Academic Language Proficiency Research Articles

Beyond Vocabulary: Exploring Cross-Disciplinary Academic-Language Proficiency and Its Association With Reading Comprehension

Despite a longstanding awareness of academic language as a pedagogically relevant research area, the construct of academic language proficiency, understood as a more comprehensive set of skills than just academic vocabulary, has remained vaguely specified. In this study, we explore a more inclusive operationalization of an academic language proficiency construct, Core Academic Language Skills (CALS). CALS refers to a constellation of high-utility language skills hypothesized to support reading comprehension across school content areas. Using the CALS-I, a theoretically grounded and psychometrically robust innovative instrument, we first examined the variability in students' CALS by grade, English proficiency designation, and socioeconomic status (SES). Then, we examined the contribution of CALS to reading comprehension using academic vocabulary knowledge, word reading fluency, and socio- demographic factors as covariates. A linguistically and socioeconomically diverse cross- sectional sample of 218 students (grades 4-6) participated in four assessments: the CALS-I, a standardized reading comprehension assessment (GMRT), an academic vocabulary test (VAT), and a word reading fluency test (TOSWRF). GLM analysis of variance revealed that CALS differed significantly by grade, English proficiency designation, and SES, with students in higher grades, English proficient students, and those from higher SES backgrounds displaying higher scores, on average. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses identified CALS as an independent predictor of reading comprehension, even after controlling for academic vocabulary knowledge, word reading fluency, and socio-demographic factors. By specifying a set of language skills associated with reading comprehension, this study advances our understanding of school- relevant language skills, making them more visible for researchers and educators. ACADEMIC LANGUAGE & READING COMPREHENSION 3 Beyond vocabulary: Exploring cross-disciplinary academic language proficiency and its association with reading comprehension

South Asian students' needs for Cantonese and written Chinese in Hong Kong: a linguistic study

Based on qualitative data obtained from 15 South Asian (SA) B.Ed. (EL) (Bachelor of Education in English Language) students, this study reports on SA students' difficulty in mastering Mandarin-based written Chinese and the vernacular Cantonese in Hong Kong. For convenience, SA here also refers to students whose homeland is the Philippines. Since Britain's return of sovereignty to China on 1 July 1997, the language policy of post-colonial Hong Kong is characterised by biliteracy and trilingualism (兩文三語): the ability to read and write Chinese and English and to speak Cantonese, English and Putonghua/Mandarin. Unlike during the colonial era, much greater significance is now accorded to Chinese literacy, but SA students' poor performance in written Chinese and Cantonese defies such social expectations. A lack of Chinese literacy is a major stumbling block towards gaining access to educational and career opportunities. This raises two ethical issues: social inequality resulting from a lack of a level-playing field and denial of opportunities for social mobility through education. Implications of our empirical findings will be briefly discussed in light of Cummins' interdependency hypothesis on the development of basic interpersonal communicative skills and cognitive academic language proficiency in Chinese.

Cognition and the Language of Learning in South Africa: A Grade 10 Economics Perspective

In South Africa an increasing number of learners are taught through the medium of English. Limited English proficiency (LEP) learners who enter classes where English is the language of learning, encounter serious problems in coping with their academic work. These learners have usually acquired informal, colloquial language or Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS), but lack Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). The primary aim of this article is to explore the language dilemma which Grade ten LEP learners' experience. From these findings, recommendations are made concerning ways in which educators can support English language acquisition in the context of the learning areas for which they are responsible. In this study the focus is on LEP learners in the Economics classroom. Although Economics has its own "language" or terminology, concepts are explained in English by the educator, as it is the language of learning. The researcher is a lecturer in the methodology of Economics, and became aware of the language problems of LEP learners while evaluating his student educators in the school setting.

’n Behoefte-analise met die oog op die ontwerp van ’n Taal vir Spesifieke Doeleindes (TSD)-kursus vir leerderonderwysers met Afrikaans as tweede taal

’n Behoefte-analise met die oog op die ontwerp van ’n Taal vir Spesifieke Doeleindes (TSD)-kursus vir leerderonderwysers met Afrikaans as tweede taal

Impact of Language Proficiency on Academic Achievement among Nursing Students

Background: In preparing future nurses who are competent to provide safe care, nursing education has an important role in updating current knowledge, skills and attitudes of patient care. As students progress through the grades, the academic tasks they are required to complete and the linguistic contexts in which they must function become more complex. As language is socially situated, it is described as only one of many complex features that may affect academic progress. Objectives: To assess the impact of language proficiency on academic achievement among nursing students. Methods: A total of thirty one nursing students in a medical college were administered with written Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper test after getting consent to assess their language proficiency. The cognitive domain which represents the knowledge acquired during the course was evaluated by formative assessment as per university norms. Strength of association between language proficiency and academic achievement was measured using Pearson correlation coefficient using medcalc software. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Correlation with Pearson correlation test between academic achievement and language proficiency showed statistically significant association. Conclusion: Language proficiency plays an important role in the academic achievement among the nursing students. Inculcating English language course in to the curriculum of nursing programme will uplift the standards of nursing education and thereby nursing care.

The Effects of Bilingualism and Language Attitudes on Algerian Students’ Academic Proficiency in Medical Sciences

This study examines learners’ Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency and Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills in L2 in order to determine the accuracy level of French oral language proficiency and academic achievement of students in Medical sciences (Tlemcen University). Adopting a few sociolinguistic research tools, the researcher has obtained some results confirming that students often lag behind in academic performance due to the delay in the development of Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) and to the complexity of bilingual language acquisition despite their apparent language fluency which reflects their achievement in Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills interpreted as communicative success. Another important aim in this research was to analyze the effects of students’ attitudes towards French.

Transitioning from Māori-medium to English-medium education: emerging findings of a pilot study

Māori-bilingual education in New Zealand has come a long way towards injecting life into the Māori language. However, only a small number of families commit to bilingual education for the long term. This paper discusses why Māori parents either turn away from Māori-bilingual education or prematurely transition to English-medium schools. It then reports the findings of an ethnographic pilot study of a Māori-bilingual graduate who transitioned to an English-medium secondary school after more than eight years attending Māori-bilingual programmes. The student's transition was very successful, both in terms of acquiring high levels of academic language proficiency and necessary cultural knowledge. However, it was highly reliant on the support and interventions her parents provided throughout her schooling – particularly regarding both English and Māori languages. This article focuses on the student's first year of transition and, in particular, the language and cultural issues that her family had to navigate to ensure her success.

Academisch taalgebruik in het Nederlandse wetenschappelijk onderwijs: stand van zaken en blik op de toekomst

Abstract This article discusses aspects of academic literacy. It first focuses on academic language in general, highlighting its characteristics and the process of academic language acquisition by university students. A review is given of the problems with academic language proficiency of students at Dutch universities and initiatives to improve this proficiency. In the second part, the relation between language and culture in the academic context is the point of focus. Some of the problems with the social and cultural integration of students into the academic world are identified and suggestions for further research are given.

Onset and expansion of L2 cognitive academic language proficiency in bilingual settings: CALP in CLIL

This paper sets out to trace the appearance and evolution of academic language structures in a second language, in formal bilingual contexts. The setting of the study was a selection of secondary schools where a content and language integrated approach (CLIL immersion-type programmes) was set up. A corpus was formed of 244 historical narratives, from 4 schools, of subjects from 9th to 12th grade (age range 13–17 years). Analytical software tools such as Synlex (Lu, 2010) were used to consider the evolution of complex syntax and cohesion. The study concludes with observations pertaining to the growth of cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) in content-driven learning settings, the non-linear development of the L2 system and the major metrics which undergo change over the period.

Higher Education Access and Success through Distance English Language Learning

Increased access to post-secondary education is necessary to advance the global knowledge society. Recognition of the benefits of higher education for individuals and their communities and nations has resulted in a large demand for higher education which institutions are finding difficult to fulfill due to adherence to traditional practices, policies, organizational structures, and delivery methods. Barriers for potential learners include access in terms of cost, admission standards, and scheduling. Governments around the world are determining strategies to overcome these barriers and provide opportunities for traditionally underserved populations. Distance education allows for the expansion of higher education courses and degrees in ways that are flexible and affordable for a range of diverse and nontraditional learners. As English is the medium of instruction for much educational content, particularly online instruction designed for a global audience, academic English language proficiency is a prerequisite for success. Innovative approaches are needed to help learners acquire English language skills in online environments and build a foundation to further educational opportunity. This paper describes innovative approaches that address issues of access and learner preparation in terms of academic English language and learning strategies that have been implemented by two institutions in the United States.

Polyphony and Polygraphy: African First-Language Speakers As Learner-Writers at a Private School in South Africa

The Telkom Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of the telecommunications giant in South Africa, funded twenty learners from previously disadvantaged schools to enrol and study at a private school called the International School of South Africa (ISSA) in 2008. Upon enrolment, learners took a proficiency test and results thereof indicated they lacked cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) skills, especially in reading and writing. The current multi-method longitudinal case study used a questionnaire for the participants, consultations with the learners’ parents, an examination of the ISSA entry and exit syllabuses, and observations to assess the participants’ language needs. Error analysis, together with contrastive analysis, provided the theoretical framework. One finding was that the participants’ change-over from mother-tongue instruction to using English as the LoLT had been done prematurely when the learners had not yet acquired sufficient academic cognitive skills. The findings suggest that intervention that could empower the participants and accommodate the learners’ transcultural experiences is enhanced through a needs analysis and use of a relevant and efficient syllabus. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n14p319

Challenges in oral communication for internationally educated nurses.

Achieving English language proficiency, while key to successful adaptation to a new country for internationally educated nurses (IENs), has presented more difficulties for them and for educators than previously recognized. Professional communication within a culturally diverse client population and maintaining collaborative relationships between nurses and other team members were perceived as new challenges for IENs. Learning an additional language is a long-term, multistage process that must also incorporate social and cultural aspects of the local society and the profession. This article provides a descriptive review of current research literature pertaining to English language challenges, with a focus on oral language, experienced by IENs. Educational strategies for teaching technical language skills as well as the socio-pragmatics of professional communication within nursing programs are emphasized. Bridging education programs must not only develop students'academic language proficiency but also their ability to enter the workforce with the kind of communication skills that are increasingly highlighted by employers as essential attributes. The results of this review are intended to facilitate a clearer understanding of the English language and communication challenges experienced by IENs and identify the implications for designing effective educational programs.

Bilingualism or Biliteracy: Predicting the Interdependence of BICS and CALP in Learning English as an L3

This study examined the performance of two different groups of bilinguals (dominant bilinguals vs. balanced biliterate/bilinguals) in two sets of skills, that is, BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skill) and CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency). It was hypothesized that different types of bilinguals perform differently on tests of reading as CALP and speaking as BICS. A total number of 96 senior learners of English as an L3 within the age range of 21-24 participated in this study. Fifty two (28 female, 24 male) were fully biliterate Kurdish-Arabic EFL learners from Salahaddin University in Kurdistan, Iraq and the remaining 44 (12 female, 32 male) were Kurdish-Persian bilingual learners of English from Kurdistan University in Kurdistan, Iran. Data was collected through a highly reliable linguistic background questionnaire and the reading and speaking tests of the First Certificate in English (FCE). Results submitted to a series of two-way ANOVA statistical test indicated that bilingual subjects performed better than biliterates in reading. On the other hand, no statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups with regard to their performance in BICS. In addition, findings indicated no significant interaction between linguistic background and gender of the participants as it impacted performance in L3 tasks. Findings are discussed in relation to the effect of active use of languages in the community, and the differential effect of degrees of bilingualism on L3 acquisition.

Core academic language skills: An expanded operational construct and a novel instrument to chart school-relevant language proficiency in preadolescent and adolescent learners

ABSTRACTBeyond academic vocabulary, the constellation of skills that comprise academic language proficiency has remained imprecisely defined. This study proposes an expanded operationalization of this construct referred to as core academic language skills (CALS). CALS refers to the knowledge and deployment of a repertoire of language forms and functions that co-occur with school learning tasks across disciplines. Using an innovative instrument, we explored CALS in a cross-sectional sample of 235 students in Grades 4–8. The results revealed between- and within-grade variability in CALS. Psychometric analyses yielded strong reliability and supported the presence of a single CALS factor, which was found to be predictive of reading comprehension. Our findings suggest that the CALS construct and instrument appear promising for exploring students’ school-relevant language skills.

Language Learning Strategy Use and its Impact on Proficiency in Academic Writing of Tertiary Students

This research for a PhD dissertation on language learning strategies and academic writing skills of tertiary students in Fiji investigates the relationship between strategy preferences and proficiency in academic writing. It shows that the majority of students used language learning strategies with medium frequency. Metacognitive and cognitive strategies were used most frequently followed by social, compensation, memory and affective. There is a weak positive correlation between strategy use and academic language proficiency. Weaknesses in the undergraduate students‟ academic language cannot be attributed to their language learning strategies.

Formation of foreign communicative competence of adult immigrants in the USA

ABSTRACT The necessity of forming foreign communicative competence of adult immigrants has been substantiated. The topicality of this issue for Ukraine has been defined. The experience of Global Talent Bridge, an initiative of World Education Services that is dedicated to helping skilled immigrants fully utilize their talents and education in the United States, concerning formation of adult immigrants’ communicative competence has been analyzed. It has been defined that their research concerning organization and realization of contextualized education of adult immigrants aimed at the formation of communicative competence in the process of learning English as a second language has positive results and can be used as a basis for formation of communicative competence of Ukrainian emigrants. Principles of communicative approach to learning a language and the essence of learning for specific purposes have been defined. It has been determined that the education of adult immigrants aimed at the formation of communicative competence is sure to presuppose the availability of contextualized curriculum. The definition of contextualized curriculum has been given. It has been stated that in the process of its elaboration it is necessary to take into consideration the aim of immigrants’ language learning, the priority of fluency and proficiency of language, principles of learning a foreign language by adults, communicative aspect of learning a language, the necessity of forming skills of Basic Interpersonal Communication and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency; usage of special tests for checking skills of communicative competence, different types of lessons for proficient knowledge of everyday English as a second language.

Discipline-specific versus generic academic literacy intervention for university education: An issue of impact?

In a context where progressively more underprepared students gain access to higher education, South African universities are obligated to offer appropriate support to such students that may reduce their risk in being successful with their studies. Part of this underpreparedness is the large proportion of students who enter universities with inadequate levels of academic literacy (AL). As a point of departure, this article investigates the ways in which AL is defined in the literature, and then continues to explore the nature of AL interventions at South African universities with specific reference to generic and discipline-specific proposals for such interventions. It further discusses the apparent trend for interventions toincreasingly situate AL practices in the context of the discourses of specificacademic disciplines. Subsequently, the proposed benefits of these approaches are considered, which are then followed by a discussion of the kinds of evidence that are reported with regard to the impact of interventions (both generic and discipline-specific) on the academic literacy practices of students. Keywords: Academic literacy, discipline-specific AL, generic AL, academic language support, academic language proficiency, English for Specific Purposes, English for Academic Purposes, academic writing, academic reading, Contentbased Instruction, Language Across the Curriculum, Writing Across the Curriculum, genre-based approaches, higher education, impact

English-medium education in a multilingual setting: A case in South Africa

After achieving democracy in 1994, South Africa experienced major socio-political reforms in a number of areas, including a new constitution, language policy reforms, and new national curricula for schools. Due to the perceived instrumental value of English, many local schools rejected indigenous languages as medium of instruction in favour of English. This shift toward English-medium education has resulted in the limited development of students' academic language proficiency and hampered their access to higher education. At the University of the Free State, 65% of students struggle to understand academic content in English. This paper describes the national curricular reforms; the language-in-education policy and the intervention designed to meet this challenge at the university. The paper reports the implementation process of the academic literacy program and preliminary findings on the effectiveness of this intervention.

Assessment of International Students Through the Medium of English: Ensuring Validity and Fairness in Content-Based Examinations

International assessments in a wide range of subjects are being prepared for and delivered through the medium of English in a variety of educational contexts. These assessments are taken by many candidates whose first language is not necessarily English. This raises important issues relating to assessment validity and fairness. This study describes an analysis of the linguistic demands in the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)—a major high-stakes qualification for 16-year-olds. The focus of the study is IGCSE History, Biology, and Geography. Data for analysis includes syllabuses, question papers, mark schemes, and candidate performances. Findings suggest that each subject necessarily requires academic language (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) and some of the key academic language skills are identified. An average language proficiency level of B2 on the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) is useful to access typical IGCSE exams, and CEFR level of C1 could provide an added advantage of linguistic resources to be able to develop arguments needed for higher grades for Humanities subjects such as History and Geography. The outcomes have contributed to the question writing process and have informed the construction of a toolkit for content and language teachers.

Semiotic Reading and the RSI: In Search of The Lost Symbol in the Penal Colony

This article offers a semiotic trip in search of The Lost Symbol in Washington DC, designed with the esoteric codes of the secret teachings of all ages scattered around. During his twelve-hour night journey the protagonist, a professor of symbolic codes and a highly experienced academic in the field of the esoteric codes, emerges illuminated as he assumes to have found the secret codes that could change disastrous human destiny right round into a more benevolent, promising one. By studying the intersemiotic nature of The Lost Symbol in terms of the secret teachings of all ages given in contrast to the religious doctrines this article explores in depth how effectively readers can develop cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP). As the semiotic reading approach offers a critical reading strategy, readers will be able to follow the consecutive steps presented in line with the principles of the Reading Strategy Instruction (RSI). DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n3p329