THE STATE EDUCATION DEPA RT M E N T

English Language ArtsEnglish Language Arts

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

PART IV

Standard 1........................................................2

Standard 2........................................................4

Standard 3........................................................6

Standard 4........................................................8

NOTE: This document is a work in progress. Parts IIand III, in particular, are in need of further develop-ment, and we invite the submission of additionallearning experiences and local performance tasks forthese sections. Inquiries regarding submission ofmaterials should be directed to: English LanguageArts Resource Guide, Room 681 EBA, New Yo r kState Education Department, Albany, NY 12234 (tel.518-474-5922).

Resource Guide

http://www.nysed.gov

2 English Language Arts

ELEMENTARY

• gather and interpret informationfrom children’s reference books,magazines, textbooks, electronicbulletin boards, audio and mediapresentations, oral interviews, andfrom such sources as charts, graphs,maps, and diagrams

• select information appropriate tothe purpose of their investigationand relate ideas from one text toanother

• select and use strategies that havebeen taught for notetaking, organiz-ing, and categorizing information

• ask specific questions to clarify andextend meaning

• make appropriate and effective useof strategies to construct meaningfrom print, such as prior knowledgeabout a subject, structural and con-text clues, and an understanding ofletter-sound relationships to decodedifficult words

• support inferences about informa-tion and ideas with reference to textfeatures, such as vocabulary andorganizational patterns

INTERMEDIATE

• interpret and analyze informationfrom textbooks and nonfictionbooks for young adults, as well asreference materials, audio andmedia presentations, oral inter-views, graphs, charts, diagrams,and electronic data bases intendedfor a general audience

• compare and synthesize informa-tion from different sources

• use a wide variety of strategies forselecting, organizing, and categoriz-ing information

• distinguish between relevant andirrelevant information and betweenfact and opinion

• relate new information to priorknowledge and experience

• understand and use the text feature sthat make information accessible andusable, such as format, sequence,level of diction, and relevance ofd e t a i l s

COMMENCEMENT

• interpret and analyze complexinformational texts and presenta-tions, including technical manuals,professional journals, newspaperand broadcast editorials, electronicnetworks, political speeches anddebates, and primary source mater-ial in their subject area courses

• synthesize information from diversesources and identify complexitiesand discrepancies in the informa-tion

• use a combination of techniques(e.g., previewing, use of advanceorganizers, structural cues) toextract salient information fromtexts

• make distinctions about the relativevalue and significance of specificdata, facts, and ideas

• make perceptive and well devel-oped connections to prior knowl-edge

• evaluate writing strategies and pre-sentational features that affect inter-pretation of the information

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts,and ideas, discover relationships, concepts, and generaliza-tions; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, andelectronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, theywill use oral and written language to acquire, interpret,apply, and transmit information.

▲ LISTENING & READING to acquire information and understand-ing involves collecting data, facts, and ideas; discovering rela-tionships, concepts, and generalizations; and using knowledgefrom oral, written, and electronic sources.

Students:

Standard 1

Performance Indicators 3

ELEMENTARY

• present information clearly in avariety of oral and written formssuch as summaries, paraphrases,brief reports, stories, posters, andcharts

• select a focus, organization, andpoint of view for oral and writtenpresentations

• use a few traditional structures forconveying information such aschronological order, cause andeffect, and similarity and difference

• use details, examples, anecdotes, orpersonal experiences to explain orclarify information

• include relevant information andexclude extraneous material

• use the process of pre-writing, draft-ing, revising, and proofreading ( the“writing process”) to produce well-constructed informational texts

• observe basic writing conventions,such as correct spelling, punctua-tion, and capitalization, as well assentence and paragraph structuresappropriate to written forms

INTERMEDIATE

• produce oral and written reports ontopics related to all school subjects

• establish an authoritative stance onthe subject and provide referencesto establish the validity and verifia-bility of the information presented

• organize information according toan identifiable structure, such ascompare/contrast or general to spe-cific

• develop information with appropri-ate supporting material, such asfacts, details, illustrative examplesor anecdotes, and exclude extrane-ous material

• use the process of pre-writing, draft-ing, revising, and proofreading ( the“writing process”) to produce well-constructed informational texts

• use standard English for formal pre-sentation of information, selectingappropriate grammatical construc-tions and vocabulary, using a vari-ety of sentence structures, andobserving the rules of punctuation,capitalization, and spelling

COMMENCEMENT

• write and present research reports,feature articles, and thesis/supportpapers on a variety of topics relatedto all school subjects

• present a controlling idea that con-veys an individual perspective andinsight into the topic

• use a wide range of organizationalpatterns such as chronological, logi-cal (both deductive and inductive),cause and effect, and compare/con-trast

• support interpretations and deci-sions about relative significance ofinformation with explicit statement,evidence, and appropriate argument

• revise and improve early drafts byrestructuring, correcting errors, andrevising for clarity and effect

• use standard English skillfully,applying established rules and con-ventions for presenting informationand making use of a wide range ofgrammatical constructions andvocabulary to achieve an individualstyle that communicates effectively

▲ SPEAKING & WRITING to acquire and transmit informationrequires asking probing and clarifying questions, interpretinginformation in one’s own words, applying information from onecontext to another, and presenting the information and inter-pretation clearly, concisely, and comprehensibly.

Students:

Standard 1

4 English Language Arts

ELEMENTARY

• read a variety of literature of diff e re n tg e n res: picture books; poems; articlesand stories from children’s maga-zines; fables, myths and legends;songs, plays and media pro d u c t i o n s ;and works of fiction and nonfictionintended for young readers

• recognize some features that distin-guish the genres and use those fea-tures to aid comprehension

• understand the literary elements ofsetting, character, plot, theme, andpoint of view and compare thosefeatures to other works and to theirown lives

• use inference and deduction tounderstand the text

• read aloud accurately and fluently,using phonics and context cues todetermine pronunciation and mean-ing

• evaluate literary merit

INTERMEDIATE

• read and view texts and perfor-mances from a wide range ofauthors, subjects, and genres

• understand and identify the distin-guishing features of the major gen-res and use them to aid their inter-pretation and discussion ofliterature

• identify significant literary elements(including metaphor, symbolism,foreshadowing, dialect, rhyme,meter, irony, climax) and use thoseelements to interpret the work

• recognize different levels of mean-ing

• read aloud with expression, convey-ing the meaning and mood of awork

• evaluate literary merit based on anunderstanding of the genre and theliterary elements

COMMENCEMENT

• read and view independently andfluently across many genres of liter-ature from many cultures and his-torical periods

• identify the distinguishing featuresof different literary genres, periods,and traditions and use those fea-tures to interpret the work

• recognize and understand the sig-nificance of a wide range of literaryelements and techniques, (includingfigurative language, imagery, alle-gory, irony, blank verse, symbolism,stream-of-consciousness) and usethose elements to interpret the work

• understand how multiple levels ofmeaning are conveyed in a text

• read aloud expressively to convey aclear interpretation of the work

• evaluate literary merit based on anunderstanding of the genre, the lit-erary elements, and the literaryperiod and tradition

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literaryresponse and expression.

Students will read and listen to oral, written and electroni-cally produced texts and performances, relate texts and per-formances to their own lives, and develop an understandingof the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions thetexts and performances represent. As speakers and writers,students will use oral and written language for self-expres-sion and artistic creation.

▲ LISTENING & READING for literary response involves compre-hending, interpreting, and critiquing imaginative texts in everymedium, drawing on personal experiences and knowledge tounderstand the text, and recognizing the social, historical andcultural features of the text.

Students:

Standard 2

Performance Indicators 5

ELEMENTARY

• present personal responses to litera-ture that make reference to the plot,characters, ideas, vocabulary, andtext structure

• explain the meaning of literaryworks with some attention to mean-ings beyond the literal level

• create their own stories, poems, andsongs using the elements of the lit-erature they have read and appro-priate vocabulary

• observe the conventions of gram-mar and usage, spelling, and punctuation

INTERMEDIATE

• present responses to and interpreta-tions of literature, making referenceto the literary elements found in thetext and connections with their per-sonal knowledge and experience

• produce interpretations of literaryworks that identify different levelsof meaning and comment on theirsignificance and effect

• write stories, poems, literary essays,and plays that observe the conven-tions of the genre and contain inter-esting and effective language andvoice

• use standard English effectively

COMMENCEMENT

• present responses to and interpreta-tions of works of recognized literarymerit with references to the princi-pal features of the genre, the period,and literary tradition, and drawingon their personal experiences andknowledge

• produce literary interpretations thatexplicate the multiple layers ofmeaning

• write original pieces in a variety ofliterary forms, correctly using theconventions of the genre and usingstructure and vocabulary to achievean effect

• use standard English skillfully andwith an individual style

▲ SPEAKING & WRITING for literary response involves present-ing interpretations, analysis, and reactions to the content andlanguage of a text. Speaking and writing for literary expressioninvolves producing imaginative texts that use language andtext structures that are inventive and often multilayered.

Students:

Standard 2

6 English Language Arts

ELEMENTARY

• read and form opinions about avariety of literary and informationaltexts and presentations, as well aspersuasive texts such as advertise-ments, commercials, and letters tothe editor

• make decisions about the qualityand dependability of texts andexperiences based on some criteria,such as the attractiveness of theillustrations and appeal of the char-acters in a picture book, or the logicand believability of the claims madein an advertisement

• recognize that the criteria that oneuses to analyze and evaluate any-thing depend on one’s point of viewand purpose for the analysis

• evaluate their own strategies forreading and listening critically (suchas recognizing bias or false claims,and understanding the differencebetween fact and opinion) andadjust those strategies to under-stand the experience more fully

INTERMEDIATE

• analyze, interpret, and evaluateinformation, ideas, organization,and language from academic andnonacademic texts, such as text-books, public documents, book andmovie reviews, and editorials

• assess the quality of texts and pre-sentations, using criteria related tothe genre, the subject area, and pur-pose (e.g., using the criteria of accu-racy, objectivity, comprehensive-ness, and understanding of thegame to evaluate a sports editorial)

• understand that within any gro u pt h e re are many diff e rent points ofview depending on the particulari n t e rests and values of the individ-ual, and recognize those diff e re n c e sin perspective in texts and pre s e n t a-tions (e.g., in considering whether tolet a new industry come into a com-m u n i t y, some community membersmight be enthusiastic about the addi-tional jobs that will be created whileothers are concerned about the airand noise pollution that could result)

• evaluate their own and others’ workbased on a variety of criteria (e.g.,logic, clarity, comprehensiveness,conciseness, originality, convention-ality) and recognize the varyingeffectiveness of different approaches

COMMENCEMENT

• analyze, interpret, and evaluateideas, information, organization,and language of a wide range ofgeneral and technical texts and pre-sentations across subject areas,including technical manuals, profes-sional journals, political speeches,and literary criticism

• evaluate the quality of the texts andpresentations from a variety of criti-cal perspectives within the field ofstudy (e.g., using both Poe’s ele-ments of a short story and the ele-ments of “naturalist fiction” to eval-uate a modern story)

• make precise determinations aboutthe perspective of a particularwriter or speaker by recognizing therelative weight he/she places onparticular arguments and criteria(e.g., one critic condemns a biogra-phy as too long and rambling;another praises it for its accuracyand never mentions its length)

• evaluate and compare their ownand others’ work with regard to dif-ferent criteria and recognize thechange in evaluations when differ-ent criteria are considered to bemore important

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for criticalanalysis and evaluation.

As listeners and readers, students will collect analyzeexperiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by oth-ers using a variety of established criteria. As speakers andwriters, they will present, in oral and written language andfrom a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgmentson experiences, ideas, information and issues.

▲ LISTENING & READING to analyze and evaluate experiences,ideas, information, and issues requires using evaluative crite-ria from a variety of perspectives and recognizing the differ-ence in evaluations based on different sets of criteria.

Students:

Standard 3

Performance Indicators 7

ELEMENTARY

• express opinions (in such forms asoral and written reviews, letters tothe editor, essays, or persuasivespeeches) about events, books,issues, and experiences, supportingtheir opinions with some evidence

• present arguments for certain viewsor actions with reference to specificcriteria that support the argument(e.g., an argument to purchase aparticular piece of playgroundequipment might be based on thecriteria of safety, appeal to children,durability, and low cost)

• monitor and adjust their own oraland written presentations to meetcriteria for competent performance(e.g., in writing, the criteria mightinclude development of position,organization, appropriate vocabu-lary, mechanics, and neatness. Inspeaking, the criteria might includegood content, effective delivery, dic-tion, posture, poise, and eye contact)

• use effective vocabulary and followthe rules of grammar, usage,spelling, and punctuation in persua-sive writing

INTERMEDIATE

• present (in essays, position papers,speeches, and debates) clear analy-sis of issues, ideas, texts, and experi-ences, supporting their positionswith well-developed arguments

• develop arguments with effectiveuse of details and evidence thatreflect a coherent set of criteria (e.g.,reporting results of lab experimentsto support a hypothesis)

• monitor and adjust their own oraland written presentations accordingto the standards for a particulargenre (e.g., defining key terms usedin a formal debate)

• use standard English, precise vocab-ulary, and presentational strategieseffectively to influence an audience

COMMENCEMENT

• present orally and in writing well-developed analysis of issues, ideas,and texts, explaining the rationalefor their positions and analyzingtheir positions from a variety of per-spectives in such forms as formalspeeches, debates, thesis/supportpapers, literary critiques, and issuesanalysis

• make effective use of details, evi-dence, and arguments and of pre-sentational strategies to influence anaudience to adopt their position

• monitor and adjust their own oraland written presentations to havethe greatest influence on a particu-lar audience

• use standard English, a broad andprecise vocabulary, and the conven-tions of formal oratory and debate

▲ SPEAKING & WRITING for critical analysis and evaluationrequires presenting opinions and judgments on experiences,ideas, information, and issues clearly, logically, and persua-sively with reference to specific criteria on which the opinionor judgment is based.

Students:

Standard 3

8 English Language Arts

ELEMENTARY

• listen attentively and recognizewhen it is appropriate for them tospeak

• take turns speaking and respond toothers’ ideas in conversations onfamiliar topics

• recognize the kind of interactionappropriate for different circum-stances, such as story hour, groupdiscussions, and one-on-one conver-sations

INTERMEDIATE

• listen attentively to others and buildon others’ ideas in conversationswith peers and adults

• express ideas and concerns clearlyand respectfully in conversationsand group discussions

• learn some words and expressionsin another language to communi-cate with a peer or adult whospeaks that language

• use verbal and nonverbal skills toimprove communication with others

COMMENCEMENT

• engage in conversations and discus-sions on academic, technical, andcommunity subjects, anticipatinglisteners’ needs and skillfullyaddressing them

• express their thoughts and viewsclearly with attention to the per-spectives and voiced concerns of theothers in the conversation

• use appropriately the language con-ventions for a wide variety of socialsituations, such as informal conver-sations, first meetings with peers oradults, and more formal situationssuch as job interviews or customerservice

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for socialinteraction.

Students will use oral and written language for effectivesocial communication with a wide variety of people. As read-ers and listeners, they will use the social communications ofothers to enrich their understanding of people and theirviews.

▲ LISTENING & SPEAKING Oral communication in formal andinformal settings requires the ability to talk with people of dif-ferent ages, genders, and cultures, to adapt presentations todifferent audiences, and to reflect on how talk varies in differ-ent situations.

Students:

Standard 4

Performance Indicators 9

ELEMENTARY

• exchange friendly notes, cards, andletters with friends, relatives, andpen pals to keep in touch and tocommemorate special occasions

• adjust their vocabulary and style totake into account the nature of therelationship and the knowledge andinterests of the person receiving themessage

• read and discuss published letters,diaries, and journals to learn theconventions of social writing

INTERMEDIATE

• write social letters, cards, and elec-tronic messages to friends, relatives,community acquaintances, andother electronic network users

• use appropriate language and stylefor the situation and the audienceand take into account the ideas andinterests expressed by the personreceiving the message

• read and discuss social communica-tions and electronic communica-tions of other writers and use someof the techniques of those writers intheir own writing

COMMENCEMENT

• use a variety of print and electronicforms for social communicationwith peers and adults

• make effective use of language andstyle to connect the message withthe audience and context

• study the social conventions andlanguage conventions of writersfrom other groups and cultures anduse those conventions to communi-cate with members of those groups

▲ SPEAKING & WRITING Written communication for social inter-action requires using written messages to establish, maintain,and enhance personal relationships with others.

Students:

Standard 4