Illinois Learning Standards

Stage C - English Language Arts



Descriptors


1A —

Students who meet the standard can apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections.
  1. Use phonics to decode new words in age-appropriate material.
  2. Use word analysis (root words, inflections, affixes) to identify words.
  3. Discuss the meanings of new words encountered in independent and group activities.
  4. Use synonyms and antonyms to define words.
  5. Use a variety of decoding strategies (e.g., phonics, word patterns, structural analysis, context clues) to recognize new words when reading age-appropriate material.
  6. Self-monitor reading and use decoding strategies to self-correct miscues.
  7. Use context and previous experience to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words in text.
  8. Use a variety of resources (e.g., dictionaries, thesauruses, indices, glossaries, internet, interviews, available technology) to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.

1B —

Students who meet the standard can apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency.
  1. Identify purposes for reading before and during reading.
  2. Make predictions about text events before and during reading and confirm, modify, or reject predictions after reading.
  3. Use a variety of strategies (e.g., K-W-L, anticipation guide, graphic organizer, DR-TA) to connect important ideas in text to prior knowledge and other reading.
  4. Identify explicit main ideas.
  5. Make connections from text to text, text to self, text to world.
  6. Differentiate between fact and opinion.
  7. Identify genres of fiction and non-fiction.
  8. Identify genres of poetry.
  9. Continuously check and clarify for understanding (e.g., reread, read ahead, use visual and context clues) during reading.
  10. Ask questions to clarify understanding.
  11. Summarize or retell information from a text.
  12. Interpret age-appropriate figurative language.
  13. Read age-appropriate material aloud with fluency and accuracy.

1C —

Students who meet the standard can comprehend a broad range of reading materials.
  1. Use evidence in text to form questions and verify predictions.
  2. Use information to generate and respond to questions that reflect higher level thinking skills (e.g., analyzing, synthesizing, inferring, evaluating).
  3. Identify important themes and topics by using relevant and accurate references to provide a valid interpretation of text.
  4. Identify the message the author conveys in the text.
  5. Make comparisons across reading selections (e.g., themes, topics, story elements).
  6. Interpret concepts or make connections through analysis, evaluation, inference, and/or comparison.
  7. Use text structure (e.g., sequential order, chronological order, problem/solution) to determine most important information.
  8. Explain how authors and illustrators express their ideas.
  9. Use information from simple tables, maps, and charts to increase comprehension of a variety of age-appropriate materials, both fiction and nonfiction.
  10. Use available technology (e.g., interactive web sites, software, electronic mail).

2A  —

Students who meet the standard can understand how literary elements and techniques are used to convey meaning.
  1. Identify the theme (e.g., friendship, cooperation, sharing, change, exploration) in selected stories and books.
  2. Identify the setting and tell how it affects the story.
  3. Identify the elements of plot by retelling the story (i.e., problem, attempts to solve problem, or resolution of problem).
  4. Identify/compare characters' attributes across stories.
  5. Define unfamiliar vocabulary.
  6. Name several characteristics that distinguish fiction from nonfiction.
  7. Classify major types of fiction (e.g., tall tale, fairy tale, fable).
  8. Classify major types of nonfiction (e.g., essay, biography, autobiography).
  9. Classify types of expository text structures (e.g., description, sequence, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution).
  10. Recognize that prose is written in sentences and organized in paragraphs.
  11. Recognize both rhymed and unrhymed poetry.
  12. Discover poetic devices (e.g., rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, onomatopoeia, repetition, simile, metaphor).

2B —

Students who meet the standard can read and interpret a variety of literary works.
  1. Apply events and situations in both fiction and nonfiction to personal experiences.
  2. Investigate literature from a variety of time periods/ cultures/genres.
  3. Compare works by the same author.
  4. Discuss works that have a common theme.
  5. Re-enact/role play/retell (e.g., stories, songs, poems, plays).
  6. Support plausible interpretations with evidence from the text.

3A —

Students who meet the standard can use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization and structure.
  1. Develop a paragraph using proper form (e.g., topic sentence, details, summary/conclusion sentence).
  2. Construct complete sentences.
  3. Demonstrate subject-verb agreement.
  4. Use end marks, commas, and quotation marks.
  5. Use appropriate capitalization.
  6. Use appropriate punctuation.
  7. Use correct spelling of high frequency words.
  8. Use knowledge of letter-sound relationships to spell unfamiliar words.
  9. Demonstrate appropriate use of the various parts of speech (e.g., nouns, pronouns, verbs).
  10. Proofread and revise one's own work.

3B —

Students who meet the standard can compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences.
  1. Use appropriate prewriting strategies (e.g., drawing, webbing, brainstorming, listing, note taking, graphic organizers) to generate and organize ideas with teacher assistance.
  2. Establish and maintain a focus.
  3. Use stages of the writing process (e.g., prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing) to develop paragraphs with focus, organization, elaboration, and integration.
  4. Organize around a structure (e.g., paragraph, essay) appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.
  5. Use basic transitions to connect ideas.
  6. Elaborate and support ideas (e.g., pictures, facts, details, description, narration).
  7. Revise and edit (e.g., conference with self, peer, volunteer, teacher).

3C —

Students who meet the standard can communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.
  1. Use the writing process for a variety of purposes (e.g., narration, exposition, persuasion).
  2. Use available technology to plan, compose, revise, and edit written work.
  3. Experiment with different forms of creative writing (e.g., song, poetry, short fiction, play).

4A —

Students who meet the standard can listen effectively in formal and informal situations.
  1. Attend to the speaker and focus attention on what is being said.
  2. Distinguish among different kinds of information (e.g., fact, opinion, detail, main idea, fantasy, reality).
  3. Demonstrate the ability to listen for different purposes (e.g., information gathering, entertainment, social interaction).
  4. Separate and retell main ideas from information that is given orally.
  5. Formulate relevant and focused questions.
  6. Respond in an appropriate manner to questions and discussion with relevant and focused comments.
  7. Complete a task for which two or more steps are given orally.
  8. Begin to paraphrase and summarize the content of both formal and informal presentations or messages (e.g., directions, media, announcements, speakers).
  9. Demonstrate understanding of materials, concepts, or instructions presented in auditorily based media.
  10. Paraphrase/summarize information presented in auditorily based media.

4B —

Students who meet the standard can speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.
  1. Demonstrate awareness of characteristics of an audience (e.g., age, gender, background knowledge, level of interest in topic) and how they affect content and style of presentation.
  2. Determine the purpose of the oral report.
  3. Select appropriate topic.
  4. Use language that is clear, audible, and appropriate.
  5. Use appropriate grammar, word choice, and pacing.
  6. Establish and maintain a focus.
  7. Present ideas in a logical order.
  8. Elaborate upon main points with supporting details.
  9. Prepare and practice the presentation.
  10. Engage and maintain the interest of the listener.
  11. Use rules governing spoken English.
  12. Use appropriate presentation techniques (e.g., volume, rate, tone, pitch).
  13. Contribute relevant, appropriate information to discussions.
  14. Demonstrate respect for other participants and their ideas.

5A —

Students who meet the standard can locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems, and communicate ideas.
  1. Generate questions of interest (e.g., using KWL, webs, graphic organizers).
  2. Define the focus of the research.
  3. Collect information relevant to the topic.
  4. Use text aids (e.g., table of contents, glossary, index, alphabetical order) to locate information in a book.
  5. Use an organizational system (e.g., media center, classroom resources, available technology) to locate information.
  6. Analyze (e.g., categorize, classify, sort, organize, combine) information for a project.

5B —

Students who meet the standard can analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources.
  1. Use key words to identify relevant information.
  2. Discriminate between relevant and irrelevant information.
  3. Organize related information under main topics.
  4. List title, author, and type of resource (e.g., magazine, book, encyclopedia, website, interviewee) used in research.

5C —

Students who meet the standard can apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats.
  1. Access and use information from a variety of sources.
  2. Organize and synthesize information.
  3. Paraphrase/summarize information.
  4. Compose information in an appropriate medium/format.
  5. Present information in oral, written, and available technological/multi-media forms.
  6. Begin to revise and edit the work.

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