The ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners (ACTFL, 1998), ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines - Speaking, (ACTFL, 1999) and ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines Writing (ACTFL, 2001) were used to inform the development of the performance level descriptor found below.
PERFORMANCE LEVEL DESCRIPTOR
TEXT TYPE
Quantity of Language Produced
NOVICE – MID
NOVICE – HIGH
INTERMEDIATE –
LOW
INTERMEDIATE- MID
INTERMEDIATE HIGH
ADVANCED - LOW
Words, phrases and
memorized simple sentences
Words, lists and
simple sentences
Simple sentences
Strings of sentences
Connected sentences
and paragraphs
Paragraph level
discourse
LANGUAGE CONTROL
Grammatical Accuracy
NOVICE – MID
NOVICE – HIGH
INTERMEDIATE –
LOW
INTERMEDIATE- MID
INTERMEDIATE HIGH
ADVANCED - LOW
Accurate when producing
memorized language
Inconsistently
accurate
Inconsistently
accurate
Evidence of control of
grammar in noncomplex sentences and
in basic verb forms
Generally accurate
when narrating and
describing in present
time
Most accurate when
expressing one’s own
ideas with previously
studied and familiar
topics
Most accurate when
expressing one’s own
ideas with previously
studied and familiar
topics
Sustained control of
simple target-language
sentence structures and
partial control of more
complex structures
Minimally accurate as
creativity in language/
production increases
Minimally accurate as
creativity in
language/production
Demonstrate some
ability to use
grammatical and
Less accurate in past
and future time
Grammatical
unevenness with some
control of aspect
increases
stylistic cohesive
elements.
Apply familiar
structures to new
situations
Some grammatical
errors in control of
aspect
VOCABULARY USE
NOVICE – MID
NOVICE – HIGH
INTERMEDIATE –
LOW
INTERMEDIATE- MID
INTERMEDIATE HIGH
ADVANCED - LOW
Comprehend and produce
vocabulary related to
common objects and action
in familiar categories
Comprehend and
produce an expanding
amount of vocabulary
from previously
studied themes
Comprehend and
produce vocabulary
from a limited
number of themes
Comprehend and
produce vocabulary on a
wider range of everyday
themes
Comprehend and
produce vocabulary
from an expanding
variety of themes
Comprehend and
produce vocabulary on
an expanding variety of
themes including some
abstract topics related to
interest and aptitude.
Use words and phrases
primarily as lexical items
without awareness of
grammatical structure
Understand and use
memorized idiomatic
expressions
Use false cognates (for
languages that contain
English cognates)
Understand and use a
limited number of
idiomatic expressions
Use false cognates (for
languages that contain
English cognates)
Understand and use
some idiomatic
expressions and
culturally authentic
expressions
Search for adequate
vocabulary
Understand and use
idiomatic expressions
and culturally authentic
expressions
Use specialized and
precise vocabulary
within a limited number
of topics
Understand and use
idiomatic expressions
and culturally authentic
expressions
Use specialized and
precise vocabulary
within a wider range of
topics.
Employ generic
vocabulary
COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
Techniques to understand and to be understood
As students progress through proficiency levels, they gain stronger control of the strategies acquired at previous levels while beginning to use new strategies
characteristic of the targeted proficiency level.
INTERPRETIVE
NOVICE – MID
NOVICE – HIGH
INTERMEDIATE –
LOW
INTERMEDIATE- MID
INTERMEDIATE HIGH
ADVANCED - LOW
Identify a limited number
of cognates and loanwords
to aid comprehension
Identify some
cognates, loanwords,
word families, roots,
prefixes, and suffixes
to aid comprehension
Identify a wide range
of cognates,
loanwords, word
families, roots,
prefixes, and suffixes
to aid comprehension
Use knowledge of own
culture and target
culture to deduce
meaning
Identify the organizing
principle(s) of oral or
written text
Handle linguistic
challenges with a
complication or
unexpected turn of
events within familiar
contexts and routine
situations
Skim and scan
Use visual cues to aid
comprehension
Use background experience
to enhance comprehension
Infer meaning of some
unfamiliar words to
aid comprehension
Infer meaning of
unfamiliar words to
aid comprehension
Derive meaning by
examining familiar and
unfamiliar structures
Predict
Use contextual clues
Occasionally use some
resources such as
target language
dictionaries and
online resources to aid
comprehension
Effectively use resources
such as target language
dictionaries and online
resources to aid
comprehension
Infer and interpret the
intent of the author
Reread
May paraphrase when
reading or listening;
ask questions of self
about text
Identify type of text
(narrative, expository,
persuasive)
Synthesize
Summarize
Evaluate
Skip over unfamiliar
words (in order to be
successful,
reader/listener must
already have a wide
range of known
vocabulary to use this
strategy)
INTERPERSONAL
NOVICE – MID
NOVICE – HIGH
INTERMEDIATE –
INTERMEDIATE- MID
INTERMEDIATE -
ADVANCED - LOW
LOW
Use gestures and sometimes
resort to English
Language learners at
this level generally,
but not always:
Language learners at
this level minimally:
HIGH
Language learners at
this level consistently:
Use cohesive devices
Rephrase
Repeat
Ask for clarification
Ask for clarification
Ask for clarification
Probe for details in
order to clarify meaning
Use some cohesive
devices
Use limited
circumlocution
Use some cohesive
devices
Use limited
circumlocution
Use circumlocution
Use circumlocution
Self-correct when
Self-correct when
not understood
not understood
Repeat and ask for
repetition
Repeat and ask for
repetition
Paraphrase
Paraphrase
Imitate modeled
words
Imitate modeled
words
Occasionally self-correct
when not needed for
comprehension
Self-correct even when
not needed for
comprehension
Convey message without
misrepresentation or
confusion
State lack of
understanding
State lack of
understanding
Are understood by
sympathetic speakers
used to dealing with
non-natives.
Are generally
understood by
sympathetic speakers,
particularly by those
accustomed to dealing
with non-natives
Are understood by
sympathetic speakers used
to dealing with language
learners
Are understood by
sympathetic native
speakers accustomed to
dealing with non-natives
Are generally
understood by native
speakers of the target
language unaccustomed
to dealing with nonnatives
Are understood by
native speakers
unaccustomed to dealing
with non-natives
INTERMEDIATE HIGH
ADVANCED - LOW
PRESENTATIONAL
NOVICE – MID
NOVICE – HIGH
INTERMEDIATE –
LOW
INTERMEDIATE- MID
Use gestures and sometimes
resort to English
Language learners at
this level generally,
but not always:
Language learners at
this level minimally:
Language learners at
this level consistently:
Rephrase
Convey message without
misrepresentation or
confusion
Repeat
Use limited
circumlocution
Use limited
circumlocution
Use some cohesive
devices
Repeat
Use circumlocution
Use circumlocution
Use some cohesive
devices
Repeat
Occasionally self-correct
Use cohesive devices to
organize presentation
when not needed for
comprehension
Are understood by
sympathetic speakers used
to dealing with language
learners.
Paraphrase
Paraphrase
Self-correct when not
understood
Self-correct when not
understood
Are understood by
sympathetic speakers
used to dealing with
non-natives.
Are generally
understood by
sympathetic speakers,
particularly by those
accustomed to dealing
with non-natives
Are understood by
sympathetic native
speakers accustomed to
dealing with non-natives
Self-correct even when
not needed for
comprehension
Are generally
understood by native
speakers of the target
language unaccustomed
to dealing with nonnatives
Understood by native
speakers unaccustomed
to dealing with nonnatives