in two languages that are spelled exactly or almost exactly the same way and have the same meaning. Example: In Spanish, biolaga is the same as biology in English. [|Cognates][| http://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/background/cognates]
 * **Explicit Instruction** - Ex plicit involves directing student attention toward specific learning in a highly structured environment. It is teaching that is focused on producing specific learning outcomes.


 * **Fossilization -** A characteristic of second-language learning in which the learner reaches a plateau and seems unable to acquire some properties of the L2 grammar.[| //You Tube//-fossilization]


 * **Scaffolding -**Teacher support for learning and student performance3 of the tasks through instruction, modeling, questioning, feedback, graphic organizers, across successive engagements. Scaffolding activities provide support for learning that can be removed as learners are able to demonstrate strategic behaviors in their own learning activities.[]


 * **Silent Period -**The time when a new ELL student will not speak. This is a normal process for new students. **[]**


 * **SIOP -Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol-** Instructional stategies that makes content more comprehensible to English Language Learners.[| SIOP]


 * **Spanglish**-The mixing of Spanish and English.[]


 * **Vignettes** - A short sketch that gives a description of an instructional process drawn from real-life classroom experiences. [|ESL Printables - vignettes]

For more information regarding ESL terms, visit the [|ESL Glossary.] or [|ESL]