Smartatmath Sam's video: Academic Language for Student Success

This video will give teachers the background information and strategies for Academic Language instruction (form, function, and fluency). This Academic Language instruction will provide an effective, engaging, learning environment by creating a culture of student success and meeting the needs of all students. Academic Language is the language of school and effective instruction will empower the students and guarantee student success improving student achievement. Administrators can also use this video to provide staff development to their teachers, helping them with Academic Language instruction and understanding. This video emphasizes the "how to"; "nuts and bolts" of building academic language for all students. This video will teach strategies to provide opportunities for student and teacher success. Learning cannot happen if students do not understand the language of school. Academic Language Development (ALD) is important for all students, especially English language learners. This ALD will build the foundation for the common core state standards in all content areas (math, science, English language arts, social studies). All stakeholders; administrators, teachers, and students will benefit from the tips and strategies illustrated in this video. These tips are based on twenty years of experience as a teacher and principal of 3rd through 12th grade students, the majority of which were students of color, poverty, and English language learners (ELL). The author/ creator of this video has been influenced by other experts in the field; Debra Pickering, Pauline Gibbons, Susana Dutro, and Robert Marzano all of which have great ideas to help teachers provide effective and engaging language instruction. Primary grades teachers, middle school teachers and high school teachers will find valuable information in these videos and the accompanying web page. SBAC test scores and learning in general will improve with a deep understanding of academic language and the fluency of an academic language culture. This language instruction will help to close the achievement gap in high stakes testing. Building academic vocabulary, communicating expectations for a language rich classroom (both receptive and productive), and a culture of academic language will provide the keys to reaching students to teach them effectively, improving student understanding, empowering them and raising student achievement.