Touro University TESOL Candidate Anastasios Panagiotidis on Complex Texts and Addressing Challenges for ELLs/MLs in the Content Area

EDDN 637 Second Language Learners and the Content Areas

Students will become acquainted with and practice effective approaches, methods, and strategies for teaching and evaluating English language learners in the content areas (ELA, social studies, math and science). Throughout the course, students will explore the impact of culture and language on classroom learning. Special challenges in teaching and assessment in each content area will also be discussed. Includes 15 hours of field work.

Anastasios Panagiotidis states that he is “a high school Earth Science teacher who proudly serves the South Huntington Union Free School District. As I enter my tenure year at the age of 25 my love and compassion towards the culturally and academically diverse student population have inspired me to craft lessons that not only target individual student needs but make learning relatable to the world outside of school. This is all in hopes that each student, regardless of language or academic abilities, can reach their highest possible potential through my instruction. “

I am eager to continue growing as a young educator, and Touro University has gifted me the tools, knowledge, and wisdom I strive to acquire as I continue to develop and mature as an educator, while allowing me the opportunity to broaden my horizons in a wide variety of areas relative to the rapidly evolving field of education.

Anastasios Panagiotidis, TESOL candidate, Touro University

The assignment description: Text Analysis & Critique
Analyzing Complex Texts and Addressing Challenges for ELLs/MLs in the Content Area

Objective:

The objective of this assignment is to deepen your understanding of the cognitive and linguistic demands of complex texts in the content areas and to analyze a specific chapter or aspect of a content-area text currently used or recommended by the New York State/BOE. By closely examining the underlying concepts, you will develop a thesis and purpose for your analysis. You will critically evaluate the challenges that make the selected concept or section difficult for ELLs and provide substantial, logical, and concrete development of ideas in your critique.

Analyzing text complexity for English Language Learners (ELL) and Multilingual Learners (ML) requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account various factors. You can begin by examining the linguistic demands of the text, including vocabulary, sentence structure, and discourse patterns, ensuring they align with the proficiency levels of the students. Additionally, you, the teacher should consider the cultural and background knowledge necessary to comprehend the text, as well as the cognitive processes required, such as inference or critical thinking. Furthermore, evaluating the organization and coherence of the text, along with its purpose and intended audience, allows you, the teacher to gauge its appropriateness and relevance for ELL/ML learners. By conducting a thorough analysis of text complexity, you can make informed decisions about instructional strategies, adaptations, and scaffolding techniques to support their students’ language development and comprehension skills.

Deliverables:

Analysis of a Chapter or Aspect: Select a chapter or aspect of a content-area text and thoroughly analyze its complex nature. Identify and explain the quantitative elements, qualitative factors, and reader and task considerations that contribute to its complexity.

Development of Thesis and Purpose: Based on your analysis, develop a clear and concise thesis statement that reflects the main idea or argument of your analysis. State the purpose of your analysis, outlining the specific goals and objectives you aim to achieve.

Linguistic analysis which involves examining the linguistic features and demands of a text in order to determine its suitability for language learners. It focuses on various aspects of the text, including vocabulary, sentence structure, and discourse patterns, with the aim of aligning them with the proficiency levels of the students. Here’s a breakdown of these elements:

1. Vocabulary: The analysis considers the range and complexity of words used in the text. It examines whether the vocabulary is appropriate for the students’ language proficiency level, taking into account factors such as word frequency, difficulty, and relevance to the topic. It also considers the presence of idiomatic expressions, figurative language, and specialized terminology that might pose challenges for learners.
2. Sentence structure: The analysis looks at the complexity and variety of sentence structures employed in the text. It considers factors such as sentence length, grammatical structures (e.g., verb tenses, conditionals, relative clauses), and syntactic complexity. The aim is to ensure that the sentence structures are within the grasp of the students’ language proficiency level, allowing for gradual progression and challenges appropriate to their abilities.
3. Discourse patterns: This aspect of linguistic analysis examines how ideas and information are organized and presented in the text. It includes analyzing discourse markers (e.g., conjunctions, transitional phrases) that indicate relationships between ideas, as well as cohesive devices (e.g., pronouns, repetition, referencing) that connect sentences and paragraphs. The analysis ensures that the text’s discourse patterns are comprehensible and aligned with the students’ proficiency levels, promoting their understanding of the text’s overall structure and coherence.