KALA!

A presentation by Elena Chiaburu

COGNITIVE

ACADEMIC

LANGUAGE

LEARNING

APPROACH

THE CALLA HANDBOOK

Implementing the Cognitive Language Learning Approach

Anna Uhl Chamot

J. Michael O’Malley

Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.

Reading, MA, 1994

Is a model in which learning, rather than teaching, is the central focus

Is based on Jim Cummin’s findings about BICS and CALP

“We believe that only by understanding how students learn can teachers learn

how to teach.”

Chamot and O’Malley

FOUR MAJOR CONDITIONS

for improving the education of language minority students:

•An institutional environment that has high expectations for language minority students

•An instructional approach that integrates academic language development with content area instruction and learning strategies

•Continuing staff development that provides teachers with the expertise and support needed to advance the academic development and success of language minority students

•An assessment approach that is consistent with the instructional model and enables teachers to plan instruction effectively

The CALLA handbook has three parts:

1. Introducing the CALLA

2. Establishing a CALLA Program

3. Implementing CALLA in the classroom

�An instructional model that was developed to meet the academic needs of students learning English as a second language in American schools

�An approach based on the belief that learning strategy instruction requires a thoughtful reconsideration of the teacher’s role

“Teachers should involve their students as collaborators in developing the knowledge and processes needed to attain common goals.”

Chamot & O’Malley

Adding academic content to the ESL

curriculum to better prepare

students for grade-level content

classroom

Using explicit instruction in

learning strategies as the principal method

for delivering content-ESL instruction

CALLA is based on the belief that

changes in ESL instruction could

shorten the amount of time students need to develop

academic language skills in English (5

to 7 years, according to Cummins).

PARALLEL STUDIES:

Mohan: Integrated Language and Content (ILC) Model

Cantoni-Harvey: Teacher-oriented suggestions for content-based ESL instruction

Enright & McCloskey: Ideas for introducing thematic units

Snow, Met, Genesee: A model of content-based language instruction

Echevaria, Vogt, Short: The SIOP Model--Making content comprehensible for English language learners

CALLA--Background and Rationale:

Most students can profit from instruction in learning strategies.

Many students lack academic language skills that would enable them to use English as a tool for learning.

Academic content taught in ESL classes prepares students for grade-level content classrooms.

CALLA has been influenced and supported by cognitive theory, research, and ongoing classroom practice.

CALLA LESSON: a comprehensive lesson plan model based on:

Cognitive theories

Efforts to integrate language, content,

and learning strategies

The content determines the academic language objectives and the types of learning strategies that are appropriate for the topic.

1. Topics from the major content subjects

2. The development of academic language skills

3. Explicit instruction in learning strategies for both content and language acquisition

Content topics are aligned with an all-English curriculum

Recommended order:

•science

•mathematics

•social studies

•language arts

•Listening, speaking, reading, and writing

•Language is used as a functional tool

•Students learn vocabulary and grammar of the content area

•Students learn important concepts and skills

•Students learn the language functions: analyzing, evaluating, justifying, persuading

STRATEGIES are taught explicitly by

•naming the strategy

•telling the students what the strategy does to assist learning

•providing ample instructional support

•practicing and applying the strategy

DECLARATIVE

PROCEDURAL

METACOGNITIVE

What we know or can declare

Things that we know how to do

Knowledge necessary to recognize the similarity between new and previous problems

•Subject-area concepts and relationships provide a foundation for learning grade-level information in important subjects.

•Students can practice skills and processes needed in the content area.

•Content is more motivating than language alone.

•Content provides a context for learning and applying learning strategies.

more difficult and takes longer to learn than social language

consists primarily of the language functions needed for authentic academic content

requires the use of both lower-order and higher-order thinking skills

Command of academic language is a key to success in the grade-level classroom.

Academic language is not usually learned

outside the classroom setting.

Content classroom teachers may assume that students already have appropriate academic language skills.

Academic language promotes higher-level

thinking.

•Observe and record language used in content classes.

•Analyze language used in content textbooks.

•Select authentic language tasks; have students use a variety of language skills and functions to learn, read, talk, write, and think about content topics.

•Allow students options in selecting academic language to learn and practice.

1. Model academic language appropriate to the content area

2. Have students identify new words and structures they encounter.

3. Provide practice in listening to content information and answering higher-level questions.

4. Create opportunities for using academic language through cooperative learning.

5. Have students describe, explain, justify, evaluate, and express understanding of and feelings about content topics and processes.

6. Have students read and write in every content subject.

7. Teach learning strategies for all language activities.

•Strategies represent the dynamic processes underlying learning.

•Active learners are better learners.

•Strategies can be learned.

•Academic language learning is more effective with learning strategies.

•Learning strategies transfer to new tasks.

Metacognitive strategies: used in planning for learning, self-monitoring, and evaluating achievement

Social/Affective strategies: interacting with others for learning or using affective control for learning

Cognitive strategies: manipulating the material to be learned through rehearsal, organization, or elaboration

Preparation: Develop students’ awareness through a variety of activities.

Presentation: Teach the strategy explicitly.

Practice: Provide opportunities for practicing the strategy in varied contexts.

Evaluation: Teach students to evaluate their own strategy use.

Expansion: Encourage students to apply the strategies in other learning areas.

THINK:

How can I understand?

How can I remember?

WHAT I CAN DO:

Elaborate prior knowledge

Classify or group ideas

Make inferences and predict

Summarize important ideas

Use images and pictures

KALA!

Sanskrit--art

Hawaiian--money

Hebrew--bride