ELPS–TELPASProficiency Level

Descriptors

Permission to copy the ELPS–TELPAS Proficiency Level Descriptors is hereby extended to Texas school officials and their agents for their exclusive use in determining the English language proficiency ratings of their limited English proficient students.

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Grades K–12 Listening

Beginning English languagelearners (ELLs) have little or noability to understand spokenEnglish used in academic andsocial settings.

Intermediate ELLs have the ability to understand simple,high-frequency spoken Englishused in routine academic andsocial settings.

Advanced ELLs have the ability to understand, with secondlanguage acquisition support,grade-appropriate spoken English used in academic andsocial settings.

Advanced high ELLs have theability to understand, with minimal second languageacquisition support, grade-appropriate spoken English usedin academic and social settings.

Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

These students:• struggle to understand simple

conversations and simplediscussions even when the topicsare familiar and the speaker useslinguistic supports (e.g., visuals,slower speech and other verbalcues, gestures)

• struggle to identify and distinguishindividual words and phrasesduring social and instructionalinteractions that have not beenintentionally modified for ELLs

• may not seek clarification inEnglish when failing tocomprehend the English they hear;frequently remain silent, watchingothers for cues

These students:• usually understand simple or

routine directions, as well as short,simple conversations and short,simple discussions on familiartopics; when topics are unfamiliar,require extensive linguisticsupports and adaptations (e.g.,visuals, slower speech and otherverbal cues, simplified language,gestures, preteaching to previewor build topic-related vocabulary)

• often identify and distinguish keywords and phrases necessary tounderstand the general meaning(gist) during social and basicinstructional interactions that havenot been intentionally modified forELLs

• have the ability to seek clarification in English when failingto comprehend the English theyhear by requiring/requesting thespeaker to repeat, slow down, orrephrase speech

These students:• usually understand longer, more

elaborated directions,conversations, and discussions onfamiliar and some unfamiliartopics, but sometimes needprocessing time and sometimesdepend on visuals, verbal cues,and gestures to supportunderstanding

• understand most main points,most important details, and someimplicit information during socialand basic instructional interactionsthat have not been intentionallymodified for ELLs

• occasionally require/request thespeaker to repeat, slow down, orrephrase to clarify the meaning ofthe English they hear

These students:• understand longer, elaborated

directions, conversations, anddiscussions on familiar andunfamiliar topics with onlyoccasional need for processingtime and with little dependence onvisuals, verbal cues, and gestures;some exceptions when complexacademic or highly specializedlanguage is used

• understand main points, importantdetails, and implicit information ata level nearly comparable to nativeEnglish-speaking peers duringsocial and instructionalinteractions

• rarely require/request the speakerto repeat, slow down, or rephraseto clarify the meaning of theEnglish they hear

ELPS–TELPAS Proficiency Level Descriptors

Grades K–12 Speaking

Beginning English languagelearners (ELLs) have little or noability to speak English inacademic and social settings.

Intermediate ELLs have the ability to speak in a simplemanner using English commonlyheard in routine academic andsocial settings.

Advanced ELLs have the ability to speak using grade-appropriateEnglish, with second languageacquisition support, in academicand social settings.

Advanced high ELLs have theability to speak using grade-appropriate English, with minimalsecond language acquisitionsupport, in academic and socialsettings.

Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

These students:• mainly speak using single words

and short phrases consisting ofrecently practiced, memorized, orhighly familiar material to getimmediate needs met; may behesitant to speak and often giveup in their attempts tocommunicate

• speak using a very limited bank ofhigh-frequency, high-need,concrete vocabulary, including keywords and expressions needed forbasic communication in academicand social contexts

• lack the knowledge of Englishgrammar necessary to connectideas and speak in sentences; cansometimes produce sentencesusing recently practiced,memorized, or highly familiarmaterial

• exhibit second languageacquisition errors that may hinderoverall communication, particularlywhen trying to convey informationbeyond memorized, practiced, orhighly familiar material

• typically use pronunciation thatsignificantly inhibitscommunication

These students:• are able to express simple,

original messages, speak usingsentences, and participate in shortconversations and classroominteractions; may hesitatefrequently and for long periods tothink about how to communicatedesired meaning

• speak simply using basicvocabulary needed in everydaysocial interactions and routineacademic contexts; rarely havevocabulary to speak in detail

• exhibit an emerging awareness ofEnglish grammar and speak usingmostly simple sentence structuresand simple tenses; are mostcomfortable speaking in presenttense

• exhibit second languageacquisition errors that may hinderoverall communication when tryingto use complex or less familiarEnglish

• use pronunciation that can usuallybe understood by peopleaccustomed to interacting withELLs

These students:• are able to participate comfortably

in most conversations andacademic discussions on familiartopics, with some pauses torestate, repeat, or search forwords and phrases to clarifymeaning

• discuss familiar academic topicsusing content-based terms andcommon abstract vocabulary; canusually speak in some detail onfamiliar topics

• have a grasp of basic grammarfeatures, including a basic abilityto narrate and describe in present,past, and future tenses; have anemerging ability to use complexsentences and complex grammarfeatures

• make errors that interferesomewhat with communicationwhen using complex grammarstructures, long sentences, andless familiar words andexpressions

• may mispronounce words, but usepronunciation that can usually beunderstood by people notaccustomed to interacting withELLs

These students:• are able to participate in extended

discussions on a variety of socialand grade-appropriate academictopics with only occasionaldisruptions, hesitations, or pauses

• communicate effectively usingabstract and content-basedvocabulary during classroominstructional tasks, with someexceptions when low-frequency oracademically demandingvocabulary is needed; use many of the same idioms andcolloquialisms as their nativeEnglish-speaking peers

• can use English grammarstructures and complex sentencesto narrate and describe at a levelnearly comparable to nativeEnglish-speaking peers

• make few second languageacquisition errors that interferewith overall communication

• may mispronounce words, butrarely use pronunciation thatinterferes with overallcommunication

ELPS–TELPAS Proficiency Level Descriptors

Grades K–1 Writing

Beginning English languagelearners (ELLs) have little or noability to use the English language to build foundationalwriting skills.

Intermediate ELLs have a limitedability to use the English language to build foundationalwriting skills.

Advanced ELLs have the ability to use the English language tobuild, with second languageacquisition support, foundationalwriting skills.

Advanced high ELLs have theability to use the English language to build, with minimalsecond language acquisitionsupport, foundational writingskills.

Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

These students:• are unable to use English to

explain self-generated writing(e.g., stories they have created or other personal expressions),including emergent forms ofwriting (pictures, letter-like forms,mock words, scribbling, etc.)

• know too little English toparticipate meaningfully in grade-appropriate shared writingactivities using the Englishlanguage

• cannot express themselvesmeaningfully in self-generated,connected written text in Englishbeyond the level of high-frequency,concrete words, phrases, or shortsentences that have been recentlypracticed/memorized *

• may demonstrate little or noawareness of English printconventions

These students:• know enough English to explain

briefly and simply self-generatedwriting, including emergent formsof writing, as long as the topic ishighly familiar and concrete andrequires very high-frequencyEnglish

• can participate meaningfully ingrade-appropriate shared writingactivities using the Englishlanguage only when the writingtopic is highly familiar andconcrete and requires very high-frequency English

• express themselves meaningfullyin self-generated, connectedwritten text in English when theirwriting is limited to shortsentences featuring simple,concrete English used frequentlyin class *

• frequently exhibit features of theirprimary language when writing inEnglish (e.g., primary languagewords, spelling patterns, wordorder, literal translating) *

These students:• use predominantly grade-

appropriate English to explain, insome detail, most self-generatedwriting, including emergent formsof writing

• can participate meaningfully, withsecond language acquisitionsupport, in most grade-appropriateshared writing activities using theEnglish language

• although second languageacquisition support is needed,have an emerging ability toexpress themselves in self-generated, connected written textin English in a grade-appropriatemanner *

• occasionally exhibit secondlanguage acquisition errors whenwriting in English *

These students:• use English at a level of

complexity and detail nearlycomparable to that of nativeEnglish-speaking peers whenexplaining self-generated writing,including emergent forms ofwriting

• can participate meaningfully inmost grade-appropriate sharedwriting activities using the Englishlanguage

• although minimal second language acquisition support maybe needed, express themselves inself-generated, connected writtentext in English in a manner nearlycomparable to their native English-speaking peers *

* These descriptors apply only to students who are at the developmental stage of generating original written text using a standardwriting system.

ELPS–TELPAS Proficiency Level Descriptors

Grades 2–12 Writing

Beginning English language learners(ELLs) lack the English vocabulary andgrasp of English language structuresnecessary to address grade-appropriatewriting tasks meaningfully.

Intermediate ELLs have enough Englishvocabulary and enough grasp of Englishlanguage structures to address grade-appropriate writing tasks in a limited way.

Advanced ELLs have enough Englishvocabulary and command of Englishlanguage structures to address grade-appropriate writing tasks, althoughsecond language acquisition support isneeded.

Advanced high ELLs have acquired theEnglish vocabulary and command ofEnglish language structures necessary toaddress grade-appropriate writing taskswith minimal second languageacquisition support.

Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

These students:• have little or no ability to use the English

language to express ideas in writing andengage meaningfully in grade-appropriatewriting assignments in content areainstruction

• lack the English necessary to develop ordemonstrate elements of grade-appropriate writing (e.g., focus andcoherence, conventions, organization,voice, and development of ideas) inEnglish

Typical writing features at this level:• ability to label, list, and copy• high-frequency words/phrases and short,

simple sentences (or even shortparagraphs) based primarily on recentlypracticed, memorized, or highly familiarmaterial; this type of writing may be quiteaccurate

• present tense used primarily• frequent primary language features

(spelling patterns, word order, literaltranslations, and words from the student’sprimary language) and other errorsassociated with second languageacquisition may significantly hinder orprevent understanding, even forindividuals accustomed to the writing ofELLs

These students:• have a limited ability to use the English

language to express ideas in writing andengage meaningfully in grade-appropriatewriting assignments in content areainstruction

• are limited in their ability to develop ordemonstrate elements of grade-appropriatewriting in English; communicate best whentopics are highly familiar and concrete, andrequire simple, high-frequency English

Typical writing features at this level:• simple, original messages consisting of

short, simple sentences; frequentinaccuracies occur when creating or takingrisks beyond familiar English

• high-frequency vocabulary; academicwriting often has an oral tone

• loosely connected text with limited use ofcohesive devices or repetitive use, whichmay cause gaps in meaning

• repetition of ideas due to lack of vocabularyand language structures

• present tense used most accurately; simplefuture and past tenses, if attempted, areused inconsistently or with frequentinaccuracies

• descriptions, explanations, and narrationslacking detail; difficulty expressing abstractideas

• primary language features and errorsassociated with second languageacquisition may be frequent

• some writing may be understood only byindividuals accustomed to the writing ofELLs; parts of the writing may be hard tounderstand even for individuals accustomedto the writing of ELLs

These students:• are able to use the English language, with

second language acquisition support, toexpress ideas in writing and engagemeaningfully in grade-appropriate writingassignments in content area instruction

• know enough English to be able todevelop or demonstrate elements ofgrade-appropriate writing in English,although second language acquisitionsupport is particularly needed when topicsare abstract, academically challenging, orunfamiliar

Typical writing features at this level:• grasp of basic verbs, tenses, grammar

features, and sentence patterns; partialgrasp of more complex verbs, tenses,grammar features, and sentence patterns

• emerging grade-appropriate vocabulary;academic writing has a more academictone

• use of a variety of common cohesivedevices, although some redundancy mayoccur

• narrations, explanations, and descriptionsdeveloped in some detail with emergingclarity; quality or quantity declines whenabstract ideas are expressed, academicdemands are high, or low-frequencyvocabulary is required

• occasional second language acquisitionerrors

• communications are usually understoodby individuals not accustomed to thewriting of ELLs

These students:• are able to use the English language, with

minimal second language acquisitionsupport, to express ideas in writing andengage meaningfully in grade-appropriatewriting assignments in content areainstruction

• know enough English to be able todevelop or demonstrate, with minimalsecond language acquisition support,elements of grade-appropriate writing in English

Typical writing features at this level:• nearly comparable to writing of native

English-speaking peers in clarity andprecision with regard to Englishvocabulary and language structures, withoccasional exceptions when writing aboutacademically complex ideas, abstractideas, or topics requiring low-frequencyvocabulary

• occasional difficulty with naturalness ofphrasing and expression

• errors associated with second languageacquisition are minor and usually limitedto low-frequency words and structures;errors rarely interfere with communication

ELPS–TELPAS Proficiency Level Descriptors

Grades K–1 Reading

Beginning English languagelearners (ELLs) have little or noability to use the English languageto build foundational readingskills.

Intermediate ELLs have a limitedability to use the English languageto build foundational readingskills.

Advanced ELLs have the ability to use the English language, withsecond language acquisitionsupport, to build foundationalreading skills.

Advanced high ELLs have theability to use the Englishlanguage, with minimal secondlanguage acquisition support, tobuild foundational reading skills.

Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

These students:• derive little or no meaning from

grade-appropriate stories readaloud in English, unless the storiesare

– read in short “chunks”– controlled to include the little

English they know such aslanguage that is high-frequency,concrete, and recently practiced

– accompanied by ample visualsupports such as illustrations,gestures, pantomime, andobjects and by linguisticsupports such as carefulenunciation and slower speech

• begin to recognize and understandenvironmental print in English(e.g., signs, labeled items, namesof peers, logos)

• have difficulty decoding mostgrade-appropriate English textbecause they *

– understand the meaning of veryfew words in English

– struggle significantly withsounds in spoken English wordsand with sound-symbolrelationships due to differencesbetween their primary languageand English

These students:• demonstrate limited

comprehension (key words andgeneral meaning) of grade-appropriate stories read aloud inEnglish, unless the stories include

– predictable story lines– highly familiar topics– primarily high-frequency,

concrete vocabulary – short, simple sentences– visual and linguistic supports

• regularly recognize andunderstand commonenvironmental print in English(e.g., signs, labeled items, namesof peers, logos)

• have difficulty decoding grade-appropriate English text becausethey *

– understand the meaning of onlythose English words they hearfrequently

– struggle with some sounds inEnglish words and some sound-symbol relationships due todifferences between theirprimary language and English

These students:• demonstrate comprehension of

most main points and mostsupporting ideas in grade-appropriate stories read aloud inEnglish, although they may stilldepend on visual and linguisticsupports to gain or confirmmeaning

• recognize some basic Englishvocabulary and high-frequencywords in isolated print

• with second language acquisitionsupport, are able to decode mostgrade-appropriate English textbecause they *

– understand the meaning ofmost grade-appropriate Englishwords

– have little difficulty with Englishsounds and sound-symbolrelationships that result fromdifferences between theirprimary language and English

These students:• demonstrate, with minimal second

language acquisition support andat a level nearly comparable tonative English-speaking peers,comprehension of main points andsupporting ideas (explicit andimplicit) in grade-appropriatestories read aloud in English

• with some exceptions, recognizesight vocabulary and high-frequency words to a degreenearly comparable to that of nativeEnglish-speaking peers

• with minimal second languageacquisition support, have an abilityto decode and understand grade-appropriate English text at a levelnearly comparable to nativeEnglish-speaking peers *

* The last descriptor applies only to students who are at the developmental stage of decoding written text (i.e., they have “cracked the code”necessary for learning to read).

ELPS–TELPAS Proficiency Level Descriptors