ABSTRACT
The primary purpose of this chapter is to describe the language proficiency requirements for students’ achievement in school. In addition, this chapter reviews the current policy context for research on academic language proficiency, including the European Union and the United States. Also examined is the relationship of academic language proficiency to successful participation in the academic discourse requirements across disciplines and in specific content areas. As defined by Bailey (2010), academic language proficiency “is a formal register … used in school settings for instructional and procedural/navigational purposes that includes the vocabulary, syntax, and discourse associated with classroom talk, textbooks, tests, and other curricular materials” (p. 234). The discussion also includes a review of trends, issues, and how future research is likely to develop on academic language proficiency.
