Topic: Language Standards, Grades 11 and 12.

10-second review: Observe conventions of grammar and usage. Observe conventions of capitalization, punctuation and spelling. Make effective language choices. Determine words meanings. Understand word relationships.

Observe conventions of grammar and usage

.Understand that usage is a matter of convention and can change over time and is sometimes contested.

.Resolve complex usage issues.

Observe conventions of capitalization, punctuation and spelling

.Using hyphens to join words

Make effective language choices

.Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual.

Determine word meanings

.Use strategies to determine unknown or multiple-meaning words.

.Verify preliminary definition of a word by looking it up in the dictionary.

.Interpret various figures of speech.

Understand word relationships

.Distinguish words with similar meanings, but different connotations.

Source:  “CCSSI (Common Core State Standards Initiative) for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science.” March 10, 2010. You will find the standards at http://www.corestandards.org/.

Topic: Language Standards, Grades 9 and 10.

10-second review: Conventions in writing and speaking. Vocabulary acquisition and use.

Conventions of grammar and usage

.Use parallel structure in writing.

.Use various types of phrases—noun, verb adjective, adverbial, participial, prepositional, and absolute to add variety and interest to writing or presentations.

.Use various types of clauses—independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial to add variety and interest to writing or presentations.

Observe conventions of capitalization, punctuation and spelling

.Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses.

.Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.

Make effective language choices

.Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual.

Vocabulary acquisition and use

.Clarify meaning of unknown or multiple–meaning words.

.Verify the preliminary determination of a word’s meaning by looking up the word in a dictionary.

.Interpret various figures of speech (hyperbole, paradox) and analyze their role in the text.

.Distinguish between words with similar denotations, but different connotations.

Source:  “CCSSI (Common Core State Standards Initiative) for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science.” March 10, 2010. You will find the standards at http://www.corestandards.org/.

Topic: Language Standards, Grade 8.

Review:

Conventions of Grammar and Usage

.Use verbs in the active and passive voice.

.Use verbs in the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional and subjunctive moods.

.Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood.

.Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives.

.Use a comma, ellipsis or dash to indicate a pause.

Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive moods to achieve particular effects.

.Continue spelling program, mult-syllable words and other words likely to be misspelled.

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

.Multiple meanings of words.

.Use known roots as clues to the meanings of unknown words.

.Verify preliminary estimates of word meanings through the dictionary.

.Interpret figures of speech.

.Distinguish words with similar meanings but different connotations.

.Emphasize specialized words in various disciplines.

Source:  “CCSSI (Common Core State Standards Initiative) for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science.” March 10, 2010. You will find the standards at http://www.corestandards.org/.

Topic: Language Standards, Grade 7.

Review:

Conventions of Grammar and Usage

.Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general.

.Choose among simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas.

.Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, avoiding misplaced and dangling modifiers.

.Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.

.Spell correctly.

Comment: The following applies to Grade 8 as well.

“Spell correctly.” Easy to say, not easy to do. A coherent spelling program is necessary, beginning with multi-syllable words through other words likely to be misspelled. [i.e., the only word spelled with –sede is supersede. Only three words end in –ceed, proceed, exceed and succeed. All other words ending with the sound of “seed” are spelled –cede, precede, recede, intercede, etc. Except for the word “seed” itself.] Also include how to spot typos and how to proofread by reading from last word to first. RayS.

.Emphasize conciseness in choosing words and phrases. Eliminate wordiness and redundancy.

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

.Multiple-meaning words

.Use known roots as clues to the meanings of unknown words.

.Verify estimation of a word’s meaning through use of the dictionary.

.Interpret various figures of speech.

.Distinguish words with similar meanings but different connotations.

.Highlight specialized words in different disciplines.

Source:  “CCSSI (Common Core State Standards Initiative) for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science.” March 10, 2010. You will find the standards at http://www.corestandards.org/.

Topic: Language Standards, Grde 6.

10-second review: Conventions in writing and speaking. Vocabulary acquisition and use.

Conventions in writing and speaking

.pronouns in proper case.

.Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.

.Recognize and correct vague pronouns—with unclear or ambiguous antecedents.

.Use commas to set off nonrestrictive or parenthetical elements.

.Spell correctly.

.Vary sentence patterns for meaning, interest and style.

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

.Clarify meanings of unknown or multiple-meaning words, using a variety of strategies, context, etc.

.Use known roots as clues to word meanings.

.Verify word meanings by using a dictionary.

.Interpret figures of speech.

.Distinguish a word from other words with similar denotations but different connotations.

.Use grade-appropriate academic vocabulary and English language arts-specific words and phrases.

Source:  “CCSSI (Common Core State Standards Initiative) for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science.” March 10, 2010. You will find the standards at http://www.corestandards.org/.

Topic: College and Career Readiness Standards for Language, Grades 6 - 12.

10-second review: Conventions in writing and speaking and vocabulary acquisition and use.

Conventions in Writing and Speaking

.Demonstrate a command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage.

.Demonstrate a command of the conventions of capitalization, punctuation and spelling.

. Make choices about language, punctuation and sentence structure for meaning and style.

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

.Determine the meaning of words and phrases encountered in conversations, reading and media.

.Understand the nuances among words.

,Use grade appropriate vocabulary.

Source:  “CCSSI (Common Core State Standards Initiative) for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science.” March 10, 2010. You will find the standards at http://www.corestandards.org/.

Topic: Speaking and Listening Standards, Grades 11 and 12.

Review:

.Use topics, texts and issues being studied in class.

.Prepare for discussion by evaluating evidence or information about the material under study.

.Cooperate with peers to set goals.

.Determine ground rules for decision-making.

.Ask questions that test the evidence.

.Summarize comments and claims made on all sides of the issue.

.Determine additional information needed.

.Evaluate whether the team has met its goal.

.Integrate multiple data from various mediums.

.Evaluate reliability and credibility  of each source of information.

.Evaluate the rhetoric and reasoning used by a presenter.

.Plan and deliver focused, coherent presentations.

.Adjust presentations to particular audiences and purposes.

.Make use of visual displays of data to enhance understanding.

.Adapt speech to a variety of contexts.

.Demonstrate command of formal English.

Comment: How do I define “formal English?” Eliminating certain characteristics of conversation like needless repetition, especially with words like “it,” “there,” “get,” “thing”; making clear the antecedents of the demonstrative pronouns “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those”; eliminating sexist language by using the plural to avoid such constructions as “his and her,” “he and she”; carefully using parallel structure, preferring  the active voice to the passive voice and correcting dangling and misplaced modifiers. RayS.

Source:  “CCSSI (Common Core State Standards Initiative) for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science.” March 10, 2010. You will find the standards at http://www.corestandards.org/.