ESL Levels
Language Concepts
Approaches
Acronyms
Theories
100

Student spends up to one year without speaking

What is the "Silent Period"?


100

smallest unit of sound

What is a phoneme?

100

Type of instruction focusing on teaching content,while tailoring the instruction to meet the needs of second language learners.

What is CBI?  Content-Based Instruction

100

Meeting of the teacher, parent, and administrator to discuss the progress, exit, and entrance of a student into the special program

What is an LPAC?

100

Refers to the theory that errors in the target language could become permanent or at the very least resistant to change

What is fossilization?

200

Student uses simple sentence structures and present tense.His pronunciation is generally understood by peers.

What is intermediate?

200

Smallest unit of meaning

What is a morpheme?

200

Language approach that assumes listening comprehension is the basis of all language ability and focuses on students' listening abilities until they can speak.

What is TPR?  Total Physical Response

200

Basic interpersonal communication skills

What is BICS?


200

A second language acquisition theory based on Chomsky's theory of language universals and marked features.

What is the Universal Grammar Theory?

300

Student has academic knowledge and write clearly

What is advanced?

300

Throws Pedro the ball.

Pedro throws ball.

What is syntax?

300

An approach to teaching of reading in which students read about their own experiences recorded in their own language. Students dictate to the teacher what they want to write.

What is the language experience approach?

300

Sheltered instruction observation protocol

What is SIOP?

300

There are two levels of language:  BICS and CALP/It takes two years for BICS and 5-7 for CALP

What is the "ice berg" theory?

400

Reads grade level texts with difficulty; needs visual support, pre-taught vocabulary 

What is an intermediate?

400

Sander, level, mitre box, drill press, nail punch

What is a carpenter?

What is language of a particular discipline or profession?

What is a lexicon?

400

Approach where English learners are grouped together so that they do not have to compete with English speakers while they are supported in their development of academic skills and competence in academic English.

What is the Sheltered English approach?

400

The amount of progress a school or school district must make each year reaching target objectives

What is AYP?

400

Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are an integrated process not a sequential process.

What is the integrated theory of language acquisition?

500

Writes about grade level topics with second language support;has a grasp of basic English usage and some understanding of complex usage

Who  is an advanced learner?

500

Proper use of language in a particular situation .

What is pragmatics?

500

Anna Chamot's widely used method for teaching language through content...emphasizing cognitive, metacognitive skills

What is CALLA Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach?

500

A label for students who are non-native speakers of English and are in the process of attaining proficiency in English

What is an ELL?

500

One of these is NOT part of Krashen's Five Hypotheses Model

1. Monitor theory 2.Acquisition Hypothesis 3. Affective filter 4 Natural Order Hypothesis 5. Sequential language study

What is Sequential language study?