Editors' Message: It’s Not Impossible to Acquire and Expand Classroom Language: Instruction Matters

Being prepared for success in high school, college, and most careers involves the ability to read, talk about, and write information that is conveyed through inextricably entwined academic and content language. Acquiring proficiency with academic language is a challenge for all middle school students, and doubly so for those who do not speak English as their home language. The authors in this issue of Voices share examples illustrating that when teachers provide familiar, quality instruction that promotes meaning-centered interactions among students, the children learn how to use an academic register to speak, read, write, explain, and persuade across the disciplines.