Question:
During this course, you have reflected on, read about, and discussed ways that phonology, orthography, morphology, and syntax can be used in lesson planning and teaching ELLs. In this Final Project, you will apply this information more specifically.
Textbook Language Evaluation:
Instructions:
1) Find a K-12 content area textbook. If you do not have one, borrow one from a library or from a family member who is in school (K-12).
2) Reproduce a page of the text (scan or retype). Find examples in the chosen text of the different academic language structures Spurlin identifies that may cause problems for second language learners (explained on page 246 of your text).
3) Discuss in 1-2 paragraphs why your students might have difficulty understanding the textbook page you chose. If you need to refer to specific first language groups, do so.
Draw on the implications from phonology, orthography, morphology, and syntax to describe, in two to three paragraphs, how you would help an ELL student strive to understand the text page. You must incorporate a variety of course readings from all of the units into your analysis, making clear and substantive connections between theory and practice.