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Academic Language

Academic Language, the distinct type of English used in classroom settings, has been fairly well-established as a variable that increases the learning difficulties of language minority students (Solomon & Rhodes, 1995). Several factors have been said to be associated with causing this interference with learning including the vocabulary, syntax, structure, content and cognitive demands of academic language (Solomon & Rhodes, 1995). While academic language poses difficulties for students at all levels of learning (elementary, secondary, college), the review of literature presented here specifically explores studies that have focused on dealing, at the college level, with the problems posed by academic language.

Academic Language and College: Research Addressing The Problem

Several different methods have been used for counteracting the negative effects of academic language at the college level. One set of methods has been to develop curricula that take the difficulties of academic language into account and provide strategies for overcoming them. According to Reilly (1988), one such approach has been content-based ESL instruction. This is a method that integrates English-as-a-second-language instruction with subject-matter instruction.

The content-based ESL technique not only focuses on learning a second language, but also on using that language as a medium to learn any other academic subject. Reilly (1988) states that this method has been found to be very successful in remediating the negative effects of academic language and, as a result, has been used for many years in adult, professional, and university education programs for foreign students and other limited English speakers.

The theoretical underpinnings of the content-based ESL approach is the theory that language acquisition is based on input that is meaningful and understandable to the learner (Krashen, 1981, 1982). Essentially, the perspective holds that ...

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Academic Language. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 03:59, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1692098.html