Academic language has important implications for both teachers and students since success in school is achieved largely through spoken and written language. But academic language is challenging for students, particularly for English learners.
Most English learners develop conversational English fairly quickly, typically in 1 to 3 years, since this type of interpersonal language tends to be concrete and is highly contextualized with speech supported by gestures, facial expressions, and body language. Academic language, in contrast, is more formal and abstract and is characterized by features such as more complex sentences (e.g., embedded clauses and conjunctions), precise, abstract vocabulary (e.g., representational democracy in social studies and characterization in language arts), and rhetorical forms (e.g., figurative language or rhetorical questions). Unlike conversational language which students experience in everyday settings, academic language is found almost exclusively in school.
The importance of developing academic language should be made transparent to English learners. In fact, most children recognize, even at an early age, that language is used in different ways to do different things. They speak in different ways to their friends than they speak to teachers, and they have learned to talk in particular ways in public situations such as a visit to the doctor or at church. Likewise, students use conversational language at times in class discussions but they also need to be taught the academic language that’s used in a variety of ways across content areas.
One way to develop academic language is through the use of sentence frames, also called language frames. These are used widely as a way of providing support for English learners in oral discussions and writing. Examples include:
I think that __________ because ___________________.
I agree with ______________ but would also add _____________________.
Sentence frames are intended to support students in producing language that they wouldn’t be able to produce on their own. The frame provides a model of academic language that is just beyond their current level of proficiency. Students are able to express their ideas more coherently, with support, using correct sentence structure and academic vocabulary. The idea is that after repeated use students internalize the vocabulary and sentence structures which then become part of their linguistic repertoire.
Since frames are a support, they are differentiated by language proficiency level, providing the right amount of scaffolding needed. The eventual goal is removing frames altogether once students are proficient enough to express themselves using authentic language without support.
For example, a beginning speaker may use a frame, I think _____________. The next level night be, I think __________ because_____________, and a more advanced speaker may use, In my opinion ______________ and the evidence that supports my opinion is _______________________. As you can see, with minimal tweaking, teachers can provide more simplified frames for beginning speakers and more complex sentence structures and vocabulary for more advanced speakers.
Differentiating frames by proficiency level isn’t hard or time-consuming for teachers to do, and the effort is well worth it. Practice with the right frame may advance students’ English acquisition by allowing them to use academic language that is comprehensible for their level of proficiency.
There are innumerable basic sentence frames that are effective such as,
- My favorite character is ___________ because ____________.
- The ___________has __________sides/angles.
- The ___________ revolted against the ______________.
- First __________,then____________, next____________, and finally __________.
- _____________ was caused by______________.
- The experiment demonstrated _________________.
However, teachers might also consider expanding sentence frames in outline form for extended use of academic language, and as a scaffold when reading grade-level texts, which can be difficult and frustrating for EL students. The teacher creates and saves a completed outline of a text’s or lesson’s content. Students use the outline as a guide while reading the text, listening to an audio-recorded version of the text, listening to a mini-lecture, or watching a video. These outlines can be differentiated, as shown below. For students who need less support, some of the detail from the outline can be removed, leaving most headings and some key academic vocabulary. For those who need more support, icons and simple illustrations can be added as additional clues, and the first letters of key vocabulary and concepts also may be included on the outline as hints.
In a science unit on photosynthesis from our new book, 99 Ideas and Activities for Teaching English Learners with the SIOP Model 2e, the outline here uses extensive academic language but it’s scaffolded to be accessible for all students. Students’ completed outlines can be referred to multiple times to reinforce academic language and the lesson’s concepts and, for example, as review for a test or to provide background information during subsequent lessons.
Sample completed Framed Outline
Title: Photosynthesis
I. Difference between animals and plants
a. Animals consume food for energy.
b. Plants produce/make their own food.
II. Photosynthesis
a. Process that plants, algae, and some bacteria use to make their own food.
b. Process of using the sun and water to make food (sugars) from carbon dioxide.
i. Carbon dioxide comes from people and other animals
c. Produces oxygen and glucose (sugar) as food for energy.
d. Excess (extra) oxygen is a byproduct (something made but not used by the plants), is released and is used by animals to breathe.
e. Plants use glucose for:
i. Energy
ii. Later use
iii. To build new parts on the plant
Sample Framed Outline for Intermediate and Advanced Speakers
Title: Photosynthesis
I. Difference between animals and plants
a. Animals ____________________________________________________
b. Plants ______________________________________________________
II. Photosynthesis
a. Process that plants, algae, and some bacteria use ____________________
____________________________________________________________.
b. Process of using the sun and water to ______________________________
i. Carbon dioxide comes from _______________________________
c. Photosynthesis produces _____________________________________ for
__________________________________________________________.
d. In photosynthesis, oxygen ________________________________________.
e. Plants give off _________________, which animals need to breath.
f. Plants use glucose for:
i. _____________________________
ii. _____________________________
iii. _____________________________
Beginning speakers learn the same grade-level content but are provided visual supports to make the content understandable. As an additional support, beginning speakers may work together or partner with a more proficient English speaker to complete the outline and discuss the concepts.
Sample Framed Outline with Pictures
Title: Photosynthesis
I. Difference between animals and plants
a. Animals__________________________________________________
![]()
b. Plants _______________________________________________ 
II. Photosynthesis
a. Process that plants, algae, and some bacteria use _____________________.
____________________________________________________________.
b. Process of using the sun and water to 
______________________________________ .
i. Carbon dioxide comes from ___________________________.
c. Photosynthesis produces ______________________________________
for ______________________________________________________.
d. In photosynthesis, oxygen ________________________________________.
e. Plants give off _________________, which animals need to breath.
f. Plants use glucose for:
i. _____________________________
ii. _____________________________
iii. _____________________________
Sentence frames are valuable tools; they support English learners in expressing their ideas orally and in writing. Consider taking sentence frames to the next level through outlines that enhance comprehension of a lesson’s content and provide practice using academic language in context.