Section IV: ELPAC Proficiency Level Descriptors (PLDs)
The Proficiency Level Descriptors (PLDs) provide an overview of the stages of English language development through which English learners (ELs) are expected to progress as they gain increasing proficiency in English as a new language. The PLDs depict student knowledge, skills, and abilities across a continuum, identifying what ELs know and can do at early stages and upon exit from each of three proficiency levels: Emerging, Expanding, and Bridging. These descriptors are intended to be used as a guide for teachers and curriculum developers to provide ELs with targeted instruction in English language development as well as differentiated instruction in academic content areas. Emerging: Students at this level typically progress very quickly, learning to use English for immediate needs as well as beginning to understand and use academic vocabulary and other features of academic language. Expanding: Students at this level are challenged to increase their English skills in more contexts and learn a greater variety of vocabulary and linguistic structures, applying their growing language skills in more sophisticated ways that are appropriate to their age and grade level. Bridging: Students at this level continue to learn and apply a range of high-level English language skills in a wide variety of contexts, including comprehension and production of highly technical texts. The “bridge” alluded to is the transition to full engagement in grade-level academic tasks and activities in a variety of content areas without the need for specialized ELD instruction. However, ELs at all levels of English language proficiency fully participate in grade-level tasks in all content areas with varying degrees of scaffolding in order to develop both content knowledge and English. The charts below show ELD proficiency levels continuum and the scaffolds that will support English learners progress from one level to the next in an academic setting. The continuum that progressively moves from substantial support when ELs enter schools with limited English language skills to occasional support when ELs exit the Bridging level through Reclassification.
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