Grades 2-3

SPEAKING EXAMPLE 1

SETTING THE SCENE

Review the speaking portion of rubric #1 – Interaction, Listening, Speaking, and Reading Language Use Inventory for Grades 2-3 and then watch the following video. Take note of what you see in the video related to the performance descriptors in the rubric and then proceed to the performance review.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Start with the Lowest performance descriptor and work your way up.

LOW

Can use a series of connected phrases and short, simple sentences to talk in simple terms about familiar topics with little to no content-specific vocabulary.

This student can clearly use a series of connected phrases and short, simple sentences. She uses compound, complex sentences throughout the interview. For example, when answering the questions about what quality of life is, she said,

“Well, first of all, quality of life is how good your life is. And all of the student that we were talking to had a lot of good ideas about it on how there were advantages and disadvantages.”

Furthermore, she is discussing an academic topic, which requires her to use academic vocabulary on unfamiliar topics (those not part of everyday life or ordinary social interactions – e.g. What did you do after school yesterday?).

Her use of language meets and exceeds the definition of LOW, so move on to the definition of MODERATE.

MODERATE

Can use a series of connected phrases and short, simple sentences to talk in simple terms and some content-specific vocabulary about familiar and academic topics.

The difference between the LOW and MODERATE level descriptors is the addition of the ability to talk about academic topics. From the analysis of her language for the previous level, we’ve determined that she is speaking effectively about an academic topic (quality of life and what affects it), so you can now move on to the descriptor for HIGH.

HIGH

Can present clear, expanded discourse about a familiar or academic topic using content-specific vocabulary.

This descriptor is markedly different than the other two. Now you must determine if her language use is clear and expanded and if she is using content-specific vocabulary.

Her use of language is clear. For example, she is able to provide a well-defined and comprehensible description of Natural resources – “Natural resources are things that we use that come from the Earth like wood, rocks and minerals, fossil fuels, and water”. It is also expanded. She uses more than simple phrases and short sentences – “Well, the advantages could be they could turn the maple syrup thing into a business and they could sell them across Canada.” This is a compound, complex sentence and she did not struggle to produce it.

Lastly, you have to determine if the student is able to use content-specific vocabulary. In this example, she uses several content-specific words and other tier 2 words/phrases – advantages, disadvantages, regions, fossil fuels, natural resources, produce, pastels, lowlands, represent.

In addition, you may have noted that her pace when speaking is not slowed. She speaks fluently and without many pauses. She is also able to select the appropriate tenses and correct forms of speech (thought it would be interesting, instead of capturing, the students that we were talking to, advantages could be, they can sell, don’t have, a book that I was reading).

CONCLUSION

This student’s use of language should be rated as HIGH based on the evaluation using the criteria in the reclassification rubric.

ADDITIONAL CRITERIA/RESOURCES

If you find it difficult to determine which level describes a student’s language use, or for an additional check for confidence in your decision, then you may reference the WIDA Performance Definitions for Speaking and Writing. The Performance Definitions are the foundation of the WIDA and PA English Language Development Standards. As the title implies, they define how students use language at various proficiency levels. There are two Performance Definitions documents (Writing/Speaking and Reading/Listening) and they apply to K-12. They are each divided into three dimensions – the word/phrase level, the sentence level, and the discourse level. For more information about the Performance Definitions or to download them, visit the WIDA website at https://wida.wisc.edu/teach/standards/eld and select the Performance Definitions documents from the download menu on the right.

Level 6 – Reaching
	Discourse Dimension	Sentence Dimension	Word/Phrase Dimension
	Linguistic Complexity	Language Forms and Conventions	Vocabulary Usage
English language learners will process a range of grade-appropriate oral or written language for a variety of academic purposes and audiences. Automaticity in language processing is reflected in the ability to identify and act on significant information from a variety of genres and registers. English language learners’ strategic competence in processing academic language facilitates their access to content area concepts and ideas.
At each grade, toward the end of a given level of English language proficiency, and with instructional support, English language learners will produce…
Level 5 Bridging	Multiple, complex sentences Organized, cohesive, and coherent expression of ideas characteristic of particular content areas	A variety of complex grammatical structures matched to purpose A broad range of sentence patterns characteristic of particular content areas	Technical and abstract content-area language, including content-specific collocations Words and expressions with precise meaning across content areas
Level 4 Expanding	Short, expanded, and some complex sentences Organized expression of ideas with emerging cohesion characteristic of particular content areas	Compound and complex grammatical structures Sentence patterns characteristic of particular content areas	Specific and some technical content-area language Words and expressions with expressive meaning through use of collocations and idioms across content areas
Level 3 Developing	Short and some expanded sentences with emerging complexity Expanded expression of one idea or emerging expression of multiple related ideas across content areas	Simple and compound grammatical structures with occasional variation Sentence patterns across content areas	Specific content language, including cognates and expressions Words or expressions with multiple meanings used across content areas
Level 2 Emerging	Phrases or short sentences Emerging expression of ideas	Formulaic grammatical structures Repetitive phrasal and sentence patterns across content areas	General content words and expressions Social and instructional words and expressions across content areas
Level 1 Entering	Words, phrases, or chunks of language Single words used to represent ideas	Phrase-level grammatical structures Phrasal patterns associated with familiar social and instructional situations	General content-related words Everyday social and instructional words and expressions

Level 5 language use based on the Performance Definitions supports a rating of HIGH on the reclassification rubric.
Level 4 language use on the Performance Definitions supports a rating of MODERATE in most cases.
Level 3 language use can support a rating of LOW or MODERATE.

In this example, her speech can be characterized most accurately by the descriptors in level 5 for all three dimensions of academic language (discourse, sentence and word level), which supports a rating of HIGH on the reclassification rubric.

If you find it difficult to determine which level of language use the student demonstrates using the reclassification rubrics and the Performance definitions (it is split evenly between two levels), then you can reference the WIDA Speaking Interpretive Rubric for grades 1-12.

WIDA Speaking Interpretive Rubric Grades 1-12
	Discourse Level	Sentence Level	Word/Phrase Level
	Linguistic Complexity	Language Forms	Vocabulary Usage
	Response is fully comprehensible, fluent, and appropriate to purpose, situation and audience; comparable to the speech of English proficient students meeting college- and career-readiness standards; characterized by:
Level 6 Reaching	sustained, connected oral language characterized by confidence, coherence, and precision in the expression of ideas tailored to purpose, situation, and audience clear evidence of consistency in conveying an appropriate perspective and register	a full range of oral phrase and sentence patterns and grammatical structures matched to content area topics controlled, skilled use of oral language to convey meaning, including for effect	consistent usage of just the right word or expression in just the right context related to content area topics facility with precise vocabulary usage in general, specific, or technical language
	Response is comprehensible, fluent, and generally related to purpose; generally comparable to the speech of English proficient peers; characterized by:
Level 5 Bridging	sustained, connected oral language that shows appropriate and coherent expression of ideas related to purpose, situation and audience clear evidence of conveying an appropriate perspective and register	a broad range of oral phrase and sentence patterns and grammatical structures matched to the content area topic controlled, fluid use of oral language to convey meaning, including for effect	usage of technical and abstract content-area words and expressions as appropriate usage of words and expressions with precise meaning related to content area topics as appropriate vocabulary usage that fulfills the speaking purpose
	Response is generally comprehensible, fluent, and related to purpose; characterized by:
Level 4 Expanding	connected oral language that supports the expression of expanded or related ideas through emerging coherence, detail and clarity some evidence of conveying an appropriate perspective and register	a range of oral phrase and sentence patterns and grammatical structures characteristic of the content area generally controlled and fluid use of oral language to convey meaning	usage of specific and some technical content area words and expressions as appropriate usage of words and expressions with multiple meanings or common idioms across content areas as appropriate vocabulary usage that generally fulfills the speaking purpose
	Response is generally comprehensible (though comprehensibility and fluency may from time to time be compromised in more complex speech); characterized by:
Level 3 Developing	oral language that shows the development of connected language in the expression of an expanded idea or multiple related ideas evidence of a developing sense of perspective and register	developing range of oral phrase and sentence patterns and grammatical structures common to content areas developing control in use of oral language to convey meaning	usage of some specific content words and expressions as appropriate usage of words or expressions used frequently in content areas, as appropriate vocabulary usage that attempts to fulfill the speaking purpose
	Response is generally comprehensible (though comprehensibility and fluency may often be compromised in more complex speech); characterized by:
Level 2 Emerging	oral language that shows emerging expression of ideas; some attempt at connecting ideas may at times be evident some amount of language that may be repeated from the prompt	chunks of language, repetitive oral phrase patterns, and formulaic grammatical structures used in social and instructional situations or across content areas variable control in use of oral language to convey meaning	usage of general content words and expressions usage of social and instructional words and expressions across content areas possible usage of general vocabulary where more specific language is needed
	Response is generally comprehensible (though comprehensibility and fluency may be significantly compromised in language beyond words, oral phrases, or memorized chunks); characterized by:
Level 1 Entering	words, oral phrases, or memorized chunks of oral language used to represent ideas varying amounts of language that may be repeated from the prompt	words, chunks of language, or simple phrasal patterns associated with common social and instructional situations occasional control in use of oral language to convey meaning	usage of highest frequency general content related words usage of everyday social and instructional words and expressions

Students whose language use soundly meets the definition of level 5 or 6 meet the criteria for HIGH on the reclassification rubric. Students whose language use soundly meets Level 4 on the WIDA rubric meet the definition of MODERATE on the reclassification rubric.

In this example, her language use can be characterized best by the descriptors for levels 5 and 6, which supports a rating of HIGH on the reclassification rubric.

If you find it difficult to determine whether a student’s language use is HIGH or MODERATE on the reclassification rubrics and WIDA Performance Definitions, and it fits some descriptors for level 4 and some for level 5 on the WIDA rubric, then you should try to gather additional evidence to make an overall determination.

The following are some additional criteria to consider when making the determination.

Students at the MODERATE level of English proficiency level can:

clearly express feelings about something experienced and give reasons to explain those feelings using common terms and phrases.
give clear descriptions and presentations on most familiar subjects.
describe the personal significance of events and experiences with some detail.
give a clear description of how to carry out a familiar procedure.
express him/herself with relative ease. Despite some problems with formulation resulting in pauses, he/she is able to keep going effectively without help.

Students at the HIGH level of proficiency can:

explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on a wide range of subjects, expanding and supporting ideas with subsidiary points and relevant examples.
express him/herself similar to a native speaker with few or no extended pauses or need for support.
produce stretches of language with a mostly even tempo; although he/she can be hesitant as he/she searches for patterns and expressions, there are few noticeably long pauses.

You must consider the developmental level of the students when applying these criteria. In other words, 2^nd graders will perform these language functions differently than older students. Ask yourself, for a 2^nd grader, what does this type of language use look like and can the EL perform it similar to typical native speaker?

If, after gathering additional evidence, you still find that a student’s language use cannot be classified as a particular level on the reclassification rubric, the Performance Definitions, or the WIDA Speaking Interpretive Rubric, and you’ve considered the additional criteria listed here, then you will have to make a judgment based on your general experience with that student about whether or not his/her overall use of language is HIGH or MODERATE on the reclassification rubrics. Here are some guiding questions to help you make that determination:

Will this student benefit from continued participation in the LIEP?
Does he/she struggle to access academic content in an environment without specialized language support?
If this student struggles with academic content, is it the result of lacking comprehension of the language used in instruction? (Remember, students can struggle academically for many reasons that are unrelated to language)
Does this student feel that he/she needs language supports?
Is this student currently receiving a high level of support for language in order to effectively access academic content?

If the answers to all or most these questions is yes, then the student may not be ready for reclassification yet and should be rated as MODERATE or LOW depending on his/her language use in relation to the descriptors from the language use rubric, the Performance Definitions, the Speaking Interpretive Rubric, and the additional criteria listed here.

If you are a content teacher and are having difficulty answering these questions, then you should consult with an ESL teacher who is familiar with the student.

LISTENING EXAMPLE 1

SETTING THE SCENE

Now look at the reclassification rubric for listening. You may want to review the video again before making a decision about which level describes the student’s listening skills.

Since listening is an internal process, you must rely on the student’s reactions to oral language in order to make an evaluation of their listening proficiency.

It is not uncommon for a student to have HIGH listening proficiency, but MODERATE, or even LOW, speaking proficiency. The ability to understand language generally precedes the ability to speak it as long as the other speakers have a familiar accent and do not employ a great deal of unfamiliar colloquialisms. It is important to remember to separate a student’s apparent comprehension of spoken language from his/her speaking ability when evaluating listening proficiency.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Start with the Lowest performance descriptor and work your way up.

LOW

Can understand the main point in simple messages in slow and clear standard speech. Can understand phrases and high frequency vocabulary related to familiar topics.

Note the language that the teacher uses when interacting with the student and the student’s responses. In this example, the teacher is mostly asking simple questions to elicit descriptions and explanations from the student. Her speech is not overly slowed, though, and she is using complete and compound sentences with academic vocabulary. The student is able to understand without assistance or hesitation and respond appropriately. The student appears to understands language at a more complex level than phrases and high frequency words related to familiar topics.

Now, review the descriptor for MODERATE.

MODERATE

Can understand the main points in slow and clear standard speech on familiar topics in discussions, presentations, and educational videos.

This example does not include the student listening to speaking of any significant length about familiar topics to see how well she follows and comprehends. We also do not see the student’s responses to educational videos or presentations in this example. We can see some evidence that she understands clear and slow standard speech on familiar topics because she is able to respond appropriately to the questions without assistance.

Next, review the description for HIGH.

HIGH

Can understand extended speech even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signaled explicitly.

This descriptor differs from the descriptors for MODERATE and LOW in significant ways. The student must be able to understand extended speech (not just simple sentences). He/she must also be able to follow speech that is not structured. For example, a description of the difference between animals based on their color is structured by purpose and the categories of color and animals. Directions for completing a project in a step-by-step format is structured by time and purpose. A free discussion with other students, even about a particular topic, which can incorporate many variables and change focus spontaneously, is unstructured. School announcements, which may include information about several unrelated and possibly unfamiliar topics, may also be unstructured. Social interactions are unstructured as well. The ability to follow and understand unstructured speech requires a greater level of listening proficiency.

In addition, the student must be able to understand speech in which relationships between concepts are only implied and not signaled explicitly.

From this example, it is difficult to discern if this student’s listening proficiency can accurately be defined by the descriptor of HIGH in the rubric. The teacher’s speech is not extended and it is clearly structured. If the teacher had asked the student more complex questions or given more complex instructions (e.g. Considering what you learned in class today, can you provide me with a definition of quality of life, give some examples of things that affect it, and describe the advantages and disadvantages of at least one of those things?) without the use of signaling, and the student was able to respond appropriately without assistance, then the performance would have more clearly met the definition of HIGH in this rubric. However, even with more complex questions, listening proficiency must be evaluated in various contexts (class/small group discussions, multimedia, social interactions, etc.), so we needed to see the student interact with other students in small group discussions and respond to other forms of unstructured language to see how effectively she was able to participate/comprehend.

CONCLUSION

Without additional evidence and based only on this video example, it is not possible to rate this student as HIGH or MODERATE. That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have HIGH or MODERATE listening proficiency (she likely does). We just do not have enough evidence to support that rating.

DISCUSSION

When evaluating your students’ listening proficiency, make sure that you have communicated with them in extended speech and without explicitly signaled relationships to see if they are able to understand and respond appropriately. Also, ensure that you have observed them participating in academic and social discussions and responding to other unstructured forms of language to see if they demonstrate understanding. Note their responses.

Do they have difficulty responding appropriately the first time?
Do they frequently require additional explanation?
Do you often have to use simplified language?
Do you frequently have to break up instructions into smaller chunks in order to be understood?
Do they often need visuals to support comprehension of oral language?
Do they lose track of discussions or conversations if there is little or no structure?
Do they have difficulty retelling or summarizing information from school announcements and other non in-person sources of language?

If the answer to most or all of these questions is yes, then the student is not at the HIGH level yet.

ADDITIONAL CRITERIA/RESOURCES

If you are having difficulty determining which level of listening proficiency a student exhibits, you may reference the WIDA Performance Definitions for Reading and Listening.

Level 6 – Reaching
	Discourse Dimension	Sentence Dimension	Word/Phrase Dimension
	Linguistic Complexity	Language Forms and Conventions	Vocabulary Usage
English language learners will process a range of grade-appropriate oral or written language for a variety of academic purposes and audiences. Automaticity in language processing is reflected in the ability to identify and act on significant information from a variety of genres and registers. English language learners’ strategic competence in processing academic language facilitates their access to content area concepts and ideas.
At each grade, toward the end of a given level of English language proficiency, and with instructional support, English language learners will process…
Level 5 Bridging	Rich descriptive discourse with complex sentences Cohesive and organized, related ideas across content areas	A variety of complex grammatical structures Sentence patterns characteristic of particular content areas	Technical and abstract content-area language Words and expressions with shades of meaning across content areas
Level 4 Expanding	Connected discourse with a variety of sentences Expanded related ideas characteristic of particular content areas	Complex grammatical structures A broad range of sentence patterns characteristic of particular content areas	Specific and some technical content-area language Words or expressions with multiple meanings across content areas
Level 3 Developing	Discourse with a series of extended sentences Related ideas specific to particular content areas	Compound and some complex grammatical constructions Sentence patterns across content areas	Specific content-area language and expressions Words and expressions with common collocations and idioms across content areas
Level 2 Emerging	Multiple related simple sentences An idea with details	Compound grammatical structures Repetitive phrasal and sentence patterns across content areas	General content words and expressions, including cognates Social and instructional words and expressions across content areas
Level 1 Entering	Single statements or questions An idea within words, phrases, or chunks of language	Simple grammatical constructions (e.g. commands, Wh- questions, declaratives) Common social and instructional forms and patterns	General content-related words Everyday social, instructional and some content-related words and phrases

As is the case for the Performance Definitions for Speaking and Writing:

level 5 language use based on the Performance Definitions supports a rating of HIGH on the reclassification rubric.
Level 4 language use supports a rating of MODERATE in most cases.
Level 3 language use can support a rating of LOW or MODERATE.

If you find it difficult to determine which level best describes a student’s language use (it appears split between the descriptors for two levels), then you should try to gather additional evidence that will help to make the determination.

Here are some additional descriptors for the MODERATE and HIGH levels:

MODERATE:

Can, with some effort, understand much of what is said around him/her, but may find it difficult to participate effectively in discussion with several native English speakers who do not modify their language in any way.
Can understand detailed instructions well enough to be able to follow them successfully with occasional errors or need for assistance.
Can generally follow the main points of extended classroom discussion, provided speech is clearly articulated
Can distinguish when people are talking about the past, present, and future.
Can understand simple, short stories, fairy tales and the main plot in them and the sequence of the most important events
Can understand the main points of audio news bulletins and simpler recorded material about familiar subjects delivered relatively slowly and clearly.

HIGH:

Can keep up with an animated conversation between native English speakers.
Can understand standard spoken language, live or broadcast (announcements, videos, audio recordings, etc.), on both familiar and unfamiliar topics encountered in social or academic contexts. Idiomatic expressions or inadequate/highly nonconventional discourse may hinder comprehension in some cases.
Can follow audio recordings and video on academic topics with little or no language support.
Can understand announcements and messages on concrete and abstract topics spoken at normal speed.

If, after gathering additional evidence and reviewing the additional descriptors above, you still find that a student’s language use cannot be classified as a particular level on the reclassification rubric or level on the Performance Definitions, then you will have to make a judgment based on your overall experience with that student about whether or not his/her use of language is HIGH or MODERATE on the reclassification rubrics. Here are some guiding questions to help you make that determination:

Will this student benefit from continued participation in the LIEP?
Does he/she struggle to access academic content in an environment without specialized language support?
If this student struggles with academic content, is it the result of lacking comprehension of the language used in instruction? (Remember, students can struggle academically for many reasons that are unrelated to language)
Does this student feel that he/she needs language supports?
Is this student currently receiving a high level of support for language in order to effectively access academic content?

If the answers to all or most the questions is yes, then the student may not be ready for reclassification and therefor is not at the HIGH level yet. The student should be rated as MODERATE or LOW depending on his/her language use in relation to the descriptors from the language use rubric, the Performance Definitions, and the additional criteria here.

If you are a content teacher and are having difficulty answering these questions, then you should consult with an ESL teacher who is familiar with the student.

SPEAKING EXAMPLE 2

SETTING THE SCENE

Review the speaking portion of rubric #1 – Interaction, Listening, Speaking, and Reading Language Use Inventory for Grade 2-3 and then watch the following two videos. Take note of what you see in the videos related to the performance descriptors in the rubric and then proceed to the performance review.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Start with the Lowest performance descriptor and work your way up.

LOW

Can use a series of connected phrases and short, simple sentences to talk in simple terms about familiar topics.

This student uses short, simple sentences or phrases in her responses to the teacher’s questions. Her responses are accurate and clear. Her language use meets this definition, so move to the descriptor for MODERATE.

MODERATE

Can use a series of connected phrases and short, simple sentences to talk in simple terms about familiar and academic topics.

The difference between LOW and MODERATE is the addition of the ability to speak about academic topics using the same language as that described in LOW. She is speaking about an academic topic and she does so effectively using a series of connected phrases and short, simple sentences, so her language use meets this definition. Review the descriptor for HIGH.

HIGH

Can present clear, expanded discourse about a familiar or academic topic using some content-specific vocabulary.

To meet this definition, the student must now use expanded discourse and some academic vocabulary. She does use some expanded discourse in this example, but most of her answers are short, simple sentences or incomplete sentences. She uses a few compound sentence, though (“A lake is kind of surrounded with land and an ocean… the ocean covers around the land.”), but she struggles to form the sentence and it has some errors. She seems to hesitate frequently to search for words and to form them into sentences. She uses some content-specific vocabulary (natural resources, rocks and minerals, landforms) when answering the teacher’s questions.

CONCLUSION

Overall, this example provides enough evidence to support a rating of MODERATE, but may not provide sound evidence that the student is at the HIGH level yet.

ADDITIONAL CRITERIA/RESOURCES

We can reference the WIDA Performance Definitions to helping to make the decision if necessary.

Level 6 – Reaching
	Discourse Dimension	Sentence Dimension	Word/Phrase Dimension
	Linguistic Complexity	Language Forms and Conventions	Vocabulary Usage
English language learners will process a range of grade-appropriate oral or written language for a variety of academic purposes and audiences. Automaticity in language processing is reflected in the ability to identify and act on significant information from a variety of genres and registers. English language learners’ strategic competence in processing academic language facilitates their access to content area concepts and ideas.
At each grade, toward the end of a given level of English language proficiency, and with instructional support, English language learners will produce…
Level 5 Bridging	Multiple, complex sentences Organized, cohesive, and coherent expression of ideas characteristic of particular content areas	A variety of complex grammatical structures matched to purpose A broad range of sentence patterns characteristic of particular content areas	Technical and abstract content-area language, including content-specific collocations Words and expressions with precise meaning across content areas
Level 4 Expanding	Short, expanded, and some complex sentences Organized expression of ideas with emerging cohesion characteristic of particular content areas	Compound and complex grammatical structures Sentence patterns characteristic of particular content areas	Specific and some technical content-area language Words and expressions with expressive meaning through use of collocations and idioms across content areas
Level 3 Developing	Short and some expanded sentences with emerging complexity Expanded expression of one idea or emerging expression of multiple related ideas across content areas	Simple and compound grammatical structures with occasional variation Sentence patterns across content areas	Specific content language, including cognates and expressions Words or expressions with multiple meanings used across content areas
Level 2 Emerging	Phrases or short sentences Emerging expression of ideas	Formulaic grammatical structures Repetitive phrasal and sentence patterns across content areas	General content words and expressions Social and instructional words and expressions across content areas
Level 1 Entering	Words, phrases, or chunks of language Single words used to represent ideas	Phrase-level grammatical structures Phrasal patterns associated with familiar social and instructional situations	General content-related words Everyday social and instructional words and expressions

In this example, her use of language is most accurately defined by the descriptors for level 3 and some for level 4. Levels 3 and 4 support a rating of MODERATE on the reclassification language use rubrics.

If you find it difficult to determine which level of language use the student demonstrates (it is split evenly between two levels), then you can reference the WIDA Speaking Interpretive Rubric for grades 1-12.

WIDA Speaking Interpretive Rubric Grades 1-12
	Discourse Level	Sentence Level	Word/Phrase Level
	Linguistic Complexity	Language Forms	Vocabulary Usage
	Response is fully comprehensible, fluent, and appropriate to purpose, situation and audience; comparable to the speech of English proficient students meeting college- and career-readiness standards; characterized by:
Level 6 Reaching	sustained, connected oral language characterized by confidence, coherence, and precision in the expression of ideas tailored to purpose, situation, and audience clear evidence of consistency in conveying an appropriate perspective and register	a full range of oral phrase and sentence patterns and grammatical structures matched to content area topics controlled, skilled use of oral language to convey meaning, including for effect	consistent usage of just the right word or expression in just the right context related to content area topics facility with precise vocabulary usage in general, specific, or technical language
	Response is comprehensible, fluent, and generally related to purpose; generally comparable to the speech of English proficient peers; characterized by:
Level 5 Bridging	sustained, connected oral language that shows appropriate and coherent expression of ideas related to purpose, situation and audience clear evidence of conveying an appropriate perspective and register	a broad range of oral phrase and sentence patterns and grammatical structures matched to the content area topic controlled, fluid use of oral language to convey meaning, including for effect	usage of technical and abstract content-area words and expressions as appropriate usage of words and expressions with precise meaning related to content area topics as appropriate vocabulary usage that fulfills the speaking purpose
	Response is generally comprehensible, fluent, and related to purpose; characterized by:
Level 4 Expanding	connected oral language that supports the expression of expanded or related ideas through emerging coherence, detail and clarity some evidence of conveying an appropriate perspective and register	a range of oral phrase and sentence patterns and grammatical structures characteristic of the content area generally controlled and fluid use of oral language to convey meaning	usage of specific and some technical content area words and expressions as appropriate usage of words and expressions with multiple meanings or common idioms across content areas as appropriate vocabulary usage that generally fulfills the speaking purpose
	Response is generally comprehensible (though comprehensibility and fluency may from time to time be compromised in more complex speech); characterized by:
Level 3 Developing	oral language that shows the development of connected language in the expression of an expanded idea or multiple related ideas evidence of a developing sense of perspective and register	developing range of oral phrase and sentence patterns and grammatical structures common to content areas developing control in use of oral language to convey meaning	usage of some specific content words and expressions as appropriate usage of words or expressions used frequently in content areas, as appropriate vocabulary usage that attempts to fulfill the speaking purpose
	Response is generally comprehensible (though comprehensibility and fluency may often be compromised in more complex speech); characterized by:
Level 2 Emerging	oral language that shows emerging expression of ideas; some attempt at connecting ideas may at times be evident some amount of language that may be repeated from the prompt	chunks of language, repetitive oral phrase patterns, and formulaic grammatical structures used in social and instructional situations or across content areas variable control in use of oral language to convey meaning	usage of general content words and expressions usage of social and instructional words and expressions across content areas possible usage of general vocabulary where more specific language is needed
	Response is generally comprehensible (though comprehensibility and fluency may be significantly compromised in language beyond words, oral phrases, or memorized chunks); characterized by:
Level 1 Entering	words, oral phrases, or memorized chunks of oral language used to represent ideas varying amounts of language that may be repeated from the prompt	words, chunks of language, or simple phrasal patterns associated with common social and instructional situations occasional control in use of oral language to convey meaning	usage of highest frequency general content related words usage of everyday social and instructional words and expressions

In this example, her language use can be characterized best by the descriptors for levels 4 and some for level 3, which supports a rating of MODERATE on the reclassification rubric.

If you find it difficult to determine whether a student’s language use is HIGH or MODERATE on the reclassification rubrics and WIDA Performance Definitions, and it evenly fits descriptors for multiple levels on the WIDA rubric, then you should try to gather additional evidence to make an overall determination.

You may use the additional listening criteria from the previous example if necessary to help make a determination.

If, after gathering additional evidence, you still find that a student’s language use cannot be classified as a particular level on the reclassification rubric, the Performance Definitions, the WIDA Speaking Interpretive Rubric, and you’ve considered the additional criteria, then you will have to make a judgment based on your general experience with that student about whether or not his/her overall use of language is HIGH or MODERATE on the reclassification rubrics. Here are some guiding questions to help you make that determination:

Will this student benefit from continued participation in the LIEP?
Does he/she struggle to access academic content in an environment without specialized language support?
If this student struggles with academic content, is it the result of lacking comprehension of the language used in instruction? (Remember, students can struggle academically for many reasons that are unrelated to language)
Does this student feel that he/she needs language supports?
Is this student currently receiving a high level of support for language in order to effectively access academic content?

If the answers to all or most these questions is yes, then the student may not be ready for reclassification yet and should be rated as MODERATE or LOW depending on his/her language use in relation to the descriptors from the language use rubric, the Performance Definitions, the Speaking Interpretive Rubric, and the additional criteria listed here.

If you are a content teacher and are having difficulty answering these questions, then you should consult with an ESL teacher who is familiar with the student.

LISTENING EXAMPLE 2

SETTING THE SCENE

Now look at the reclassification rubric for listening. You may want to review the video again before making a decision about which level describes the student’s listening skills.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Start with the Lowest performance descriptor and work your way up.

LOW

Can understand the main point in simple messages in slow and clear standard speech. Can understand phrases and high frequency vocabulary related to familiar topics.

Note the language that the teacher uses when interacting with the student and the student’s responses. The teacher uses mostly simple sentences with some academic vocabulary (landforms, geographical regions, arctic region, northern/southern) in her questions. The student is able to understand without assistance or hesitation and answers her questions appropriately. The teacher’s speech is clear, but slightly slowed in some cases. The student appears to understand language at this level.

Now, review the descriptor for MODERATE.

MODERATE

Can understand the main points in slow and clear standard speech on familiar topics in discussions, presentations, and educational videos.

As with the previous example, this example does not include the student listening to speaking of any significant length about familiar topics to see how well she follows and comprehends. We also do not see the student’s responses to educational videos or presentations in this example. We can see some evidence that she understands clear and slow standard speech on familiar topics because she is able to respond appropriately to the questions without assistance. However, this example does not provide a great deal of varied types of speech for us to make a sound determination.

Next, review the description for HIGH.

HIGH

Can understand extended speech even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signaled explicitly.

From this example, it may be difficult to discern if this student’s listening proficiency can accurately be defined by the descriptor of HIGH in the rubric. The teacher’s speech is not extended, it is clearly structured, and relationships are signaled explicitly. As stated earlier, her speech was also slightly slowed in some places to make her it easier to understand.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the evidence from this example is inconclusive. Without additional evidence, and based only on this video example, it is not possible to rate this student as HIGH. There is also a lack of evidence to soundly support a rating of MODERATE, since we do not see her respond to discussions, presentations, or educational videos.

DISCUSSION

When evaluating your students’ listening proficiency, make sure that you have given them the opportunity to listen to extended speech at a non-modified pace without explicitly signaled relationships to see if they are able to understand and respond appropriately. Also, ensure that you have observed them participating in academic and social discussions and responding to other unstructured forms of language to see if they demonstrate understanding.

You may also use the additional criteria from the first listening example if necessary.

INTERACTION

Interaction involves both speaking and listening, but is encompasses qualities that are not simply a combination of those for speaking and listening. The definitions in the rubric provide detailed explanations of what to look for.

	Low (0)	Moderate (0.3)	High (0.5)
Interaction	Can engage in very short social exchanges, and sustain the conversation with substantial support. Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar topics and activities, possibly using provided language frames or structures.	Can function in most social situations in the classroom. Can enter unprepared in conversation on topics that are familiar, of personal interest, or connected to everyday life. Can use provided language frames or structures as models for original expression.	Can use language spontaneously, flexibly, and effectively for social and academic purposes. Can formulate ideas and opinions with precision and relate contributions skillfully to those of other speakers.

You should observe your ELs as they interact with each other as well as with you for making this determination. Here are some considerations in addition to the descriptors in the rubric.

A student who has proficiency at the MODERATE level can:

communicate with people on common, everyday topics with few errors that impede understanding
discuss common interests/hobbies with classmates
collaborate in shared tasks, provided that other participants occasionally help him/her to contribute and to express his/her suggestions
Initiate, maintain and close relatively simple, face-to-face conversations
interact with multiple native English speakers at once, but may have some difficulty as the size of the group increases (before the point at which native speakers begin to struggle with interaction).

A student who has proficiency at the HIGH level can:

Use language to interact with you and with peers for academic as well as social purposes. Some students can communicate effectively in social settings, but struggle to engage in academic topics that may require the use of content-specific vocabulary or structures. It is important to note the difference and ensure you evaluate interaction in both contexts.
Contribute equally to classroom conversations and discussions.
Interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction and sustained relationships with native speakers of English possible without additional effort from either party.
Present ideas in conversations or discussions in multiple ways to help with communication and understanding when it is apparent that others require that.
follow conversations or discussions at a different paces and can adjust accordingly. In other words, the student does not require others to slow the pace and is able to adjust their own pace when needed to accommodate different situations.
engage with others on unfamiliar or new topics without support.

A student who may not have proficiency at the HIGH level often:

must provide additional explanations to make himself/herself clear to you or others.
struggles to find alternative ways of explaining him/herself.
contributes less than other in conversations and discussions or may not contribute at all
requires that others repeat themselves or rephrase for understanding
requires that others use a slower pace when speaking
requires that others are prepared to assist in the fluency of the communication for it to be effective.
struggles to participate in conversations or discussion about new or unfamiliar topics. The student may disengage or lose the focus or topic when discussing new or unfamiliar things.

READING

When assessing reading proficiency, you should ensure that you have, on several occasions, observed the student:

reading a grade appropriate text aloud (any reading materials used during typical classroom interactions will serve this purpose),
retelling important information from the text, and
answering questions about the text

In this way, you can be sure that you have enough information to evaluate both the student’s ability to decode and read fluently as well as comprehend what he/she has read. Some ELs, like other students, have well-developed decoding skills, but lack comprehension.

	Low (0)	Moderate (0.3)	High (0.5)
Reading	Can read very short, simple texts and find specific, predictable information with illustrations. Limited understanding of words/phrases with multiple meanings.	Can understand grade-level fiction and non-fiction texts on unfamiliar topics with some support. Use grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding. Begins to understand words/phrases with multiple meanings.	Can understand grade-level fiction and non-fiction texts on unfamiliar topics. Use grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding. Begins to understand idiomatic expressions and words/phrases with multiple meanings.

In general, if an EL can decode, apply phonics and word-analysis skills, and read with comprehension similar to non-ELs without support, then he/she is at the HIGH level. If the EL requires support to decode or read with comprehension at the level of his/her non-EL peers then he/she should be rated as LOW or MODERATE depending on the level of support required.

Here are some additional criteria to consider. These are general criteria that can apply to multiple grade-levels, so it is important to keep the developmental level of your students in mind.

Students at a MODERATE level can:

understand the plot of a clearly structured story and recognize what the most important episodes and events are and what is significant about them.
follow the plot of clearly structured narratives and grade-appropriate literary texts.
understand short, simple texts on familiar matters of a concrete type which consist of high-frequency, everyday language.
understand the description of events, feelings and wishes in personal letters.
locate a concert or a film on calendars of public events or posters and identify where it takes place and at what time it starts.
find and understand relevant information in everyday material, such as letters, brochures, and short official documents.
recognize the main arguments in a text.

Students at a HIGH level can:

understand in a narrative or play the motives for the characters’ actions and their consequences for the development of the plot.
read grade-appropriate literary texts with ease.
read with a large degree of independence, adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes. Students have a broad active reading vocabulary, but may experience some difficulty with LOW frequency idioms.
read most books and short stories that they want to with little difficulty once getting used to the writer’s language style
read and understand articles and reports in which writers express opinions or viewpoints.

This is the end of the Grade 2-3 section of the training. You may choose another grade or grade band to explore or exit the training.