ABE 21: English Language Arts Level B

Core topics for this course are detailed in the College & Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy Level B. Successful students will achieve 80% competency in 80% of the core topics. These students may be awarded one HS+ credit in English or Electives.

1. Reading:
   1. Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
   2. Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
   3. Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
   4. Determine the meaning of general academic and domain specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a topic or subject area.
   5. Know and use various text features and search tools to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently
   6. Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe distinguishing their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
   7. Use information gained from illustrations and text to demonstrate understanding.
   8. Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
   9. Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.
   10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently at 2nd-3rd grade levels of complexity.
   11. Know and apply 2nd – 3rd grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
   12. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
2. Writing skills.
   1. Write opinion pieces on topics or texts supporting a point of view with reasons.
   2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
   3. Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
   4. Produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.
   5. With guidance and support from peers and others, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
   6. With guidance and support, use technology to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
   7. Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
   8. Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
3. Speaking and Listening:
   1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
   2. Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
   3. Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.
   4. Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace
   5. Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.
4. Language:
   1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
   2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
   3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
   4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
   5. Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
   6. Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe.