LANGUAGE ARTS
CONTENT STANDARDS
What Students Are Expected to Know and be Able to Do
Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade
‡‡ Reading
Engage in the process of reading
Read for a purpose
‡‡ Writing
Engage in the process of writing
Write for a purpose
‡‡ Speaking, Listening
Engage in the process of speaking and listening
Speak and listen for a purpose
LANGUAGE ARTS
BENCHMARKS
Description of the Specific Level of Information and Skill
by Grade
Kindergarten
- Looks at books, attempts to read
- Focuses on books/stories when read to aloud
- Demonstrates an understanding of concepts about print (left to right, top
to bottom, first page of book)
- Retells a story from pictures
- Recognizes signs in the environment
- Recognizes upper-case letters
- Recognizes lower-case letters
- Associates consonant sounds with letter symbols
- Chooses to write (through drawing, random letters, consonant sounds)
- Verbalizes ideas clearly
- Listens attentively
First Grade
- Chooses to read independently
- Uses a variety of reading strategies
- Acquires new words
- Orally retells what has been read
- Reads fluently
- Chooses to write independently
- Reads for meaning
- Uses comprehension strategies
- Chooses to write independently
- Uses writing process to compose
- Organizes and writes thoughts in logical sequence
- Incorporates correct spelling into writing
- Organizes and writes thoughts in logical sequence
- Incorporates correct spelling into writing
- Writes with appropriate use of capitalization and end punctuation
- Expresses ideas clearly when speaking
- Chooses to share orally
- Listens attentively
Second Grade
- Chooses to read independently
- Uses a variety of reading strategies
- Acquires new words
- Orally retells what has been read
- Reads fluently
- Chooses to write independently
- Reads for meaning
- Uses comprehension strategies
- Chooses to write independently
- Uses writing process to compose
- Organizes and writes thoughts in logical sequence
- Incorporates correct spelling into writing
- Organizes and writes thoughts in logical sequence
- Incorporates correct spelling into writing
- Writes with appropriate use of capitalization and end punctuation
- Expresses ideas clearly when speaking
- Chooses to share orally
- Listens attentively
Third Grade
- Chooses to read independently
- Uses a variety of reading strategies
- Reads silently
- Acquires new words and develops vocabulary
- Selects books at an appropriate reading level
- Reads fluently with expression
- Reads for various purposes
- Reads for meaning
- Uses comprehension / critical thinking strategies
- Chooses to write independently
- Uses writing process to compose independently
- Organizes and writes thoughts in logical sequence
- Incorporates correct spelling into writing
- Writes with appropriate use of mechanics
- Expresses ideas clearly when speaking
- Makes meaningful contributions to discussions
- Listens attentively
Fourth Grade
- Chooses to read independently
- Uses a variety of reading strategies
- Reads silently
- Acquires new words and develops vocabulary
- Selects books at an appropriate reading level
- Reads fluently with expression
- Reads for various purposes
- Reads for meaning
- Uses comprehension / critical thinking strategies
- Chooses to write independently
- Uses writing process to compose independently
- Organizes and writes thoughts in logical sequence
- Incorporates correct spelling into writing
- Writes with appropriate use of mechanics
- Expresses ideas clearly when speaking
- Makes meaningful contributions to discussions
- Listens attentively
Fifth Grade
- Chooses to read independently
- Uses a variety of reading strategies
- Reads silently
- Reads for various purposes
- Reads for meaning
- Uses comprehension / critical thinking strategies
- Selects books for a variety of purposes
- Integrates new vocabulary appropriately
- Chooses to write independently
- Uses writing process to compose independently
- Organizes and writes thoughts in logical sequence
- Incorporates correct spelling into writing
- Writes with appropriate use of mechanics
- Expresses ideas clearly when speaking
- Makes meaningful contributions to discussions
- Listens attentively
Sixth Grade
- Chooses to read independently
- Uses a variety of reading strategies
- Reads silently
- Reads for various purposes
- Reads for meaning
- Uses comprehension / critical thinking strategies
- Selects books for a variety of purposes
- Integrates new vocabulary appropriately
- Chooses to write independently
- Uses writing process to compose independently
- Organizes and writes thoughts in logical sequence
- Incorporates correct spelling into writing
- Writes with appropriate use of mechanics
- Expresses ideas clearly when speaking
- Makes meaningful contributions to discussions
- Listens attentively
Seventh
- Reads independently
- Demonstrates comprehension of written material
- Uses conventions of writing
- Writes to communicate ideas for multiple purposes
- Develops a voice in writing
- Analyzes self and peer writing
- Asks questions about literature
- Defends one’s own opinion
- Listens to others ideas
- Experiences multimedia
- Utilizes a variety of literary concepts
- Challenges thought
- Understands differing perspectives
Eighth
- Reads independently
- Demonstrates comprehension of written material
- Uses conventions of writing
- Writes to communicate ideas for multiple purposes
- Develops a voice in writing
- Analyzes self and peer writing
- Asks questions about literature
- Defends one’s own opinion
- Listens to others ideas
- Experiences multimedia
- Utilizes a variety of literary concepts
- Challenges thought
- Understands differing perspectives
Eleventh
- Reads for enjoyment and to gain knowledge
- Varies reading speed and method according to the type of material and the
purpose for reading
- Identifies and comprehends the main and subordinate ideas in a written work
and summarizes the ideas
- Understands the themes and ideas in literature
- Recognizes different purposes and methods in writing; identifies a writer's
point of view and tone, and interprets a writer's meaning
- Defines unfamiliar words by decoding, using contextual clues, or by using
a dictionary
- Uses knowledge of literary genre and literary terminology as a means of
responding to literature
- Reads literature that represents a variety of genres and authors including
American authors
- Conceives, narrows and develops topics for writing
- Organizes ideas into a variety of sentences and paragraphs which accomplish
the writer's purpose
- Recognizes different purposes and methods of writing; identify a writer’s
point of view and tone, and interpret a writer’s meaning
- Writes to accomplish a variety of purposes
- Uses the process of prewriting, drafting, revising and editing
- Directs writing toward a variety of audiences
- Adheres to appropriate conventions of correctness in final drafts
- Considers the effects of writing
- Conceives and develops ideas about a topic for the purpose of speaking to
a group, presents these ideas clearly in standard English, and evaluates similar
presentations by others
- Speaks with appropriate rate, volume, clarity and intonation
- Varies the use of spoken language to suit different audiences and situations
- Considers the effects of speech
- Understands a speaker's ideas
- Follows spoken instructions
- Follows written instructions
- Recognizes fallacies in reasoning
- Knows the distinction among beliefs, opinions, and facts
- Uses the reference features of books and other learning materials