Week 2 Blog Post- Language for Academic Thinking
This chapter taught me two new words with regards to linguistics that I had never heard before: “brick” and “mortar.” I have come to discover that brick words can help students build their language efficiently. According to Zwiers, “bricks and mortar are terms used to differentiate between content-specific vocabulary and general academic terms” (Zwiers 22). Brick words are the big, boldfaced words that are typically more technical and specific to a particular discipline. Mortar words and phrases are like the cement that holds bricks today. Mortar words general-utility words that hold the content-specific technical words together (Zwiers 22).
During my short practicum, I learned the importance of defining brick words. If students do not understand the brick words in a specific content area, then students are unable to follow the rest of the teacher’s lesson. For instance, I went and sat in on a chemistry eleven class. Although I took chemistry in high school, it had been years since I had heard many of the words. Being in a classroom that was foreign to me, the teacher’s incorporation of brick words into her lesson was incredibly useful. I was able to fully comprehend the key concepts being taught and what those key concepts meant in chemistry.
When I begin teaching my own class in February, I will be sure to point out brick words in my lessons to help students to understand the key points of my lesson. My practicum school also has a large ELL student population. It might be beneficial for my ELL students to hear me defining some of the mortar words and phrases used in my lesson as well. This will enable them to link together additional phrases and gain a deeper understanding of the English language.
Erin Milne