English Language Arts Grade Level Considerations for Grades 6–8

Considerations for Middle School (Grades 6–8)

• Reading level

• Contexts

• Item Difficulty

• Assessment Targets

Style Guide

Reading Level

• Increasingly complex text, independence and proficiency

• Claim 1 (Reading) and 3 (Speaking and Listening) passages range from being above, at, or below grade level

• For claim 2 (Writing) and 4 (Research) the passages one grade below the assessed grade

Vocabulary

• Use language that is clear and vocabulary that is at or below the assessed grade level

• Appropriate to middle school students

• Vocabulary measured in context must be at least two levels above grade

Middle School Context

• Appropriate– historical figures

and events – space exploration– school community– robots

• Inappropriate– fear of dentists– philosophy– constitutional

construction– driving– voting– work

Item Difficulty

• Items should include a range of difficulty

• Anticipated difficulty for sample items

Smarter Balanced English Language Arts Claims and Assessment Targets

• Claim 1: Reading

• Claim 2: Writing

• Claim 3: Speaking & Listening

• Claim 4: Research

Middle School Claim 1: Reading

• Selected Response, Constructed Response, and Technology-Enhanced Items

• 45% Literary texts: stories, poems, plays/drama, myths, mysteries, science fiction, historical fiction

• 55% Informational texts: literary nonfiction, historical documents, scientific articles, technical texts

Students can read closely and analytically to comprehend a range of increasingly

complex literary and informational texts.

Middle School Claim 2: Writing

• Selected Response, Constructed Response, Technology-Enhanced Items and Performance Tasks

• Middle School Claim 2 Performance Tasks include:– Narrative writing– Informational/explanatory writing– Argumentative writing

Students can produce effective and well-grounded writing for a range of purposes and audiences.

Middle School Claim 3: Speaking & Listening

• Selected Response, Constructed Response, or Technology-Enhanced Items

• Middle School Performance Tasks– Oral presentations

Students can employ effective speaking and listening skills for a range of

purposes and audiences.

Middle School Claim 4: Research

• Selected Response, Constructed Response, and Technology-Enhanced Items

• Performance Tasks

• Real world sources

• Multiple sources

Students can engage in research / inquiry to investigate topics, and to analyze, integrate, and present information.

Middle School English Language ArtsGrade Level Considerations

• Vocabulary, style, context, and item difficulty

• Claims and assessment targets from the Smarter Balanced Content Specifications