Conversation Partner

Throughout this semester, I've had the opportunity to work with a conversational partner from Haiti. We have met multiple times to have conversations with each other, where we share our experiences and ask each other questions about the other's life. He has shared pieces of his writing with me in hopes that I could help him improve his writing and his English. After discussing with my colleagues about the WIDA levels of their conversational partners, I believe that my partner is at the fourth level of reading, the expanding stage, because, in his writings that he has shared with me, he is capable of writing stories and reports based on facts that he has learned, while defending those ideas, and then subsequently is able to revise his work after I've given his feedback. During our conversations, my partner has even taught me new English words that I've never heard before, which causes me to believe that he is at the fourth level of listening as well. Although, he and I have joked around and been sarcastic with each other on occasions, which leads me to believe he is somewhere between the fourth and fifth level of listening on the WIDA scale. When speaking with my partner, he has shared many stories of his life in Haiti, along with the lessons that he has learned throughout his life. He has defended his ideas through evidence he has lived through, which lead me to believe he is also at the fourth level for speaking. Throughout the semester, I have also texted my partner to arrange meetings and have brief conversations with. As a result of his ability to understand my messages, and how he can locate information that I've sent him within a relatively large paragraph, I believe he is at the third level, the developing stage, of his reading skills on the WIDA scale. Overall, my partner is incredibly funny, genuine, and has taught me a lot of life lessons. He is very intelligent and is capable of growing even further than where I believe he currently places.