BICS vs. CALP

Ever wonder why English language learners can hold conversations but struggle in the classroom?  This video provides great explanations of the differences between Basic Interpersonal Conversational Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2C8aDlQJTY&feature=related

Academic vocabulary games  http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/vocab/index.html

Academic Writing  http://www.victoria.ac.nz/llc/academic-writing/

Academic English Cafe  http://www.academicenglishcafe.com/

Great website about learning academic English
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/04/06/the-best-websites-for-developing-academic-english-skills-vocabulary/

TOEFL is the dominant assessment used in the USA for English language proficiency assessment.
http://www.ets.org/toefl/

IELTS is one assessment of English language proficiency used at the college level, especially in Britain.
  http://www.ielts.org/