This snapshot shows the following key speaking features of intermediate English learners: “1) are able to express simple, original messages, speak using sentences, and participate in short conversations and classroom interactions; may hesitate frequently and for long periods to think about how to communicate desired meaning; 2) speak simply using basic vocabulary needed in everyday social interactions and routine academic contexts and rarely have vocabulary to speak in detail; 3) exhibit an emerging awareness of English grammar and speak using mostly simple sentence structures and simple tenses; are most comfortable speaking in present tense.” (ELPS, 2009)
Reading Features
This snapshot shows the following key reading features of English learners with an intermediate English proficiency level: “1) demonstrate limited comprehension (key words and general meaning) of grade and appropriate stories (texts) read aloud in English,
unless the stories (texts) include predictable story lines, highly familiar topics, primarily high-frequency, concrete vocabulary, and short, simple sentences with visual and linguistic supports; 2) also, have difficulty decoding grade- appropriate English text because they understand the meaning of only those English words they hear frequently – struggle with some sounds in English words and some sound- symbol relationships due to differences between their primary language and English.” (EPLS, 2009)