A Teacher's Guide to Scaffolding Student Discourse

Kimberly·

Academic Language

Preview

At a Glance

Grade Level7th Grade

SubjectAcademic Language

Original Prompt

Design a set of versatile sentence frames that scaffold academic language for English language learners across content areas. Include frames that support comparing and contrasting, expressing opinions with evidence, sequencing events, and explaining cause-effect relationships. Ensure the frames are adaptable for various proficiency levels, from beginner to advanced, and can be applied to history. Incorporate prompts that encourage critical thinking while providing appropriate linguistic support....

This guide introduces academic language frames, structured sentence starters designed to assist students in articulating complex ideas in an academic context. These frames are tailored to support students across various proficiency levels—from beginners to advanced learners—enabling them to engage in meaningful conversations, express opinions with evidence, and excel in assessments. By providing direct, intermediate, and advanced frames for different academic tasks, the guide facilitates scaffolding of student discourse. It also emphasizes the importance of integrating these frames into daily instruction through a gradual release model, encouraging independent application while allowing for continuous assessment and feedback for growth. By adapting the complexity of the frames according to students' needs, teachers can help bridge the gap between concept understanding and effective communication of ideas.