EAL / ESL Report Opening and Closing Comments, Ages 5-18
The opening sentence gives families an overall picture of the student's English across listening, speaking, reading and writing. The closing sentence draws the comment together with encouragement, a look ahead or thanks for support at home.
Here are 14 samples from the 188 openers and closers in the full pack: one of each for every overall level, then one pair written for each report period.
Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.
For any report period
Overall picture: Competent / fluent D
Opener
- In subject lessons, [Name] reads textbooks, follows lab instructions and writes up findings in clear, accurate English.
Closer
- I look forward to helping [Name] explore idioms, figurative language and formal style in English.
Overall picture: Developing competence C
Opener
- [Name] handles everyday English with growing independence and builds subject vocabulary in science, history and geography.
Closer
- [Name] is making steady progress, and mistakes in English are a normal and useful part of that learning.
Overall picture: Early acquisition B
Opener
- With a sentence frame, [Name] writes simple sentences about [his/her/their] learning.
Closer
- Talking with [Name] in your home language about what [he/she/they] did at school will help [him/her/them] learn in both languages.
Overall picture: New to English A
Opener
- Through numbers, drawings and diagrams, [Name] shows subject knowledge while learning key English words for each topic.
Closer
- Each English word that [Name] understands gives another way to take part in lessons and communicate with others.
For a specific report period
First / interim report
Opener
- In the first weeks of the year, [Name] has shared ideas at carpet time in clear, well-formed English and asked thoughtful questions about our stories.
Closer
- Over the next few months, we will keep using word mats and sentence frames to help [Name] write longer pieces.
Mid-year report
Opener
- [Name] has had a busy first half of the year, reading familiar books with less help and writing several sentences about each story.
Closer
- Thank you for your support; [Name] is understanding and using more English each week.
End-of-year report
Opener
- [Name] finishes the year able to follow the main idea in lessons when visuals are used, and writes simple sentences with a frame.
Closer
- I wish [Name] a restful break after a year of building understanding and using more everyday English.
Tips for openers and closers
- In the first or interim report, open with settling in and early steps in English, mentioning joining the school only if the student arrived recently. Close with one priority for the coming weeks.
- At mid-year, open by comparing the student's English now with the start of the year, using one concrete change, and close with a focus for the rest of the year.
- At the end of the year, look back at progress across the whole year and close with good wishes for the break and the next class. Keep closers plain and literal so they translate well.
Comments by skill
- Listening, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Listening, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Speaking, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Speaking, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Reading, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Reading, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Writing, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Writing, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Vocabulary and Grammar, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Vocabulary and Grammar, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Language-Learning Behaviours, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Language-Learning Behaviours, Secondary (ages 11-18)
For the same report: Subject Report Comments for Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary, Stages 1-9.
How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.