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Unpacking the Language Purpose: Vocabulary, Structure, and Function
Author(s) -
FISHER DOUGLAS,
FREY NANCY
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
tesol journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.468
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 1949-3533
pISSN - 1056-7941
DOI - 10.5054/tj.2010.227607
Subject(s) - unpacking , vocabulary , function (biology) , linguistics , psychology , language acquisition , language function , language assessment , mathematics education , pedagogy , computer science , philosophy , evolutionary biology , biology
Although learning objectives are a hallmark of lesson planning, it is rare for these to be shared with learners, even though best practices suggest doing so. This article examines the practice of establishing purpose for English language learners as a means for developing conceptual schemas. Participants in this study were 332 southern California K‐12 teachers who submitted 500 examples of the language purposes they used with students. The authors analyzed these surveys and identified the predominant language purpose forms as those that featured vocabulary, language structure, and language function demands. Implications and future lines of research are discussed.