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Advanced Stage

Students performing at this level of English language proficiency communicate effectively with various audiences on a wide range of familiar and new topics to meet social and academic demands. In order to attain the English proficiency level of their native English-speaking peers, further linguistic enhancement and refinement are necessary. This is called Fluent or Near Fluent.

Characteristics of this stage:

  • At this stage can produce oral and have literacy comparable to that of a native speaker

Characteristics of the learner:

1. The learner actively uses academic language to negotiate meaning

  • Use thematic units
  • Explore Greek and Latin roots that appear frequently in English words. Select the words from content area books
  • Sequence strategies according to their observable applicability. Outlining, note taking, and webbing are more concrete and observable
  • Use some words from children's home languages in the classroom
  • Teach metacognitive strategies like Think Aloud and Question-Answer Relationships (QAR)
  • Teach the language of the subject
  • Make definition webs that need examples or characteristics of the word
  • Use group discussion of prior experience
  • Ask students to use the cloze procedure by supplying the words that fit meaning
  • Ask questions using Bloom's taxonomy
  • Allow for multiple right answers
  • In response to students' written errors, try to focus on consistent errors of a specific type (e.g. lack of plural endings). Be gentle
  • Allow time for students to discuss what they learn and generate questions in areas that require clarification
  • Allow students to think aloud in primary language or English
  • Provide specific explanations of keywords and special or technical vocabulary, using examples and nonlinguistic props when possible
  • Use flexible grouping
  • Make cross-curricular connections
  • Smile! This is universally understood
  • Always focus on content first before giving feedback or correcting grammar or pronunciation
  • Exploit previously used language and link to pupils' experience

2. The learner uses multiple strategies to construct meaning from print

  • Point out captions which accompany illustrations and explain how each caption supports the main ideas presented in the chapter
  • Provide field trips
  • Use DRTA
  • Use maps
  • Ask students to use the cloze procedure by supplying the words that fit meaning
  • Smile! This is universally understood
  • Teach metacognitive strategies like Think Aloud and Question-Answer Relationships (QAR)
  • Use thematic units
  • Sequence strategies according to their observable applicability. Outlining, note taking, and webbing are more concrete and observable
  • Accept single word or phrases as correct answers. Do not insist that students speak in full sentences
  • Exploit previously used language and link to pupils' experience
  • Use SQ3R
  • Use timelines
  • Use flexible grouping
  • In response to students' written errors, try to focus on consistent errors of a specific type (e.g. lack of plural endings). Be gentle
  • Provide written notes and summaries,
  • Provide walking filed trips
  • Direct students to look at titles, subtitles, summaries, and transitional paragraphs.
  • Teach skimming and scanning
  • Use group discussion of prior experience
  • Explore Greek and Latin roots that appear frequently in English words. Select the words from content area books
  • Point out the phonological and orthographic English rules
  • Always focus on content first before giving feedback or correcting grammar or pronunciation
  • Use interest grouping
  • Make definition webs that need examples or characteristics of the word

3. The learner produces connected discourse and narrative

  • Exploit previously used language and link to pupils' experience
  • Accept single word or phrases as correct answers. Do not insist that students speak in full sentences
  • In response to students' written errors, try to focus on consistent errors of a specific type (e.g. lack of plural endings). Be gentle
  • Ask students to use the cloze procedure by supplying the words that fit meaning
  • Teach metacognitive strategies like Think Aloud and Question-Answer Relationships (QAR)
  • Sequence strategies according to their observable applicability. Outlining, note taking, and webbing are more concrete and observable
  • Use group discussion of prior experience
  • Provide written notes and summaries
  • Use thematic units
  • Always focus on content first before giving feedback or correcting grammar or pronunciation
  • Use interest grouping
  • Explore Greek and Latin roots that appear frequently in English words. Select the words from content area books
  • Smile! This is universally understood
  • Use flexible grouping
  • Make definition webs that need examples or characteristics of the word

4. The learner demonstrates increased levels of accuracy and correctness

  • Make definition webs that need examples or characteristics of the word
  • Use thematic units
  • Exploit previously used language and link to pupils' experience
  • Ask students to use the cloze procedure by supplying the words that fit meaning
  • Teach metacognitive strategies like Think Aloud and Question-Answer Relationships (QAR)
  • In response to students' written errors, try to focus on consistent errors of a specific type (e.g. lack of plural endings). Be gentle
  • Use group discussion of prior experience
  • Explore Greek and Latin roots that appear frequently in English words. Select the words from content area books
  • Point out the phonological and orthographic English rules
  • Always focus on content first before giving feedback or correcting grammar or pronunciation
  • Smile! This is universally understood
  • Sequence strategies according to their observable applicability. Outlining, note taking, and webbing are more concrete and observable

5. The learner uses higher-order language to persuade and evaluate

  • Use thematic units
  • Explore Greek and Latin roots that appear frequently in English words. Select the words from content area books
  • Make definition webs that need examples or characteristics of the word
  • Allow students to think aloud in primary language or English
  • Ask questions using Bloom's taxonomy
  • In response to students' written errors, try to focus on consistent errors of a specific type (e.g. lack of plural endings). Be gentle
  • Use group discussion of prior experience
  • Always focus on content first before giving feedback or correcting grammar or pronunciation
  • Make cross-curricular connections
  • Teach metacognitive strategies like Think Aloud and Question-Answer Relationships (QAR)
  • Smile! This is universally understood
  • Exploit previously used language and link to pupils' experience
  • Use Fishbowl Discussion
  • Use timelines
  • Allow for multiple right answers
  • Point out the phonological and orthographic English rules
  • Sequence strategies according to their observable applicability. Outlining, note taking, and webbing are more concrete and observable
  • Ask students to use the cloze procedure by supplying the words that fit meaning
  • Use maps

6. The learner reads a wider range of narrative genre and content texts with increasng comprehension

  • Teach multiple metacognitive strategies for comprehension like summarizing and self questioning and setting goals
  • In response to students' written errors, try to focus on consistent errors of a specific type (e.g. lack of plural endings). Be gentle
  • Use group discussion of prior experience
  • Ask students to use the cloze procedure by supplying the words that fit meaning
  • Always focus on content first before giving feedback or correcting grammar or pronunciation
  • Explore Greek and Latin roots that appear frequently in English words. Select the words from content area books
  • Teach metacognitive strategies like Think Aloud and Question-Answer Relationships (QAR)
  • Present language that is just slightly beyond the learner's current level of comprehension
  • Smile! This is universally understood
  • Exploit previously used language and link to pupils' experience
  • Make definition webs that need examples or characteristics of the word
  • Use thematic units
  • Use Grand Conversation

7. The learner produces language with varied grammatical structures and vocabulary comparable to a native English speaker of the same age

  • Ask questions using Bloom's taxonomy
  • Always focus on content first before giving feedback or correcting grammar or pronunciation
  • Teach metacognitive strategies like Think Aloud and Question-Answer Relationships (QAR)
  • Provide feedback on formal English usage
  • Smile! This is universally understood
  • Make definition webs that need examples or characteristics of the word
  • Point out the phonological and orthographic English rules
  • Allow for multiple right answers
  • Make cross-curricular connections
  • Provide written notes and summaries
  • Teach multiple metacognitive strategies for comprehension like summarizing and self questioning and setting goals
  • Use group discussion of prior experience
  • In response to students' written errors, try to focus on consistent errors of a specific type (e.g. lack of plural endings). Be gentle
  • Accept single word or phrases as correct answers. Do not insist that students speak in full sentences
  • Explore Greek and Latin roots that appear frequently in English words. Select the words from content area books
  • Use thematic units
  • Ask students to use the cloze procedure by supplying the words that fit meaning
  • Model responses that provide appropriate information using correct grammar
  • Present language that is just slightly beyond the learner's current level of comprehension

8. The learner writes using standard forms that includes creative and analytical writing as well as research

  • Explore Greek and Latin roots that appear frequently in English words. Select the words from content area books
  • Provide feedback on formal English usage
  • Use pictures, objects, symbols, body language and actions
  • Smile! This is universally understood
  • Ask students to use the cloze procedure by supplying the words that fit meaning
  • In response to students' written errors, try to focus on consistent errors of a specific type (e.g. lack of plural endings). Be gentle
  • Use thematic units
  • Write student answers in sentence form on the board
  • Teach multiple metacognitive strategies for comprehension like summarizing and self questioning and setting goals
  • Exploit previously used language and link to pupils' experience
  • Use KWLH
  • Model responses that provide appropriate information using correct grammar
  • Use Question Answer Response
  • Always focus on content first before giving feedback or correcting grammar or pronunciation
  • Use Syntax Surgery
  • Present language that is just slightly beyond the learner's current level of comprehension
  • Accept single word or phrases as correct answers. Do not insist that students speak in full sentences
  • Provide written notes and summaries
  • Use portfolios that show progress over time for assessment
  • Use group discussion of prior experience
  • Teach metacognitive strategies like Think Aloud and Question-Answer Relationships (QAR)
  • Encourage student to self-evaluation
  • Make definition webs that need examples or characteristics of the word

9. The learner writes with increased depth and breadth of topic, audience and purpose

  • Model responses that provide appropriate information using correct grammar
  • Use thematic units
  • Make definition webs that need examples or characteristics of the word
  • Use group discussion of prior experience
  • Encourage student to self-evaluation
  • Accept single word or phrases as correct answers. Do not insist that students speak in full sentences
  • Reduce the number of questions on the exam
  • Ask students to use the cloze procedure by supplying the words that fit meaning
  • Teach multiple metacognitive strategies for comprehension like summarizing and self questioning and setting goals
  • Always focus on content first before giving feedback or correcting grammar or pronunciation
  • Teach metacognitive strategies like Think Aloud and Question-Answer Relationships (QAR)
  • Smile! This is universally understood
  • Exploit previously used language and link to pupils' experience
  • Use portfolios that show progress over time for assessment
  • Provide written notes and summaries
  • Explore Greek and Latin roots that appear frequently in English words. Select the words from content area books
  • Write student answers in sentence form on the board
  • Present language that is just slightly beyond the learner's current level of comprehension
  • In response to students' written errors, try to focus on consistent errors of a specific type (e.g. lack of plural endings). Be gentle
  • Provide feedback on formal English usage
  • Use pictures, objects, symbols, body language and actions