ABSTRACT

This chapter presents the various topics raised in the research with respect to how Academic Language (AL) is defined, the rationale for need to teach, controversies, how it develops, what and how to teach, who should teach, and how to assess. Examples of AL, presented by the research at the various language levels and in relation to various disciplines, illustrate what authors mean by this concept. The chapter focuses on students learning English as a second language, the findings apply in general to the language kindergarten-grade 12 (K–12) students encounter in their educational experiences. In all the studies on AL the focus has been English, since that is the main language of schooling in English-speaking countries. AL instruction relates to classroom practices, that is, what to teach and how to teach, and to school-wide policies, that is, how to organize the school curriculum, how to structure instruction within school organization, and how to assess.