Developing Teacher Capacity for Serving ELLs' Writing Instructional Needs: A Case for Systemic Functional Linguistics

Autor/inn/en	Aguirre-Munoz, Zenaida; Park, Jae-Eun; Amabisca, Anastasia; Boscardin, Christy Kim
Titel	Developing Teacher Capacity for Serving ELLs' Writing Instructional Needs: A Case for Systemic Functional Linguistics
Quelle	In: Bilingual Research Journal, 31 (2008) 1-2, S.295-322 (28 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1523-5882
Schlagwörter	Academic Discourse; Elementary Secondary Education; Grammar; Educational Change; English (Second Language); Teaching Methods; Second Language Learning; Writing Instruction; Second Language Instruction; Instructional Effectiveness; Professional Development; Teacher Attitudes; Interviews; Language Proficiency + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Discourse; Diskurs; Grammatik; Bildungsreform; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Schreibunterricht; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Unterrichtserfolg; Lehrerverhalten; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz
Abstract	Although explicit grammar instruction has been a source of considerable debate in second-language teaching, increasingly educational linguists assert instruction in academic language is critical, given the current assessment reform in K-12 contexts. Of particular concern is that contemporary English-Language-Learner (ELL) instruction focuses on making the content comprehensible to ELLs in a manner that may lead to inadequate exposure to academic language, which is considered paramount to ELLs' educational success. Therefore, it is necessary to develop methods for increasing teachers' capacity to address this issue instructionally. Informed by Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), this study presents the effectiveness and instructional impact of a professional-development program designed to increase teachers' understanding of the characteristics of academic language. Differences in teacher evaluations of student work prior to and after SFL training suggest that teachers were better able to analyze student writing in a manner that also informed further instructional needs. Classroom observations and teacher interviews also suggest that the training impacted teacher practice in writing instruction. Writing instruction that explicitly focuses on language is needed to develop ELLs' skills in academic genres and is essential in moving them to more-advanced levels of English proficiency. (Contains 6 endnotes, 4 tables and 3 figures.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10