Grades 6-8

Listening

Speaking

Reading

Writing

Entering

Beginning

Developing

Expanding

Bridging

Entering

Beginning

Developing

Expanding

Bridging

Entering

Beginning

Developing

Expanding

Bridging

Entering

Beginning

Developing

Expanding

Bridging

Follow one-step oral commands/instructions

Match social language to visual/graphic displays

Identify objects, people, or places from oral statements/ questions using gestures (e.g., pointing) 

Match instructional language with visual representation (e.g., “Use a sharpened pencil.”)

Follow multi-step oral commands/instructions

Classify/sort content-related visuals per oral descriptions

Sequence visuals per oral directions

Identify information on charts or tables based on oral statements

Categorize contentbased examples from oral directions

Match main ideas of familiar text read aloud to visuals

Use learning strategies described orally

Identify everyday examples of content-based concepts described orally 

Associate oral language with different time frames (e.g., past, present, future)

Identify main ideas and details of oral discourse

Complete content-related tasks or assignments based on oral discourse

Apply learning strategies to new situations

Role play, dramatize, or re-enact scenarios from oral reading

Use oral information to accomplish grade-level tasks

Evaluate intent of speech and act accordingly

Make inferences from grade-level text read aloud

Discriminate among multiple genres read orally

Answer yes/no and choice questions

Begin to use general and high frequency vocabulary

Repeat words, short phrases, memorized chunks

Answer select WHquestions (e.g., “who,” “what,” “when,” “where”) within context of lessons or personal experiences

Convey content through high frequency words/ phrases

State big/main ideas of classroom conversation

Describe situations from modeled sentences

Describe routines and everyday events

Express everyday needs and wants

Communicate in social situations 

Make requests

Begin to express time through multiple tenses

Retell/rephrase ideas from speech 

Give brief oral content-based presentations 

State opinions

Connect ideas in discourse using transitions (e.g., “but,” “then”)

Use different registers inside and outside of class 

State big/main ideas with some supporting details

Ask for clarification (e.g., self-monitor)

Paraphrase and summarize ideas presented orally

Defend a point of view

Explain outcomes 

Explain and compare content-based concepts

Connect ideas with supporting details/evidence 

Substantiate opinions with reasons and evidence

Defend a point of view and give reasons

Use and explain metaphors and similes

Communicate with fluency in social and academic contexts

Negotiate meaning in group discussions 

Discuss and give examples of abstract, content-based ideas (e.g., democracy, justice)

Associate letters with sounds and objects

Match content–related objects/pictures to words

Identify common symbols, signs, and words

Recognize concepts of print

Find single word responses to WH- questions (e.g., “who,” “what,” “when,” “where”) related to illustrated text

Use picture dictionaries/ illustrated glossaries

Sequence illustrated text of fictional and non-fictional events

Locate main ideas in a series of simple sentences

Find information from text structure (e.g., titles, graphs, glossary

Follow text read aloud (e.g., tapes, teacher, paired-readings)

Sort/group pre-taught words/ phrases

Use pre-taught vocabulary (e.g., word banks) to complete simple sentences

Use L1 to support L2 (e.g., cognates)

Use bilingual dictionaries and glossaries

Identify topic sentences, main ideas, and details in paragraphs

Identify multiple meanings of words in context (e.g., “cell,” “table”)

Use context clues

Make predictions based on illustrated text

Identify frequently used affixes and root words to make/extract meaning (e.g., “un-,” “re-,” “-ed”)

Differentiate between fact and opinion

Answer questions about explicit information in texts

Use English dictionaries and glossaries

Order paragraphs

Identify summaries of passages

Identify figurative language (e.g., “dark as night”)

Interpret adapted classics or modified text

Match cause to effect 

Identify specific language of different genres and informational texts

Use an array of strategies (e.g., skim and scan for information)

Differentiate and apply multiple meanings of words/ phrases

Apply strategies to new situations

Infer meaning from modified grade-level text

Infer meaning from modified grade-level text

Sort grade-level text by genre

Draw content-related pictures

Produce high frequency words

Label pictures and graphs

Create vocabulary/concept cards

Generate lists from pretaught words/phrases and word banks (e.g., create menu from list of food groups)

Complete pattern sentences

Extend “sentence starters” with original ideas

Connect simple sentences

Complete graphic organizers/ forms with personal information

Respond to yes/no, choice, and some WH- questions

Produce short paragraphs with main ideas and some details (e.g., column notes)

Create compound sentences (e.g., with conjunctions)

Explain steps in problemsolving

Compare/contrast information, events, characters

Give opinions, preferences, and reactions along with reasons

Create multiple-paragraph essays

Justify ideas

Produce content-related reports

Use details/examples to support ideas

Use transition words to create cohesive passages

Compose intro/body/ conclusion

Paraphrase or summarize text

Take notes (e.g., for research)

Create expository text to explain graphs/charts

Produce research reports using multiple sources/ citations

Begin using analogies

Critique literary essays or articles