The Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach: A Bridge to the Mainstream

TLDR

CALLA is a transitional instructional approach for limited English proficient students that integrates content‑area subjects with academic language development and cognitive learning strategies to support upper elementary and secondary learners in mainstream classrooms. This article discusses the rationale for CALLA and its theoretical foundations. The authors describe CALLA’s three components—a curriculum aligned with mainstream content, academic language activities, and learning strategy instruction—and present a brief lesson‑plan model that integrates these elements.

Abstract

The Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA) is designed for limited English proficient students who are being prepared to participate in mainstream content-area instruction. CALLA provides transitional instruction for upper elementary and secondary students at intermediate and advanced ESL levels. This approach furthers academic language development in English through content-area instruction in science, mathematics, and social studies. In CALLA, students are taught to use learning strategies derived from a cognitive model of learning to assist their comprehension and retention of both language skills and concepts in the content areas. This article first discusses the rationale for CALLA and the theoretical background on which the approach is based. This is followed by a description of the three components of CALLA: a curriculum correlated with mainstream content subjects, academic language development activities, and learning strategy instruction. Finally, a lesson plan model integrating these three components is briefly described.