First paper at EWU Pathways

Describe your own language learning experience and knowledge
using the terms BICS and CALP

My mother is from Spain and my father is from France. They both know each language, but not very well the foreign language. I learned to speak French and Spanish at the same time, but in separate ways. My mother spoke to me in Spanish, my father in French. So, for me, they were two separate worlds and I didn’t mix both languages. I was able to use both languages in BICS ( for social interaction )

Before going to primary school, I learned to read and to write in Spanish with my mother at the same time as my older brother. Then I went to primary school where I learned to read and write in French. So I learnt CALP (academic skills) in both languages and it was alright. But after that, I didn’t take Spanish classes, so I didn’t improve my Spanish in CALP, while I have improved my CALP in French: my vocabulary has increased, I can express myself and write really better.

When I entered 6th grade, I went to an European class where I learned intensive german and I spent 6 months in Germany. So, at the same time, I learned both BICS and CALP in the country. It has been really useful for me to spend time in Germany. I went to Highschool there and could really improve my BICS (talking to other children, playing with them, interacting in any situation) and my CALP ( because I also had to do my homework and the exams like the german pupils, so I had to reach their level in CALP). In 6th grade I also learned latin and greek, only CALP because we can’t speak them. But we learned a lot of technical words to be able to translate old texts.

When I was in 7th grade I met a group of american adolescents and we became close friends. They came from California and only spoke English and a bit Spanish. And I learned to speak English with them. They spoke in English and I could understand them more and more, and I began to be able to speak. After a few months, I could really have a conversation with them (BICS). When I entered 8th grade I took English classes in Highschool and I learned CALP English (academic skills) but it was hard at the beginning, because I had learned it without the grammar. My CALP has improved during 4 years (I learned to write more properly and increased my vocabulary). But now I haven’t been using my CALP English for 7 years, so I really have to improve it.

Years later, when I went to the university I studied Portuguese, BICS almost. We learned how to interact and use our social skills. I have learned it for almost one year, but it is so similar to Spanish that I can understand everything and I can speak quite good. At the university, I also studied Spanish literature and history and had the opportunity to improve my CALP in Spanish, that is what I have been willing to do for quite a long time. My academic skills have very easily improved and I think I am now comfortable in CALP in both languages French and Spanish.