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BICS

Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills

Skills which are cognitively-undemanding, including known ideas, vocabulary, and syntax.

“[These skills] are aspects of communication that are used daily in routine communicative exchanges (i.e., while dressing, eating, bathing, playing, etc.) BICS represent the informal aspects of social talk as well as skills that do not require a high degree of cognition (i.e., naming objects and actions, referring to non-existence, disappearance, rejection, and negation, and so forth). Students demonstrating BICS might recognize new combinations of known words or phrases and produce single words or short phrases. When students begin to acquire a second language, they are typically able to develop BIC within 2-3 years. Students should not be placed in learning situations in which second language (L2) is used just because they have adequate L2 BICS.”

Greenberg, L. J. (2008). Teacher’s Resources: Glossary of Second and Primary Language Acquisition Terms from http://earthrenewal.org/secondlang.htm

CALP

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

“CALP takes much longer that BICS to develop; usually about 5-7 years. CALP skills are those that are necessary for literacy obtainment and academic success. CALP enables students to have academic, analytical conversation and to independently acquire factual information. CALP is used to use information acquired to find relationship, make inferences, and draw conclusions.”

Greenberg, L. J. (2008). Teacher’s Resources: Glossary of Second and Primary Language Acquisition Terms from EarthRenewal.org http://earthrenewal.org/secondlang.htm

EAP

English for Academic Purposes

Language skills needed to succeed in academic situations including specialized vocabulary, study skills, and underlying cultural differences. Academic expectations and practices often differ from one culture to another resulting in confusion for both ELLs and their mainstream teachers. 

Hayes, N., Introna, L., & Whitley, E. A. (2005). Plagiarism, values and computing: Differing cultural expectations of academic work in information systems education. In Proceedings of the BEST Conference. Ealing, London. (ISBN 3-937195-09-2) Retrieved Apritl 22, 2008, from http://personal.lse.ac.uk/whitley/allpubs/best2005.pdf

EFL

English as a Foreign Language

EFL refers to a language program similar to those that American students take to learn Spanish or French. This term is generally used when English is not the primary language spoken in the classroom.

ELL

English Language Learners

Any student whose first language is not English and who either lacks proficiency in English or has beginning level proficiency in English.

ENL

English as a New Language

An instructional approach to teaching English:

The Indiana Department of Education defines English as a New Language as “a course for high school students which may count as four of the eight English credits needed for high school graduation. [It] must be taught by an English certified teacher.”
 
Indiana Department of Education Division of Language Minority and Migrant Programs. (2005). Guidelines to satisfy legal requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 USCS, 2000d) Lau v. Nichols (1974) 414 US 563, 39L ED 2d1, 94 S Ct 786 Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 204(f), 20 USCA 1703(f) and 511 IAC 6.1-5-8. Indianapolis, Indiana: Author. Retrieved April 23, 2008 from http://www.doe.state.in.us/lmmp/lepguidelines.html

ELP

English Language Proficiency

“The level of attainment of skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension in the English language. ELP level is determined by a formal ELP assessment that identifies students with an ELP Level 1 through 5. These levels can then be used as a reference to the ELP standards.”

Indiana Department of Education. (2008). Glossary of terms. Indianapolis, Indiana: Author. Retrieved April 22, 2008 from http://www.doe.state.in.us/lmmp/standards.html

ESL

English as a Second Language

An instructional approach to teaching English:

The Indiana Department of Education defines English as a Second Language (ESL) as “specially designed classes of English language instruction for limited-English proficient students. All other subjects taken by the students are part of the general school curriculum and are taught in English.”

“ESL is different from bilingual education in that ESL emphasizes submersion and the goal is early transition. Instruction in English is seen as remedial” (Greenberg).

Greenberg, L. J. (2008). Teacher’s Resources: Glossary of Second and Primary Language Acquisition Terms from earthrenewal.org http://earthrenewal.org/secondlang.htm

Indiana Department of Education Division of Language Minority and Migrant Programs. (2005). Guidelines to satisfy legal requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 USCS, 2000d) Lau v. Nichols (1974) 414 US 563, 39L ED 2d1, 94 S Ct 786 Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 204(f), 20 USCA 1703(f) and 511 IAC 6.1-5-8. Indianapolis, Indiana: Author. Retrieved April 23, 2008 from http://www.doe.state.in.us/lmmp/lepguidelines.html

FEP

Fluent English Proficient

“FEP describes a student whose native language is one other than English and who has attained fluency in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension of English, as well as demonstrated academic achievement comparable to native English-speaking peers.”

Indiana Department of Education. (2008). Glossary of terms. Indianapolis, Indiana: Author. Retrieved April 22, 2008 from http://www.doe.state.in.us/lmmp/standards.html

ISTAR

ISTAR is the alternate assessment available to Indiana students who cannot take ISTEP+.

LEP students are “…eligible to participate in lieu of ISTEP+ due to limited English proficiency and attendance in U.S. schools for less than three years.”

Indiana Department of Education. (2005). Indiana standards tool for reporting. ISTAR Q&A. Indianapolis, Indiana: Author. Retrieved April 23, 2008 from http://istar.doe.state.in.us/criteria/qa.htm#generaldescription

L1

Native language;
language spoken at home

L2

Second language

LAS

Language Assessment Scales

An assessment tool that is used to determine a student’s language status and LEP level – it includes speaking, reading, and writing. Indiana uses the Woodcock-Muñoz, Language Assessment Scales (LAS), and the Idea Proficiency Test (IPT).

LEP

Limited English Proficiency

LEP is used to describe “[i]ndividuals who do not speak English as a primary language and who have limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English…”

Federal Interagency Working Group on Limited English Proficiency. (2008). Frequently Asked Questions. Washington, D.C.: Author. Retrieved April 23, 2008 from http://www.lep.gov/faqs/faq.html

LES

Limited English Speaker

TPR

Total Physical Response

Developed by James J. Asher in the 1960s, TPR is a language-learning tool based on the relationship between language and its physical representation or execution. TPR emphasizes the use of physical activity to increase meaningful learning opportunities and language retention. A TPR lesson involves a detailed series of consecutive actions accompanied by a series of commands or instructions given by the teacher. Students respond by listening and performing the appropriate actions (Asher, 2000a). Asher emphasizes that TPR can be the major focus of a language program or an extremely effective supplement, but that in order for it to be truly effective, training should include "a special course along with hands-on experience monitored by a senior instructor who is also skilled in the intricate applications of TPR" (par. 11).

NWREL. (2003). Strategies and resources for mainstream teachers of English language learners. General principles for teaching ELL students. Retrieved April 23, 2008 from http://www.nwrel.org/request/2003may/general.html.

TPRS

Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling

“Blaine Ray created this method by combining James Asher's Total Physical Response system with personalized stories to help students apply the words learned. The stories are complimented with reading from other sources.”

Total Physical Response. (2008, April 13). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 00:46, April 25, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/

SLA

Second Language Acquisition

The process by which people learn a second language in addition to their native language(s).
SLA differs from formal language learning (i.e., Spanish I or French I).

Current theories describe language acquisition as a continuum in which predictable and sequential stages of language development can be identified. The learner progresses from no knowledge of the new language to a level of competency closely resembling that of a native speaker. There are several distinct stages of second language development. These stages are most often identified as:
Stage I : Silent / Receptive or Preproduction
Stage II: The Early Production
Stage III: The Speech Emergence
Stage IV: Intermediate Language Proficiency
Stage V: Advanced Language Proficiency (NWREL)

Northwest Regional Educational Library. (2008). Strategies and resources for mainstream teachers of English language learners: Overview of Second Language Acquisition Theory. Retrieved April 23, 2008 from http://www.nwrel.org/request/2003may/overview.html