ELPAC Proficiency Level Descriptors 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does PLD stand for in the context of ELPAC?
- Proficiency Level Descriptor (Correct answer)
- Performance Literacy Data
- Program Language Development
- Proficient Learner Designation
Correct answer: Proficiency Level Descriptor
PLD stands for Proficiency Level Descriptor, which describes what students can do linguistically at each of the four ELPAC proficiency levels.
Question 2: ELPAC Proficiency Level Descriptors are organized around which four language domains?
- Reading, Writing, Math, and Science
- Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing (Correct answer)
- Grammar, Vocabulary, Fluency, and Comprehension
- Phonics, Decoding, Encoding, and Syntax
Correct answer: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing
ELPAC PLDs describe student performance in the four language domains — Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing — which also correspond to the four sections of the assessment.
Question 3: Which pair of ELPAC proficiency levels represents the two middle levels?
- Emerging and Reaching
- Expanding and Bridging (Correct answer)
- Developing and Advancing
- Beginner and Intermediate
Correct answer: Expanding and Bridging
The four ELPAC levels in order are Emerging, Expanding, Bridging, and Reaching, making Expanding and Bridging the two middle levels.
Question 4: Proficiency Level Descriptors are primarily used by educators to:
- Assign grades to English learners in core academic subjects
- Understand what linguistic tasks students can perform and plan appropriate instruction (Correct answer)
- Determine whether students qualify for special education services
- Identify which students are exempt from standardized testing
Correct answer: Understand what linguistic tasks students can perform and plan appropriate instruction
PLDs help educators understand what students can do linguistically at their current level, enabling targeted instructional planning and scaffolding.
Question 5: A student classified at the Bridging level would most likely be able to:
- Produce only one-word or short-phrase responses in English
- Engage in extended academic discussions with some support (Correct answer)
- Read and write complex academic texts completely independently
- Understand spoken English only when paired with visual aids
Correct answer: Engage in extended academic discussions with some support
Bridging-level students can engage in more extended academic language tasks but still benefit from some instructional scaffolding and support.
Question 6: ELPAC Proficiency Level Descriptors are aligned with which California academic standards?
- California Common Core State Standards
- California English Language Development (CA ELD) Standards (Correct answer)
- California Next Generation Science Standards
- California History-Social Science Content Standards
Correct answer: California English Language Development (CA ELD) Standards
ELPAC PLDs are directly aligned with the California English Language Development (CA ELD) Standards, which define linguistic expectations for English learners.
Question 7: At the Emerging level, a student's Speaking domain performance would most likely reflect:
- Fluid, extended discourse on academic topics
- Limited responses using basic vocabulary and simple grammatical structures (Correct answer)
- Complex sentence construction with academic vocabulary
- Minimal errors in grammar and pronunciation
Correct answer: Limited responses using basic vocabulary and simple grammatical structures
Emerging-level students in the Speaking domain typically produce limited responses with basic vocabulary and simple structures, consistent with early English acquisition.
ELPAC Proficiency Level Descriptors 2
What does PLD stand for in the context of ELPAC?