KALA!

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KALA!
A presentation by Elena Chiaburu
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COGNITIVE
ACADEMIC
CALLA
LANGUAGE
LEARNING
APPROACH
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THE CALLA HANDBOOK Implementing the Cognitive
Language Learning Approach
Anna Uhl Chamot J. Michael OMalley Addison-Wesley
Publishing Co. Reading, MA, 1994
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CALLA

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

• Is based on Jim Cummins findings about BICS and
  CALP

We believe that only by understanding how
students learn can teachers learn how to
teach. Chamot and OMalley
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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

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The CALLA handbook has three parts
1. Introducing the CALLA
2. Establishing a CALLA Program
3. Implementing CALLA in the classroom
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What is CALLA?

• 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 teachers role

Teachers should involve their students as
collaborators in developing the knowledge and
processes needed to attain common goals. Chamot
OMalley
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Changes in ESL instruction
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
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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).
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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
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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.

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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.
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Components of the CALLA Model
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
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Content topics are aligned with an all-English
curriculum
Recommended order

• science
• mathematics
• social studies
• language arts

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Academic language skills

• 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

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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

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Types of knowledge
What we know or can declare Things that we know
how to do Knowledge necessary to recognize the
similarity between new and previous problems
DECLARATIVE PROCEDURAL METACOGNITIVE
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Why teach content?

• 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.

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What is academic language?

• 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

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Why teach academic language?
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.
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How to select academic language

• 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.

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How to teach academic language
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.
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Why learning strategies are important

• 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.

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Types of learning strategies
Metacognitive strategies used in planning for
learning, self-monitoring, and evaluating
achievement
Cognitive strategies manipulating the material
to be learned through rehearsal, organization, or
elaboration
Social/Affective strategies interacting with
others for learning or using affective control
for learning
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How to teach learning strategies
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.
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Cognitive Strategies
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
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KALA!
Sanskrit--art
Hawaiian--money
Hebrew--bride