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Phoebe Constantinou
To cite this article: Phoebe Constantinou (2015) Academic Language in Physical Education,
Strategies, 28:3, 9-17, DOI: 10.1080/08924562.2015.1025169
Download by: [West Virginia University Libraries] Date: 01 September 2017, At: 13:16
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE
in Physical Education
Downloaded by [West Virginia University Libraries] at 13:17 01 September 2017
By Phoebe Constantinou
N
ew York State has recently adopted the education Teacher Performance
Assessment (edTPA) as part of the Teacher Certification Examination (http://www.nystce.
nesinc.com). The edTPA requires teacher candidates to prepare a comprehensive portfolio
that includes lesson plans, handouts, and video clips of instruction, as well as class assessments and
analyses of student learning. The edTPA has caused much excitement and passionate discussions
among New York State teacher education programs. As a result, a greater collaborative and
cooperative approach among all disciplines, as well as among teacher education programs, has
emerged. One of the edTPA requirements is the integration of academic language into each
instructional task. This requirement has created uncertainty and confusion among preservice
physical education candidates.
Volume 28 May/June 9
pincott & Hill-Bonnet, 2008; Sweetwater District-Wide Aca-
demic Support Teams, 2010, Hundley, 2012).
Discipline-specific Social language is often used to verbally communicate daily
events such as discussing movies in an informal gathering. In
vocabulary can be these situations, an individual has the opportunity to rephrase
and repeat words until the concept being expressed is com-
words such as muscular municated clearly. Social language may include slang, short
sentences, or even incorrect grammar, yet in this context, these
endurance, agility or types of foibles are generally not considered inappropriate.
On the other hand, in a formal academic setting, such as a
forward roll. conference or formal panel discussion, slang, grammatical er-
rors and other language mistakes are considered inappropriate
and unacceptable. Furthermore, in formal academic settings,
the ideas and topics at hand are more complicated and com-
plex. Written formal documents provide no opportunities for
rephrasing or clarifications. Thus, utilizing discipline-specific
Inservice physical educators are in a similar situation. They
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10 Strategies
Flexibility,
teaching
cues,
lay-up,
jump
shot,
spike,
set,
underhand
service,
skip,
jump,
gallop,
slide,
agility,
etc.
Vocabulary
Player-to-player
defense,
V-cut,
corner
kick,
free
throw,
penalty
kick,
o-side,
etc.
Key
Phrases
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Since
In light of
Volume 28 May/June 11
An elephant moves at a ___________ level, but a/an __________ moves at a __________ level. A turtle moves ___________.
An elephant moves at a high level, but a rabbit moves at medium level. A turtle moves slowly. However, a rabbit moves fast.
In the edTPA K12 Physical Education Assessment Handbook tures (e.g., sentences, graphs, tables) (edTPA, 2013, p. 46). As
(2013), the words analyze, contrast, describe, interpret, syntax is closely related to sentence structure, one should also
sequence and signal are used as samples of language func- be cognizant of the dictionary definition of syntax as a ma-
tion. Language function should be seen as the breadth of lan- jor part of grammatical sentences in a language (Dictionary.
guage patterns that help communicate relationships between com). Syntax deals with the length of sentences, the complexity
Downloaded by [West Virginia University Libraries] at 13:17 01 September 2017
ideas (Sweetwater District-Wide Academic Support Teams, of verb tenses, and the utilization of transition and connective
2010). In the physical education setting, the language func- words such as however, because, therefore, yet, as, de-
tion is demonstrated when students are contrasting defensive spite, and so on.
strategies, like player-to-player versus zone defense. Another Teacher candidates should also be aware that syntax com-
example of language function is when students are asked to ex- plexity is more challenging for English-language learners
plain the how and why of a movement or when they are asked (ELL). For example, it might be easy for a native English
to engage in signaling verbally and nonverbally to classmates speaker to say, My pencil is longer than your pencil, but it
about tactics during a game (edTPA, 2013). Table1 provides is quite confusing for an ELL student who, based on his or
cue words associated with language function in physical edu- her native language syntax, may say, Pencil mine longer than
cation. pencil yours. Providing prompts and cue words such as those
shown in Figure2 can help all students use correct sentence
Syntax structure.
Syntax is defined by the edTPA as The set of conventions
for organizing symbols, words, and phrases together into struc- Discourse
Discourse is the spoken or written language used in a so-
cial context of a particular discipline. In other words, it is how
members of a discipline speak, write, generally communicate,
and participate in the construction of knowledge. Discipline-
specific discourse has distinctive linguistic features that help in-
Requiring teacher dividuals to comprehend and interpret the different discipline-
specific texts and talks. For example, the discourse of a physical
candidates to have education teacher communicating a game strategy is different
than the discourse of a mathematics teacher communicating
academic language a math-equation solution strategy. Table 2 provides examples
of academic language discourse, syntax, and possible language
objectives for each function.
forefront of their
academic language in physical education is to ensure that aca-
demic language is built into each and every lesson plan. Creat-
teaching tasks.
ing a separate section in the lesson plan that focuses solely on
academic language is critical. Furthermore, requiring teacher
candidates to have academic language objectives for each les-
12 Strategies
Table 2. Discourse, Syntax, Vocabulary and Possible Language Function in Physical Education
Discourse
Oral Writing Reading
When: Instructing, describing, explaining When: Journals, exit slips, When: Gathering information,
How to do it, game procedures and activities, why/ cognitive tests doing homework
how/when/what is going on or should go on Possible language function: For game strategies, health
Possible language function: Describe, interpret, sequence or fitness concepts
Sequence, describe Syntax
When: Questioning and analyzing When: Goal setting and fitness When: Assessing and evaluating
Checking for understanding, examining how an planning Criteria sheets, rubrics, tests,
activity/skill works, promoting class discussion Possible language function: quizzes, exit slips
Possible language function: Sequence Possible language function:
Describe, sequence, analyze, interpret Syntax Contrast, analyze
When: During evaluation When: During peer assessments
O wn and others strengths and weaknesses, self- and and self-assessments
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Volume 28 May/June 13
1. Word walls: In the gymnasium, create a wall or bulletin
board where specialized vocabulary words for the unit/
topic can be posted alongside language function words
such as describe or analyze. Teaching cues, key objec-
tives, cue cards, station cards, fitness graphs or strategy
diagrams, as well as pictures and charts can also be posted
on the word wall. This provides a constant reminder not
only for the students, but also for the teachers. Such
practices can enhance academic language and address the
needs of visual learners and ELLs (Kinsella, 2012; Short,
2002). See Figure3 for an example.
2. Personal or public dictionaries: Students can be encour-
aged to develop a personal dictionary where they keep
track of specialized vocabulary. At the same time, a poster
can be placed on the wall where common specialized or
functional words can be written by students. Students can
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14 Strategies
Translate into a Define using a picture
List the vocabulary dierent language and in writing Use the word in a sentence
Bicep arm muscle Angela likes to work on
(Greek) building bigger bicep muscles
in her arms.
could be based on languages spoken by ELLs in the class to integrating language function in physical education.
or on other common languages in the community. See an For example, using a graphic organizer, such as the Venn
example in Figure4. diagram shown in Figure5, students can identify differ-
4. Graphic organizers: Graphic organizers are visual dis- ences and commonalities between two sports (e.g., Euro-
plays that delineate the relationships between facts, terms pean handball and basketball). Moreover, with the help
and/or ideas within a learning task (Hall & Strangman, of cue words, as shown in Figure6, students can write a
2002). They are
<LE5>Figure 5. often
Venn used in classroom
diagram to settings
help withto repre-
contrastingparagraph or short essay utilizing contrast as a language
two sports</LE5>
sent and organize students knowledge or ideas. Graphic function and as a way to practice their discipline-specific
organizers, however, can be quite effective when it comes vocabulary and syntax.
Commonalities Basketball
Handball
Seven players on the court Invasion games Five players on the court
Stay behind goal-area line to score Can attempt to score from any place
Game tactics
Up to three steps while holding ball No step while holding ball
Dribbling
Goal keeper
No goal keeper
Defender between
Nets Basket hoops
offense and goal
Rectangular court
Volume 28 May/June 15
One similarity between ___________and ___________ is that both _____________ and use similar
______________ in order to score. One difference is that in ______________ a player can shoot
from______________________ in the court, while in _____________ the player must shoot from
has ______players, while _____________ has ____________players in the court. Nevertheless, both sports are
quite _____________.
One similarity between handball and basketball is that both are invasion games and use similar tactics in order
to score. One difference is that in basketball a player can shoot from any place in the court, while in handball
the player must shoot from behind the goal-area line. Another difference between handball and basketball is
Downloaded by [West Virginia University Libraries] at 13:17 01 September 2017
that handball has seven players, while basketball has five players in the court. Nevertheless, both sports are quite
competitive/popular/fun to play.
16 Strategies
Sweetwater District-Wide Academic Support Teams. (2010). The aca-
demic language function toolkit. Retrieved from http://www.cojusd. 1 O O % O N L I N E
org/cms/lib2/CA01001709/Centricity/Domain/198/Academic
%20Language%20Functions%20toolkit.pdf
Wasik, B. A. (2006). Building vocabulary one word at a time. Young
Children, 61, 7078. S
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Volume 28 May/June 17