REEP LEVEL DESCRIPTIONS: 450

450 (High Intermediate): Can satisfy most oral and literacy survival needs and a majority of social and work demands. A native speaker not used to dealing with LEP speakers will be able to communicate with a person at this level on familiar topics, but with some difficulty and effort.

Correlations:
Speaking/Listening:  REEP Skill Level 5; NRS Low Advanced ESL; SPL VI, VII; BEST Short Form Placement Scores 29-33
Writing: REEP Rubric 4; REEP Skill Level 5; NRS High Intermediate ESL; CASAS Level B.
Reading: REEP Skill Level 5; CASAS Level C.

Click on individual skills for detailed descriptions:
 


 
SPEAKING - 450
ORAL INTERACTION
ELABORATION & EXPLANATION
GRAMMAR
Functions independently in most work and in routine social situations.

Speaks fluently, but may have some hesitation when searching for vocabulary or language structures.

Expresses ideas with some confidence and willingness to be spontaneous.

May clarify general meaning by rewording in familiar contexts.

Asks and responds to questions on a variety of subjects.

Communicates on the telephone on familiar topics. May need to repeat to be understood.

 Elaborates with some details and some anecdotes from personal experience.

Can extend a conversation somewhat by asking questions and expressing ideas and feelings.

May explain answers with simple responses and tell stories.

On familiar, open-ended questions, will answer with 3 to 5 sentences.
 
 
 

 

 Has control of basic grammatical forms and structures and may attempt more difficult forms and structures but with limited control.

Uses compound sentences.  Complex sentences used with occasional errors.

A variety of indefinite pronouns (some, other, somebody, etc.) and adverbs (too, also, never, etc.) are emerging.

Past tense often used correctly. Occasionally the present tense is still mixed in.  Present perfect is attempted.
 

 
LISTENING - 450
Understands conversations containing some unfamiliar vocabulary in familiar contexts. May need 
repetition, rewording, or 
slower speech.

Can understand and give simple telephone messages.

 Understands most conversations on familiar topics in contact situations.

Understands simple oral instructions, but may need repetition.

 Has some ability to understand in non-contact situations (e.g. telephone).

 

 
WRITING - 450
CONTENT & VOCABULARY
ORGANIZATION & DEVELOPMENT
STRUCTURE
MECHANICS
VOICE
Addresses the task at some length.

Begins to vary vocabulary choice.

Occasional vocabulary errors but meaning not obscured.

 Uses details for support or illustration (reasons, contrasts), but 
development of  ideas is inconsistent. Some ideas may be well developed while others are weak.

Indicates
paragraphs.

 Has some control of basic structures (simple present/
 simple past)

Attempts compound sentences (e.g..
with and, or, but, so)

Some complex sentences (e.g. with
when, after, before, while, because, if)

Errors occasionally distract from meaning.

 Uses periods and capitals with some errors. 

May use commas with compound and complex clauses with some errors.

Mostly conventional
spelling.

 Shows some
sense of purpose. 

Some engagement.

More personalized,
may provide opinions and explanations. 
Lifeskills Writing: 
Completes a variety of unsimplified forms with assistance. Performs basic writing tasks on familiar topics, including short personal notes and letters.

 
READING - 450
Reads and understands non-simplified materials on familiar topics. Finds tasks more manageable when visuals are included.

Can usually identify and sometimes paraphrase the main idea in simplified reading.

 Can demonstrate comprehension of text by answering basic comprehension questions and some evaluative questions. Usually able to orally retell short reading passages, but may need assistance.

May be able to identify the topic sentence in a paragraph.

 Has some ability to guess vocabulary in context.

Needs assistance with some non-simplified materials (e.g. utility bills).

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