M12: Learning Academic Language

Academic language includes the specific vocabulary needed in a particular lesson or unit of study. It also includes some other important language, however, that is sometimes overlooked.

Teachers have to also be thinking about the language that students need to be able to understand, read, write and talk about the content. In other words, what do they need to know in order to truly function in meaningful ways with the content they are supposed to be learning about?

Watch this video of David Freeman and Yvonne Freeman as they discuss the significance of paying particular attention to developing academic language, which they describe is not only the vocabulary of the content objectives. They share some ideas about what that language might look and sound like: