What is the recommended timeframe for acquiring Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)?

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) refers to the language skills needed for academic achievement and critical thinking, particularly in a school environment. Research indicates that it typically takes students who are learning a second language between 5 to 7 years to fully develop this proficiency. This timeframe allows for the mastery of complex language structures, academic vocabulary, and the ability to engage with higher-order thinking tasks such as analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information in an academic setting.

The longer duration is essential because CALP involves not just basic conversational skills (BICS), which can develop in 1 to 2 years, but also deeper cognitive skills intertwined with academic content across various subjects. Language learners need time to absorb and practice academic language in context, making connections with their personal experiences, and developing critical thinking skills around the subject matter they are studying.

In contrast, shorter timeframes do not align with the research findings that emphasize the complexity and depth of CALP that go beyond conversational use. Therefore, the choice that identifies the 5 to 7 years timeframe accurately reflects the research-supported understanding of the time required to acquire these academic language skills.