Proficient Levels and Student Descriptors

Limited English Proficient (LEP) students have varying levels of English proficiency. Their levels, which are assessed and identified by the ELL program staff, are described below:

Limited English Proficient

Level 1

Students performing at this level of English language proficiency begin to demonstrate receptive or productive English skills. They are able to respond to simple communication tasks.

Limited English Proficient

Level 2

Students performing at this level of English language proficiency respond with increasing ease to more varied communication tasks.

Limited English Proficient

Level 3

Students performing at this level of English language proficiency tailor the English language skills they have been taught to meet their immediate communication and learning needs. They are able to understand and be understood in many basic social situations (while exhibiting many errors of convention) and need support in academic language.

Limited English Proficient

Level 4

Students performing at this level of English language proficiency combine the elements of the English language in complex, cognitively demanding situations and are able to use English as a means for learning in other academic areas, although some minor errors of conventions are still evident.

Fluent English Proficient

Level 5

Students performing at this level of English language proficiency communicate effectively with various audiences on a wide range of familiar and new topics to meet social and academic demands. Students speak, understand, read, write, and comprehend English without difficulty and display academic achievement comparable to native-English speaking peers. To attain the English proficiency of their native English-speaking peers, further linguistic enhancement and refinement are necessary.

The chart below shows the definitions as outlined by the corresponding WIDA English language proficiency level:

Limited English Proficient

Level 1

Knows and uses minimal social language and minimal academic language with visual and graphic support

Limited English Proficient

Level 2

Knows and uses some social English and general academic language with visual and graphic support.

Limited English Proficient

Level 3

Knows and uses social English and some specific academic language with visual and graphic support.

Limited English Proficient

Level 4

Knows and uses social English and some technical academic language.

Fluent English Proficient

Level 5

Knows and uses social English and academic language working with grade level material.

Fluent English Proficient

Level 6

Knows and uses social and academic language at the highest level measured by the WIDA ACCESS.

Students who obtain a score of 5 or higher on either the English Proficiency placement test or the WIDA ACCESS test are no longer considered ELL students.

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