edTPA (Educative Teacher Performance Assessment) Academic Language and Language Demands Syllabus

Academic Language and Language Demands syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Academic Language and Language Demands in edTPA (Educative Teacher Performance Assessment), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Foundations of Academic Language

   3 topics

   • Defining Academic Language
     • Language of the discipline vs. everyday language
     • Why academic language matters for access
   • The Language Function
     • Identifying the key verb/learning task
     • Examples: analyze, explain, compare, justify
   • Identifying a Central Language Demand
     • Selecting the demand tied to the central focus
2. 2

   The Four Dimensions of Language Demands

   4 topics

   • Vocabulary and Symbols
     • Discipline-specific terms
     • Symbols and notation
   • Syntax
     • Organizing language and conventions
     • Sentence- and discourse-level structures
   • Discourse
     • How members of a discipline communicate
     • Genres and text structures
   • Language Function in Context
     • Connecting function, vocabulary, syntax, and discourse
3. 3

   Planning and Supporting Language Development

   3 topics

   • Language Supports
     • Scaffolds for the targeted demands
     • Sentence frames, models, and graphic organizers
   • Embedding Supports in Instruction
     • Teaching and reinforcing language during lessons
   • Evidence of Language Use
     • Locating language use in video and student work
     • Documenting students' developing language

Academic Language and Language Demands flashcards for edTPA (Educative Teacher Performance Assessment)

23 of 50 cards from the Academic Language and Language Demands deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In edTPA, what is meant by "academic language"?

   The oral and written language used for academic purposes — the means by which students develop and express content understanding. It includes language demands such as vocabulary, language functions, syntax, and discourse.

2. What are the four key components/dimensions of academic language assessed in edTPA?

   Language function, vocabulary/symbols, syntax, and discourse.

3. Why does edTPA emphasize academic language as more than just vocabulary?

   Because academic language also involves how students structure, organize, and communicate disciplinary knowledge — including functions, syntax, and discourse — not merely subject-specific words.

4. Academic language is sometimes contrasted with what other type of language?

   Everyday/social (conversational) language. Academic language is the more formal, discipline-specific language used in school content.

5. What is a "language function" in edTPA?

   The content and language focus of a learning task, often represented by an active verb that names the key purpose — what students do with language to demonstrate learning (e.g., analyze, compare, explain).

6. Give five examples of common academic language functions.

   Analyze, compare/contrast, evaluate, interpret, justify, describe, explain, predict, summarize, argue (any five).

7. How is the language function usually expressed in a learning objective?

   As a verb that conveys the cognitive/linguistic task students must perform (e.g., "students will compare...").

8. In edTPA, how many language functions are you typically asked to identify for the central focus of the learning segment?

   One central language function that is essential to the learning segment.

9. What is the "central focus" in relation to the language function?

   The overarching content understanding of the learning segment; the central language function is the key way students use language to develop or demonstrate that focus.

10. What is a "language demand" in edTPA?

    The specific language-related ways students must understand and use language to participate in learning tasks and demonstrate content understanding — including the function, vocabulary/symbols, syntax, and discourse.

11. How do you identify the central language demand of a learning segment?

    By examining the central task/objective, selecting the key language function (verb), and determining the vocabulary, syntax, and discourse students need to complete that task.

12. What four elements together make up the language demands of a task?

    Language function, vocabulary/symbols, syntax, and discourse.

13. When selecting a language function, what should it align with?

    The central focus and the essential learning task — the verb should reflect what students must actually do to show understanding.

14. What does "vocabulary" include as an academic language demand?

    Words and phrases used within a discipline — including content-specific terms, general academic words, and words with multiple meanings across contexts.

15. What are "symbols" as part of vocabulary demands, and give an example.

    Non-word representations carrying disciplinary meaning, such as mathematical symbols (=, +, %, π), scientific notation, musical notes, or map legends.

16. Name the three commonly cited tiers/types of vocabulary relevant to academic language.

    Tier 1 (everyday words), Tier 2 (general academic words across disciplines), and Tier 3 (domain/content-specific technical words).

17. Give an example of a Tier 2 (general academic) vocabulary word.

    Words like analyze, evaluate, factor, summarize, contrast — academic words used across many subjects.

18. Give an example of a Tier 3 (domain-specific) vocabulary word.

    Words like photosynthesis, hypotenuse, denominator, alliteration — technical terms specific to one discipline.

19. What is "syntax" as an academic language demand?

    The set of conventions for organizing words, phrases, and symbols into structures such as sentences, equations, graphs, tables, or other discipline-specific arrangements.

20. Give two examples of syntax in different content areas.

    In ELA: sentence and paragraph structure. In math: the structure of an equation. In science: organizing data in a table or graph (any valid pair).

21. How does syntax differ from discourse?

    Syntax is the structure within sentences/expressions (organizing words and symbols), while discourse is how language is used and organized across larger stretches of text or talk within a discipline.

22. What is "discourse" as an academic language demand?

    The structures of written and oral language, and how members of a discipline talk, write, and participate in knowledge construction — the larger ways content is organized and communicated.

23. Give an example of discourse in a specific discipline.

    The structure of a scientific lab report, a historical argument essay, a mathematical proof, or a literary analysis — discipline-specific ways of organizing extended communication.

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