Distinguish the differences between social and academic languages by looking at your texts or lectures and contrasting it with how students actually speak to one another. “Academic language can refer to content specific vocabulary such as ‘evaporation’ and ‘condensation’ when discussing the water cycle in science. It can also involve having conceptual understanding of the role of connecting words like ‘although’ and ‘except,’” said Schermerhorn. These advanced words or phrases are used often in school but may rarely come up outside of school, making it hard for students to practice them

With all the proper supports in place, mastering social English can take as long as 3-5 years, and gaining proficiency in academic English takes even more time, as much as 7-9 years, said Schermerhorn. Be patient with your students.

When learning new phrases and concepts, build students’ fluency by giving them the opportunity to practice the new material in all four domains: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Sometimes they may be stronger in one domain than another..

“Design lesson activities that are strategically sequenced to promote the development of academic language,” said Schermerhorn. Begin with what students already understand, and then make a connection with what they are about to learn. Pre-teaching specialized vocabulary can also be an important step before you embark on new subject areas. Background knowledge can help students understand and retain a new language.