A learner can function independently in survival, social and work situations. Able to clarify general meaning and communicate on the telephone on familiar topics. Can read and interpret non-simplified materials on everyday subjects; can interpret routine charts, graphs, and labels; fill out medical information forms and job applications; and write an accident or incident report. Employability: Understands routine work-related conversations. Can handle work that involves oral and written instructions and interact with the public. Can perform reading and writing tasks, such as logs, reports, and forms, with reasonable accuracy to meet work needs.

A learner can satisfy most survival and social needs. Has some ability to understand and communicate on the telephone on familiar topics. Can participate in conversations on a variety of topics. They can read and interpret simplified and some non-simplified materials on familiar topics. Can interpret simple charts, graphs and labels and simple forms and job applications. Can write short personal notes and letters and make simple log entries.

Employability: Can handle jobs and training situations that involve oral and simple written instructions and limited public contact. Can read a simple employee handbook

From a speaking and listening perspective, a learner can satisfy basic survival and social needs, able to follow oral directions in familiar contexts. Has limited ability to understand telephone calls. Understands learned phrases easily and new phrases with familiar vocabulary. They can read and interpret simplified authentic material on familiar topics, write messages related to basic needs. Can handle things like basic medical forms and job applications.

Employability: Can handle jobs and training that involve following basic oral and written instructions.

As you move down the scale, a learner can satisfy basic needs and social demands when speaking. Understands simple learned phrases easily and some new simple phrases containing familiar vocabulary, spoken slowly and repeated. Can read and interpret simple material on familiar topics. Able to read and interpret simple directions, schedules, signs, and menus. Can fill out forms requiring basic personal information and write short, simple notes and messages based on familiar situations.

Employability: Can handle entry-level jobs that involve some simple oral and written communication but in which tasks can also be demonstrated.

At the upper end of the Beginner level, a learner will be able to function with some difficulty in situations to to immediate needs when it comes to speaking and listening. They will have some simple oral communication abilities using basic learned phrases and sentences. They will be able to write letters and numbers and a limited number of sight words and simple phrases related to immediate needs and basic personal information or simple forms.

Employability here will likely be in routine entry level jobs that require basic oral and written skills and where all tasks can be demonstrated.

As you move down the scale, a learner will have limited skills related to immediate needs in in terms of speaking and listening. They will be able to ask and respond to very basic learned phrases, often repeated and said slowly. They will have some limited reading and writing ability and understand some common words, maybe able to write basics like name and address.

Job opportunity is extremely limited to entry level roles where tasks are demonstrated and no communication required.