Language Arts: Reading/Literature

• Standard 2: Writing
• Standard 3: Language/Communication
• Standard 4: Inquiry/Research
• Introduction to Language Arts
• Table of Contents - All Standards

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Content Standard: Reading/Literature

Students in Wisconsin will read and respond to a wide range of writing to build an understanding of written materials, of themselves, and of others.

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Fourth Grade Performance Standards: Reading/Literature

By the end of grade Four, students will:

Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading.

• Use a variety of strategies and word recognition skills, including rereading, finding context clues, applying their knowledge of letter-sound relationships, and analyzing word structures
• Infer the meaning of unfamiliar words in the context of a passage by examining known words, phrases and structures
• Demonstrate phonemic awareness by using letter/sound relationships as aids to pronouncing and understanding unfamiliar words and text
• Comprehend reading by using strategies such as activating prior knowledge, establishing purpose, self-correcting and self-monitoring, rereading, making predictions, finding context clues, developing visual images, applying knowledge of text structures, and adjusting reading rate according to purpose and difficulty
• Read aloud with age-appropriate fluency, accuracy, and expression
• Discern how written texts and accompanying illustrations connect to convey meaning
• Identify and use organizational features of texts, such as headings, paragraphs, and format, to improve understanding
• Identify a purpose for reading, such as gaining information, learning about a viewpoint, and appreciating literature

Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature.

• Recognize and recall elements and details of story structure, such as sequence of events, character, plot, and setting, in order to reflect on meaning
• Draw upon a reservoir of reading materials, including fairy tales, fables, and narratives from the United States and cultures worldwide, to understand plots, make predictions, and relate reading to prior knowledge and experience
• Summarize ideas drawn from stories, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, interpreting events and ideas, and connecting different works to each other and to real-life experiences
• Extend the literal meaning of a text by making inferences, and evaluate the significance and validity of texts in light of prior knowledge and experience

Read and discuss literary and nonliterary texts in order to understand human experience.

• Demonstrate the ability to integrate general knowledge about the world and familiarity with literary and nonliterary texts when reflecting upon life's experiences
• Identify and summarize main ideas and key points from literature, informational texts, and other print and nonprint sources
• Distinguish fiction from nonfiction, realistic fiction from fantasy, biography from autobiography, and poetry from prose
• Select a variety of materials to read for discovery, appreciation, and enjoyment, summarize the readings, and connect them to prior knowledge and experience

Read to acquire information.

• Summarize key details of informational texts, connecting new information to prior knowledge
• Identify a topic of interest then seek information by investigating available text resources

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Kindergarten: Reading/Literature

Develop phonemic awareness:

• hear and identify rhyming words
• identify uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet
• identify beginning sounds in words
• understand that letters represent sounds
• recognize whole words at sight and locate in written materials

Understand how print is organized and read:

• hold book in the correct position
• identify front, back and title page of a book
• follow words from left to right and top to bottom
• match spoken words with written words using one-to-one correspondence

Understand that print makes sense:

• recognize own name
• read and/or explain own writing
• develop concept that print contains a message

Comprehend stories:

• use personal experiences and background knowledge to interpret stories, poems, etc.
• make predictions
• discuss purposes and topics
• retell familiar stories using beginning, middle and end
• talk about characters, setting and events
• sequence events and/or information
• recognize differences between fiction and nonfiction
• identify what an author and illustrator does
• maintain interest in chosen book for a short amount of time

These Grade Level Performance Standards describe behaviors typical at the specified grade level. They represent behaviors students generally exhibit as they move from novice to expert in their ability to take control of language processes. It is important to remember, however, that literacy learning may not be sequential and each child has a unique developmental pattern.

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Grade One: Reading/Literature

Understand basic phonetic principles:

• use beginning and ending consonants to decode or check words
• use vowel sounds in decoding single-syllable words
• blend beginning, middle, and ending sounds to recognize and read words
• use word patterns to read words

Use a variety of cues to read for meaning:

• pictures
• letter-sound relationships
• context of the story
• knowledge of sentence structure
• rereading and self-correcting

Recognize words automatically:

• personally significant words
• high frequency words

Read and understand fiction and nonfiction selections:

• set own purpose for reading
• tell about and use background knowledge
• make predictions and give support
• ask and answer questions about what is read
• identify characters, setting, and events
• identify problem and solution in the story
• tell how they would solve problems in the story
• retell stories and events, using beginning, middle and end
• use text and pictures to identify topic and supporting details
• recognize different characteristics of authors' and illustrator's style
• read familiar stories, poems, or passages with fluency and expression
• maintain interest in chosen books for a short amount of time

These Grade Level Performance Standards describe behaviors typical at the specified grade level. They represent behaviors students generally exhibit as they move from novice to expert in their ability to take control of language processes. It is important to remember, however, that literacy learning may not be sequential and each child has a unique developmental pattern.

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Grade Two: Reading/Literature

Use phonetic principles to read words:

• knowledge of consonant and consonant blends in words
• knowledge of common vowel patterns

Use all cues to read for meaning:

• pictures, prior knowledge and context
• sentence structure
• select and use various strategies (e.g., reread, review, read on, self-correct)

Read and understand fiction, nonfiction, and poetry using a variety of strategies:

• preview pictures and textual aids
• relate previous experiences to what is read
• identify audience and purpose
• read to confirm or change predictions
• support responses through reference to the text
• retell what happened in the story or what information was learned
• locate information to answer questions
• identify central idea
• make inferences which demonstrate understanding
• describe characters and setting in fiction selections and poetry
• explain the problem and solution
• identify unique characteristics of fiction and nonfiction text
• think and reflect on what was learned
• read with fluency and expression
• self-select appropriate materials for sustained reading time

These Grade Level Performance Standards describe behaviors typical at the specified grade level. They represent behaviors students generally exhibit as they move from novice to expert in their ability to take control of language processes. It is important to remember, however, that literacy learning may not be sequential and each child has a unique developmental pattern.

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Grade Three: Reading/Literature

Apply phonetic principles:

• use knowledge of less common vowel patterns
• use knowledge of letter-sound relationships

Apply all cues and text features to read for meaning:

• pictures, graphs, and diagrams
• prior knowledge and context
• information in the story
• titles and headings
• language structure
• self-correction strategies

Comprehend a variety of printed materials:

• make connections between previous experiences and reading selections
• set a purpose for reading
• preview and use text formats (e.g., headings, graphics, illustrations, indices, and table of contents)
• make, confirm, or revise predictions
• ask and answer questions
• identify important ideas and provide support
• compare and contrast settings, characters, and events
• recognize that characters can be stereotyped in a text
• organize information or events logically
• paraphrase information found in nonfiction materials
• use information to learn about new topics
• select appropriate material and adjust reading strategies for different texts and different purposes
• identify author's and character's point of view
• read text structures with fluency

Read a variety of fiction and nonfiction materials:

• identify the characteristics of different genre, including fairy tales, folk tales, biographies, autobiographies and poetry
• compare and contrast the characters described in folk tales
• compare and contrast the lives of persons in biographies and/or autobiographies

These Grade Level Performance Standards describe behaviors typical at the specified grade level. They represent behaviors students generally exhibit as they move from novice to expert in their ability to take control of language processes. It is important to remember, however, that literacy learning may not be sequential and each child has a unique developmental pattern.

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Grade Four: Reading/Literature

Read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words:

• use context clues to infer meaning
• use knowledge of root words, prefixes, suffixes, contractions, singular possessives, simple abbreviations
• use knowledge of sentence structure
• use a range of strategies automatically (e.g., self-correct, reread, and apply knowledge of letter-sound relationships)
• use word reference materials (e.g., dictionary, thesaurus)

Comprehend a variety of texts:

• activate prior knowledge to interpret new information
• identify purpose and audience
• use text organizers (e.g., type, headings, and graphics) to predict and categorize information
• predict questions that might be answered in the selection
• probe for deeper meaning by "reading between the lines" in response to text
• summarize content of selection by identifying important ideas and supporting details
• apply previously learned concepts or skills to new content
• discuss different perspectives of texts or topics and offer reasons why readers interpretations may vary
• read for extended period of time

Read fiction and nonfiction:

• explain the author's purpose
• describe how the choice of language, setting, and information contributes to the author's purpose
• examine reasons for a character's actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation of the character
• compare the use of fact and fantasy in historical fiction with other forms of literature
• explain how the lives and experiences of individuals in history can relate to individuals now
• distinguish fiction from nonfiction, realistic fiction from fantasy, biography from autobiography
• read a variety of poetry, describing the rhyme scheme and identifying the sensory words and their effect on the reader

Read aloud with fluency, accuracy, and expression.

These Grade Level Performance Standards describe behaviors typical at the specified grade level. They represent behaviors students generally exhibit as they move from novice to expert in their ability to take control of language processes. It is important to remember, however, that literacy learning may not be sequential and each child has a unique developmental pattern.

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Eighth Grade Performance Standards: Reading/Literature

By the end of grade Eight, students will:

Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading.

• Use knowledge of sentence and word structure, word origins, visual images, and context clues to understand unfamiliar words and clarify passages of text
• Use knowledge of the visual features of texts, such as headings and bold face print, and structures of texts, such as chronology and cause-and-effect, as aids to comprehension
• Establish purposeful reading and writing habits by using texts to find information, gain understanding of diverse viewpoints, make decisions, and enjoy the experience of reading
• Select, summarize, paraphrase, analyze, and evaluate, orally and in writing, passages of texts chosen for specific purposes

Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature.

• Identify the defining features and structure of literary texts, such as conflict, representation of character, and point of view
• Analyze the effect of characters, plot, setting, language, topic, style, purpose, and point of view on the overall impact of literature
• Draw on a broad base of knowledge about the genres of literature, such as the structure and conventions of essays, epics, fables, myths, plays, poems, short stories, and novels, when interpreting the meaning of a literary work
• Develop criteria to evaluate literary merit and explain critical opinions about a text, either informally in conversation or formally in a well-organized speech or essay

Read and discuss literary and nonliterary texts in order to understand human experience.

• Provide interpretive responses, orally and in writing, to literary and nonliterary texts representing the diversity of American cultural heritage and cultures of the world
• Identify common historical, social, and cultural themes and issues in literary works and selected passages
• Draw on a broad base of knowledge about the themes, ideas, and insights found in classical literature while reading, interpreting, and reflecting on contemporary texts
• Evaluate the themes and main ideas of a work considering its audience and purpose

Read to acquire information.

• Interpret and use technical resources such as charts, tables, travel schedules, timelines, and manuals
• Compare, contrast, and evaluate the relative accuracy and usefulness of information from different sources
• Identify and explain information, main ideas, and organization found in a variety of informational passages
• Distinguish between the facts found in documents, narratives, charts, maps, tables and other sources and the generalizations and interpretations that are drawn from them

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Grade Five: Reading/Literature

Read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words:

• use knowledge of root words, word origins, synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, and multiple meanings of words
• use word reference materials including the glossary, dictionary, and thesaurus
• apply knowledge of common figures of speech (e.g., metaphor, simile, idioms)
• use context cues to infer meaning

Comprehend a variety of text:

• activate prior knowledge to apply information to new situations
• use text organizers to predict and categorize information (e.g., type, headings, and graphics)
• locate information to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions
• revise predictions when necessary
• compare/contrast personal experience with character's role, situation, or action
• identify cause and effect relationships
• make critical comparisons between literary texts, informative texts, and other print sources
• discuss effects on meaning of literary elements (e.g., figurative language, flashback, exaggeration)
• discuss effects of dialogue on meaning
• adjust reading rate to different purposes
• read for extended periods of time

Read a variety of fiction and nonfiction:

• describe character development
• identify author's and character's point of view
• describe the development of plot and explain how conflicts are resolved
• describe how author's choice of vocabulary and style contribute to the quality and enjoyment of a selection
• identify unique characteristics of a variety of genre
• describe the characteristics of free verse, rhymed, and patterned poetry

These Grade Level Performance Standards describe behaviors typical at the specified grade level. They represent behaviors students generally exhibit as they move from novice to expert in their ability to take control of language processes. It is important to remember, however, that literacy learning may not be sequential and each child has a unique developmental pattern.

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Grade Six: Reading/Literature

Read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words:

• use knowledge of root words and word origins
• use word-reference materials
• use context cues to infer meaning

Comprehend text:

• determine specific purpose for reading
• activate prior knowledge to understand new material
• generate questions to be answered
• make, confirm, or revise predictions and provide support for response
• draw conclusions and make inferences based on explicit and implied information
• compare and contrast information about one topic contained in different selections
• summarize ideas

Read fiction (realistic, fantasy, historical) and nonfiction (expository and argumentative):

• use knowledge of literary forms to aid comprehension and predict outcomes
• identify author's purpose and audience
• describe how author's style elicits emotional response
• compare and contrast authors' styles
• explain how character and plot development are used in a selection to support a central conflict or story line
• understand grade appropriate literature and information material
• read poetry
  • describe the visual images created by language
  • describe how word choice, speaker, and imagery elicit a response from the reader
  • compare and contrast plot and character development in narrative poems

These Grade Level Performance Standards describe behaviors typical at the specified grade level. They represent behaviors students generally exhibit as they move from novice to expert in their ability to take control of language processes. It is important to remember, however, that literacy learning may not be sequential and each child has a unique developmental pattern.

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Grade Seven: Reading/Literature

Read and learn the meaning of unfamiliar words:

• use analogies, idioms, similes, and metaphors to extend understandings of word meanings
• explore multiple meanings of words
• use context cues to infer meaning

Read and understand information from varied sources:

• compare/contrast personal experience with character's role, situation, or emotion
• discuss relevance of own experience with author's message
• use knowledge of text structures to aid comprehension
• draw conclusions and provide support from text
• distinguish fact from opinion in newspapers, magazines, and other print media
• summarize information
• adjust reading rate according to purpose
• ask a variety of questions to self/others

Read fiction and nonfiction:

• describe setting, plot structure, and theme or conflict
• analyze relationship between author's style, literary form, and intended impact on reader
• describe connections between historical and cultural influences and literary selections
• describe how word choice and language structure convey an author's viewpoint in newspaper, magazine articles, and critical reviews
• compare/contrast character and plot development in short stories and longer fiction selections
• read poetry
  • describe the impact of specific word choices, such as jargon, dialect, multiple meanings, invented words, concrete or abstract terms, and sensory or figurative language
  • explain how sentence structure, line length, and punctuation convey mood or meaning of a poem
  • describe how rhythm contributes to the purpose or theme of a poem
  • compare and contrast the rhythm of poems with similar and dissimilar themes

These Grade Level Performance Standards describe behaviors typical at the specified grade level. They represent behaviors students generally exhibit as they move from novice to expert in their ability to take control of language processes. It is important to remember, however, that literacy learning may not be sequential and each child has a unique developmental pattern.

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Grade Eight: Reading/Literature

Read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words:

• apply knowledge of word origins, derivations, idioms and use analogies, metaphors, and similes to extend vocabulary development
• use context cues to infer meaning

Comprehend what is read from a variety of sources:

• compare/contrast prior knowledge and personal experiences with author's information/message
• draw on prior knowledge and knowledge of text structure to understand selections
• set purposes and goals in understanding the text, determining its complexity and establishing a rate for reading
• analyze details for relevance and accuracy
• recognize and respond to text complexity (e.g., ambiguity and conflicting messages in text)
• summarize information in a brief, concise manner
• determine significance of supporting evidence
• revise interpretations when necessary
• recognize and analyze the cultural beliefs underpinning texts
• recognize and analyze bias, propaganda and stereotyping in texts

Apply knowledge of the characteristics and elements of various literary forms, including short stories, essays, speeches, lyric and narrative poems, plays, and novels:

• explain the use of symbols and figurative language
• describe inferred main ideas or themes with accompanying rationale
• discuss cause/effect relationships and their impact on plot
• describe how authors use characters, point of view, and tone to create meaning
• compare/contrast the use of the poetic elements of word choice, dialogue, rhyme, rhythm, and voice
• explain how a literary selection can expand or enrich personal viewpoints or experiences
• compare/contrast how different authors use literary techniques (e.g., foreshadowing, flashbacks, personification)
• evaluate authors' information and message

These Grade Level Performance Standards describe behaviors typical at the specified grade level. They represent behaviors students generally exhibit as they move from novice to expert in their ability to take control of language processes. It is important to remember, however, that literacy learning may not be sequential and each child has a unique developmental pattern.

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Twelfth Grade Performance Standards: Reading/Literature

By the end of grade Twelve, students will:

Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading.

• Apply sophisticated word meaning and word analysis strategies, such as knowledge of roots, cognates, suffixes, and prefixes, to understand unfamiliar words
• Gather information to help achieve understanding when the meaning of a text is unclear
• Apply knowledge of expository structures, such as the deductive or inductive development of an argument, to the comprehension and evaluation of texts
• Identify propaganda techniques and faulty reasoning in texts
• Explain and evaluate the influence of format on the readability and meaning of a text
• Distinguish between fact and opinion in nonfiction texts
  • Consider the context of a work when determining the meaning of abbreviations and acronyms as well as the technical, idiomatic, and figurative meanings of term

Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature.

• Explain the structure of selected classical and contemporary works of literature, in whole and in part, from various cultures and historical periods, and illustrate ways in which authors use syntax, imagery, figures of speech, allusions, symbols, irony, and other devices in the context of history, culture, and style
• Draw on a broad base of knowledge about the universal themes of literature such as initiation, love and duty, heroism, illusion and reality, salvation, death and rebirth, and explain how these themes are developed in a particular work of literature
• Investigate and report on ways in which a writer has influenced or been influenced by historical, social, and cultural issues or events
• Develop, explain, and defend interpretations of complex literary works
• Explain how details of language, setting, plot, character, conflict, point of view, and voice in a work of literature combine to produce a dominant tone, effect, or theme
• Develop and apply criteria to evaluate the literary merit of unfamiliar works

Read and discuss literary and nonliterary texts in order to understand human experience.

• Examine, explain, and evaluate, orally and in writing, various perspectives concerning individual, community, national, and world issues reflected in literary and nonliterary texts
• Develop and articulate, orally and in writing, defensible points of view on individual, community, national, and world issues reflected in literary and nonliterary texts
• Identify the devices an author uses to influence readers and critique the effectiveness of their use
• Identify philosophical assumptions and basic beliefs underlying selected texts

Students will read to acquire information.

• Apply tests of logic and reasoning to informational and persuasive texts
• Analyze and synthesize the concepts and details encountered in informational texts such as reports, technical manuals, historical papers, and government documents
• Draw on and integrate information from multiple sources when acquiring knowledge and developing a position on a topic of interest
• Evaluate the reliability and authenticity of information conveyed in a text, using criteria based on knowledge of the author, topic, and context and analysis of logic, evidence, propaganda, and language

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