Language Supports by Proficiency Level Descriptor
Hand Up – Hand Over
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Pre-Production
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Provide vocabulary lists, illustrated word banks, or visuals for key terms. Instead of individual responses, encourage students to repeat sentence stems chorally and use gestures, pointing, or drawing to show their thinking before sharing verbally. |
Beginning
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Present one part of the prompt at a time (analyze, then justify, then predict). Provide sentence frames such as “I think ___ because ___.” Allow students to discuss their ideas with a partner before sharing with the group. |
Intermediate
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Ask students to reword the question in their own words or generate a similar question based on their understanding. Encourage students to explain their reasoning in complete sentences before moving to the next round. |
High Intermediate
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Encourage deeper thinking with follow-up prompts such as “What evidence supports that?” or “Can you explain it another way?” Ask students to reflect on the strategies they used to approach the question. |
Advanced
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Challenge students to extend the discussion by analyzing multiple possible responses, evaluating reasoning, and explaining how the concept connects to other ideas or real-world examples using precise academic language. |
