Guidelines for Linguistic Accommodations for Each Proficiency Level*

Communicating and Scaffolding Instruction

Teachers
Sequence of Language Development

Listening

Teachers

Speaking

Teachers

Reading

Writing

Teachers
native language to express concepts high frequency recently memorized, and short, simple, sentences sentence stems with present tense and high frequency vocabulary

Allow use of same language

Beginning (A)

Expect student to struggle Use gestures and

to understand simple conversations

peer and native language support

Provide short sentence

Allow some nonparticipation Provide word bank of key Model pronunciation

vocabulary of social and academic language in simple conversations

stems and single words for practice before conversations

Organize reading in chunks Practice high frequency, Use visual and linguistic Explain classroom Use adapted text
supports environmental print concrete terms

Allow drawing and use of Allow student to use

movement and other linguistic support to communicate language and expectations

Provide short, simple

Intermediate (B)

Provide visuals, slower Preteach vocabulary before Teach phrases for student
discussions and lectures to request speakers repeat, slow down, or rephrase speech speech, verbal cues, simplified language

Allow extra processing time Provide sentence stems Model and provide practice
in pronunciation of academic terms with simple sentence structures and tenses

Allow wide range of reading Allow grade-level

comprehension and analysis of tasks including drawing and use of native language and peer collaboration

Allow drawing and use of Allow writing on familiar, Avoid assessment of

concrete topics

native language to express academic concepts

Provide high level of visual

and linguistic supports with adapted text and pretaught vocabulary

Provide simple sentence

stems and scaffolded writing assignments

language errors in content area writing

Allow some processing

Advanced (C)

Provide opportunities

time, visuals, verbal cues, and gestures for unfamiliar conversations for student to request clarification, repetition and rephrasing

Allow extra time after Provide sentence stems

pauses with past, present, future, and complex grammar, and vocabulary with contentbased and abstract terms

Allow abstract grade-level

Provide visual and linguistic

supports including adapted text for unfamiliar topics

reading comprehension and analysis with peer support

Provide grade-level

Allow abstract and technical

writing with linguistic support including teacher modeling and student interaction

appropriate writing tasks

Provide complex sentence Allow abstract grade-level Provide minimal visual and Allow grade level
linguistic supports comprehension and analysis tasks with peer collaboration reading

stems for scaffolded writing assignments

Advanced High (D)

Allow some extra time

Provide visuals, verbal cues,

and gestures when material is complex and unfamiliar

when academic material is complex and unfamiliar

Opportunities for extended Provide sentence stems

discussions with past, present, future, and complex grammar and vocabulary with contentbased and abstract terms

Provide complex grade-level Allow abstract and technical Use genre analysis to
writing with minimal linguistic support appropriate writing tasks

identify and use features of advanced English writing

*Guidelines at specific proficiency levels may be beneficial for students at all levels of proficiency depending on the context of instructional delivery, materials, and students background knowledge. Used with permission from Canter Press, 2008.

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Texas Education Agency / Education Service Center, Region 20

ELPS Resource Supplement