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Language Supports by Proficiency Level Descriptor

Café Conversations

Pre-Production

Include visuals, symbols, or simple images related to the prompts to aid comprehension. Allow students to respond with a word, phrase, drawing, or gesture. Pair the student with a supportive peer who can help explain the prompts and model a response.

 

Beginning

Provide a list of possible ideas, key terms, or hashtags for students to select or adapt. Break prompts into smaller parts or rephrase them using simpler language. Offer sentence starters such as “One idea is ___.”

 

Intermediate

Encourage students to expand their responses with questions such as “Can you give an example of ___?” Model how to rephrase complex ideas to make their writing or responses more clear and complete.

 

High Intermediate

Pose higher-order questions such as “How could you combine these ideas into one key concept?” Encourage students to explain their thinking and connect multiple ideas when creating responses or hashtags.

 

Advanced

Challenge students to craft concise summaries or hashtags that capture the central idea of the discussion. Encourage the use of academic vocabulary, metaphors, or wordplay that clearly communicates the concept.