Reading for

Information & Understanding

California Language Arts Content Standards (Cal LACS)

Breadth & Variety of Texts

1.0  Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary

        Development: Students apply their knowledge of

        word origins both to determine the meaning of

        new words encountered in reading materials and to

        use those words accurately.

1.1  Trace the etymology of significant terms used in

       political science and history.

1.2  Apply knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon

       roots and affixes to draw inferences concerning

       the meaning of scientific and mathematical

       terminology

1.3  Discern the meaning of analogies encountered,

       analyzing specific comparisons as well as

       relationships and inferences.

Depth of Understanding and Interaction

2.0  Reading Comprehension: Students read and

       understand grade-level appropriate material. They

       analyze the organization patterns, arguments, and

       positions advanced. The quality and complexity of

       the materials to be read by students are illustrated

       in the California Reading List. In addition, by grade

       12, students read two million words annually on

       their own, including a wide variety of classic and

       contemporary literature, as well as magazine,

       newspapers, and online information.

Structural Features of Informational Materials

2.1  Analyze both the features and the rhetorical

       devices of different types of public documents (e.g.,

       policy statements, speeches, debates, platforms)

       and the way in which authors use those features

       and devices.

Comprehension and analysis of Grade-Level-

Appropriate Text

2.2  Analyze the way in which the clarity of meaning

       is affected by the patterns of organization,

       hierarchical structures, repetition of the main ideas,

       syntax, and word choice in the text.

2.3  Verify and clarify facts presented in other types of

       expository texts by using a variety of consumer,

       workplace, and public documents

2.4  Make warranted and reasonable assertions about

       the author’s arguments by using elements of the

       text to defend and clarify interpretations.

2.5  Analyze an author’s implicit and explicit

       philosophical assumptions and beliefs about a

       subject.

2.6  Critique the power, validity, and truthfulness of

       arguments set forth in public documents; their

       appeal to both friendly and hostile audiences;

       an the extent to which the arguments anticipate

       and address reader concerns and counterclaims

       (e.g., appeal to reason, to authority, to pathos and

       emotion).

Writing to Learn

and Communicate

Effectively

Writing Strategies:

1.0   Students write coherent and focused texts that

        convey a well-defined perspective and tightly

        reasoned argument. Student writing demonstrates

        awareness of audience and purpose and use of the

        stages of the writing process, as needed.

Organization and Focus

1.1   Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of

        discourses (e.g., purpose, speaker, audience, form)

        when completing narrative, expository, persuasive,

        or descriptive writing assignments.

1.2   Use point of view, characterization, style, and

        related elements for specific rhetorical and

        aesthetic purposes.

1.3   Structure ideas and arguments in a sustained,

        persuasive, and sophisticated way and support

        them with precise and relevant examples.

1.4   Enhance meaning by employing rhetorical

        devices, including the extended use of parallelism,

        repetition, and analogy; the incorporation of visual

        aids; and the issuance of a call for action.

1.5   Use language in natural, fresh, and vivid ways to

        establish a specific tone.

Research and Technology

1.6   Develop presentations by using clear research

        questions and creative and critical research

        strategies.

1.7   Use systematic strategies to organize and record

        information

1.8   Integrate databases, graphics and spreadsheets into

        word-processed documents.

Evaluation and Revision

1.9   Revise tests to highlight the individual voice,

        improve sentence variety and style, and enhance

        subtlety of meaning and tone in ways that are

        consistent with the purpose, audience, and genre.

Depth of Written

Expression

Breadth of Writing

Types

2.0   Writing Applications (Genres and Their

Characteristics) Students combine the rhetorical

        strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and

        description to produce text of at least 1,500 words,

        when appropriate. Student writing demonstrates

        a command of standard English and the research,

        organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in

Writing Standard 1.0.

2.1   Write fictional autobiographical, or biographical

         narratives.

2.2   Write responses to literature.

2.3   Write reflective compositions.

2.4   Write historical investigation reports

2.5   Write job applications and resumes

2.6   Deliver multimedia presentations

Grammar, Conventions, and Usage Standards

Written and Oral English Conventions:

1.0   Students write and speak with a command of

        standard English conventions

1.1  Demonstrate control of grammar, diction, and

       paragraph and sentence structure and an

       understanding of English usage.

1.2  Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling

       and correct punctuation and capitalization.

1.3  Reflect appropriate manuscript requirements in

       writing.

Conventions of Oral Presentations

(Same as preceding)

Speaking and

Listening in Formal

and Informal

Situations

Listening and Speaking Strategies

1.0  Students formulate adroit judgments about oral

       communication. They deliver focused and coherent

       presentations of their own that convey clear and

       distinct perspectives and solid reasoning. They

       incorporate gestures, tone, and vocabulary tailored

       to audience and purpose.

Comprehension

1.1  Recognize strategies used by the media to inform,

       persuade, entertain, and transmit culture.

1.2  Analyze the impact of the media on the democratic

       process at the local, state, and national levels.

1.3  Interpret and evaluate the various ways in

       which events are presented and information is

       communicated by visual image makers.

Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication

1.4  Use rhetorical questions, parallel structure, concrete

        images, figurative language, characterization, irony,

       and dialogue to achieve clarity, force, and aesthetic

       effect.

1.5    Distinguish between and use various forms of

         classical and contemporary logical arguments,

         including:

         a. Inductive and deductive reasoning

         b.  Syllogisms and analogies

1.6    Use logical, ethical, and emotional appeals that

         enhance a specific tone and purpose.

1.7    Use appropriate rehearsal strategies to pay

         attention to performance details, achieve command

         of the text, and create skillful artistic staging.

1.8    Use effective and interesting language, including:

          a. Information expressions for effect

          b. Standard American English for clarity

          c. Technical language for specificity

1.9     Use research and analysis to justify strategies for

          gesture, movement, and vocalization, including

          dialect, pronunciation, and enunciation.

1.10   Evaluate when to use different kinds of effects to

          create effective productions

Analysis and Evaluation of Oral and Media

Communication

1.11   Critique a speaker’s diction and syntax in relation

          to the purpose of an oral communication and the

1.12   Impact the words may have on the audience

          a. Identify logical fallacies used in oral addresses

1.13  Analyze the four basic types of persuasive speech

         and understand the similarities and differences

         in their patterns of organization and the use of

         persuasive language, reasoning and proof

1.14  Analyze the techniques used in media messages

         for a particular audience and evaluate their

         effectiveness

Speaking Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)

2.0   Students deliver polished formal and

        extemporaneous presentations that combine

        traditional rhetorical strategies of narration,

        exposition, persuasion and description. Student

        speaking demonstrates command o standard

        English and the organization and delivery strategies

        outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 2.0.

2.1   Deliver reflective presentations

2.2   Deliver oral reports on historical investigations

2.3   Deliver oral responses to literature

2.4   Deliver multimedia presentations

Interpreting, Critiquing, and Creating Literature

3.0.  Literary Response and Analysis: Students read and

        respond to historically or culturally significant

        works of world literature, particularly American and

        British literature. They conduct in-depth analyses

        of recurrent patterns and themes. The quality and

        complexity of the materials to be read by students

        are illustrated in the California Reading List.

Structural Features of Literature

3.1   Analyze characteristics of subgenres (e.g., satire,

        parody, allegory, pastoral) that are used in poetry,

        prose, plays, novels, short stories, essays, and other

        basic genres.

Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text

3.2   Analyze the way in which the theme or meaning of

        a selection represents a view or comment on life,

        using textual evidence to support the claim.

3.3   Analyze the ways in which irony, tone, mood, the

        author’s style, and the “sound” of language achieve

        specific rhetorical or aesthetic purposes or both.

3.4   Analyze the ways in which poets use imagery,

        personification, figures of speech, and sounds to

        evoke readers’ emotions.

3.5  Analyze recognized works of American literature

       representing a variety of genres and traditions:

a.   Trace the development of American literature from

       the colonial period forward

b.   Contrast the major periods, themes, styles, and

       trends and describe how works by members of

       different cultures relate to one another in each

       period.

c.    Evaluate the philosophical, political, religious,

       ethical and social influences of the historical period

       that shaped the characters, plots, and settings.

3.6  Analyze the way in which authors through the

       centuries have used archetypes drawn from myth

        and tradition in literature, film, political speeches,

        and religious writings

3.7   Analyze recognized works of world literature from a

        variety of authors:

a.    Contrast the major literary forms, techniques, and

       characteristics of the major literary periods

b.    Relate literary works and authors to the major

       themes and issues of their Eras.

c.    Evaluate the philosophical, political, religious, ethical,

       and social influences of the historical period that

       shaped the characters, plots, and settings.

Literary Criticism

3.8  Analyze the clarity and consistency of political

       assumptions in a selection of literary works or essays

       on a topic (Political approach).

3.9  Analyze the philosophical arguments presented in

       literary works to determine whether the authors’

       positions have contributed to the quality of

       each work and the credibility of the characters

       (Philosophical approach).

Responding to

Literature

Finding, Analyzing, Applying, and Communicating Information

(Writing Strategies):

1.8  Integrate databases, graphics, and spreadsheets into

       word-processed documents

(Writing Applications)

2.6  Deliver multimedia presentations

       a. Combine text, images, and sound and draw

           information from many sources (e.g., television

           broadcasts, videos, films, newspapers, magazines,

           CD-ROMs, the Internet, electronic media-generated

           images).

       b. Select an appropriate medium for each element of

           the presentation.

       c. Use the selected media skillfully, editing

           appropriately and monitoring for quality.

       d. Test the audience’s response and revise the

           presentation accordingly

(Speaking Applications

2.4  Same as 2.6 above)

Breadth of Understanding and Interaction

Depth of Understanding and Interaction

Refer to CERT Standards