Feature Articles: The Next Step: Making Sense of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Levels & English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards

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The Next Step: Making Sense of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Levels & English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards

by Stephanie Krajicek

More and more Indiana educators are faced with a new challenge in their classrooms: teaching ESL students. It is helpful to know what the student’s LEP level is, and what can be expected academically from that student.

Levels of English Proficiency: Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Levels

All ESL students can be assigned a level of English proficiency based on their ability to speak and understand English. These levels are determined at the time of entrance into the school system and are reevaluated annually in the spring with LAS Links testing. The proficiency levels “reflect the abilities and skills that students are capable of demonstrating at each level” (IDOE, Indiana’s English Language Proficiency Standards, p. iii). It is important to note that a student’s LEP level and grade level are not mutually exclusive. Additionally, a student’s language ability can be deceptive, as his or her proficiency level may appear higher than it actually is.

Here are the language proficiency descriptions used by the Indiana Department of Education:

Beginner (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 some simple communication tasks.
Early Intermediate (Level 2):: Students performing at this level of English language proficiency respond with increasing ease to more varied communication tasks.
Intermediate (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.
Advanced (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 level of their native English-speaking peers, further linguistic enhancement and refinement are necessary.

English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards

These standards have been developed by the Indiana Department of Education to “address the development and attainment of the English language” (IDOE, NCLB Required Components of the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards) by English language learners. These standards are based in language acquisition theory and address five strands of language acquisition: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension. Each grade level and proficiency level is addressed by the ELP Standards.

Preproduction / Beginner: LEP Level 1
Description	Corresponding student actions
A student at LEP Level 1: Cannot speak or understand English with the exception of a few concrete, high-frequency words Cannot use higher order thinking skills in English Derives all meaning from the context of the situation Is internalizing language; “silent period” Cannot read or write English	A student at LEP Level 1: Classifies pictures without verbalizing logic behind them Makes picture collage of topic Builds picture dictionary based upon content area objectives Points to an appropriate response Creates pictorial graph / chart Uses body language
Appropriate Instructional Modifications	Assessment Strategies
Provide alternative texts Highlight important concepts Stress key vocabulary Model vocabulary and concepts Speak and write directions simple English Print notes instead of using cursive Provide lecture notes in simple English Avoid slang and idiomatic phrases Incorporate schematic mapping Activate prior knowledge Develop problem-solving skills Teach and model cognitive strategies Explain with pictures and realia (customs, objects, games, sounds, etc.) Use graphic organizers Provide hands-on experiences Use manipulatives Do demonstrations and role plays Use body movements and gestures Utilize music such as chants and songs Use closed-captioned option on videos Provide sequencing activities Allow extra time to complete work Assign a study buddy Permit bilingual dictionaries Use a bilingual tutor to pre-teach important concepts Allow one-word answers Allow illustrated answers Accept errors Allow use of native language Be aware of cultural differences	Students can show mastery of concepts by: Creating picture books illustrating key concepts Matching words to pictures Making a personal bilingual picture dictionary Building collages to explain ideas Drawing and label sequential pictures Constructing hands-on projects Classifying pictures and objects Role-playing events Producing bilingual diagrams Creating a “photo album” from magazine pictures to explain Making maps and graphs Participating in cooperative learning projects Teachers can assess mastery of concepts by: Asking yes/no questions Assigning a pass/fail Creating a grading contract Exempting student from traditional / modified tests Giving oral tests

Early Production / Early Intermediate: LEP Level 2
Description	Corresponding student actions
A student at LEP Level 2: Can communicate at a basic level Can understand some English in highly contextualized situations, but may not produce language Uses single words and simple phrases to answer questions Learning takes place through non-verbal cues and the native language Experiences difficulty with higher order thinking in English Limited reading and writing in English	In addition to the above actions, a student at LEP Level 2: Labels pictorial charts with key vocabulary and / or concepts Labels pictures with single words and / or phrases Sequences evens (time / order) Uses invented spelling Uses graphic organizers Answers yes / no, either / or questions
Appropriate Instructional Modifications	Assessment Strategies
Provide alternative / simplified texts Highlight important concepts Stress key vocabulary Model vocabulary and concepts Speak and write directions simple English Provide lecture notes in simple English Avoid slang and idiomatic phrases Incorporate schematic mapping Activate prior knowledge Develop problem-solving skills Teach and model cognitive strategies Explain with pictures and realia (customs, objects, games, sounds, etc.) Use graphic organizers Provide hands-on experiences Do demonstrations and role plays Use body movements and gestures Utilize music such as chants and songs Use closed-captioned option on videos Allow extra time to complete work Assign a study buddy Permit bilingual dictionaries Use a bilingual tutor to pre-teach important concepts Allow illustrated answers Accept errors Allow questions of the obvious Allow a tape recorder for note-taking Ask if students understand Allow simple phrased answers Be aware of cultural differences	Students can show mastery of concepts by: Participating in cooperative learning projects Matching words and phrases to pictures Comparing / contrasting objects Keeping a learning log with pictures and words to remember key concepts Making a personal bilingual picture dictionary Building collages to explain ideas Drawing and label sequential pictures Constructing hands-on projects Making maps and graphs Classifying pictures and objects Creating a graphic organizer Providing word banks for writing assignments Taking modified tests (i.e. open book, labeling diagrams and pictures) Answering what, when, and where questions Writing captions for pictures / photos Role-playing events Producing bilingual diagrams Teachers can assess mastery of concepts by: Creating a grading contract Giving oral tests Assigning a pass / fail grade Having a teacher’s assistant help give test Asking yes / no questions Modifying tests (shorten tests, use different questions, allow students to use books or notes, etc.)

Speech Emergence / Intermediate: LEP Level 3
Description	Corresponding student actions
A student at LEP Level 3: Appears to understand more English than s/he really does Functions fairly well in face-to-face contextualized conversations Experiences difficulty with academic language and higher order thinking skills in English Can learn using English, still needs many non-verbal cues to construct meaning Uses simple sentences and simple past tense to verbalize information Beginning to read and write in English, but is more than 2 years behind grade level	In addition to the above actions, a student at LEP Level 3: Classifies and gives reasons in simple sentences Gives simple explanations about topic Describe topic or event Outlines topics using time sequence as well as main idea and supporting details Formulates questions Compares/ contrasts information conducts simple interviews
Appropriate Instructional Modifications	Assessment Strategies
Assign a study buddy Provide lecture notes in simple English Use closed-caption option on videos Permit bilingual dictionaries Allow extra time to complete work Provide written directions in simple English Speak and write directions Provide simplified readings Highlight important concepts Stress key vocabulary Activate prior knowledge Use graphic organizers Incorporate schematic mapping Teach and model cognitive strategies Develop problem-solving skills Use process writing Provide hands-on experiences Do demonstrations and role plays Use music such as chants and songs Use body movements and gestures Ask if students understand Allow questions of the obvious Accept errors Use bilingual tutor to pre-teach concepts	Students can show mastery of concepts by: Participating in cooperative learning projects Comparing / contrasting objects Making personal bilingual dictionaries Constructing hand-on projects Making maps and graphs Role-playing events Creating graphic organizers Keeping a learning log with pictures and sentences describing key concepts Taking modified tests (i.e. open book, shortened, oral, more time) Answering what, when, where, how, and why questions Writing captions for each picture Creating a persuasive argument Justifying an opinion Teachers can assess mastery of concepts by: Creating a grading contract Providing word banks for writing assignments Modifying tests (allowing students to use books or notes, shortening, giving oral test, allowing more time to complete tests, etc.)

Intermediate Fluency / Advanced: LEP Level 4
Description	Corresponding student actions
A student at LEP Level 4: Appears to be completely fluent in English: speech production is complex Has not mastered the ability to use English as a tool for learning Finds cognitively complex tasks in English difficult and reads approximately 2 years below grade level	In addition to the above actions, a student at LEP Level 4: Expresses reasoning more fluently Expresses opinions Criticizes and justifies Uses persuasion Answers how and why questions Predicts the outcome of events Drafts and edits assignments
Appropriate Instructional Modifications	Assessment Strategies
Incorporate schematic mapping Use graphic organizers Teach and model cognitive strategies Activate prior knowledge Develop problem-solving skills and application skills Emphasize and model comprehension strategies Provide written directions in simple English Speak and write directions Provide hands-on experiences Stress key concepts Allow extra time and support to complete cognitively complex tasks Read and write in the content areas Use process writing	Students can show mastery of concepts by: Participating in cooperative learning projects Constructing hands-on projects Making maps and graphs Creating graphic organizers Synthesizing or evaluating information Keeping a learning log explaining important concepts

Fluent English Proficient: FEP Level 5

Description

Corresponding student actions

Is completely fluent in English – comparable skills to native English speakers

A student at FEP Level 5:

Understands the language of the teacher and instruction
Comprehends and extracts information
Follows instruction discourse through which teachers provide information
Uses oral language appropriately and effectively in learning activities in the classroom and in social situations within the school
Comprehends and interprets content-area texts at the age- grade-appropriate level
Produces written texts with content and format, fulfilling classroom assignments at the age- or grade-appropriate level

Resources:


LAS Links Information: http://www.doe.state.in.us/lmmp/LAS_links.html
ELP Standards per grade level: are available as PDF files and Word documents online at the Office of English Language Learning & Migrant Education website: http://www.doe.in.gov/lmmp/standards.html

Sources:

Indiana Department of Education & The Indiana ESL Task Force (2003).: Indiana English proficiency standards. Retrieved May 2, 2008 from http://www.doe.in.gov/lmmp/standards.html
Office of English Language Learning & Migrant Education (2008).: NCLB Required components of the English language proficiency (ELP) standards. Retrieved March 14, 2008 http://www.doe.in.gov/lmmp/stateboardhandout.html

Stephanie Krajicek

Stephanie Krajicek is a certified secondary English and French teacher who has been teaching in Indiana public schools for five years and is a facilitator for the Buddy project and a trainer for the Buddy Technology Learning Center (BTLC).

This featured article appeared in Volume 3, Number 4 issue of the Write Connections quarterly newsletter. View other archived newsletters , a topical organization of all newsletters, or sign-up to receive notification when the next newsletters are ready to download.

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