English language learners (ELLs) have many options for learning colloquial language, but what propels them into academic and higher levels of fluency is academic vocabulary acquisition. Jim Cummins (1981, 2000) conceptualised the distinction between basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS) and cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP), where BICS is colloquial English and CALP is academic language. Although students demonstrating high levels of BICS appear to have commensurate levels of fluency and vocabulary, this ability can mask diminished levels of CALP vocabulary development. To lift the BICS mask, it is imperative to design lessons that drive a deeper acquisition of academic language . . .
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