WOODBURN
SCHOOL
DISTRICT
SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR K-12
Drafted April of 2013 by Elementary, Middle, and High School Teachers, Principals,
Migrant Coordinator, Instructional Coaches and Language Program Coordinators
T
able of Contents
Introduction
A historical overview of the Woodburn School District’s (WSD) journey into and through second
language acquisition.
Philosophy
A brief statement that identifies the philosophical underpinnings and research of language
acquisition in Woodburn.
Approach(es)
An explanation of the systems and processes that support our philosophy.
Methods
The bodies of philosophically grounded and purposively integrated strategies and techniques that
constitutes one translation of an approach into professional practice.
Strategies
The collection of philosophically grounded and functionally related techniques that serves as an
implementation component of an instructional method.
Techniques
Specific actions or action sequences that have been designed to achieve a defined, strategic
objective.
Organization
An overview of possible schedules within a second language classroom.
Assessment
performance based assessments, on-going formative assessments
Language Proficiency Levels
Q&A
Woodburn School District Second Language Acquisition common agreements and norms
References
An annotated list of resources that support various components of the WSD instructional
framework.
Glossary
A short dictionary of terminology used throughout the document.
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
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I
ntroduction
Students learn academic language throughout the school day through the combination of
language instruction for content learning and language instruction for language learning.
Where both types of language instruction are crucial to the overall academic language of
development of a student, this instructional framework addresses the explicit teaching
languages that are in addition to a student’s primary language. (Take out/ move.)
This purpose of this document is to consolidate the most effective instructional practices in
language instruction for language learning. This document provides direction for teachers and
administrators alike in informing school and classroom practice. All professional development
and materials for the explicit teaching of language acquisition in the district are aligned to this
framework. This document is a culmination of years of thinking and work by many educators in
the Woodburn School District.
Prior to 2007, WSD ascribed primarily to a “content-based” ELD approach to language
instruction. Teachers were trained in Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD), Sheltered
Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), and Sheltered Instructional Techniques. Teachers were
expected to use comprehensible input strategies and provide explicit vocabulary instruction
related to their various areas. Foreign language courses applied a variety of approaches to
language instruction across the district.
In 2007, the state of Oregon adopted English Language Proficiency Standards that provided a
list of 24 functions and related forms. The district began to incorporate forms and functions
into its English language instruction. Some Spanish and Russian foreign language teachers also
incorporated forms and functions.
Although Spanish and Russian language courses at the High School had always been leveled, in
2008-2009 the district moved to leveled language instruction for all students learning English as
a second language.
In 2010 English as a Second Language Teachers were trained in Systematic ELD. This is a
framework using forms and functions based approach to language development which uses the
gradual release as the main mechanism for language instruction.
In April of 2013, a district team convened to review and recommend a common approach to
second language instruction. This work laid the foundation for consistent practices,
professional development, and use of materials for English, Spanish and Russian as a secondlanguage classes.
Participants:
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
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Facilitator
Lena Baucum
Administrators
Irene Novichihin
Todd Farris
Teachers
Alejandro Lopez
Dina Moritz
Ronda Jonson
Sarah Hollingsworth
Language Program
Coordinators
Ulita Seleznev
David Winterburn
Liliana Heller-Mafrica
Mariam Baradar
Marci Schnegelberger
P
hilosophy
In Woodburn School District we believe that cognitive learning theories, with
emphasis on communication, guide the teaching and learning process for all language
programs. Language acquisition is one of the most fascinating aspects of human development.
All languages are fundamentally innate and the same universal principles underlie all of them
(Chomsky, 1952). Therefore, linguistic competence in the primary language (L-1) supports
acquisition of subsequent languages (L-2). The acquisition of language is a developmental
progression through predetermined stages as follows: Pre-Production; Early Production;
Speech Emergence; Intermediate Fluency; Advanced Fluency. This progression is true for the
first language as well as the acquisition of subsequent languages. Movement through these
stages is dependent upon a learner receiving comprehensible input that is slightly beyond their
current language ability (CI=I+1) (Krashen, 1981).
Children are born in possession of an innate ability to comprehend language structures in
discourse (Chomsky, 1957). “Primary discourse is language acquired through face-to-face
interaction in the home and represents the language of initial socialization. Secondary
discourse is language acquired in social institutions, beyond the family, and involves acquisition
of specialized vocabulary and functions of language appropriate to those settings.” (Cummins,
2001). School-age children acquire social and academic language concurrently. Many of the
language skills required in basic interpersonal communication (BICS) are useful in developing
cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) (Cummins, 1999).
Recent neuroscience research related to language, language learning, and language
instruction has contributed to the foundations of new models of learning. In these cognitive
models, communication continues to be the purpose of language and language acquisition. The
model incorporates principles of social interaction, active learning, and explicit language
instruction (Bialystok, 1990a). Students participate in programs where teachers
implement research-based practices and progress along an accelerated
timeline of language development (Douglas Fisher et.al 2011).
NOTE: Additional information and resources on Philosophy can be found in the Appendix __.
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
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P
edagogical Approaches
Woodburn combines the cognitive approach (which incorporates many aspects of the
communicative approach) with systemic functional linguistics to ensure that a teacher acts as a
facilitator that guides students through cooperative learning tasks to practice forms and
functions of the language in various social and academic contexts. There is explicit modeling of
the language to be learned, and also of effective strategies for language learning and
communication. Classroom activities, guided or independent, encourage students to
communicate and construct meaning in a social context. Students are expected to use
metacognition as they reflect on the strategies and processes that they are using to derive
meaning.
The Woodburn approach to language instruction bases instruction on the following:
Teacher Role
Student Role
 Establishes structured learning routines for
 Actively participates in the language learning
purposeful language practice and student
process (Vygotsky, 1978)
engagement
 Makes meaning from language and context clues
 Provides and facilitates authentic and meaningful
by creating, testing, and modifying hypothesis
language experiences that can be applied to a
about how language works (Vygotsky, 1978)
variety of situations (Krashen, 1982)
 Uses and practices strategies for language
 Provides students with engaging practice in all
learning (Vygotsky, 1978)
four domains
 Links new learning to existing knowledge
 Models second language learning strategies
(Vygotsky, 1978)
(including metacognitive strategies) and provides
 Applies learned language to new contexts
students with practice (Pearson & Gallagher,
(Vygotsky, 1978)
1983)
 Uses metacognition to reflect and improve upon
 Provides explicit language and grammar
how to better learn language (Flavell, 1979)
instruction through inductive constructivism
(Piaget, 1967).
 Provides explicit instruction regarding L1
language interference (i.e., in the pronunciation
of school and eschool).
 Uses formative data to inform instruction and
provide comprehensible input, ZPD (Vygotsky,
1978) i+1 (Krashen, 1982).
Learning Environment
 Learner/student centered (Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky, ??)
 Print/visual rich (Cummins, 1989)
 Supports risk taking/low anxiety (Krashen, ??)
 Provides a context for authentic communication that is based in the real world (Krashen, ??)
 Allows for a range of language experiences that incorporate a variety of registers and communicative purposes
 Social/ Cooperative Learning (Krashen, ??)
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
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M
ethods
Woodburn School District integrates two methods to provide students with purposeful and Page | 7
effective language instruction: gradual release of responsibility and cooperative learning.
Gradual release of responsibility (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983) provides a practical method for
ensuring that students are instructed within their zone of proximal development (Vygotsky,
1978). Using this method, responsibility for the learning task gradually shifts from the teacher
to students. The teacher initiates the learning by modeling or demonstrating new learning,
then facilitating guided practice of the new learning, and finally providing students with
independent practice and application to the real world. The teacher provides students with
feedback throughout the process. Within a language learning context, teachers provide
students with ample time to interact and use the target language in meaningful ways on a daily
basis. Gradual release of responsibility serves to compartmentalize instructional time according
to student need.
Cooperative learning is a method of instruction that allows students to interact, practice, and
apply the language in meaningful ways. In the language learning classroom social interaction is
an essential ingredient to ensure that students are able to communicate, negotiate meaning,
and use other metalinguistic strategies. Cooperative learning provides the context in which
language is both learned and acquired.
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
S
trategies and Techniques
Strategies are the umbrella for techniques that are selected and used in practice. The following is a
collection of strategies with corresponding techniques that support the cognitive approach to teaching.
They are grounded in communicative application of systematic language forms and functions (sentence
frames and vocabulary). These strategies should be applied in all four domains. This list is not
exhaustive but rather a collection of the most common and useful techniques that should be part of a
teaching repertoire within each of the strategies.
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Modeling (Comprehensible Input):
The language frames and vocabulary, as determined by the communicative purpose of the lesson, are
introduced thru explicit interactive instruction. The teacher models by incorporating Think Alouds to show
students how to use the targeted language. The teacher prompts students to participate in the structured
language practice by using interactive techniques while checking for correct language use. Although the
teacher is modeling the language, students are expected to actively process and practice the language.
(Fisher, Frey, 2007)
Techniques
Choral Response: Teacher models targeted language and whole class
repeats.
Pictorial Input Chart: Teacher draws, labels, and writes relevant words and
information on the charts while describing and explaining the emerging
visuals.
Comparative Input Charts: Same as pictorial input chart, only two objects
or people are compared.
Cooperative Strip Paragraph: Teacher provides strips with sentences
imitating the targeted language and organizes them in a logical order.
Fishbowl: Teacher models language practice routines with chosen
student(s) in front of the class to give example of proper procedures.
Graphic Organizers: Teacher uses a variety of graphic organizers to visually
highlight the vocabulary that will be used within the targeted sentence
structures.
Illustrated Word Bank: List of vocabulary with visual/pictorial
representations along with the targeted sentence structure.
Picture Cards: Pictures with written labels to support vocabulary.
Sentence Construction Chart: Sentences frames created with blanks for
insertion of specific vocabulary to produce a particular kind of sentence.
For example: The __________ lives in the ___________. Teacher lists
under each line vocabulary that can be inserted and models how to
construct sentences.
Model Texts: Teacher uses model texts incorporating targeted language in
order to demonstrate examples or correct usage.
My Turn, Your Turn (Echo): Teacher will state a word, phrase or sentence
and the students “echo”. This can be used with a whole group, small
group, and/or with individual students.
Process Grid: Teachers categorize important concepts using a grid with a
variety of headings. (For example: Animal/ Characteristics /Habitats/Food)
Tapes & Songs/Chants/Videos: Teacher uses auditory and visual language,
Listening
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Speaking
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Reading
Writing
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Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
so that students can gain familiarly and comfort, in a low pressure way.
Total Physical Response: Teacher uses coordination of language and
X
X
physical movement to give commands to students in the target
language, and students respond with whole-body actions.
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Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
Guided Practice (Structured Language Practice):
Interactive language practice develops automatic and fluent accuracy of the taught language. Teacher
provides activities that are carefully structured to promote communicative interaction between students and
plays the primary role in guiding the language practice. Students practice the new language multiples timesPage | 10
during every lesson by using charts, graphic organizers and word banks while teacher monitors accuracy and
provides corrective feedback. (Dutro, (Fisher, Frey, 2007))
Techniques
All of these techniques should be modeled with the fishbowl
technique before expecting students to use them. (Find
Fishbowl technique in the modeling section above.)
A-B Partners: Some students are partner A and others are
partner B. Each partner is given a job to practice the target
language. Partner A: Tell me about the jaguar. Partner B: The
jaguar lives in the jungle and is a carnivore.
Lines of Communication: Students line up facing a partner and
share ideas with each other using taught language. One line
moves down and last person walks to beginning of line in order
to change partners at signal.
Board Game: Teacher makes game cards based on prompts and
sentence frames that have been taught and practiced.
Card Game: Student use vocabulary cards (picture or word) to
take turns asking and answering questions using taught language
patterns and vocabulary. (EX: Go Fish, Memory)
Clock Appointments: Students find 4 partners and note names.
Take turns speaking and listening and quickly changing partners
at signal.
Debates: A polarizing statement is given. Students choose
which side of the debate they are on. They form two lines. First
student in each line gives their reason using target language.
Next students continue until every student has had a turn.
Teacher or class determines which side best supported their
thinking.
Give One, Get One: Students independently generate possible
responses to a prompt on handout. At the signal, they find a
partner and take turns listening and speaking. At signal, find a
different partner.
Round Table: Each small group is given a topic. Each student in
group has to respond to the topic by using taught language.
Structured Role Play: Student assumes an assigned role and uses
the language they have learned to communicate in given
scenarios. They respond according to script and change roles at
the signal.
Talking Chips: Students “spend” their chips to talk by flipping
them from one color to the other.
Talking Sticks: Students speak only when holding the talking
stick using taught language. They take turns by passing the
talking stick.
Talking Triangle: Students are in groups of 3. Partner 1 shares
Listening
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Speaking
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Reading
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Writing
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Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
with partner 2 sentence frame. Partner 3 restates what partner
2 said using “He/She” form”.
Tea Party: Students are given a blank bingo card. They ask
questions (from previously taught language) to different
students in class to collect responses or signatures. If it’s yes/no
question, they have to prompt for additional information.
Think, Pair, Share: Student think quietly and then talk softly to a
partner.
Think, Write, Share: Same as above and then students write
down their response.
X
X
X
X
X
X
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
X
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X
X
Independent Practice:
The students practice using new language knowledge independently, or with a partner, with minimum
support from teacher in the new context. Students take ownership of language practice by relying on visuals,
notes, activities and classroom learning. The teacher collects data on student performance and provides
relevant, meaningful feedback to help students apply language correctly. This piece of student work could Page | 12
also be used as assessment. (Fisher, Frey, 2007)
Techniques
All guided practice routines above can be used for independent
practice.
Dialogue Bubbles: Teacher gives students blank dialogue bubble
sheet to fill in with taught language. Then students share with
A-B partners.
Journals: Students write prompt and answer it. (Shared journalsStudents write and then pass journal to someone else to add to
it.)
Presentations: Students share a project that they have done
that shares the new language that they have learned.
Ticket-out-the-Door: At end of lesson, students quickly write a
response to a prompt to show their learning from that day or
week. This may include self-reflection.
Whip Around: Used at end of lesson. Each student quickly says
a sentence in response to that day’s prompt. As soon as one
student finishes, the next student says their sentence.
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
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Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
Metacognition:
Refers to a level of thinking that involves active control over the process of thinking that is used in learning
situations. Teacher leads students in discussing how they organize, manage, monitor and evaluate their own
language learning. Teacher explicitly models techniques and allows students to choose those that work best
for their own language learning. Teacher and students reflect on how what they have learned can be applied
Page | 13
to a range of topics and link what they learn in second language to other content learning.
(CALLA???)
Techniques
Think Aloud
Note Taking/Graphic Organizer: Student uses or
creates a visual representation like a Venn diagram,
timeline, chart, etc.
Cognate Search: Students make connections between
1st language words and 2nd language words.
(crear/create)
Sketching: Students quickly sketch a visual
representation of their learning.
Use Imagery: Use or create an image to understand
and/or represent information.
Find a pattern: Look at a list and find a pattern. Make
up a rule that explains that pattern.
Ticket out the door: Students write a quick sentence
about what they learned and how they will use it or
reflect on their learning.
Language Logs: Students write in their journal to record
what they are learning for future reference. Students
make 3 column chart to list “words I know”, “words I’ve
heard” and “word I don’t know”.
Double Entry Journal: Draw line down middle of journal
page. Students write something that they learned from
ELD class and then write how they will use it or
remember it.
Substitute/paraphrase: Think of a similar word or
descriptive phrase that replaces the word that you
don’t know.
Talk yourself through it: Students use inner resources
to reduce anxiety by reminding yourself of your
progress, the resources you have available and your
goals.
Strategies/Processes
X
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Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
Vocabulary Development:
Sustained attention to vocabulary development is critically important to the overall listening and reading
comprehension of second language learners. Teacher explicitly instructs vocabulary in the target language
and students immediately practice it within a communicative context, not in isolation.
Page | 14
Techniques
Graphic Organizers: Teacher uses a variety of graphic organizers to
visually highlight the vocabulary that will be used within the
targeted sentence structures.
Illustrated Word Bank: List of vocabulary with visual/pictorial
representations along with the targeted sentence structure.
My Turn, Your Turn: Teacher will state a word, phrase or sentence
and the students “echo”. This can be used with a whole group,
small group, and/or with individual students.
Pantomime & Gestures: Teacher will assign an action to a new
vocabulary word/phrase and pantomime it to the students.
Students will repeat. Teacher will repeat the action and say the
vocabulary word or phrase and students will repeat. Teacher says
the word or phrase and students will pantomime the action.
Pictorial Input Chart: Teacher draws, labels, and writes relevant
words and information on the charts while describing and
explaining the emerging visuals.
Picture Cards: Pictures with written labels to support vocabulary.
Realia: Teacher brings in real objects or imitation of materials to
show physical form of the vocabulary word being taught.
Listening
Speaking
Reading
X
Writing
X
X
X
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Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
Developing Grammar Awareness:
The goal of grammar instruction is to enable students to use linguistic forms accurately, meaningfully and appropriately.
Furthermore, grammar instruction should not be taught in isolation but rather teacher uses an inductive approach to
draw students’ attention or promote students’ noticing of some feature(s) of a grammatical structure.
Techniques
Recasting: Teacher reformulates what a student has said or written
incorrectly in a more accurate, appropriate or meaningful way.
Enhancing the input: Teacher boldfaces targeted grammatical forms or
structures in a text which makes them more salient and draws students’
attention to them.
Input flooding: Similar to enhancing the input, but teacher purposefully
chooses texts in which particular structures are especially frequent
therefore enhancing their saliency and promoting noticing.
Consciousness-raising task: Teacher provides a list of language data (i.e.
example sentences) from which students induce a grammatical
generalization.
The garden path strategy: Teacher gives students information about
structure without giving them the full picture. The reason for giving
students only a partial explanation is that they are more likely to learn the
exceptions to the rule if they are corrected at the moment the
overgeneralization error is made than if they are given a long list of
exceptions to the rule to memorize in advance.
Input processing:
Output production:
Listening
x
Speaking
x
Reading
NOTE: Additional information and resources on Structures can be found in Appendix __.
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
x
x
Page | 15
Writing
x
O
rganization of Instruction
Sonia: leveling of classes (no more than two combined levels)
This section addresses how the instruction is organized in terms of both the content of the
instruction and the time. The percentages of time found here are not intended to be
prescriptive in any way, rather to act as a guide for use of time to ensure ample practice of
language across the domains.
Content
Woodburn SD uses twenty-four functions as s a means of organizing language content into
workable and meaningful portions of language that serve as an instructional focus at different
stages of language proficiency. These language functions are presented by proficiency levels to
ensure that students receive the appropriate rigor as they progress through each stage of
language development.
Forms and functions cannot be taught in a vacuum. Therefore, language function(s) are
grouped into thematic units that provide students with in a relevant and meaningful context for
learning language. The thematic units serve two specific purposes: they act as a catalyst for
authentic vocabulary development as well as allow for the recycling of the language functions
in a variety of contexts.
Within each unit, the vocabulary demands increase moving from basic to more specific
academic language, while the functions move from interpersonal to the more rigorous
interpretive and presentational modes.
Time
Language learning occurs within four domains: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Though
the amount of time spent within each domain varies depending upon the age and the language
proficiency level of the student, oral language development, is fundamental in ensuring that
language learners achieve a full range of language proficiency. For this reason, oral language
practice commands a significant presence in daily language instruction. Below is a chart that
suggests a percentage of instructional time within each of the four domains.
Kinder – 1st
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening
Beginner through Advanced
10 %
10
40
40
2nd – 5th Grades
Beginner through Advanced
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
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Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening
20
20
30
30
6th – 8th Grades
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening
Beginner/Novice
10
10
40
40
Intermediate
20
20
30
30
Advanced
30
30
20
20
High School
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening
Beginner/Novice
20
20
30
30
Intermediate
25
25
25
25
Advanced
30
30
20
20
Add paragraph here
Kinder – Grade 5
Metacognition
5%
All proficiency Levels
Independent
30%
Modeled
35%
Guided
30%
Grades 6-12
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
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Beginner - Intermediate
Metacognition
10%
Modeled
20%
Independent
30%
Guided
40%
Metacognition
10%
Advanced
Modeled
20%
Independent
40%
Guided
30%
Add instructional sequence
NOTE: Additional information and resources on Organization can be found in Appendix __.
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
Page | 18
L
anguage Proficiency Levels
The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines are a description of what individuals can do with language in Page | 19
terms of speaking, writing, listening, and reading in real-world situations in a spontaneous and
non-rehearsed context. For each skill, these guidelines identify five major levels of proficiency:
Distinguished, Superior, Advanced, Intermediate, and Novice. The major levels Advanced,
Intermediate, and Novice are subdivided into High, Mid, and Low sublevels. The levels of the
ACTFL Guidelines describe the continuum of proficiency from that of the highly articulate, welleducated language user to a level of little or no functional ability.
These Guidelines present the levels of proficiency as ranges, and describe what an individual
can and cannot do with language at each level, regardless of where, when, or how the language
was acquired. Together these levels form a hierarchy in which each level subsumes all lower
levels. The Guidelines are not based on any particular theory, pedagogical method, or
educational curriculum. They neither describe how an individual learns a language nor
prescribe how an individual should learn a language, and they should not be used for such
purposes. They are an instrument for the evaluation of functional language ability.
The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines were first published in 1986 as an adaptation for the
academic community of the U.S. Government’s Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Skill
Level Descriptions. This third edition marks the third edition of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines
includes the first revisions of Listening and Reading since their original publication in 1986, and
a second revision of the ACTFL Speaking and Writing Guidelines, which were revised to reflect
real-world assessment needs in 1999 and 2001 respectively. New for the 2012 edition are the
addition of the major level of Distinguished to the Speaking and Writing Guidelines, the division
of the Advanced level into the three sublevels of High, Mid, and Low for the Listening and
Reading Guidelines and the addition of general level description at the Advanced, Intermediate,
and Novice levels for all skills.
The direct application of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines is for the evaluation of functional
language ability. The Guidelines are intended to be used for global assessment in academic and
workplace settings. However, the Guidelines do have instructional implications. The ACTFL
Proficiency Guidelines underlie the development of the ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K-12
Learners (1998) and are used in conjunction with the National Standards for Foreign Language
Learning (1996, 1998, 2006) to describe how well students meet content standards.
http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org/
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
NOVICE
Listening
At the Novice level, listeners can understand key words, true aural cognates, and formulaic
expressions that are highly contextualized and highly predictable, such as those found in
introductions and basic courtesies.
Novice-level listeners understand words and phrases from simple questions, statements, and highfrequency commands. They typically require repetition, rephrasing, and/or a slowed rate of speech
for comprehension. They rely heavily on extralinguistic support to derive meaning.
Reading, writing, speaking and listening
Novice-level listeners are most accurate when they are able to recognize speech that they can
anticipate. In this way, these listeners tend to recognize rather than truly comprehend. Their
listening is largely dependent on factors other than the message itself.
Speaking
Novice-level speakers can communicate short messages on highly predictable, everyday topics that
affect them directly. They do so primarily through the use of isolated words and phrases that have
been encountered, memorized, and recalled. Novice-level speakers may be difficult to understand
even by the most sympathetic interlocutors accustomed to non-native speech.
Reading
At the Novice level, readers can understand key words and cognates, as well as formulaic phrases
that are highly contextualized.
Novice-level readers are able to get a limited amount of information from highly predictable texts in
which the topic or context is very familiar, such as a hotel bill, a credit card receipt, or a weather
map. Readers at the Novice level may rely heavily on their own background knowledge and
extralinguistic support (such as the imagery on the weather map or the format of a credit card bill)
to derive meaning.
Readers at the Novice level are best able to understand a text when they are able to anticipate the
information in the text. At the Novice level, recognition of key words, cognates, and formulaic
phrases makes comprehension possible.
Writing
Writers at the Novice level are characterized by the ability to produce lists and notes, primarily by
writing words and phrases. They can provide limited formulaic information on simple forms and
documents. These writers can reproduce practiced material to convey the most simple messages. In
addition, they can transcribe familiar words or phrases, copy letters of the alphabet or syllables of a
syllabary, or reproduce basic characters with some accuracy.
Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
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INTERMEDIATE
Listening
At the Intermediate level, listeners can understand information conveyed in simple, sentence-length
speech on familiar or everyday topics. They are generally able to comprehend one utterance at a
time while engaged in face-to-face conversations or in routine listening tasks such as understanding
highly contextualized messages, straightforward announcements, or simple instructions and
directions. Listeners rely heavily on redundancy, restatement, paraphrasing, and contextual clues.
Intermediate-level listeners understand speech that conveys basic information. This speech is
simple, minimally connected, and contains high-frequency vocabulary.
Reading, writing, speaking and listening
Intermediate-level listeners are most accurate in their comprehension when getting meaning from
simple, straightforward speech. They are able to comprehend messages found in highly familiar
everyday contexts. Intermediate listeners require a controlled listening environment where they
hear what they may expect to hear.
Speaking
Speakers at the Intermediate level are distinguished primarily by their ability to create with the
language when talking about familiar topics related to their daily life. They are able to recombine
learned material in order to express personal meaning. Intermediate-level speakers can ask simple
questions and can handle a straightforward survival situation. They produce sentence-level
language, ranging from discrete sentences to strings of sentences, typically in present time.
Intermediate-level speakers are understood by interlocutors who are accustomed to dealing with
non-native learners of the language.
Reading
At the Intermediate level, readers can understand information conveyed in simple, predictable,
loosely connected texts. Readers rely heavily on contextual clues. They can most easily understand
information if the format of the text is familiar, such as in a weather report or a social
announcement.
Intermediate-level readers are able to understand texts that convey basic information such as that
found in announcements, notices, and online bulletin boards and forums. These texts are not
complex and have a predictable pattern of presentation. The discourse is minimally connected and
primarily organized in individual sentences and strings of sentences containing predominantly highfrequency vocabulary.
Intermediate-level readers are most accurate when getting meaning from simple, straightforward
texts. They are able to understand messages found in highly familiar, everyday contexts. At this
level, readers may not fully understand texts that are detailed or those texts in which knowledge of
language structures is essential in order to understand sequencing, time frame, and chronology.
Writing
Writers at the Intermediate level are characterized by the ability to meet practical writing needs,
such as simple messages and letters, requests for information, and notes. In addition, they can ask
and respond to simple questions in writing. These writers can create with the language and
communicate simple facts and ideas in a series of loosely connected sentences on topics of personal
interest and social needs. They write primarily in present time. At this level, writers use basic
vocabulary and structures to express meaning that is comprehensible to those accustomed to the
writing of non-natives.
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ADVANCED
Listening
At the Advanced level, listeners can understand the main ideas and most supporting details in
connected discourse on a variety of general interest topics, such as news stories, explanations,
instructions, anecdotes, or travelogue descriptions. Listeners are able to compensate for limitations
in their lexical and structural control of the language by using real-world knowledge and contextual
clues. Listeners may also derive some meaning from oral texts at higher levels if they possess
significant familiarity with the topic or context.
Advanced-level listeners understand speech that is authentic and connected. This speech is lexically
and structurally uncomplicated. The discourse is straightforward and is generally organized in a clear
and predictable way.
Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Advanced-level listeners demonstrate the ability to comprehend language on a range of topics of
general interest. They have sufficient knowledge of language structure to understand basic timeframe references. Nevertheless, their understanding is most often limited to concrete, conventional
discourse.
Speaking
Speakers at the Advanced level engage in conversation in a clearly participatory manner in order to
communicate information on autobiographical topics, as well as topics of community, national, or
international interest. The topics are handled concretely by means of narration and description in
the major times frames of past, present, and future. These speakers can also deal with a social situation with an unexpected complication. The language of Advanced-level speakers is abundant, the
oral paragraph being the measure of Advanced-level length and discourse. Advanced-level speakers
have sufficient control of basic structures and generic vocabulary to be understood by native
speakers of the language, including those unaccustomed to non-native speech.
Reading
At the Advanced level, readers can understand the main idea and supporting details of authentic
narrative and descriptive texts. Readers are able to compensate for limitations in their lexical and
structural knowledge by using contextual clues. Comprehension is likewise supported by knowledge
of the conventions of the language (e.g., noun/adjective agreement, verb placement, etc.). When
familiar with the subject matter, Advanced-level readers are also able to derive some meaning from
straightforward argumentative texts (e.g., recognizing the main argument).
Advanced-level readers are able to understand texts that have a clear and predictable structure. For
the most part, the prose is uncomplicated and the subject matter pertains to real-world topics of
general interest.
Advanced-level readers demonstrate an independence in their ability to read subject matter that is
new to them. They have sufficient control of standard linguistic conventions to understand
sequencing, time frames, and chronology. However, these readers are likely challenged by texts in
which issues are treated abstractly.
Writing
Writers at the Advanced level are characterized by the ability to write routine informal and some
formal correspondence, as well as narratives, descriptions, and summaries of a factual nature. They
can narrate and describe in the major time frames of past, present, and future, using paraphrasing
and elaboration to provide clarity. Advanced-level writers produce connected discourse of
paragraph length and structure. At this level, writers show good control of the most frequently used
structures and generic vocabulary, allowing them to be understood by those unaccustomed to the
writing of non-natives.
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SUPERIOR
Listening
At the Superior level, listeners are able to understand speech in a standard dialect on a wide range
of familiar and less familiar topics. They can follow linguistically complex extended discourse such as
that found in academic and professional settings, lectures, speeches and reports. Comprehension is
no longer limited to the listener’s familiarity with subject matter, but also comes from a command
of the language that is supported by a broad vocabulary, an understanding of more complex
structures and linguistic experience within the target culture. Superior listeners can understand not
only what is said, but sometimes what is left unsaid; that is, they can make inferences.
Superior-level listeners understand speech that typically uses precise, specialized vocabulary and
complex grammatical structures. This speech often deals abstractly with topics in a way that is
appropriate for academic and professional audiences. It can be reasoned and can contain cultural
references.
Speaking
Speakers at the Superior level are able to communicate with accuracy and fluency in order to
participate fully and effectively in conversations on a variety of topics in formal and informal settings
from both concrete and abstract perspectives. They discuss their interests and special fields of
competence, explain complex matters in detail, and provide lengthy and coherent narrations, all
with ease, fluency, and accuracy. They present their opinions on a number of issues of interest to
them, such as social and political issues, and provide structured arguments to support these
opinions. They are able to construct and develop hypotheses to explore alternative possibilities.
Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
When appropriate, these speakers use extended discourse without unnaturally lengthy hesitation to
make their point, even when engaged in abstract elaborations. Such discourse, while coherent, may
still be influenced by language patterns other than those of the target language. Superior-level
speakers employ a variety of interactive and discourse strategies, such as turn-taking and separating
main ideas from supporting information through the use of syntactic, lexical, and phonetic devices.
Speakers at the Superior level demonstrate no pattern of error in the use of basic structures,
although they may make sporadic errors, particularly in low-frequency structures and in complex
high-frequency structures. Such errors, if they do occur, do not distract the native interlocutor or
interfere with communication.
Reading
At the Superior level, readers are able to understand texts from many genres dealing with a wide
range of subjects, both familiar and unfamiliar. Comprehension is no longer limited to the reader’s
familiarity with subject matter, but also comes from a command of the language that is supported
by a broad vocabulary, an understanding of complex structures and knowledge of the target culture.
Readers at the Superior level can draw inferences from textual and extralinguistic clues.
Superior-level readers understand texts that use precise, often specialized vocabulary and complex
grammatical structures. These texts feature argumentation, supported opinion, and hypothesis, and
use abstract linguistic formulations as encountered in academic and professional reading. Such texts
are typically reasoned and/or analytic and may frequently contain cultural references.
Superior-level readers are able to understand lengthy texts of a professional, academic, or literary
nature. In addition, readers at the Superior level are generally aware of the aesthetic properties of
language and of its literary styles, but may not fully understand texts in which cultural references
and assumptions are deeply embedded.
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Writing
Writers at the Superior level are able to produce most kinds of formal and informal correspondence,
in-depth summaries, reports, and research papers on a variety of social, academic, and professional
topics. Their treatment of these issues moves beyond the concrete to the abstract.
Writers at the Superior level demonstrate the ability to explain complex matters, and to present and
support opinions by developing cogent arguments and hypotheses. Their treatment of the topic is
enhanced by the effective use of structure, lexicon, and writing protocols. They organize and
prioritize ideas to convey to the reader what is significant. The relationship among ideas is
consistently clear, due to organizational and developmental principles (e.g., cause and effect,
comparison, chronology). These writers are capable of extended treatment of a topic which typically
requires at least a series of paragraphs, but can extend to a number of pages.
Writers at the Superior level demonstrate a high degree of control of grammar and syntax, of both
general and specialized/professional vocabulary, of spelling or symbol production, of cohesive
devices, and of punctuation. Their vocabulary is precise and varied. Writers at this level direct their
writing to their audiences; their writing fluency eases the reader’s task.
Writers at the Superior level do not typically control target-language cultural, organizational, or
stylistic patterns. At the Superior level, writers demonstrate no pattern of error; however,
occasional errors may occur, particularly in low-frequency structures. When present, these errors do
not interfere with comprehension, and they rarely distract the native reader.
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DISTINGUISHED
Listening
At the Distinguished level, listeners can understand a wide variety of forms, styles, and registers of
speech on highly specialized topics in language that is tailored to different audiences. Listeners at
the Distinguished level can understand language such as that found in classical theater, art films,
professional symposia, academic debates, public policy statements, literary readings, and most jokes
and puns. They are able to comprehend implicit and inferred information, tone, and point of view,
and can follow highly persuasive arguments. They are able to understand unpredictable turns of
thought related to sophisticated topics. In addition, their listening ability is enhanced by a broad and
deep understanding of cultural references and allusions. Listeners at the Distinguished level are able
to appreciate the richness of the spoken language.
Distinguished-level listeners understand speech that can be highly abstract, highly technical, or
both, as well as speech that contains very precise, often low-frequency vocabulary and complex
rhetorical structures. At this level, listeners comprehend oral discourse that is lengthy and dense,
structurally complex, rich in cultural reference, idiomatic and colloquial. In addition, listeners at this
level can understand information that is subtle or highly specialized, as well as the full cultural
significance of very short texts with little or no linguistic redundancy.
Reading, writing, speaking and listening
Distinguished-level listeners comprehend language from within the cultural framework and are able
to understand a speaker’s use of nuance and subtlety. However, they may still have difficulty fully
understanding certain dialects and nonstandard varieties of the language.
Speaking
Speakers at the Distinguished level are able to use language skillfully, and with accuracy, efficiency,
and effectiveness. They are educated and articulate users of the language. They can reflect on a
wide range of global issues and highly abstract concepts in a culturally appropriate manner.
Distinguished-level speakers can use persuasive and hypothetical discourse for representational
purposes, allowing them to advocate a point of view that is not necessarily their own. They can
tailor language to a variety of audiences by adapting their speech and register in ways that are
culturally authentic.
Speakers at the Distinguished level produce highly sophisticated and tightly organized extended
discourse. At the same time, they can speak succinctly, often using cultural and historical references
to allow them to say less and mean more. At this level, oral discourse typically resembles written
discourse.
A non-native accent, a lack of a native-like economy of expression, a limited control of deeply
embedded cultural references, and/or an occasional isolated language error may still be present at
this level.
Reading
At the Distinguished level, readers can understand a wide variety of texts from many genres
including professional, technical, academic, and literary. These texts are characterized by one or
more of the following: a high level of abstraction, precision or uniqueness of vocabulary; density of
information; cultural reference; or complexity of structure. Readers are able to comprehend implicit
and inferred information, tone, and point of view and can follow highly persuasive arguments. They
are able to understand unpredictable turns of thought related to sophisticated topics.
Readers at the Distinguished level are able to understand writing tailored to specific audiences as
well as a number of historical, regional, and colloquial variations of the language. These readers are
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able to appreciate the richness of written language. Distinguished-level readers understand and
appreciate texts that use highly precise, low-frequency vocabulary as well as complex rhetorical
structures to convey subtle or highly specialized information. Such texts are typically essay length
but may be excerpts from more lengthy texts.
Distinguished-level readers comprehend language from within the cultural framework and are able
to understand a writer’s use of nuance and subtlety. However, they may still have difficulty fully
understanding certain nonstandard varieties of the written language.
Writing
Writers at the Distinguished level can carry out formal writing tasks such as official correspondence,
position papers, and journal articles. They can write analytically on professional, academic and
societal issues. In addition, Distinguished-level writers are able to address world issues in a highly
conceptualized fashion.
These writers can use persuasive and hypothetical discourse as representational techniques,
allowing them to advocate a position that is not necessarily their own. They are also able to
communicate subtlety and nuance. Distinguished-level writing is sophisticated and is directed to
sophisticated readers. Writers at this level write to their audience; they tailor their language to their
readers.
Distinguished-level writing is dense and complex; yet, it is characterized by an economy of
expression. The writing is skillfully crafted and is organized in a way that reflects target-culture
thought patterns. At the Distinguished level, length is not a determining factor. Distinguished-level
texts can be as short as a poem or as long as a treatise.
Writers at the Distinguished level demonstrate control of complex lexical, grammatical, syntactic,
and stylistic features of the language. Discourse structure and punctuation are used strategically,
not only to organize meaning but also to enhance it. Conventions are generally appropriate to the
text modality and the target culture.
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A
ssessment
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Q
&A
What is the role of grammar instruction in language acquisition? Do learners need to learn
grammar rules explicitly? Are explicit grammar practice exercises necessary?
How long does it take a student to become proficient in a second language?
What is meant by “proficient”?
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R
eferences
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Woodburn School District- Second Language Acquisition Framework – April 18, 2013.
G
lossary of Terminology
Context-reduced language refers to communication where there are few clues about the
meaning of the communication apart from the words themselves. The language is likely to be
abstract and academic.
Context-embedded language refers to communication that occurs in a context of shared
understanding, where there are cues or signals that help to reveal the meaning (i.e. visual clues,
gestures, expressions, specific location).
Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills is the language that most of us use in daily informal
interactions at home or in social settings. Social and academic language is acquired
concurrently.
Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency is the language that is learned at school and is
needed to explain new knowledge specific to academic subject. Social and academic language
is acquired concurrently.
Primary discourse is language acquired through face-to-face interaction in the home and
represents the language of initial socialization.
Secondary discourse is language acquired in social institutions beyond the family and involves
acquisition of specialized vocabulary and functions of language appropriate to those settings
Approach (Pg. 171) Definition plus example
Method
Strategy
Techniques
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A
ppendix
Philosophy
A brief statement that identifies the philosophical underpinnings and research of language
acquisition in Woodburn.

Approach(es)
An explanation of the systems and processes that support our philosophy.

Methods
The bodies of philosophically grounded and purposively integrated strategies and techniques that
constitutes one translation of an approach into professional practice.

Strategies
The collection of philosophically grounded and functionally related techniques that serves as an
implementation component of an instructional method.

Techniques
Specific actions or action sequences that have been designed to achieve a defined, strategic
objective.

Organization
An overview of possible schedules within a second language classroom.

Assessment
performance based assessments, on-going formative assessments

Language Proficiency Levels
 ACTFUL Proficiency Guidelines 2012
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