Description
Widely defined as decontextualized and linguistically and cognitively demanding, academic English (AE) plays an important role in content area and is perceived challenging for language minority students (LMSs). It is not unheard of that considerable LMSs being fluent in everyday conversation often lack AE proficiency necessary for academic success. To better understand LMS's learning opportunities and challenges in content class, this study endeavors to examine linguistically heterogeneous students' language use when discussing answers in peer collaboration and teacher-student interactions in a second grade dual language program in North Florida. Students in groups were assigned into centers for group activity. Data was collected and transcribed by videotaping and audiotaping students' group discussion. Major findings show that (1) language students used in peer collaboration and teacher-student interactions include both informal and formal language features and that (2) students when interacting with the instructor presented more formal language use than that in peer collaboration. Informal language includes the use of slang, single word, short phrases, any contractions (such as, gonna) and discourse markers (e.g. like) and ungrammatical use while formal language presents comparatively high grammar accuracy, complex sentence structures and the use of content-related vocabulary. Implications drawn from this study suggest that informal language use in content class can play an important role in accomplishing academic tasks and that content instructors should pay attention to students' language use to help develop AE proficiency.| Period | 11 May 2017 |
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| Event title | the 39th annual SSTESOL Conference |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | West Palm Beach , United StatesShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | National |