Standards for Foreign Language Learning have answered the question of 'what' should be taught in American foreign language classrooms. Subsequent efforts by states and local school districts have further defined what should be taught to American students learning foreign languages. Such standards are known as 'content standards.' What has heretofore been missing is the answer to the question 'how well' should students be expected to do the 'what.' These guidelines or 'performance standards,' provide information to teachers and administrators about how well students can be expected to do the 'what' from the content standards.

Since their introduction in November, 1998, the ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners have helped language teachers, school administrators, parents, and students to understand the developmental path that second language learning takes when it occurs within a school setting.

The ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners:

* Describe the language proficiency of K-12 language learners in Standards-based language programs
* Describe language outcomes for students who begin instruction at different entry points
* Are inspired by the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and the Standards for Foreign Language Learning
* Are organized according to:

Three Modes of Communication

* Interpersonal
* Interpretive
* Presentational

Three Benchmark Levels

* Novice Learner (K-4, 5-8, 9-10)
* Intermediate Learner (K-8, 7-12)
* Pre-Advanced Learner (K-12)

Six Domains of Performance

* Comprehensibility (How well is the student understood?)
* Comprehension (How well does the student understand?)
* Language Control (How accurate is the student's language?)
* Vocabulary Usage (How extensive and applicable is the student's language?)
* Communication Strategies (How do they maintain communication?)
* Cultural Awareness (How is their cultural understanding reflected in their communication?)