Intensive English Program Proficiency Scale
Purpose
The Intensive English Program (IEP) Proficiency Scale describes the integrated English language proficiency students demonstrate upon successful completion of each proficiency level. These descriptors summarize what students can do with English across listening, speaking, reading, and writing and are broadly aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
| IEP Level | Integrated English Language Proficiency ("Can Do" Statements) |
Approximate CEFR Level |
Level 100 (Low Beginner) |
Students can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and simple spoken and written English related to immediate needs. They can introduce themselves, respond to simple questions, follow basic instructions, read short texts for essential information, and write simple sentences using familiar vocabulary and basic grammatical structures. |
A1 |
Level 200 (High Beginner) |
Students can communicate in routine social and academic situations using connected sentences. They can understand the main ideas of short spoken and written texts, participate in conversations about familiar topics, identify main ideas and supporting details, and write organized paragraphs using developing grammatical accuracy and vocabulary. |
A2 |
Level 300 (Low Intermediate) |
Students can participate in discussions on familiar academic topics, understand and summarize spoken and written information, comprehend multi-paragraph academic texts, express and support opinions, and write organized multi-paragraph essays demonstrating increasing fluency, grammatical control, and academic vocabulary. |
B1 |
Level 400 (High Intermediate) |
Students can communicate effectively in academic settings by participating in discussions, debates, and presentations, comprehending academic lectures and readings, evaluating and responding to academic information, paraphrasing and summarizing sources, and producing well-organized documented academic writing using appropriate academic language. |
B2 |
Level 500 (Advanced) |
Students can function independently in university-level academic environments. They can comprehend, evaluate, and synthesize complex spoken and written English, participate confidently in formal discussions, debates, and presentations, analyze and integrate information from multiple academic sources, and produce research-based academic writing demonstrating advanced grammatical accuracy, academic vocabulary, appropriate register, and effective communication strategies. |
B2+/C1 |