Stage G - English Language Arts

Descriptors

1A - Students who meet the standard can apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections.

1. Use prefixes, suffixes, and root words to understand word meanings.
2. Apply knowledge of structural analysis to construct meaning of unfamiliar words.
3. Determine the meaning of words in context using denotation and connotation strategies.
4. Recall multiple meanings of a word in context and select appropriate meaning.
5. Identify and interpret idioms, similes, analogies, and metaphors to express implied meanings.
6. Identify the effect of literary devices (e.g., figurative language, description, and dialogue) in text.

1B - Students who meet the standard can apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency.

1. Use skimming to preview reading materials and scanning to detect major visual patterns and identify text structure before reading.
2. Make connections to real world situations or related topics before and during reading.
3. Define and analyze information needed to carry out a procedure.
4. Demonstrate understanding of structure through the use of graphic organizers and outlining (e.g., mapping, time lines, Venn diagrams).
5. Infer and draw conclusions about text supported by textural evidence and experience.
6. Analyze how structure contributes to the understanding of text.
7. Read aloud fluently (with expression, accuracy, and appropriate speed).
8. Apply self-monitoring techniques and adjust rate to increase comprehension.
9. Select and read books for recreation.

1C - Students who meet the standard can comprehend a broad range of reading materials.

1. Use inferences to improve and/or expand knowledge obtained from text and ask open-ended questions to improve critical thinking skills.
2. Synthesize key points and supporting details to form conclusion and to apply text information to personal experience.
3. Identify story elements, major and secondary themes in text.
4. Explain how story elements and themes contribute to the reader's understanding of text.
5. Compare themes, topic, and story elements of various selections across content areas.
6. Select reading strategies for text appropriate to the reader's purpose.
7. Recognize similarities and differences when presented with varying styles or points of view.
8. Recognize the influence of media on a reader's point of view concerning the interpretation of fiction or non-fiction materials.
9. Recognize how illustrations reflect cultural styles of art and enhance meaning.
10. Explain why some points are illustrated.
11. Evaluate imagery and figurative language.
12. Use text information to interpret tables, maps, visual aids, or charts.
13. Apply appropriate reading strategies to fiction and non-fiction texts within and across content areas.

2A - Students who meet the standard can understand how literary elements and techniques are used to convey meaning.

1. Read a wide range of fiction/ nonfiction.
2. Analyze and evaluate literacy elements (e.g., character, plot, setting, theme, conflict) to determine their importance to the story.
3. Predict how the story might be different if the author changed certain literary techniques (e.g., dialect, setting, vocabulary).
4. Use literature terminology accurately (e.g., flashback, foreshadowing, metaphor, simile, personification, onomatopoeia, alliteration).
5. Identify examples of connections among an author, the cultural and historical context, and the work.
6. Use new vocabulary from literature in other contexts.
7. Identify, analyze, and compare techniques used by authors to elicit reader response.
8. Compare characteristics and elements of various literary genre (e.g., short stories, novels, dramas, poetry, biographies).
9. Make inferences regarding the motives of characters and consequences of their actions by citing the text.

2B - Students who meet the standard can read and interpret a variety of literary works.

1. Respond to fiction using interpretive and evaluative processes.
2. Make connections from text to text, text to self, and text to world.
3. Interpret nonfiction text and informational materials.
4. Sequence information needed to carry out a procedure.
5. Distinguish between significant and minor details.
6. Extend a literary text (e.g., alternate endings, additional dialog for a character).
7. Engage in literary discussions (e.g., conflict, resolutions, relevance, background, effectiveness, realism.)

3A - Students who meet the standard can use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization and structure.

1. Develop compositions that include a variety of sentence structures (i.e., simple, compound, complex, compound/complex) and sentence types (i.e., interrogative, exclamatory, imperative, declarative).
2. Use transitional words and phrases within and between paragraphs.
3. Proofread for correct English conventions.
4. Demonstrate appropriate use of the eight parts of speech.

3B - Students who meet the standard can compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences.

1. Use pre-writing strategies.
2. Analyze audience and purpose for writing, and choose the appropriate form (e.g., letters, editorials, reviews, poems, reports, narratives).
3. Begin to establish a personal voice and style.
4. Use an effective and coherent organizational pattern (e.g., sequence, cause/effect, comparison).
5. Write using organization (i.e., introduction, body, conclusion) and elaboration (second level support) that demonstrate coherence.
6. Use figurative language.
7. Use appropriate internal (within paragraphs) and external (between/among paragraphs) transitional words, phrases, and devices.
8. Edit and revise to maintain a consistent tone and focus throughout a piece of writing.
9. Select effective formats for publication of final product.
10. Use available technology (e.g., word processing, desktop publishing, electronic dictionary/ glossary, printing).

3C - Students who meet the standard can communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.

1. Compose expository writing that supports a topic or thesis statement with evidence (e.g., newspaper article, pamphlet, report, brochure, manual, business letter).
2. Write an expanded narrative account (e.g., friendly letter, journal, autobiography, biographical account, memoir) that establishes a context, creates a point of view, and develops a focused impression.
3. Develop a multi-paragraph piece of persuasive writing.
4. Use appropriate language, details, and format for a specified audience (e.g., gender, age, prior knowledge, interest).
5. Write creatively for a specified purpose and audience (e.g. short story, poetry, radio scripts, play, TV commercial).
6. Compose a multi-paragraph persuasive piece which presents one position of an issue that offers sufficient support through multiple strategies (e.g., cause/effect, compare/contrast).
7. Use available technology (e.g., web pages, presentations, speeches) to design, produce, and present compositions and multi-media works.

4A - Students who meet the standard can listen effectively in formal and informal situations.

1. Focus attention on speaker as sender of the message.
2. Record appropriate notes and rough outlines while listening.
3. Decide factors that will impact the message (e.g., dialect, language styles, setting, word choice).
4. Use appropriate words to describe elements such as word choice, pitch, volume, posture, tone, facial expressions, gestures, and proximity.
5. Determine meaning from speaker's words, voice, and body.
6. Differentiate between a speaker's factual and emotional content by analyzing verbal/nonverbal messages.
7. Separate main ideas, facts, and supporting details in oral messages.
8. Infer and draw conclusions (i.e., "if this is what you are saying, may I correctly conclude that …").
9. Synthesize, analyze, and evaluate information.
10. Paraphrase and summarize, in both oral and written form, information in formal/informal presentations.
11. Ask and respond to relevant questions.
12. Follow a multi-step set of instructions to complete a task.
13. Modify, control, block out both internal and external distractions.

4B - Students who meet the standard can speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.

1. Align content, vocabulary, rate, volume, and style with the characteristics of the audience and intent of the message.
2. Employ an engaging introduction, appropriate organization, and an effective conclusion.
3. Incorporate nonverbal expressions that are appropriate to the message (e.g., facial expressions, gestures, posture, eye contact).
4. Use language that is clear, audible, and appropriate.
5. Use appropriate grammar, word choice, and pacing.
6. Use notes, outlines, and visual aids.
7. Prepare and practice a presentation to fit within a given time limit.
8. Use rehearsal techniques (e.g., taking deep breaths, record or video tape presentation) to practice the presentation.
9. Contribute meaningfully to group discussions by following accepted guidelines of verbal interaction (e.g., appropriate turn-taking behavior, respectful and engaged responses, appropriately-aligned vocabulary, appropriate rate and volume).
10. Identify and use discussion techniques to arrive at a consensus of opinion.

5A - Students who meet the standard can locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems, and communicate ideas.

1. Select a topic from a list of topics.
2. Formulate questions to direct research.
3. Identify approaches (e.g., problem/solution, comparison, narrative history, research paper).
4. Define the focus of research.
5. Apply criteria for determining credibility for each source identified.
6. Choose a variety of resources (e.g., newspaper, magazine, reference books, electronic information) to gain new information.
7. Arrange information in an orderly manner (e.g., note cards, outlining).

5B - Students who meet the standard can analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources.

1. Analyze information from primary and secondary print and non-print sources.
2. Develop a bibliography from identified and evaluated information.
3. Cite the source(s) of all direct quotations.
4. Cite source(s) of all paraphrased and summarized information.
5. Recognize how to develop a source(s) cited page.

5C - Students who meet the standard can apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats.

1. Analyze and synthesize original work and researched information.
2. Evaluate use of text, graphic materials, and visual aids to present information.
3. Select and justify adaptations in format to accommodate characteristics of audiences (e.g., age, background, interest level, group size) and purposes of the presentation (e.g., inform, persuade, entertain).
4. Design and present a project (e.g., written report, graphics, visuals, multi-media presentations).

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