The Student Flipbook for Constructing Meaning provides language support to secondary English learners as they prepare to write or speak academically. Designed as a reference tool, meant to sit upon a student's desk, the flipbook is a convenient source of academically-appropriate language to competently answer questions, respond to prompts, or explain solutions. It is organized around five cognitive and linguistic functions:

For each function, there are signal words and phrases, as well as sentence frames, to use when drafting summaries or developing short paragraphs.

The flipbook works well with short written or oral assignments. Encourage students to use the flipbook during writing-to-learn activities, such as free writes, journal entries, or reading summaries. Or when preparing to share their thinking aloud.

The flipbook is designed for independent practice, but only after instruction  on how signal words and sentence frames are used for generating academic language. To ensure that students use the tool properly, review the lay-out and content. Model and practice the process of selecting specific words or phrases to respond to a question or complete a task.

For best results, (1) direct students to the function that addresses the cognitive demands of the task, (2) allow them time to craft their thinking,  (3) then hold them accountable for using the target language accurately  and appropriately.