Reading
1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately.
Vocabulary and Concept Development
1.1 Identify and use the literal and figurative meanings of words
and understand word derivations.
1.2. Distinguish between the denotative and connotative meanings
of words and interpret the connotative power of words.
1.3 Identify Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology and use the knowledge
to understand the origin and meaning of new words (e.g., the word
narcissistic drawn from the myth of Narcissus and Echo).
2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. The selections in Recommended Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students. In addition, by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. In grades nine and ten, students make substantial progress toward this goal.
Structural Features of Informational Materials
2.1 Analyze the structure and format of functional workplace documents,
including the graphics and headers, and explain how authors use
the features to achieve their purposes.
2.2 Prepare a bibliography of reference materials for a report
using a variety of consumer, workplace, and public documents.
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
2.3 Generate relevant questions about readings on issues that
can be researched.
2.4 Synthesize the content from several sources or works by a
single author dealing with a single issue; paraphrase the ideas
and connect them to other sources and related topics to demonstrate
comprehension.
2.5 Extend ideas presented in primary or secondary sources through
original analysis, evaluation, and elaboration.
2.6 Demonstrate use of sophisticated learning tools by following
technical directions (e.g., those found with graphic calculators
and specialized software programs and in access guides to World
Wide Web sites on the Internet).
Expository Critique
2.7 Critique the logic of functional documents by examining the
sequence of information and procedures in anticipation of possible
reader misunderstandings.
2.8 Evaluate the credibility of an author's argument or defense
of a claim by critiquing the relationship between generalizations
and evidence, the comprehensiveness of evidence, and the way in
which the author's intent affects the structure and tone of the
text (e.g., in professional journals, editorials, political speeches,
primary source material).
3.0 Literary Response and Analysis
Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent patterns and themes. The selections in Recommended Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students.
Structural Features of Literature
3.1 Articulate the relationship between the expressed purposes
and the characteristics of different forms of dramatic literature
(e.g., comedy, tragedy, drama, dramatic monologue).
3.2 Compare and contrast the presentation of a similar theme or
topic across genres to explain how the selection of genre shapes
the theme or topic.
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
3.3 Analyze interactions between main and subordinate characters
in a literary text (e.g., internal and external conflicts, motivations,
relationships, influences) and explain the way those interactions
affect the plot.
3.4 Determine characters' traits by what the characters say about
themselves in narration, dialogue, dramatic monologue, and soliloquy.
3.5 Compare works that express a universal theme and provide evidence
to support the ideas expressed in each work.
3.6 Analyze and trace an author's development of time and sequence,
including the use of complex literary devices (e.g., foreshadowing,
flashbacks).
3.7 Recognize and understand the significance of various literary
devices, including figurative language, imagery, allegory, and
symbolism, and explain their appeal.
3.8 Interpret and evaluate the impact of ambiguities, subtleties,
contradictions, ironies, and incongruities in a text.
3.9 Explain how voice, persona, and the choice of a narrator affect
characterization and the tone, plot, and credibility of a text.
3.10 Identify and describe the function of dialogue, scene designs,
soliloquies, asides, and character foils in dramatic literature.
Literary Criticism
3.11 Evaluate the aesthetic qualities of style, including the
impact of diction and figurative language on tone, mood, and theme,
using the terminology of literary criticism. (Aesthetic approach)
3.12 Analyze the way in which a work of literature is related
to the themes and issues of its historical period. (Historical
approach)
Writing
1.0 Writing Strategies
Students write coherent and focused essays that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the audience and purpose. Students progress through the stages of the writing process as needed.
Organization and Focus
1.1 Establish a controlling impression or coherent thesis that
conveys a clear and distinctive perspective on the subject and
maintain a consistent tone and focus throughout the piece of writing.
1.2 Use precise language, action verbs, sensory details, appropriate
modifiers, and the active rather than the passive voice.
Research and Technology
1.3 Use clear research questions and suitable research methods
(e.g., library, electronic media, personal interview) to elicit
and present evidence from primary and secondary sources.
1.4 Develop the main ideas within the body of the composition
through supporting evidence (e.g., scenarios, commonly held beliefs,
hypotheses, definitions).
1.5 Synthesize information from multiple sources and identify
complexities and discrepancies in the information and the different
perspectives found in each medium (e.g., almanacs, microfiche,
news sources, in-depth field studies, speeches, journals, technical
documents).
1.6 Integrate quotations and citations into a written text while
maintaining the flow of ideas.
1.7 Use appropriate conventions for documentation in the text,
notes, and bibliographies by adhering to those in style manuals
(e.g., Modern Language Association Handbook, The Chicago Manual
of Style).
1.8 Design and publish documents by using advanced publishing
software and graphic programs.
Evaluation and Revision
1.9 Revise writing to improve the logic and coherence of the organization
and controlling perspective, the precision of word choice, and
the tone by taking into consideration the audience, purpose, and
formality of the context.
2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0.
Using the writing strategies of grades nine and ten outlined in Writing Standard 1.0, students:
2.1 Write biographical or autobiographical narratives or short stories:
a. Relate a sequence of events and communicate the significance
of the events to the audience.
b. Locate scenes and incidents in specific places.
c. Describe with concrete sensory details the sights, sounds,
and smells of a scene and the specific actions, movements, gestures,
and feelings of the characters; use interior monologue to depict
the characters' feelings.
d. Pace the presentation of actions to accommodate changes in
time and mood.
e. Make effective use of descriptions of appearance, images, shifting
perspectives, and sensory details.
2.2 Write responses to literature:
a. Demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the significant ideas
of literary works.
b. Support important ideas and viewpoints through accurate and
detailed references to the text or to other works.
c. Demonstrate awareness of the author's use of stylistic devices
and an appreciation of the effects created.
d. Identify and assess the impact of perceived ambiguities, nuances,
and complexities within the text.
2.3 Write expository compositions, including analytical essays and research
reports:
a. Marshal evidence in support of a thesis and related claims,
including information on all relevant perspectives.
b. Convey information and ideas from primary and secondary sources
accurately and coherently.
c. Make distinctions between the relative value and significance
of specific data, facts, and ideas.
d. Include visual aids by employing appropriate technology to
organize and record information on charts, maps, and graphs.
e. Anticipate and address readers' potential misunderstandings,
biases, and expectations.
f. Use technical terms and notations accurately.
2.4 Write persuasive compositions:
a. Structure ideas and arguments in a sustained and logical fashion.
b. Use specific rhetorical devices to support assertions (e.g.,
appeal to logic through reasoning; appeal to emotion or ethical
belief; relate a personal anecdote, case study, or analogy).
c. Clarify and defend positions with precise and relevant evidence,
including facts, expert opinions, quotations, and expressions
of commonly accepted beliefs and logical reasoning.
d. Address readers' concerns, counterclaims, biases, and expectations.
2.5 Write business letters:
a. Provide clear and purposeful information and address the intended
audience appropriately.
b. Use appropriate vocabulary, tone, and style to take into account
the nature of the relationship with, and the knowledge and interests
of, the recipients.
c. Highlight central ideas or images.
d. Follow a conventional style with page formats, fonts, and spacing
that contribute to the documents' readability and impact.
2.6 Write technical documents (e.g., a manual on rules of behavior
for conflict resolution, procedures for conducting a meeting,
minutes of a meeting):
a. Report information and convey ideas logically and correctly.
b. Offer detailed and accurate specifications.
c. Include scenarios, definitions, and examples to aid comprehension
(e.g., troubleshooting guide).
d. Anticipate readers' problems, mistakes, and misunderstandings.
Written and Oral English Language Conventions
The standards for written and oral English language conventions have been placed between those for writing and for listening and speaking because these conventions are essential to both sets of skills.
1.0 Written and Oral English Language Conventions
Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions.
Grammar and Mechanics of Writing
1.1 Identify and correctly use clauses (e.g., main and subordinate),
phrases (e.g., gerund, infinitive, and participial), and mechanics
of punctuation (e.g., semicolons, colons, ellipses, hyphens).
1.2 Understand sentence construction (e.g., parallel structure,
subordination, proper placement of modifiers) and proper English
usage (e.g., consistency of verb tenses).
1.3 Demonstrate an understanding of proper English usage and control
of grammar, paragraph and sentence structure, diction, and syntax.
Manuscript Form
1.4 Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct
use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.
1.5 Reflect appropriate manuscript requirements, including title
page presentation, pagination, spacing and margins, and integration
of source and support material (e.g., in-text citation, use of
direct quotations, paraphrasing) with appropriate citations.
Listening and Speaking
1.0 Listening and Speaking Strategies
Students formulate adroit judgments about oral communication.
They deliver focused and coherent presentations of their own that
convey clear and distinct perspectives and solid reasoning. They
use gestures, tone, and vocabulary tailored to the audience and
purpose.
Comprehension
1.1 Formulate judgments about the ideas under discussion and support
those judgments with convincing evidence.
1.2 Compare and contrast the ways in which media genres (e.g.,
televised news, news magazines, documentaries, online information)
cover the same event.
Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
1.3 Choose logical patterns of organization (e.g., chronological,
topical, cause and effect) to inform and to persuade, by soliciting
agreement or action, or to unite audiences behind a common belief
or cause.
1.4 Choose appropriate techniques for developing the introduction
and conclusion (e.g., by using literary quotations, anecdotes,
references to authoritative sources).
1.5 Recognize and use elements of classical speech forms (e.g.,
introduction, first and second transitions, body, conclusion)
in formulating rational arguments and applying the art of persuasion
and debate.
1.6 Present and advance a clear thesis statement and choose appropriate
types of proof (e.g., statistics, testimony, specific instances)
that meet standard tests for evidence, including credibility,
validity, and relevance.
1.7 Use props, visual aids, graphs, and electronic media to enhance
the appeal and accuracy of presentations.
1.8 Produce concise notes for extemporaneous delivery.
1.9 Analyze the occasion and the interests of the audience and
choose effective verbal and nonverbal techniques (e.g., voice,
gestures, eye contact) for presentations.
Analysis and Evaluation of Oral and Media Communications
1.10 Analyze historically significant speeches (e.g., Abraham
Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address," Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have
a Dream") to find the rhetorical devices and features that make
them memorable.
1.11 Assess how language and delivery affect the mood and tone
of the oral communication and make an impact on the audience.
1.12 Evaluate the clarity, quality, effectiveness, and general
coherence of a speaker's important points, arguments, evidence,
organization of ideas, delivery, diction, and syntax.
1.13 Analyze the types of arguments used by the speaker, including
argument by causation, analogy, authority, emotion, and logic.
1.14 Identify the aesthetic effects of a media presentation and
evaluate the techniques used to create them (e.g., compare Shakespeare's
Henry V with Kenneth Branagh's 1990 film version).
2.0 Speaking Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
Students deliver polished formal and extemporaneous presentations
that combine the traditional rhetorical strategies of narration,
exposition, persuasion, and description. Student speaking demonstrates
a command of standard American English and the organizational
and delivery strategies outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard
1.0.
Using the speaking strategies of grades nine and ten outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0, students:
2.1 Deliver narrative presentations:
a. Narrate a sequence of events and communicate their significance
to the audience.
b. Locate scenes and incidents in specific places.
c. Describe with concrete sensory details the sights, sounds,
and smells of a scene and the specific actions, movements, gestures,
and feelings of characters.
d. Pace the presentation of actions to accommodate time or mood
changes.
2.2 Deliver expository presentations:
a. Marshal evidence in support of a thesis and related claims,
including information on all relevant perspectives.
b. Convey information and ideas from primary and secondary sources
accurately and coherently.
c. Make distinctions between the relative value and significance
of specific data, facts, and ideas.
d. Include visual aids by employing appropriate technology to
organize and display information on charts, maps, and graphs.
e. Anticipate and address the listener's potential misunderstandings,
biases, and expectations.
f. Use technical terms and notations accurately.
2.3 Apply appropriate interviewing techniques:
a. Prepare and ask relevant questions.
b. Make notes of responses.
c. Use language that conveys maturity, sensitivity, and respect.
d. Respond correctly and effectively to questions.
e. Demonstrate knowledge of the subject or organization.
f. Compile and report responses.
g. Evaluate the effectiveness of the interview.
2.4 Deliver oral responses to literature:
a. Advance a judgment demonstrating a comprehensive grasp of the
significant ideas of works or passages (i.e., make and support
warranted assertions about the text).
b. Support important ideas and viewpoints through accurate and
detailed references to the text or to other works.
c. Demonstrate awareness of the author's use of stylistic devices
and an appreciation of the effects created.
d. Identify and assess the impact of perceived ambiguities, nuances,
and complexities within the text.
2.5 Deliver persuasive arguments (including evaluation and analysis
of problems and solutions and causes and effects):
a. Structure ideas and arguments in a coherent, logical fashion.
b. Use rhetorical devices to support assertions (e.g., by appeal
to logic through reasoning; by appeal to emotion or ethical belief;
by use of personal anecdote, case study, or analogy).
c. Clarify and defend positions with precise and relevant evidence,
including facts, expert opinions, quotations, expressions of commonly
accepted beliefs, and logical reasoning.
d. Anticipate and address the listener's concerns and counterarguments.
2.6 Deliver descriptive presentations:
a. Establish clearly the speaker's point of view on the subject
of the presentation.
b. Establish clearly the speaker's relationship with that subject
(e.g., dispassionate observation, personal involvement).
c. Use effective, factual descriptions of appearance, concrete
images, shifting perspectives and vantage points, and sensory
details.
