Amherst
Public Schools
Standards for the English Language Arts
Sponsored by NCTE and IRA
(http://www.ncte.org/about/over/standards/110846.htm)
The vision guiding these standards is that all students must have the opportunities and resources to develop the language skills they need to pursue life's goals and to participate fully as informed, productive members of society. These standards assume that literacy growth begins before children enter school as they experience and experiment with literacy activities—reading and writing, and associating spoken words with their graphic representations. Recognizing this fact, these standards encourage the development of curriculum and instruction that make productive use of the emerging literacy abilities that children bring to school. Furthermore, the standards provide ample room for the innovation and creativity essential to teaching and learning. They are not prescriptions for particular curriculum or instruction. Although we present these standards as a list, we want to emphasize that they are not distinct and separable; they are, in fact, interrelated and should be considered as a whole.
1. Students read a wide range of print
and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of
the cultures of the
2. Students read a wide range of
literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the
many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
3. Students apply a wide range of
strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw
on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers,
their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification
strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter
correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken,
written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to
communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide
range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements
appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of
purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of
language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation),
media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and
discuss print and non-print texts.
7. Students conduct research on
issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems.
They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g.,
print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries
in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of
technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer
networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and
communicate knowledge.
9. Students develop an understanding
of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across
cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
10. Students whose first language is
not English make use of their first language to develop competency in the
English language arts and to develop understanding of content across the
curriculum.
11. Students participate as
knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of
literacy communities.
12. Students use spoken, written,
and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning,
enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Related Information:
· Standards for the English Language Arts (http://www.ncte.org/store/books/standards)
[From
Guiding Principles
The following principles are philosophical statements that underlie every strand and standard of this curriculum framework. They should guide the construction and evaluation of English language arts curricula.
An effective English language arts curriculum develops thinking and language together through interactive learning.
Effective language use both requires and extends thinking. As learners listen to a speech, view a documentary, discuss a poem, or write an essay, they engage in thinking. The standards in this framework specify the intellectual processes that students draw on as they use language. Students develop their ability to remember, understand, analyze, evaluate, and apply the ideas they encounter in the English language arts and in all the other disciplines when they undertake increasingly challenging assignments that require them to write or speak in response to what they are learning.
An effective English language arts curriculum develops students’ oral language and literacy through appropriately challenging learning.
A well
planned English language arts instructional program provides students with a
variety of oral language activities, high-quality and appropriate reading
materials, and opportunities to work with others who are reading and writing.
In the primary grades, systematic phonics instruction and regular practice in
applying decoding skills to decodable materials are essential elements of the
school program.
An effective English language arts curriculum draws on literature from many genres, time periods, and cultures, featuring works that reflect our common literary heritage.
American
students need to become familiar with works that are part of a literary
tradition going back thousands of years. Students should read literature
reflecting the literary and civic heritage of the English-speaking world. They
also should gain broad exposure to works from the many communities that make up
contemporary
In order to foster a love of reading, English language arts teachers encourage independent reading within and outside of class. School librarians play a key role in finding books to match students’ interests, and in suggesting further resources in public libraries.
An effective English language arts curriculum emphasizes writing as an essential way to develop, clarify, and communicate ideas in persuasive, expository, narrative, and expressive discourse.
At all levels, students’ writing records their imagination and exploration. As students attempt to write clearly and coherently about increasingly complex ideas, their writing serves to propel intellectual growth. Through writing, students develop their ability to think, to communicate ideas, and to create worlds unseen.
An effective English language arts curriculum provides for literacy in all forms of media.
Multimedia,
television, radio, film, Internet, and videos are prominent modes of
communication in the modern world. Like literary genres, each of these media
has its unique characteristics, and proficient students apply the critical
techniques learned in the study of literature and exposition to the evaluation
of multimedia, television, radio, film, Internet sites, and video.
An effective English language arts curriculum provides explicit skill instruction in reading and writing.
In some cases, explicit skill instruction is most effective when it precedes student need. Systematic phonics lessons, in particular decoding skills, should be taught to students before they try to use them in their subsequent reading. Systematic instruction is especially important for those students who have not developed phonemic awareness — the ability to pay attention to the component sounds of language. Effective instruction can take place in small groups, individually, or on a whole class basis. In other cases, explicit skill instruction is most effective when it responds to specific problems students reveal in their work. For example, a teacher should monitor students’ progress in using quotation marks to punctuate dialogue in their stories, and then provide direct instruction when needed.
An effective English language arts curriculum teaches the strategies necessary for acquiring academic knowledge, achieving common academic standards, and attaining independence in learning.
Students need to develop a repertoire of learning strategies that they consciously practice and apply in increasingly diverse and demanding contexts. Skills become strategies for learning when they are internalized and applied purposefully. For example, a research skill has become a strategy when a student formulates his own questions and initiates a plan for locating information. A reading skill has become a strategy when a student sounds out unfamiliar words, or automatically makes and confirms predictions while reading. A writing skill has become a strategy when a student monitors her own writing by spontaneously asking herself, “Does this organization work?” or “Are my punctuation and spelling correct?” When students are able to articulate their own learning strategies, evaluate their effectiveness, and use those that work best for them, they have become independent learners.
An effective English language arts curriculum builds on the language, experiences, and interests that students bring to school.
Teachers recognize the importance of being able to respond effectively to the challenges of linguistic and cultural differences in their classrooms.
They recognize that sometimes students have learned ways of talking, thinking, and interacting that are effective at home and in their neighborhood, but which may not have the same meaning or usefulness in school. Teachers try to draw on these different ways of talking and thinking as potential bridges to speaking and writing in standard English.
An effective English language arts curriculum develops each student’s distinctive writing or speaking voice.
A student’s writing and speaking voice is an expression of self. Students’ voices tell us who they are, how they think, and what unique perspectives they bring to their learning. Students’ voices develop when teachers provide opportunities for interaction, exploration, and communication. When students discuss ideas and read one another’s writing, they learn to distinguish between formal and informal communication. They also learn about their classmates as unique individuals who can contribute their distinctive ideas, aspirations, and talents to the class, the school, the community, and the nation.
While encouraging respect for differences in home backgrounds, an effective English language arts curriculum nurtures students’ sense of their common ground as present or future American citizens in order to prepare them for responsible participation in our schools and in civic life.
Teachers
instruct an increasingly diverse group of students in their classrooms each
year. Students may come from any country or continent in the world. Taking
advantage of this diversity, teachers guide discussions about the extraordinary
variety of beliefs and traditions around the world. At the same time, they
provide students with common ground through discussion of significant works in
American cultural history to help prepare them to become self-governing
citizens of the
General Standards
|
Standard
1: Discussion |
Students will use agreed-upon rules for informal and formal discussions in small and large groups. |
|
Standard
2: Questioning, Listening, and Contributing |
Students will pose questions, listen to
the ideas of others, and contribute their own information or ideas in group
discussions or interviews in order to acquire new knowledge. |
|
Standard
3: Oral Presentation |
Students will make oral presentations
that demonstrate appropriate consideration of audience, purpose, and the
information to be conveyed. |
|
Standard
4: Vocabulary and Concept Development |
Students will understand and acquire new vocabulary
and use it correctly in reading and writing. |
|
Standard
5: Structure and Origins of Modern English |
Students will analyze standard English
grammar and usage and recognize how its vocabulary has developed and been
influenced by other languages. |
|
Standard
6: Formal and Informal English |
Students will describe, analyze, and use
appropriately formal and informal English. |
|
Standard
7: Beginning |
Students will understand the nature of
written English and the relationship of letters and spelling patterns to the
sounds of speech. |
|
Standard
8: Understanding a Text |
Students will identify the basic facts
and main ideas in a text and use them as the basis for interpretation. |
|
Standard
9: Making Connections |
Students will deepen their understanding
of a literary or non-literary work by relating it to its contemporary context
or historical background. |
|
Standard
10: Genre |
Students will identify, analyze, and
apply knowledge of the characteristics of different genres. |
|
Standard
11: Theme |
Students will identify, analyze, and
apply knowledge of theme in a literary work and provide evidence from the
text to support their understanding. |
|
Standard
12: Fiction |
Students will identify, analyze, and
apply knowledge of the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence
from the text to support their understanding. |
|
Standard
13: Nonfiction |
Students will identify, analyze, and
apply knowledge of the purposes, structure, and elements of nonfiction or
informational materials and provide evidence from the text to support their
understanding. |
|
Standard
14: Poetry |
Students will identify, analyze, and
apply knowledge of the themes, structure, and elements of poetry and provide
evidence from the text to support their understanding. |
|
Standard
15: Style and Language |
Students will identify and analyze how an
author’s words appeal to the senses, create imagery, suggest mood, and set
tone, and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. |
|
Standard
16: Myth, Traditional Narrative, and Classical Literature |
Students will identify, analyze, and
apply knowledge of the themes, structure, and elements of myths, traditional
narratives, and classical literature and provide evidence from the text to
support their understanding. |
|
Standard
17: Dramatic Literature |
Students will identify, analyze, and
apply knowledge of the themes, structure, and elements of drama and provide
evidence from the text to support their understanding. |
|
Standard
18: Dramatic |
Students will plan and present dramatic
readings, recitations, and performances that demonstrate appropriate
consideration of audience and purpose. |
|
Standard
19: Writing |
Students will write with a clear focus,
coherent organization, and sufficient detail. |
|
Standard
20: Consideration of Audience and Purpose |
Students will write for different
audiences and purposes. |
|
Standard
21: Revising |
Students will demonstrate improvement in
organization, content, paragraph development, level of detail, style, tone,
and word choice (diction) in their compositions after revising them. |
|
Standard
22: Standard English Conventions |
Students will use knowledge of standard
English conventions in their writing, revising, and editing. |
|
Standard
23: Organizing Ideas in Writing |
Students will organize ideas in writing
in a way that makes sense for their purpose. |
|
Standard
24: Research |
Students will gather information from a
variety of sources, analyze and evaluate the quality of the information they
obtain, and use it to answer their own questions. |
|
Standard
25: Evaluating Writing and Presentations |
Students will develop and use appropriate
rhetorical, logical, and stylistic criteria for assessing final versions of
their compositions or research projects before presenting them to varied audiences.
|
|
Standard
26: Analysis of Media |
Students will identify, analyze, and
apply knowledge of the conventions, elements, and techniques of film, radio,
video, television, multimedia productions, the Internet, and emerging
technologies and provide evidence from the works to support their
understanding. |
|
Standard
27: Media Production |
Students will design and create coherent
media productions (audio, video, television, multimedia, Internet, emerging
technologies) with a clear controlling idea, adequate detail, and appropriate
consideration of audience, purpose, and medium. |