ABE 23: English Language Arts Level D

Core topics for this course are detailed in the College & Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy Level D. 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. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
   2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
   3. Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events.
   4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
   5. Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.
   6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
   7. Integrate information presented in different media or formats as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
   8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.
   9. Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.
   10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently at 6th-8th grade levels.
2. Writing:
   1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
   2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
   3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.
   4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
   5. With some guidance and support, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
   6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.
   7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.
   8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
   9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
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. Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats and evaluate the motives behind its presentation.
   3. Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced.
   4. Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
   5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
   6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
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 a range of strategies.
   5. Acquire and use accurately level-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.