Language Arts Literacy

 

Mission: Learning to read, write, speak, listen, and view critically, strategically and creatively enables students to discover personal and shared meaning throughout their lives.

Standard 3.1 Reading

All students will understand and apply the knowledge of sounds, letters, and words in written English to become independent and fluent readers and will read a variety of materials and texts with fluency and comprehension.

 

Big Idea: The ability to read a variety of texts requires independence, comprehension, and fluency.

3.1 A. Concepts About Print

Essential Questions

Enduring Understandings

- How does understanding a text’s structure help me better understand its meaning?

 - Understanding of a text’s features, structures, and characteristics facilitate the reader’s ability to make meaning of the text.  

Cumulative Progress Indicators

Comments and Examples

By the end of Kindergarten  
1.         Realize that speech can be recorded in words (e.g., his/her own name; words and symbols in the environment).  
2.         Distinguish letters from words.  
3.         Recognize that words are separated by spaces  
4.         Follow words left to right and from top to bottom.  
5.         Recognize that print represents spoken language.  

 6.         Demonstrate understanding of the function of a book and its parts, including front and back and title page.

  
By the end of Grade 1:  
1.         Match oral words to printed words (e.g., pointing to print as one reads).  
2.         Practice reading print in the environment at school and at home with assistance.  
3.         Locate and identify the title, author, and illustrator of a book or reading selection.  
4.         Interpret simple graphs, charts, and diagrams.  
By the end of Grade 2:  
1.         Use titles, tables of contents, and chapter headings to locate information.  
2.         Recognize the purpose of a paragraph.  
By the end of Grade 3:  
1.         Recognize that printed materials provide specific information.  
2.         Recognize purposes for print conventions such as end-sentence punctuation, paragraphing, and bold print.  
3.         Use a glossary or index to locate information in a text.  
By the end of Grade 4:  
1.         Identify differences of various print formats, including newspapers, magazines, books, and reference resources.  
2.         Recognize purposes and uses for print conventions such as paragraphs, end-sentence punctuation, and bold print  
3.         Identify and locate features that support text meaning (e.g., maps, charts, illustrations). Instructional/Assessment Focus:
• Use text features to comprehend print formats
• Use globes, maps, and Internet sources to clarify reading of text

Sample Assessment Item:
ASSESS using reading passage Rocket Balloon compiled by Laura Buller and Ron Taylor http://www.nj.gov/education/assessment/es/sample/NJ-LAL_sample.pdf, Page 42-44 Question 12

What is the purpose of the thumbtack?
A. to find the center of the paper
* B. to hold the string in the center
C. to fasten the cone to the balloon
D. to poke a hole in the paper
By the end of Grade 5:  
1. Use a text index and glossary appropriately.  
2. Survey and explain text features that contribute to comprehension (e.g., headings, introductory and concluding paragraphs).  
By the end of Grade 6:  

1.         Use a text index and glossary independently and appropriately. 

  
2.         Survey and explain text features that contribute to comprehension (e.g., headings, introductory, concluding paragraphs).  

3.         Recognize and use common print formats to obtain information (e.g., newspapers, magazines, electronic sources).

 

  
By the end of Grade 7:  
1.         Identify and use common textual features (e.g., paragraphs, topic, sentence, index, glossary, table of contents) and graphic features, (e.g., charts, maps, diagrams) to comprehend information. Instructional strategies:

• Display and use classroom charts, maps and other visual representations created for and by students and related to authentic situations, e.g., weather maps, charts of school activities, funding raising goals, class grade curve, attendance rates, etc.
• Interpret visual computer images and study newspaper and magazine illustrations for relevance to the articles that they accompany
• Have students create accompanying visual representations for informational text authored by students

ASSESS using project-based learning activities that demand the use of textual and graphic features.
2.         Develop an understanding of the organizational structure of printed material (e.g. chronological, sequential, procedural text).

Instructional strategies:
• Examine newspaper and magazine articles for structural organization, e.g., chronological order
• Study websites and other electronic media for organizational structure

ASSESS using project based learning activities that demand the use of organizational structure.

Example:
Design a website or page that uses organizational structure to chronicle your personal knowledge and understanding of technology.
By the end of Grade 8:  
1.         Identify and use organizational structures to comprehend information. (e.g., logical order, comparison/contrast, cause/effect, chronological, sequential, procedural text).  
By the end of Grade 12:  
1. Interpret and use common textual features (e.g., paragraphs, topic, sentence, index, glossary, table of contents) and graphic features, (e.g., charts, maps, diagrams) to comprehend information.  
2. Identify interrelationships between and among ideas and concepts within a text, such as cause-and-effect relationships.  

3.1 B. Phonological Awareness

Essential Questions

Enduring Understandings

 - How are sounds represented by letters?

-   Letters and letter combinations represent sounds.
By the end of Kindergarten:  
1.         Demonstrate understanding that spoken words consist of sequences of phonemes.  
2.         Demonstrate phonemic awareness by rhyming, clapping syllables, and substituting sounds.  
3.         Understand that the sequence of letters in a written word represents the sequence of sounds (phonemes) in a spoken word (alphabetic principle)  
4.         Learn many, though not all, one-to-one letter-sound correspondences.  
 5.         Given a spoken word, produce another word that rhymes with it.  
By the end of Grade 1:  
1.         Demonstrate understanding of all sound- symbol relationships.  
2.        Blend or segment the phonemes of most one-syllable words.  
3.         Listen and identify the number of syllables in a word.  
4.         Merge spoken segments into a word.  
5.         Add, delete, or change sounds to change words (e.g., cow to how, cat to can).  
By the end of Grade 2:  
1.         Add, delete, or change middle sounds to change words (e.g., pat to put).  
2.         Use knowledge of letter-sound correspondences to sound out unknown words  
By the end of Grade 3:  
1.      Demonstrate a sophisticated sense of sound-symbol relationship, including all phonemes (e.g., blends, digraphs, dipthongs)  
By the end of Grade 4:  
No additional indicators at this grade level  
By the end of Grade 5:  
No additional indicators at this grade level  
By the end of Grade 6:  
No additional indicators at this grade level  
By the end of Grade 7:  
No additional indicators at this grade level  
By the end of Grade 8:  
No additional indicators at this grade level  
By the end of Grade 12:  
No additional indicators at this grade level  

3.1 C. Decoding and Word Recognition

Essential Questions

Enduring Understandings

 - How do I figure out a word I do not know?

- Readers use language structure and context clues to identify the intended meaning of words and phrases as they are used in text.  

Cumulative Progress Indicators

Comments and Examples

By the end of Kindergarten:  
1.         Recognize some words by sight.  
2.         Recognize and name most uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.  
3.         Recognize and read one’s name.  
By the end of Grade 1:  
1.         Identify all consonant sounds in spoken words (including blends such as bl, br; and digraphs such as th, wh).  
2.         Recognize and use rhyming words to reinforce decoding skills.  
3.         Decode regular one-syllable words and nonsense words (e.g., sit, zot).  
4.         Use sound-letter correspondence knowledge to sound out unknown words when reading text.  
5.         Recognize high frequency words in and out of context.  
6.         Decode unknown words using basic phonetic analysis.  
7.         Decode unknown words using context clues.  
By the end of Grade 2:  
1.         Look for known chunks or small words to attempt to decode an unknown word.  
2.         Reread inserting the beginning sound of the unknown word.  
3.         Decode regular multisyllable words and parts of words (e.g., capital, Kalamazoo).  
4.         Read many irregularly spelled words and such spelling patterns as diphthongs, special vowel spellings, and common endings.  
By the end of Grade 3:  
1.      Know sounds for a range of prefixes and suffixes (e.g., re-, ex-, -ment, -tion)  
2.      Use letter-sound knowledge and structural analysis to decode words.  
3.      Use context to accurately read words with more than one pronunciation. Instructional/Assessment Focus:
• Use information (known words) from text to identify unknown words
By the end of Grade 4:  
1.      Use letter-sound correspondence and structural analysis (e.g., roots, affixes) to decode words.  
2.      Know and use common word families to decode unfamiliar words.  
3.      Recognize compound words, contractions, and common abbreviations.  
By the end of Grade 5:  

 1. Use the pronunciation key of a dictionary to decode new words.  

  

 

 

2. Use context clues or knowledge of phonics, syllabication, prefixes, and suffixes to decode new words.

 

Instructional focus:

- Polysyllabic words; root words (cognates); prefixes and suffixes

-Use of known words to understand the meaning of unknown words

-Building of background knowledge via teacher read alouds

-Increased use of non-fiction material during language arts literacy instruction

ASSESS word attack skills during guided reading.

3. Interpret new words correctly in context.

Instructional focus:

- Building of background via teacher read alouds

- Increased use of non fiction material during language arts literacy instruction

-Vocabulary instruction  

Example: Reading passage

Scientists tell us that glaciers accumulate water during rainy seasons and release water during dry seasons, keeping the natural balance that our Earth needs for its survival.

What happens in one part of our world, can dramatically affect what happens in others. In parts of South America, inhabitants depend on faraway glaciers for some of their water. Because of global warming trends, glaciers are rapidly melting and water supplies are in peril. Some countries may experience water shortages that threaten the health and safety of their people.

Much of the glacial melting has been traced to richer nations that produce emissions harmful to our world environment. Because we now understand, more than ever, the effects of our actions, it is imperative that nations work together to ensure safe, adequate resources for all!

Multiple choice question:

The word “peril” in the second paragraph means:

a. abundance *

b. danger

c. the mountains

d. none of the above

4. Apply spelling and syllabication rules that aid in decoding and word recognition.  
By the end of Grade 6:  
1.         Use a dictionary to decode new words independently.
2.         Use context clues or knowledge of phonics, syllabication, prefixes, and suffixes to decode new words. Instructional focus:
• Polysyllabic words; root words (cognates); prefixes and suffixes
• Use of known words to understand the meaning of unknown words.
• Building of background knowledge via teacher read alouds
• Increased use of non-fiction material during language arts literacy instruction

ASSESS word attack skills during guided reading.
3.         Apply knowledge of new words correctly (refer to word parts and word origin).  
4.         Apply spelling and syllabication rules that aid in decoding and word recognition.  
By the end of Grade 7:  
1.         Distinguish among the spellings of homophones (e.g. cite, site, sight).  
2.         Apply spelling rules and syllabication that aid in correct spelling.  
3.         Continue to use structural analysis and context analysis to decode new words.  
By the end of Grade 8:  
1.         Distinguish among the spellings of homophones to determine meaning (e.g. cite, site, sight).  
2.         Apply spelling and syllabication rules that aid in decoding and word recognition.  
3.         Continue to use structural analysis and context analysis to decode new words. Instructional focus:
• Root words
• Prefixes and suffixes
• Polysyllabic words

ASSESS during teacher observation.
4.         Apply knowledge of word structures and patterns to read with automaticity.  
By the end of Grade 12:

1.        Decode new words using structural and context analysis.

  

3.1 D. Fluency

Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

 - How does fluency affect comprehension?

- Fluent readers group words quickly to help them gain meaning from what they read
Cumulative Progress Indicators Comments and Examples
By the end of Kindergarten: &nbs