BICS stands for Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills.

These language skills

occur in the day-to day conversations, which means they are face-to-face. BICS give
listeners cues like facial expressions, gestures, and concrete objects of reference. These
cues are important for interacting and socializing with others. BICS typically occurs on
the playground, in the lunchroom, and on the school bus. The conversations include
context with these types of language skills and prove to be very meaningful. BICS
develops between 6 months to two years after coming to the U.S and being exposed
to the English language.
The acronym CALP is short for Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. This
language is more formal and can be found in the classroom. CALP includes reading,
writing, listening, and speaking in all content areas. Students must master this type of
language to be able to succeed in school. Therefore, they must take the time and receive
support to achieve proficiency in every content area. To accomplish this stage, it usually
takes approximately five to seven school years. In some instances, it may take even
longer if the child has no prior background in school or native language development. As
they progress in school, the skills become more extensive and can pertain to classifying,
comparing, and inferring content.
When comparing the BICS and the CALP, the first big difference that becomes
evident is the depth in conversation and where the conversation occurs. BICS is a very
basic conversation that results in a straightforward answer, while CALP is a more
detailed and lengthy conversation. As mentioned earlier, BICS is commonly used on the
playground or lunchroom and CALP occurs in a classroom setting. Another difference
between these two language types is the ages when these language types begin. As I

stated earlier, the BICS language usually occurs on average from six months on up to two
years after being in the states. CALP typically develops after the student has been in
school for at least five years.
Both are very similar in that they both require a lot of time and support to reach
these goals. Even to get to the BICS stage can take time. Teachers need to listen to these
conversations and try and work with them to improve. Some students might be closed off
and shy due to the lack of communication skills. These students are the ones who require
a lot of assistance to draw them out.
In most cases, BICS and CALP skills also pertain to and integrate closely with
ELL students. THE ELL students most likely are new to the country and unfamiliar with
the English language. Teachers will evaluate these students upon entering the classroom
to determine their use of the English language. The Teacher must then implement the
steps necessary to acquire the language skills for both BICS and then moving forward to
CALP skills.