While many EAL learners may develop BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) relatively quickly, CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) — the language needed for reading complex texts, writing analytically, and discussing ideas in depth — can take many years to develop.

In English Language Arts, students are expected to interpret texts, use academic vocabulary, understand figurative language, and express ideas clearly in speaking and writing. These demands can be challenging for EAL learners even when they appear fluent in social English. Explicit language instruction, models, visuals, and scaffolded tasks help support success. The EAL teacher at your school can assist with strategies, resources, and teaching ideas, or work with individual students in small groups or pull-out sessions to explore topics in more detail.

Glossaries in different languages (ELA, Math Science, Social Studies)

Oxford Learner's Dictionaries provide students with simplified definitions, example sentences, and audio files (North American pronunciation)

SSRCE EAL Website