Intermediate Mid Proficiency Level: Extraordinary Progress!

For World Language teachers, the ACTFL Proficiency Standards are powerful tools. In this post, we’re continuing our series on proficiency levels with Intermediate Mid proficiency level. The standards help us see what students can do at each level of language acquisition, so we can set appropriate expectations, create meaningful learning experiences, and ,learners progress with confidence. If you missed the post about Intermediate Low be sure to check it out, and HERE is the post about the Novice Proficiency level.

Differences Between Intermediate Low and Intermediate Mid

Making the move from Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid proficiency level is marked by more depth and a bit less hesitation. Learners create with language, using their existing vocabulary and structures to express original thoughts. That “creating with language” is the big hallmark for the intermediate level of proficiency, and as Intermediate Mid students, are beginning to use all time frames.

Writing and reading tend to be easier for non-native speakers as production of Spanish requires a lot more mental energy.

Hallmarks of the Intermediate Low Level

ACTFL describes some of the tasks that Intermediate Mid proficiency level students can do as:

Understand the main idea and some supporting details in reading and speech
Talk and write about familiar topics and social situations
Write in short paragraphs
Begin to use linking devices
Express opinions simply
Ask and answer straight-forward questions
Begin to use the past and/or future time frames in addition to the present tense (though with lots of errors)
Start to do and understand things from the Advanced proficiency level

What Can Intermediate Low Students Talk About?

Students at the intermediate mid proficiency level can talk about topics like:

Daily routines
Opinions
Give and understand simple directions
Friends and family
Food and likes/dislikes
Hobbies and weekend plans
School and classroom experiences
Anything that involves familiar vocabulary (a unit theme)

They will still hesitate but begin to self-correct. We begin to see increased control over grammar structures.

Where Do Intermediate Mid Proficiency Level Students Struggle?

Even though Intermediate Mid students can create with language, their vocabulary and accuracy are still limited. Here are some common challenges:

Verbs: They often stick to the present tense and struggle with accuracy in other time frames.
Other Time Frames: They may begin to use past or future, but make frequent errors or revert to present unintentionally.
Organization: Their ideas may be unconnected more often than not.
Miscommunication: They may need to rephrase or rely on gestures when they get stuck. They will still want to use English when they run into words they don’t know how to say.
Familiarity: They do best when talking about familiar topics. Conversations about abstract or unfamiliar subjects often break down.

Final Thoughts on Intermediate Mid

Intermediate Mid students will still need a lot of language support and a lot of encouragement. Support students by leveraging skills they already have in their first language, like using topic sentences and transition words. Encourage risk-taking by giving suggestions about where and how to incorporate other time frames. Offer plenty of ungraded practice with feedback so students feel empowered to reach for the next level!

Now What?

For teachers who want to know how to help their students move between levels, stay tuned for another series of posts related to these proficiency levels.