Language Functions by Level

Background: Four Day ACTFL OPI training has been conducted annually or by-annually at NYU for more than ten years. An important lesson to be learned if how and what to elicit at each proficiency level.

Objective: matching CanDos statements with proficiency levels and designing purposeful questions and tasks to elicit speech with functions at the targeted level: moving from kyaa-kyaa, kaun-kaun, kahaaN-kahaaN, then kab, kaise, kyoN, agar… to?

Novice Proficiency Level:
  • greet, thank and say good-bye to people politely
  • use memorized phrases to order a cup of coffee or food
  • count to 100
  • give your name
  • tell where you are from
  • name concrete objects, such as furniture, plants, animals, tools, food items
  • name classes of people, such as men, women, boys, girls, and babies
  • name colors
  • name sizes of objects or age of people, such as a big boat or a small child
  • name family members

Intermediate Proficiency Level:

  • introduce yourself, giving your name and basic personal information
  • give directions on how to get from one place to another
  • describe your health problems to a doctor or nurse
  • tell about your family, giving names and simple information about them such as their occupations or what they look like
  • arrange to meet someone at a particular time and place and date in the near future
  • describe typical routine activities, such as what you usually do on the weekend
  • request items, discuss prices, and handle currency in a situation involving a purchase
  • ask questions about menu items, order food, and ask for and pay a bill at a restaurant
  • describe in detail a particular place, such as a school, park, or store
  • talk about things you like to do, such as leisure activities, favorite hobbies or pastimes
  • talk about things you expect to do in the future, such as a planned trip or activity

Advanced Proficiency Level:

  • describe a sequence of events that happened in the past
  • describe things that used to happen in the past, such as things you used to do when you were younger, or people and places you used to know or visit
  • compare and contrast two objects, customs or places
  • talk about your future plans or goals
  • explain a simple process you know how to do, such as making a cake or repairing a tire
  • give instructions about what you would like someone to do, explaining the steps involved in carrying out an activity, such as when telling a housekeeper how you would like her to wash the clothes
  • give a brief, organized, factual summary of what happened in an event you attended
  • give advice to someone faced with making a decision, giving reasons for your advice
  • lodge a complaint, giving the reasons and details of why you are dissatisfied
  • express personal apologies clearly and appropriately to someone you have offended
  • state the advantages and disadvantages of a situation or a decision
  • tell someone what you would do in a hypothetical situation, such as if you suddenly received a lot of money
  • answer the telephone at home or at work
  • describe your job and the organization you work for, direct people to the right building or office; handle simple job-related inquiries

Superior Proficiency Level:

  • persuade people to do something they do not want to do or to stop doing something you do not like
  • describe a complex object, such as a car or bicycle or computer in detail, using the correct vocabulary
  • present arguments on both sides of a familiar issue or topic and evaluate the merits of the arguments
  • discuss a professional topic at length
  • explain in detail a non-routine, complex process, such as how to do grammatical analysis or how to perform an operation
  • present a talk at a professional meeting
  • tell someone in detail the possible consequences of a certain situation, for example, if the price of coffee were to rise suddenly, express what you think might happen if something unexpected occurs
  • propose a course of action and defend your proposal in such a way that people might be persuaded to accept your idea
  • state a personal point of view on a subject, including controversial issues, explaining why you hold your beliefs
  • handle formal business situations; talk to dignitaries or influential people; discuss issues in the news.

See for more Spiraling Functions and Tasks by Clementi/Terril 

Based on ACTFL Performance Descriptors