English Language Arts Standards
Related Ohio Academic Content Standards
2009-10 Choosing to Participate Initiative in Cleveland
Suggested Grade Levels 6-12
Acquisition of Vocabulary
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7 A, F
Grade Band 8-10 A, C, F
Grade Band 11-12 A, E
Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7 A, B, C, D
Grade Band 8-10 A, B, C
Grade Band 11-12 B, C
Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7 A, B, C, D, E
Grade Band 8-10 B, C, D, E
Grade Band 11-12 B, D, E
Reading Applications: Literary Text
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7 G
Grade 8-10 D
Writing Applications
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7 B, D, E
Grade Band 8-10 B, D
Grade Band 11-12 A, B, D, E
Research
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7 A, B, E
Grade Band 8-10 A, E
Grade Band 11-12 A, C, E
Communications: Oral and Visual Communication
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7 A, B, F
Grade Band 8-10 A, B, G
Grade Band 11-12 A, C
Acquisition of Vocabulary: Students acquire vocabulary through exposure to language-rich situations, such as reading books and other texts and conversing with adults and peers. They use context clues, as well as direct explanations provided by others, to gain new words. They learn to apply word analysis skills to build and extend their own vocabulary. As students progress through the grades, they become more proficient in applying their knowledge of words (origins, parts, relationships, meanings) to acquire specialized vocabulary that aids comprehension.
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7
A. Use context clues and text structures to determine the meaning of new vocabulary.
F. Use multiple resources to enhance comprehension of vocabulary.
Grade Band 8-10
A. Use context clues and text structures to determine the meaning of new
vocabulary.
C. Recognize the importance and function of figurative language.
F. Use multiple resources to enhance comprehension of vocabulary.
Grade Band 11-12
A. Verify meanings of words by the author's use of definition, restatement, example,
comparison, contrast and cause and effect.
E. Use multiple resources to enhance comprehension of vocabulary.
Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies: Students develop and learn to apply strategies that help them to comprehend and interpret informational and literary texts. Reading and learning to read are problem solving processes that require strategies for the reader to make sense of written language and remain engaged with texts. Beginners develop basic concepts about print (e.g., that print holds meaning) and how books work (e.g., text organization). As strategic readers, students learn to analyze and evaluate texts to demonstrate their understanding of text. Additionally, students learn to self-monitor their own comprehension by asking and answering questions about the text, self-correcting errors and assessing their own understanding. They apply these strategies effectively to assigned and self-selected texts read in and out of the classroom.
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7
A. Determine a purpose for reading and use a range of reading comprehension strategies to better understand text.
B. Apply effective reading comprehension strategies, including summarizing and making predictions, and comparisons using information in text, between text and across subject areas.
C. Make meaning through asking and responding to a variety of questions related to text.
D. Apply self-monitoring strategies to clarify confusion about text and to monitor comprehension.
Grade Band 8-10
A. Apply reading comprehension strategies to understand grade-appropriate texts.
B. Demonstrate comprehension of print and electronic text by responding to questions (e.g., literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing).
C. Use appropriate self-monitoring strategies for comprehension.
Grade Band 11-12
B. Demonstrate comprehension of print and electronic text by responding to questions (e.g., literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing).
C. Use appropriate self-monitoring strategies for comprehension.
Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text: Students gain information from reading for purposes of learning about a subject, doing a job, making decisions and accomplishing a task. Students need to apply the reading process to various types of informational texts, including essays, magazines, newspapers, textbooks, instruction manuals, consumer and workplace documents, reference materials, multimedia and electronic resources. They learn to attend to text features, such as titles, subtitles and visual aids, to make predictions and build text knowledge. They learn to read diagrams, charts, graphs, maps and displays in text as sources of additional information. Students use their knowledge of text structure to organize content information, analyze it and draw inferences from it. Strategic readers learn to recognize arguments, bias, stereotyping and propaganda in informational text sources.
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7
A. Use text features and graphics to organize, analyze and draw inferences from content and to gain additional information.
B. Recognize the difference between cause and effect and fact and opinion to analyze text.
C. Explain how main ideas connect to each other in a variety of sources.
D. Identify arguments and persuasive techniques used in informational text.
E. Explain the treatment, scope and organization of ideas from different texts to draw conclusions about a topic.
Grade Band 8-10
B. Identify examples of rhetorical devices and valid and invalid inferences, and
explain how authors use these devices to achieve their purposes and reach their
intended audiences.
C. Analyze whether graphics supplement textual information and promote the author's purpose.
D. Explain and analyze how an author appeals to an audience and develops an argument or viewpoint in text.
E. Utilize multiple sources pertaining to a singular topic to critique the various ways authors develop their ideas (e.g., treatment, scope and organization).
Grade Band 11-12
B. Identify and analyze examples of rhetorical devices and valid and invalid inferences.
D. Synthesize the content from several sources on a single issue or written by a single author, clarifying ideas and connecting them to other sources and related topics.
E. Analyze an author's implicit and explicit philosophical assumptions and beliefs about a subject.
Reading Applications: Literary Text: Students enhance their understanding of the human story by reading literary texts that represent a variety of authors, cultures and eras. They learn to apply the reading process to the various genres of literature, including fables, folk tales, short stories, novels, poetry and drama. They demonstrate their comprehension by describing and discussing the elements of literature (e.g., setting, character and plot), analyzing the author's use of language (e.g., word choice and figurative language), comparing and contrasting texts, inferring theme and meaning and responding to text in critical and creative ways. Strategic readers learn to explain, analyze and critique literary text to achieve deep understanding.
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7
G. Explain how figurative language expresses ideas and conveys mood.
Grade Band 8-10
D. Identify similar recurring themes across different works.
Writing Applications: Students need to understand that various types of writing require different language, formatting and special vocabulary. Writing serves many purposes across the curriculum and takes various forms. Beginning writers learn about the various purposes of writing; they attempt and use a small range of familiar forms (e.g., letters). Developing writers are able to select text forms to suit purpose and audience. They can explain why some text forms are more suited to a purpose than others and begin to use content-specific vocabulary to achieve their communication goals. Proficient writers control effectively the language and structural features of a large repertoire of text forms. They deliberately choose vocabulary to enhance text and structure their writing according to audience and purpose.
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7
B. Write responses to literature that extend beyond the summary and support
judgments through references to the text.
D. Produce informational essays or reports that convey a clear and accurate perspective and support the main ideas with facts, details, examples and explanations.
E. Use persuasive strategies, including establishing a clear position in support of a proposition or a proposal with organized and relevant evidence.
Grade Band 8-10
B. Write responses to literature that extend beyond the summary and support references to the text, other works, other authors or to personal knowledge.
D. Use documented textual evidence to justify interpretations of literature or to support a research topic.
Grade Band 11-12
A. Compose reflective writings that balance reflections by using specific personal
experiences to draw conclusions about life.
B. Write responses to literature that provide an interpretation, recognize
ambiguities, nuances and complexities and that understand the author's use of stylistic devices and effects created.
D. Produce informational essays or reports that establish a clear and distinctive
perspective on the subject, include relevant perspectives, take into account the validity and reliability of sources and provide a clear sense of closure.
E. Use a range of strategies to elaborate and persuade when appropriate, including
appeal to logic, use of personal anecdotes, examples, beliefs, expert opinions, or cause-effect reasoning.
Research: Students define and investigate self-selected or assigned issues, topics and problems. They locate, select and make use of relevant information from a variety of media, reference and technological sources. Students use an appropriate form to communicate their findings.
Benchmarks
Grades 6-7
A. Formulate open-ended research questions suitable for inquiry and investigation and develop a plan for gathering information.
B. Locate and summarize important information from multiple sources.
E. Communicate findings orally, visually and in writing or through multimedia.
Grade Band 8-10
A. Formulate open-ended research questions suitable for investigation and adjust questions as necessary while research is conducted.
E. Communicate findings, reporting on the substance and processes orally, visually and in writing, or through multimedia.
Grade Band 11-12
A. Formulate open-ended research questions suitable for inquiry and investigation and adjust questions as necessary while research is conducted.
C. Evaluate the usefulness and credibility of data and sources and synthesize information from multiple sources.
E. Communicate findings, reporting on the substance and processes orally, visually and in writing or through multimedia.
Communications: Oral and Visual: Students learn to communicate effectively through exposure to good models and opportunities for practice. By speaking, listening and providing and interpreting visual images, they learn to apply their communication skills in increasingly sophisticated ways. Students learn to deliver presentations that effectively convey information and persuade or entertain audiences. Proficient speakers control language and deliberately choose vocabulary to clarify points and adjust presentations according to audience and purpose.
Grade 6-7
A. Use effective listening strategies, summarize major ideas and draw logical inferences from presentations and visual media.
B. Explain a speaker's point of view and use of persuasive techniques in presentations and visual media.
F. Give presentations using a variety of delivery methods, visual materials and technology.
Grade Band 8-10
A. Use a variety of strategies to enhance listening comprehension.
B. Analyze the techniques used by speakers and media to influence an audience, and evaluate the effect this has on the credibility of a speaker or media message.
G. Give presentations using a variety of delivery methods, visual displays and technology.
Grade Band 11-12
A. Use a variety of strategies to enhance listening comprehension.
C. Select and use effective speaking strategies for a variety of audiences, situations and purposes.
