Operational Definitions Dr. Elva Cerda P

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Operational DefinitionsDr. Elva Cerda
PérezUniversity of Texas /TSC Brownsville
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Introduction

• Teaching the language minority student
• Learn some basic operational definitions
• Ask yourself What is my background and interest
  in this matter?

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Agenda

• Present the operational definitions
• Offer opportunities for clarification and
  discussion

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Additive Bilingualism

• A process by which individuals develop
  proficiency in a second language subsequent to or
  simultaneous with the development of proficiency
  in the primary language.

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Affective Filter

• Refers to the effects of personality, motivation,
  and other affective variables on second language
  acquisition.
• These variables interact with each other and with
  other factors to raise or lower the affective
  filter.
• When the filter is high, the second language
  learner is not able to adequately process
  information.

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Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS)

• Construct developed by James Cummins,
• Educational psychologist at the Ontario Institute
  for Studies in Education (OISE)
• . Refers to basic communicative fluency achieved
  by all normal native speakers of a language.
• . BICS are not strongly related to academic
  performance in formal schooling contexts
• . These are mastered by age 3 or 4

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Comprehensible second languageInput

• Refers to understandable and meaningful language
  directed at second language learners under
  optimal conditions.
• Characterized by language, the L2 learner already
  knows plus a range of new language made
  comprehensible in formal schooling contexts by
  the use of certain planned strategies.
• Strategies include, but are not limited to

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Continued Comprehensible Input

• Focus on communicative conscent rather than
  language forms
• Frequent use of concrete contextual referents
• Lack of restrictions on L1 use by L2 learners,
  especially in the initial stages

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Immersion Classes

• Subject-matter classes periods delivered in the
  second language in which the teachers
• Group L2 learners together
• Speak in foreigner talk to provide support
• Provide substantial amounts of comprehensible
  second language Input

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Limited Bilingualism

• level of bilingualism at which individuals attain
  less than native like proficiency in both the
  first and second language.

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Bilingual Education Program

• An organized curriculum that includes
• Native language development and instruction
• Second language development and instruction

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Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)

• Construct developed by James Cummins and is the
  other part of communication skills
• Refers to aspects of language proficiency
  strongly associated with literacy and cognitive
  development
• CALP is strongly related to academic performance
  in formal schooling contexts.

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Communicative-based ESL

• Focus is on language functions, i.e.., the
  purpose for using the language is used, and not
  on language form
• Refers to a second language instructional
  approach in which the goals, teaching methods,
  techniques, and assessments of student progress
  are all based on behavioral objectives defined in
  terms of abilities to communicative messages in
  the target language.
• Language functions asking questions, narrating,
  describing, challenging, etc.

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Partial Bilingualism

• A level of bilingualism at which individuals
  attain native-like proficiency in the full range
  of understanding, speaking, reading, and writing
  skills in one language but achieve less than
  native like skills in some or all of these skills
  in the other language.

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Proficient Bilingualism or Balanced Bilingual

• A level of bilingualism at which individuals
  attain native like proficiency in the full range
  of understanding, speaking, reading, and writing
  skills in both languages.
• A level of proficiency attained in all areas and
  in all domains.

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Submersion Classes or Programs

• Classes or programs where second language
  learners are mixed with native speakers of the
  second language
• No special instructional support is given to the
  second language learner
• Language minority students commonly experience a
  form of subtractive bilingualism which results in
  limited bilingualism.

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Subtractive Bilingualism

• Process by which individuals do not develop
  proficiency in the second language
• The focus is on taking away the native
  language.
• In this program the teachers are not..

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Summary

• Knowledge of basic concepts or constructs is
  necessary to understanding the literature on
  teaching language minority students.
• As you read, write or discuss this topic, be
  clear use the terms appropriately respect the
  communication of clear information

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Continued Summary

• Use these terms study with your group or groups
  keep a glossary throughout your training program
  and as you become a professional educator.

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Where to get more information

• Books on the topic
• NABE Research Journal, TESOL Quarterly, and
  others
• National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education
• 1118 22nd Street, NW
• Washington, DC 20037
• Or on internet gopher.ncbe.gwu.edu