# Writing Language Progress Report Comments

## Structure (60-120 words)

1. **Strength with evidence** - a specific skill and an example from this term.
2. **Progress** - what has improved, with a measure if available (test, level, task).
3. **Area to develop** - one or two, specific.
4. **Next step** - what the learner will do, and how parents or the learner can support it.
5. **Close** - genuine, specific encouragement (optional).

```
Ana has made clear progress in speaking this term: in her presentation about her home town she spoke for two
minutes with only short pauses. Reading remains a strength (78% in the end-of-term test). Her writing is the next
focus: she should plan one main idea per paragraph and check verb tenses before handing work in. Reading English
stories at home for 15 minutes a day will also help her writing.
```

## Phrase bank

### Strengths
- [Name] speaks confidently in pair and group discussions and keeps the conversation going with questions.
- [Name] understands the main ideas of [texts / recordings] on familiar topics and can find specific details.
- [Name]'s written work is well organised, with clear paragraphs and linking words such as *however* and *because*.
- [Name] uses a wide range of vocabulary from our units, for example...
- [Name]'s pronunciation is clear and easy to understand.
- [Name] corrects their own mistakes when given a hint, which shows growing accuracy.

### Progress
- This term [Name] has moved from [describing simple facts] to [giving reasons for opinions].
- [Name]'s score in [skill] rose from X to Y.
- [Name] now uses the past tenses accurately in stories, which was a target last term.

### Areas to develop
- [Name] sometimes finds it hard to [follow fast speech / organise longer texts / use past tenses accurately].
- [Name] understands more than they can say: the next step is to speak in longer turns.
- Spelling of common words is not yet consistent.

### Next steps
- Next term [Name] will focus on...
- [Name] should read graded readers at level X for 15 minutes a day.
- Watching short videos in English with English subtitles twice a week will help [Name]'s listening.
- Keeping a vocabulary notebook with example sentences will help [Name] use new words.
- [Name] would benefit from speaking more in class; we will give them roles that build confidence.

## Explaining levels in plain language

| Level | Parent-friendly description |
|-------|------------------------------|
| A1 | Can use simple everyday phrases and introduce themselves |
| A2 | Can talk about routine matters and their background in simple language |
| B1 | Can deal with most everyday situations, describe experiences and give simple reasons |
| B2 | Can discuss a wide range of topics with some fluency and give a detailed argument |
| C1 | Can use English flexibly and effectively for study and work |

Write "working at B1 (independent user, everyday situations)" rather than "B1".

## Tone

- Specific beats general: "spoke for two minutes" beats "speaks well".
- Balanced: every comment has a strength, even when progress is a concern.
- About learning, not personality ("does not yet complete homework" rather than "is lazy").
- Concerns that need a conversation (behaviour, attendance, wellbeing) go to a meeting, not only the report.
- Check names and pronouns: comments are often copied between learners; `comment_check.py` catches other
  learners' names.

## Avoid

| Avoid | Instead |
|-------|---------|
| Good student, works hard, keep it up | Name the skill and the evidence |
| Jargon: TL, CCQ, L1, STT, raw CEFR codes | Plain words |
| Comparisons with classmates | Comparison with the learner's own previous work |
| Promises the school cannot keep | Next steps the learner controls |
| The same comment for every learner | At least one detail only true of this learner |