MTTC English as a Second Language (126) key terms

Conversational language proficiency used in face-to-face, context-rich situations. It develops in roughly one to three years and is supported by gestures, intonation, and shared setting, so it can mask gaps in academic language.

The language proficiency needed to understand and produce academic content in low-context, cognitively demanding settings. It typically takes five to seven or more years to develop and depends on literacy and school-based vocabulary.

Communication in which meaning is supported by the immediate setting, objects, visuals, and shared experience. Learners can rely on these supports, so the language itself carries less of the meaning load.

Communication in which meaning must be carried almost entirely by the words themselves, with little support from setting or visuals. Academic texts and lectures are typical examples, making them harder for language learners.

Spoken or written language that is slightly beyond a learner's current level but made understandable through context, visuals, and simplification. It is the basis for language acquisition in Krashen's monitor model.

A hypothetical barrier of anxiety, low motivation, or low self-confidence that can prevent learners from taking in understandable language. Lowering it through a supportive classroom climate is a common instructional goal.

A stage in early second language development when a learner understands more than they produce and speaks little. Forcing early oral production can raise anxiety; allowing time and low-pressure participation is usually recommended.

Language the learner produces when attempting to communicate a message. Pushing learners to speak and write precisely can reveal gaps and prompt them to notice and adjust their language forms.

Interaction in which speakers clarify, repeat, confirm, or rephrase to reach mutual understanding. These repairs give learners additional exposure and feedback and are associated with language development.

The claim that language development is promoted when learners engage in meaningful interaction and work through communication breakdowns. Modified input and feedback during interaction are seen as central to acquisition.

A learner's evolving internal language system, which has its own rules and differs from both the first language and the target language. It changes over time as the learner receives input and feedback.

The persistence of an incorrect or non-native language feature in a learner's interlanguage despite continued exposure and instruction. It often involves pronunciation or grammar patterns that have become automatic.

The influence of a learner's first language on second language learning. It can help when patterns match and interfere when they differ, affecting pronunciation, grammar, and word order.

The practice of comparing a learner's first language and the target language to predict where difficulty may occur. Differences are assumed to cause interference, though predictions are not always accurate.

The systematic study of learner errors to determine their sources, such as first language influence, overgeneralization, or incomplete knowledge. It distinguishes errors, which reflect developing competence, from simple mistakes.

The field and process of learning a language other than one's first language, whether in a classroom or a natural setting. It examines how learners develop proficiency and what factors influence that development.

A situation in which a learner adds a second language while maintaining and valuing the first. Both languages are supported, which tends to benefit academic achievement and identity.

A situation in which learning a second language comes at the expense of the first, which may be devalued or lost. It is associated with reduced academic outcomes and a weakened sense of identity.

The flexible use of a learner's full linguistic repertoire, including both languages, to make meaning and learn. It treats bilingualism as a resource rather than a barrier in instruction and assessment.

A language a learner has a family or cultural connection to, often spoken at home, but which may not be their dominant or fully developed language. Instruction may aim to develop or maintain it.

Teaching grade-level content in English using strategies that make the material understandable for English learners. Language objectives are included alongside content objectives, and visuals and scaffolding are used.

A widely used framework for sheltered content instruction with components such as lesson preparation, building background, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction, practice, lesson delivery, and review and assessment. It guides planning for English learners in mainstream classes.

Paired lesson goals that state what students will learn in the subject area and what language they will use or develop to do so. Posting both makes language demands explicit.

Temporary supports, such as models, sentence frames, graphic organizers, or guided practice, that help learners complete tasks they could not yet do alone. Supports are gradually removed as competence grows.

The range of tasks a learner can accomplish with assistance but not yet independently. Instruction is most effective when targeted within this range, with support from a teacher or more capable peer.

The vocabulary, grammar, and discourse patterns used to learn and communicate in school subjects. It includes general academic words, subject-specific terms, and ways of organizing explanations and arguments.

Words in two languages that share a common origin and are similar in form and meaning, such as English 'family' and Spanish 'familia'. They can be used to build vocabulary, though false cognates must be taught.

The process of learning word meanings, including breadth and depth of knowledge. Effective instruction includes explicit teaching, repeated exposure, and opportunities to use words in reading, writing, and discussion.

A set of standards used in many states to describe what English learners should know and be able to do in English across content areas. They include proficiency levels and can-do descriptors.

A test used to measure an English learner's listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, often for identification, placement, and exit decisions. Results guide instruction and monitor progress over time.

Descriptions of a learner's developing ability in a language, usually arranged from beginning to advanced. They help teachers plan appropriate supports and track growth in each language domain.

The application of knowledge from one language to another, which may support or hinder learning. Positive transfer helps when features are similar; negative transfer produces interference errors.

Awareness of the sound structure of spoken language, including syllables, rhymes, and individual sounds. It is a foundational skill for decoding and is important for learners developing literacy in English.

The ability to notice and manipulate individual sounds, or phonemes, in spoken words. Tasks include blending, segmenting, and deleting sounds, and it supports early reading development.

Instruction in the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent. It helps learners decode unfamiliar words, especially in early literacy and for students whose first language uses a different writing system.

Ongoing checks of learning used to adjust instruction while it is happening. Examples include questioning, exit tickets, and observations, which give feedback without a grade.

Evaluation of learning at the end of a unit or period, used to measure achievement against standards. It typically results in a grade or score and informs reporting and placement decisions.

Assessment in which students demonstrate knowledge by completing a task or producing a product, such as a presentation or project. It can offer English learners more authentic ways to show learning.

Accommodations change how students access material or show learning without altering expectations, such as extra time or a bilingual glossary. Modifications change the content or expected level of performance.