Age and Rate of Acquisition of Second Language for Academic Purposes

Abstract

The study reported in this article analyzed the length of time required for 1,548 advantaged limited English proficient (LEP) students to become proficient in English for academic purposes while receiving instruction in English in all subject areas. Variables included were age on arrival, English proficiency level upon arrival, basic literacy and math skills in the native language upon arrival, and number of years of schooling in English. Second language and content-area achievement were measured by students' performance on the Science Research Associates tests in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The results indicated that LEP students who entered the ESL program at ages 8–11 were the fastest achievers, requiring 2–5 years to reach the 50th percentile on national norms in all the subject areas tested. LEP students who entered the program at ages 5–7 were 1–3 years behind the performance level of their LEP peers who entered the program at ages 8–11, when both groups had the same length of residence. Arrivals at ages 12–15 experienced the greatest difficulty and were projected to require as much as 6–8 years to reach grade-level norms in academic achievement when schooled all in the second language. Whereas some groups may reach proficiency in some subjects in as little as 2 years, it is projected that at least 4–8 years may be required for all ages of LEP students to reach national grade-level norms of native speakers in all subject areas of language and academic achievement, as measured on standardized tests.