Journal Article Critique 2
Journal Article Critique: Academic Language
Topic
The article “Academic Language in Preschool: Research and Context” explores the
important that academic language plays in the preschool years of education. Not only are
educators and parents requesting to increase language in content areas, but so is the polices and
research (Luna, 2017). Developing academic language should start in preschool, and the article
addresses this by giving five tips to help implement academic language in preschool. Since
preschools do not have instructional methods that are developmentally appropriate for the
students' age, they look at elementary school methods (Luna, 2017). This allows preschool
teachers to have a starting point on what to focus on for reading and writing. The five strategies
include: Teacher-managed literacy activities, intentional book choices, connecting words and
world, modeling and scaffolding, and nonverbal cues.
Main Idea
The main idea in the article is the explanation of what academic language is and the
elements that make up academic language. These elements include information density, complex
syntax, metaphors and figurative language, abstract ideas, narrative structure, and content
vocabulary. “Academic language is grounded in research on English learners’ acquisition of
school-based language and has been described as the linguistically complex language of content
area learning” (Luna, 2017, p.89). The contribution that a teacher has is both direct and indirect
instruction in the classroom when teaching academic language. This language is complex, more
figurative, literary, and grammatical metaphors, complex and abstract ideas with limited
contextual support; complex narrative structures; and content-specific and complex vocabulary
(Luna, 2017, p.89). There must be a deliberate modeling of oral academic language from
Journal Article Critique 3
preschool teachers when instructing children. The article continues with how teacher-managed
oral activities are essential in preschool age students in learning academic language. This can be
done during sharing time in the form of storytelling and language games (Luna, 2017).
Intentional book choices allow students to have diverse types of books which allows different
opportunities for the development of oral academic language.
Another strategy that was given was how students make connections to the text and the
world that they live in. “For preschoolers, embedding new academic language in home
knowledge, life experiences, previously read books, and previous classroom experience will
make academic language meaningful to children” (Luna, 2017, p.91). While this may be the
case, students need the time to use this overtime. Modeling is another strategy that preschool
students need to understand differences in language and grow in their development. Showing
pictures of the lesson topic to English Language Learner students is a way to model and have
them understand what is being spoken. This is also considered a nonverbal cue in teaching
academic language. Items such as videos, pictures, and elaboration are more examples of
nonverbal cues. These cues increase a preschooler's ability to understand and engage.
Conclusion
Academic language is now being pushed into the preschool classroom and the teachers
are having to adapt and find ways to implement it int the classroom. This change is due to
policies in place such as Common Core Standards and parents' request to have more reading and
writing in the classroom (Luna, 2017). To achieve this oral academic language must be increased
since it is the foundation that reading, and writing are built upon. “Teachers can dive deeply into
their practice to identify opportunities to widen their pedagogic approaches to academic language
support” (Luna, 2017, p.92).
Journal Article Critique 4
Reflection
After reading the article, I believe that the data presented does support the author's
conclusion on implementation of academic language in the preschool classroom. By beginning
language instruction in preschool, it gives students who are struggling and English learners an
early start to get accustomed to the oral instruction and become early readers. While the article
did show the advantages of having academic language started early it did not show any data on
students that had not had academic language instruction in preschool. This could create an
anomaly in the research that was conducted. Adding this information would improve the article
and could help to solidify the data and help to prove the author's point of view because the
research would no longer be one-sided.
Topic
The article, “Nurturing Young Children's Literacy Development through Effective
Preschools, Practices, and Policies: A Conversation with Dr. William H. Teale” is a discussion
with Teale on how children become literate, and what influences this literacy repertoires. The
focus is based on research on emergent literacy. “This issue of Language Arts features a
conversation with Dr. William H. Teale about early literacy learning, the intersection of
technology and literacy education for young children, and effective preschool policies and
practices” (Turner, 2018, p.176). The belief is that the environment that the children are in has a
direct role on when they become literate. The everyday interactions that children have in
environments such as their home, school, and community is where literacy begins (Turner,
2018).
Journal Article Critique 5
Main Idea
The article discusses how research has changed the way that reading, and writing is
thought of when it comes to children becoming literate. “Before emergent literacy, there was this
notion that children needed to attain either some specific chronological or mental age or a certain
knowledge base before they could start to learn to read. Now we know that's absolutely not true”
(Turner, 2018, p.176). As soon as children become exposed to reading and writing is when they
begin to learn. Therefore, emergent literacy is now considered a stage of development. There is
more to learning to read than just having the parents read to their children. To keep children
reading the content is needed to keep them interested to keep them growing in their literacy
(Turner, 2018). Children need to be exposed to more than just leveled readers and controlled
vocabulary books. Literacy needs to be infused into multiple aspects of the classroom such as an
integrated lesson. The issue comes that classroom curriculum is now narrowed down to literacy
and math and how that is problematic. This leaves the children to suffer as school is where they
go to become literate and that is dependent upon all subjects being taught (Turner, 2018). This
creates a gap where the content, background knowledge, and vocabulary are missing. “One
component was changing mindsets and raising expectations by infusing literacy into the
everyday activities of the classroom-very similar to the ways we talk about infusing literacy in
the home” (Turner, 2018, p.178). This can start as early as the preschool classroom and can help
close the gap and allow students to have a jumpstart in building background knowledge and
vocabulary needed to succeed.
Conclusion
The article concludes with the notion that the most important piece in a student becoming
literate is the classroom teacher. For the teacher to be able to implement the tools necessary to
Journal Article Critique 6
have a student succeed in their literary journey the leadership in the school needs to be on board.
“It's almost a bit of a paradox because, yes, the teachers are the most critical factor, but if the
leadership in the school isn't in place to help the teachers accomplish all they can, the needle on
achievement won't move” (Turner, 2018, p.181). Without a principal willing to invest in their P-
3 literacy instruction and literacy achievement the teacher faces a challenge in getting a student
to begin their early reading journey.
Reflection
I agree with the conclusion that the author made in terms of teaching a student to read
and write. The teacher is at the core of a student's journey to become literate. They have a direct
role in teaching the student the steps needed to begin to read and write. As the author stated, the
school environment is essential in student progress. The teacher needs to have the support of the
administration at their school to do this. If they do not have that then the administration becomes
another obstacle in the way of a student becoming literate. Education can become political when
it comes to how funds and time are dispersed leaving the students learning the cost.
Journal Article Critique 7
References
Michael Luna, S. (2017). Academic language in preschool: Research and context. The Reading Teacher, 71(1),
89-93. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1582
Turner, J. D. (2018). Nurturing young children's literacy development through effective preschools, practices,
and policies: A conversation with dr. william H. teale. Language Arts, 95(3), 176-181.
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
