RICH GOLDEN SHOWER MONTESSORI CENTER

Senior High School Department

SY 2021-2022

LEARNING PACKET MODULE

English 3 – English for Academic and Professional Purposes
Grade 11 – TVL, ABM and GAS
FIRST QUARTER
Week 1 Lesson 1
(September 20-24, 2021)

I. MOST ESSENTIAL LERNING COMPETENCIES

1. Explain the definition of “academic language”;
2. Discuss the academic language demands;
3. Tell the difference between academic language and social language; and
4. Recognize the specific variations of language used for specific discipline.
II. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
1. Definition of Academic Language
2. Academic Language Demands
3. Academic Language versus Social Language
4. Language for Specific Discipline
III. DISCUSSION
What is the meaning of “academic language”?
Why is academic language important to students?
What is the scope of academic language?
Academic language refers to the language that is used by students (whether
college, undergraduate or graduate) in performing academic tasks in school.
It includes the language used in examination and test construction, in textbooks and
other instructional materials. Academic language has accurate vocabulary and is used
to teach the content of academic disciplines
How to Identify Academic Language
The following are the ways to identify academic language in different text
resources.
 Identify the kind of text written.
 Analyze the genre, structure and vocabulary employed in the text.
  Deconstruct the text to provide textual evidence in supporting ideas.
 Read multiple examples of academic texts in various disciplines.
 Adopt a systematic way of learning the importance of academic language.
Academic Language Demands

What are language demands?

Academic language is the means to understand the contents of academic

subjects. It is a must for educators to teach students the language demands so the
students could participate in an academic activity. These language demands, refer to
the specific ways by which students use language to demonstrate learning through
listening, speaking, reading and writing.

The following are examples of language demands:

 Discourse
It includes the structure of oral and written language. Each specific discourse
has its unique characteristics that help communicate or express the text
content.

 Language Function
It is represented by active verbs in learning activities which serve as the
content focus within the product of the learning process.

 Syntax
It refers to the rules of grammar – formula in organizing letters into words,
sentences, paragraphs, charts, etc.

 Vocabulary
It includes words and phrases that are used in various disciplines. They may
be interpreted differently depending on the type of academic discourse they
have been employed.

How does Academic Language differ from Social Language?

ACADEMIC LANGUAGE SOCIAL LANGUAGE

It has longer and more complex sentences.
Actions are translated into nouns to formulate
concepts.
It frequently uses passive voice.
It uses noun phrases.
It is used in structured academic discussions.
It is reflected in formal presentations or edited
writing.
It has shorter and incomplete sentences.
Actions are narrated through verbs.
It uses more active voice.
It has shorter noun phrases.
It is used in informal social conversations.
It is an informal writing for social purposes.

There are eight main features of Academic Writing:

 1. Complexity – Written language is more complex than spoken language. It has
longer words and has more varied vocabulary. It uses more noun-based than
verb-based phrases. Written texts have more grammatical complexities.
2. Formality – Academic writing is relatively formal which means avoidance of the
use of colloquial and slang words and expressions.
3. Precision – Writing academic texts requires precise facts and figures.
4. Objectivity – Academic writing tends to use nouns rather than verbs since it is
written objectively rather than personally. The main emphasis is not you but the
information you give and the arguments that you make.
5. Explicitness – It is the responsibility of the writer in English to make the readers
understand how each part of the text is connected to the other through the use of
transition words.
6. Accuracy – In academic texts, most subjects have narrow specific meanings
because academic writers use vocabulary accurately.
7. Hedging – This is done differently in various subjects since it is necessary to
make a stand on subject in any kind of academic text.
8. Responsibility – In academic writing, you must be able to provide evidences
and justifications for any argument that you make. Understanding of any source
text you use is your responsibility. This is done by paraphrasing and summarizing
what you read and acknowledging the source’s information or ideas by means of
citation.

Language for Specific Disciplines

Academic language can be adapted to many different uses. Each discipline uses
its own discipline-specific variations of academic language. Sometimes the meaning of
this language overlaps between disciplines, while in other instances it may carry an
entirely different meaning. For instance, there are multiple uses of the
word perspective in art, and although some of these uses may be like how it might be
used when discussing science or history, there are certain uses that are entirely unique
to the discipline. In addition to shared language, there is academic language that is
entirely unique within a given discipline. It may eventually become so specialized within
their discipline that it could become entirely unrecognizable to those outside the
discipline.
Academic language doesn’t always need to be overtly explained and can often
be inferred and reinforced in dialogue with students. Because of a lack of appropriate
language to express an understanding, students will often provide fragmented answers
to questions posed in the classroom. Demonstrating appropriate use of academic
language specific to that discipline by neutrally rephrasing these statements is perhaps
the most popular method to subtly develop academic language and seems to be widely
employed across many disciplines.
In many ways, language is more important than that which it describes. The
books, facts, theories, and subjects will continue to change for students, but the specific
language and the general linguistic ability that it develops will be a relatively static asset
in sustaining an ongoing understanding of the world around them.
There are certain words that are used with great frequency that elude general definition.
In the arts, perhaps there are no words quite as vague and yet loaded with meaning as
the words creative, beautiful, and abstract. What do these words mean to you? How do
you use them in colloquial speech? In what ways are they used in your discipline?
(NOTE: Please write your answers to the ACTIVITIES, ASSESSMENTS AND
REFLECTION on a separate sheet of intermediate pad paper.)
IV. ACTIVITY
Identify the following statements as Academic or Social Language: Write your answer
on the blank provided.
__________ 1. It has shorter and incomplete sentences.
__________ 2. It is an informal writing used for social purposes.
__________ 3. It is presented in formal presentation or edited writing.
__________ 4. It has longer and more complex sentences.
__________ 5. Actions are translated into nouns to formulate concepts.
__________6. It frequently uses the passive voice.
__________7. Actions are narrated through verbs.
__________ 8. It uses more active voice.
__________9. It is used in structured academic discussions.
__________10. It is used in informal social conversations.

V. ASSESSMENT
Directions: Identify the features of academic writing described in the following
statements. Write your answers on the blank before the number.

___________ 1. Oral and written language has varied vocabulary and has longer words
and sentences.
___________ 2. It tends to use nouns rather than verbs because it focuses on
information and arguments the writer makes.
___________ 3. It is relatively formal, thus, avoids the use of colloquial and slang words
and expressions.
___________ 4. It requires facts and figures.
___________ 5. It is necessary to support the stance of the paper.
___________ 6. It provides citations and justifications to the presented argument of the
paper.
___________ 7. Academic writers use accurate vocabulary.
___________8. The writer makes use of transition words.
___________9. The writer makes use of paraphrasing and summarizing.
___________10. Written texts have more grammatical complexities.

VI. REFLECTION
After learning about the guidelines and the best practices in academic writing, is it
important that you strictly follow the rules in all the academic activities that you go
through in school? Why? And why not?

Prepared by: Checked by: Noted and Approved by:

Ruth G. Fontanilla Mrs. Lorna G. Sto. Tomas Mrs. Margaret Tan Bueno Bueno, MAEd.
Subject Teacher SHS Principal President and School Directress