The achievement gap is a language gap—and you can bridge it! Mastering academic language is the "make or break" skill for school success. This much-needed book shows how teachers can scaffold instruction for students who struggle to learn, speakers of non-standard English, and English learners, helping students from all backgrounds to thrive in school. Readers will find: Practical teaching strategies based on the four key facets of academic language fluency Richly detailed case studies about students’ experiences with academic language across the content areas Guidance on family involvement Thought-provoking study questions, along with performance assessment tools