Balancing Basic Communication Skills with the Development of Academic Language

 It is critical for 'English Language Learners' to master basic communication skills when they first enter our school system,  The introduction of academic language in these early months provides students with vocabulary and knowledge that enables them to participate in areas that may be of interest to them.

This group of students had very limited English when they entered New Zealand. The Autumn season provided us with an opportunity to explore the school grounds and learn more about the trees that grew there. This became our inquiry for the latter part of the term. 

 Key vocabulary was developed first. The students drew trees and labelled each part. They visited specific areas of the grounds, took photographs and discussed what they saw. Then it was back to the classroom to learn about the difference between deciduous and evergreen trees in more depth. Reading books, thematically linked to their study were used to expand topic related vocabulary and provide the students with opportunities to ask questions. The students learned to write short sentences based on their observations. This video footage captures parts of the learning process.