Washington County Public Schools World Languages Rubric

Major Focus
How well do others
understand my central
idea?

Comprehensibility

How elaborate is my
language?

Complexity of
Expression

Pre-Novice
An audience
accustomed to
language learners
cannot understand
me.

I can use a very

limited number of
isolated words.

Novice
Low

An audience
accustomed to
language learners can
understand me with
great difficulty.

I can use a limited

number of isolated
words, sentences, or
familiar phrases.

How varied are the

words I use?

Vocabulary
How well do I use the
language?

I can use a few

memorized words in
the target language;
I rely primarily on
another language.

*double score

Language Control

I can use a very

limited number of
isolated words that
are repetitive.

*double score

and Structure
How well do I
converse?

Quality of

Interaction
*used for interpersonal
tasks only

I cannot
comprehend any
kind of spoken
message in the
target language
and am unable to
maintain a
conversation.

I can demonstrate
understanding by
indicating a choice,
responding yes/no, or
with an isolated word,
but I have great
difficulty maintaining
a conversation.

Novice
Mid

An audience
accustomed to
language learners
can understand me
with difficulty.

I can use some

formulaic language,
simple sentences,
and phrases about
familiar topics.

Novice
High

An audience
accustomed to
language learners can
generally understand
me with gaps in
comprehension.

I can create simple

sentences about
familiar topics with
recycled vocabulary
and grammar.

Task
How accurate are my
spelling, capitalization, and
punctuation?

Mechanics

Revised June 2015

Intermediate
Mid

An audience
accustomed to
language learners can
understand me with
some effort.

An audience not
accustomed to
language learners can
understand me with
gaps in
comprehension.

I can begin to create

compound sentences
with few or repetitive
sequencing &
transition words.

I can integrate a
variety of sentence
structures with some
sequencing &
transition words.

I can elaborate a little.

I can begin to give

more details and
elaborate on a topic.

I can give some details

and elaboration on a
topic with some
evidence.

I can use learned

words and phrases on
familiar topics in
context with little
repetition.

I can use a variety of

new and previously
learned words and
phrases on a range of
familiar topics.

I can use words and

expressions from a
wide range of familiar
topics.

I can begin to use

basic language
structures with
frequent errors.

I can use the basic

language structures
with few to no errors.

I can demonstrate
limited use of verb
tenses with repetitive
grammatical
structures and errors
that interfere with
comprehension.

I can demonstrate
emerging control of
verb tenses & some
advanced
grammatical
structures with errors
that interfere with
comprehension.

I can demonstrate
understanding by
responding to and
asking basic
questions with
memorized phrases
or isolated words.

I can demonstrate
understanding by
responding to and
asking basic questions
with learned phrases
and simple sentences.

I can demonstrate
understanding by
responding to and
asking basic questions
or requests for
information with few
phrases or simple
sentences.

I can demonstrate
understanding by
responding to and
asking a variety of
appropriate questions
and responding with a
series of sentences.

I can use a limited

number of
memorized words
and phrases in
context, but they are
repetitive.

Minor Focus
How well do I complete the
task?

Intermediate
Low

Intermediate
High

Advanced
Low

An audience not
accustomed to
language learners can
readily understand
me, although
interference from
another language
may be evident.

An audience not
accustomed to language
learners can readily
understand me.

I can integrate a wide

variety of connected
sentence structures.

I can integrate a wide

variety of connected and
complex sentence
structures.

I can explain or
elaborate a viewpoint
with details while
using some culturally
appropriate idiomatic
expressions.
I can use expanded
words and expressions
from a wide range of
topics related to
school, work, and
community.
I can demonstrate
some control of verb
tenses, moods, & some
advanced
grammatical
structures with few
errors that may
interfere with
comprehension.
I can demonstrate
understanding by
responding to and
asking questions,
paraphrasing with
ease, confidence, and
flexibility in various
time frames.

I can elaborate and

defend a viewpoint with
details while using rich
and precise culturally
appropriate idiomatic
expressions.
I can use extensive
vocabulary to
communicate ideas on a
wide range of scholarly
and professional topics.
I can demonstrate
control of verb tenses,
moods, & some
advanced grammatical
structures with errors that
do not interfere with
comprehension.
I can understand and
link ideas in extended
discussions. I can
participate actively in
most social and some
professional
conversations with ease,
confidence, and flexibility
in various time frames.

Additional Feedback
I can complete
little of what I
am asked to
do.

I can complete
most everything
I am asked to
do.

I can complete
everything I am
asked to do.

I can complete
more than
what I am
asked to do.

I have many
errors in
mechanics.

I have errors in
mechanics.

I have some
errors in
mechanics.

I have no errors
in mechanics.

Adapted from NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements, Jefferson County, KY and Howard County, MD Public Schools World Languages Performance Assessment Rubrics