What are the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements?

The 2026 NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements are the result of collaboration between the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL) and ACTFL. These statements guide:

Language learners to set learning goals and chart their progress toward language and intercultural proficiency.
Language educators to write intercultural communication learning targets for curriculum, unit, and lesson plans.
Education partners to clarify how well learners at different stages can communicate.

Aligned with the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines 2024 and the ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language Learners, the Can-Do Statements reflect the continuum of growth in communication skills through the Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Superior, and Distinguished levels.

How the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements are Organized

The Communication Can-Do Statements are organized according to the Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication as described in the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages:

Interpretive Communication: Learners understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.
Interpersonal Communication: Learners interact and negotiate meaning in spoken, signed, or written conversations to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions.
Presentational Communication: Learners present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, explain, persuade, and narrate on a variety of topics using appropriate media and adapting to various audiences of listeners, readers, or viewers.

Ad

The Intercultural Can-Do Statements describe the ability to investigate and interact with intercultural competence and understanding as outlined in the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages:

Relating Cultural Perspectives to Practices: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the cultures studied.
Relating Cultural Perspectives to Products: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship between the products and perspectives of the cultures studied.

The Intercultural Reflection Tool is used in conjunction with both sets of Can-Do Statements and provides activities that show how learners use both their language and knowledge of culture to demonstrate their Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) through self-reflection.

Using the Can-Do Statements and Intercultural Reflection Tool Together

The Communication and Intercultural Can-Do Statements and the Intercultural Reflection Tool are designed to all be used together to help lead learners toward developing ICC. For the purpose of this document, ICC refers to the ability to interact effectively and appropriately with people from other language and cultural backgrounds. ICC develops as the result of a process of intentional goal-setting and self- reflection around language and culture and involves attitudinal changes toward one’s own and other cultures. ICC is essential for establishing effective, positive relationships across cultural boundaries, which is needed in a global society.

Unpacking the Can-Do Statements

The Can-Do Performance Indicators are presented as both full sentences and in an unpacked format of their three core elements to show how language progresses consistently across sublevels.

Novice High	Intermediate Low	Intermediate Mid	Intermediate High
Function: I can express my preferences	Function: I can express my preferences and opinions and tell why I feel that way	Function: I can state my viewpoint and give some reasons to support it	Function: I can state my viewpoint and give reasons to support it, often across various time frames
Context: on familiar everyday topics of interest	Context: on familiar everyday topics of interest	Context: on familiar topics	Context: on familiar or researched topics
Text Type: using simple sentences most of the time	Text Type: creating simple sentences	Text Type: creating sentences and strings of connected sentences	Text Type: creating short paragraphs

Presentational Performance Indicators

How to Use the Can-Do Statements

Learners demonstrate what they “can do” consistently in each mode and at each sub-level, in numerous situations throughout the learning process. Learners may be at different levels for different modes (Interpretive, Interpersonal, Presentational) or skills (reading, listening, writing, speaking, signing).

Can-Do Statements are not a checklist of tasks to be demonstrated once and checked off

It is not sufficient for learners to show evidence of performance in just one specific situation; the indicators and examples at each sublevel illustrate how learners might demonstrate skills in each mode of communication through a wide variety of evidence.
Can-Do Statements describe what learners can independently do at each sublevel and help pave the way to higher levels. Higher level skills and functions (e.g., using timeframes, understanding complex texts) need to be introduced at lower sublevels and built upon in order to have independent control of those skills and functions at higher sublevels.

Can-Do Statements are not a limitation of what to learn or teach

Can-Do Statements do not show what to learn or teach at each sublevel; the descriptors show the skills and functions that can be done with full control at that sublevel. Learners should work with authentic texts and real-life scenarios at all levels and sublevels and set goals for how to progress to the next higher level.
The examples include topics that expand across the proficiency continuum, from familiar (daily life, personal experiences, classroom or researched topics) to concrete to abstract. Learners and educators are encouraged to customize the “I can . . .” examples in order to fit the content and context of the learning and the targeted proficiency level.

The sets of examples are not a prescribed curriculum

The Can-Do Statements include examples of communicative performance to adapt or modify for local curricula; they are not intended to provide ready-made lessons. The examples provided do not claim to be exhaustive or specific to a level of schooling.
Learners and educators use the statements for self-evaluation to become more aware of what they know and can do in the target language. By using statements aligned to the proficiency scale, educators can more easily create rubrics that enable learners to chart their progress.

The Can-Do statements are not used as an instrument for determining a letter or number grade

Growth in acquiring a language is measured over time when tasks are integrated into performance assessments and evaluated using rubrics based on the ACTFL proficiency descriptors.

DOWNLOAD THE NCSSFL-ACTFL CAN-DO STATEMENTS

The NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements are provided for educational and non-profit use only. Commercial use or sale is prohibited. When using the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements, please provide attribution to both NCSSFL and ACTFL.

Benchmarks, Indicators, and Examples are color-coded for ease of use.

Novice–BLUE | Intermediate–GREEN | Advanced–ORANGE | Superior–GOLD | Distinguished–GRAY

PDF - Introducing the 2026 NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements Introduction + Overview + Glossary

Learn about the Can-Do Statements and Reflection Tool

PDF - Intercultural Communication and Reflection Intercultural Can-Do Statements + Reflection Tool

Deepen Intercultural Communicative Competence

PDF - Novice-Distinguished Proficiency Benchmarks + Performance Indicators (11x17)

View the full continuum of Can-Do Statements

PDF - Novice Proficiency Benchmarks + Performance Indicators + Examples

Set goals, chart progress, and develop curriculum

PDF - Intermediate Proficiency Benchmarks + Performance Indicators + Examples

Set goals, chart progress, and develop curriculum

PDF - Advanced Proficiency Benchmarks + Performance Indicators + Examples

Set goals, chart progress, and develop curriculum

PDF - Superior and Distinguished Proficiency Benchmarks + Performance Indicators + Examples

Set goals, chart progress, and develop curriculum

PDF - Comparison of Can-Do Statements Comparison of 2017 and 2026 Benchmarks and Indicators

See updates for the 2026 Can-Do Statements

Ad

The Theoretical Framework and Research that Support the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements

Too often, learners are seen as subjects of assessment, not users of assessments. To become the primary users of assessment information, learners must make what they learn part of themselves. One important means of involving learners in their learning process is having them participate in goal-setting to monitor their progress to determine how well they accomplish their learning targets. Learning goals form the foundation for motivation in an instructional setting and for where working memory is being allocated. Motivation is critical to learning because “without sufficient motivation, even the brightest learners are unlikely to persist long enough to attain any really useful language” (Dörnyei, 2010, p. 74). It is vital to understand the motivation to promote learner autonomy which is key to continuing language learning beyond the classroom.

Learning targets, expressed in Can-Do Statements, provide an important venue for setting learning goals to provide language learners the opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning through the establishment of positive short-and long-term learning goals and to monitor their learning experiences to ensure the accomplishment of these goals. SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) goals, such as the Can-Do Statements, provide a clear direction to focus learners’ language learning efforts to help them meet these goals. Such a constructivist or sociocultural worldview regards learning as an ongoing process where learners are continually involved in self-assessment and self-reflection about their own learning, ultimately aimed at developing self-regulation and self-efficacy.

The impact on learners and learner achievement of Can-Do Statements, as evidenced in LinguaFolio® (LF®) and its European predecessor, the European Language Portfolio (ELP), has been investigated through a growing body of research. LinguaFolio® was designed to help language educators develop autonomous learning and learner empowerment. Research at the classroom level has revealed that goal setting, which is at the heart of LF® and ELP, promotes self-regulated learning, increases language and academic achievement, enhances motivation and task value, and improves self-assessment when implemented regularly and frequently (Burton & Swain, 2014; Ciesielkiewicz & Coca, 2013; Little, 2009; Little, 2003; Little, Goullier, & Hughes, 2011; Moeller, Theiler, & Wu, 2012; Ziegler, 2014; Ziegler & Moeller, 2012; Clarke, 2013; Moeller & Yu, 2015). Learners who experienced LF® as an intervention in the world language classroom achieved higher academic outcomes as measured by cumulative GPA and ACT scores in math, science, reading, and English compared to students who were not exposed to LF® (Clarke, 2013).

These studies have shown that the major components of setting goals, documenting progress, and self-assessment of learning are critical in developing learner autonomy and self-regulation in language learners that contribute to increased motivation, higher language achievement, and academic success.

References

Burton, B., & Swain, M. (2014, August) Student Success with LinguaFolio®. Presentation at the Growing Success for ELLs conference in Greensboro, NC.
Ciesielkiewicz, M., & Coca, D. (2013) The electronic language portfolio as a tool for lifelong learning. In International Conference ICT for Language Learning: Conference Proceedings. Florence, Italy: Libreria Universitaria.
Clarke, O. (2013) LinguaFolio® goal setting intervention and academic achievement: Increasing student capacity for self-regulated learning. Retrieved from ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI3604640
Dörnyei, Z. (2010) Researching motivation: From integrativeness to the ideal L2 self. In Hunston, S., & Oakey, D. (Eds). Introducing applied linguistics: Concepts and skills, (pp. 74-83). London: Routledge.
Little, D. (2009) Language learner autonomy and the European Language Portfolio: Two L2 English examples. Language Teaching, 42(2), 222-233.
Little, D. (Ed.) (2003) The European language portfolio in use: Nine examples. Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe. Available from www.coe.int/portfolio.
Little, D., Goullier, F. & Hughes, G. (2011) The European Language Portfolio: the story so far (1991-2011). Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe. Available from www.coe.int
Moeller, A., Theiler, J., & Wu, C. (2012) Goal setting and student achievement: A longitudinal study. The Modern Language Journal, 96, 153-169.
Moeller, A., & Yu, F. (2015) NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do statements: An effective tool for improving language learning within and outside the classroom. In P. Swanson (Eds.), Dimension 2015 (pp. 50-69). Decatur, GA: SCOLT
Van Houten, J.B., & Shelton, K. (2018). From culture to intercultural communication: Framing the cultural landscape of the classroom with Can-Do statements. The Language Educator, 13(1), 34-39.
Ziegler, N. (2014) Fostering self-regulated learning through the European Language Portfolio: An intervention mixed methods study. The Modern Language Journal, 98(4), 921-936.
Ziegler, N., & Moeller, A. (2012) Increasing self-regulated learning through the LinguaFolio®. Foreign Language Annals, 45(3), 330-348.

Resources by Topic

Free Public Education Resources

Multilingual Testimonials

NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements

What are the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements?

How the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements are Organized

Using the Can-Do Statements and Intercultural Reflection Tool Together

Unpacking the Can-Do Statements

How to Use the Can-Do Statements

DOWNLOAD THE NCSSFL-ACTFL CAN-DO STATEMENTS

The Theoretical Framework and Research that Support the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements

References