How long are BICS typically expected to develop?

BICS, or Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills, are typically expected to develop over a timeframe of 6 months to 2 years for English Language Learners (ELLs). This duration reflects how long it usually takes for students to become conversationally fluent in a second language, enough to engage in everyday communication and understand informal social interactions.

The reason this period is relatively short compared to other language competencies is that BICS relies on contextualized interactions and predictable environments, where learners can use body language, gestures, and visual cues to facilitate understanding. This contrasts with more complex cognitive language skills that require deeper cognitive processing and are developed over a longer timeline. The mentioned time frame effectively captures the average experience of ELL students as they socialize and engage informally in the language.