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Bics and Calps

The document discusses the differences between Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). BICS refers to everyday social language skills needed for interactions and develops within 2 years. CALP involves more advanced academic language skills like synthesizing and inferring that are needed for school success, and takes 5-7 years to develop. The Ohio University Program in Intensive English (OPIE) aims to help international students gain CALP skills in a short time frame through intensive practice, as most have educational backgrounds focused on memorization rather than skills like research and presentation developed in American schools over 12 years.

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Nayla Alejandra Montoya Corrales
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225 views2 pages

Bics and Calps

The document discusses the differences between Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). BICS refers to everyday social language skills needed for interactions and develops within 2 years. CALP involves more advanced academic language skills like synthesizing and inferring that are needed for school success, and takes 5-7 years to develop. The Ohio University Program in Intensive English (OPIE) aims to help international students gain CALP skills in a short time frame through intensive practice, as most have educational backgrounds focused on memorization rather than skills like research and presentation developed in American schools over 12 years.

Uploaded by

Nayla Alejandra Montoya Corrales
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BICS & CALPS

Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS)


Experts such as Jim Cummins differentiate between social and
academic language acquisition. Basic Interpersonal Communication
Skills (BICS) are language skills needed in social situations. It is the
day-to-day language needed to interact socially with other people.
English language learners (ELLs) employ BIC skills when they are in
the cafeteria, at parties, playing sports and talking on the telephone.
Social interactions are usually context embedded. That is, they occur
in a meaningful social context. They are not very demanding
cognitively. The language required is not specialized. These language
skills usually develop within six months to two years after arrival in the
U.S.
Problems arise when teachers and administrators think that a student
is proficient in a language when they demonstrate good social English
(i.e., BICS).

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)


CALP refers to formal academic learning. This includes listening,
speaking, reading, and writing about subject area content material.
This level of language learning is essential for students to succeed in
school. Students need time and support to become proficient in
academic areas. This usually takes from five to seven years. Many
studies have been conducted in bilingual-speaking regions of Canada.
Academic language acquisition isnt just the understanding of content
area vocabulary. It includes skills such as comparing, classifying,
synthesizing, evaluating, and inferring. Academic language tasks are
context reduced. Information is read from a textbook or presented by
the teacher. As a student gets older the context of academic tasks
becomes more and more reduced.
The language also becomes more cognitively demanding. New ideas,
concepts and language are presented to the students at the same
time.

CALP Instruction at OPIE


At Ohio University, international students study in classes with
domestic (i.e., American) students who have acquired CALP during

their twelve years in an English-speaking context in elementary,


middle and high schools. These students practice their research and
presentation skills at a young age, usually in the early years of
elementary school. In contrast, many international students come
from school environments where they listen to the teacher, take notes,
memorize facts, and then take multiple-choice tests. Thus, these two
education environments are very different.
Instruction in OPIE is aimed at giving international students practice in
gaining CALP in an intensive English-speaking environment and in a
short time frame. OPIE faculty and staff realize that students do not
have five to seven years as research indicates might be needed. Thus,
students practice skills such as comparing, classifying, synthesizing,
evaluating, and inferring information and present the results in
comprehensible written and spoken forms in our classes. The fact that
the majority of our students are successful graduates of American
universities is a testament to the efficacy of the program.

CALPS & Years in School


14
12
10
8
6

Years in School

4
2
0
American
Education CALPS

OPIE CALPS

From http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/bics_calp.php
For an interesting video by Dr. Cummins, see
http://vimeo.com/56112120
An interesting description is also available at
http://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/Publications/
Specialist-Councils/ESL-31%20Distinguishing%20between%20BICS%20and%20CALP.pdf

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