Laura Gillett

Language & Language Development

Week 3 - Assignment 5

BICS and CALP are really interesting to think about in relation to my classroom. I teach in a self-contained
special education classroom with students ages 3-5. My students have a variety of language backgrounds - the
majority of my students are English learners or exposed to a language other than English, a few of my students
are nonvebal, two of my students are deaf or hard of hearing, all of my students receive speech and language
therapy. My students’ use of language is also related to their disabilities (I have students with autism, Down
syndrome, intellectual disabilities, and genetic disorders). For my students, much of the language that would
be considered social becomes academic language. For example, everyday at Circle Time, we practice
greetings in my classroom, as this language has to be explicitly taught for most of my students. Not only do we
practice the specific language we might use as a greeting (Hi, (name).), but we also practice getting someone’s
attention to greet, eye contact, hand gestures (highfive, handshake, fist bump, etc.), body orientation, and
reciprocal communication. For those only learning English as a second language, they might already have eye
contact, hand gestures, etc. routines from their native language and need only to learn replacement greeting
routines and new language. For these reasons, I feel that language that might be BICS for some becomes
CALP for many of my students.

I do have some definite examples of students using BICS language in my classroom. I know that a student is
using conversational language when he gets my attention by taking me by the hand and leading me to a
preferred object or toy and then pointing to the toy or pulling my hand toward the toy. The child is using
language at his level to interact with me to get what he wants. A student might also use one or two words to
ask for a toy or give a scripted greeting (“want ball” or “Hi, Ms. Laura”).
I also set up opportunities for my students to use academic language in my classroom, specifically during small
group academic work. During small group academic rotations, my staff and I work with the students to use
academic language during math, literacy, and fine motor activities, as well as during structured play. For
students who are able, we use academic language (counting, colors, shapes, positional words, letters,
character, setting, plot words, etc.) verbally. For all of my students, especially for those who are nonverbal or
have limited language, the emphasis is often on receptive understanding. I also incorporate as many concrete
examples, props, and visuals as possible to help embed context during academic activities.

As I reflect on my students’ use of social language and academic language in the classroom, I have found that,
because of my students unique abilities, social language has to be explicitly taught and often times becomes
academic language. I have found it really interesting to think of BICS and CALP in relation to my students who
are learning English as a second language who also have special needs. My students’ unique needs add
another complex layer to language acquisition, when it is already a multifaceted process.