Category Archives: Podcast Episodes

In this episode I walk through the ACTFL Proficiency Levels and Performance Descriptors.

What are they?

The ACTFL Performance Descriptors (Can Do’s) for Language Learners…

• Describe language performance that is the result of instruction in a classroom setting 
• Reflect how language learners perform in various learning environments.

How are they used in teaching and learning?

• Help teachers create performance tasks targeted to the performance range, while also challenging learners to use strategies from the next next level up (Krashen, i+1). 
• Teachers can set realistic expectations at the summative assessment level. 
• Describe a pathway for learners to keep track of progress, identify areas that need more attention, and have a clear understanding of how to move to the next level.

How are they designed?

The ACTFL Performance Descriptors:

• “Describe the language performance of language learners in Standards-based, performance-oriented learning environments”
• “Provide descriptive performance outcomes adaptable to fit differences in languages and learners” (Any language at any level)

How are they organized?

• Three levels – Novice, Intermediate, Advanced Range (and superior, but for our purposes)
• Three Modes of Communication – Interpersonal, Interpretive, Presentational (episode 8)

What is involved with each proficiency level?

• Functions (global tasks the learner can perform in the language)
• Contexts (learner can function) and Content (topics)
• Text Type (that which the learner is able to understand and produce in order to perform the functions of the level)

Interpersonal Proficiency Levels:

Novice

• Function: Can ask highly predictable and formulaic questions and respond to such questions by listing, naming, and identifying. (May show emerging evidence …)
• Context: Able to function in some personally relevant contexts on topics that relate to basic biographical information.
• Text Type: Understands and produces highly practiced words and phrases and an occasional sentence.

Intermediate

• Function: Consistently able to initiate, maintain, and end a conversation to satisfy basic needs and/or to handle a simple transaction.
• Context: Able to communicate in contexts relevant to oneself and others, and one’s immediate environment.
• Text Type: Able to understand and produce discrete sentences, strings of sentences and some connected sentences. Able to ask questions to initiate and sustain conversations.

Advanced

• Function: Can communicate with ease and confidence by understanding and producing narrations and descriptions in all major time frames and deal efficiently with a situation with an unexpected turn of events
• Context: Content areas include topics of personal and general interest (community, national, and international events) as well as work-related topics and areas of special competence.
• Text Type: Able to understand and produce discourse in full oral paragraphs that are organized, cohesive, and detailed.

 How to use Proficiency Levels (Performance Descriptors) in the classroom

• Unit Can Do (focus on function and text type); global tasks the learner can perform in the language and the language they need to do it
• Assessments (stay with the range)
• Activities: Too low or too high leads to lack of or limited engagement. 

Blog posts:

• wlclassroom.com/ican —  walks through writing I can statements that are truly communicative and there is a link to the ACTFL Performance Descriptors
• wlclassroom.com/levelup — shows what language looks like at each proficiency level and what students can focus on (or do) to level up.

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