Language Arts: Language/Communication

• Standard 1: Reading/Literature
• Standard 2: Writing
• Standard 4: Inquiry/Research
• Introduction to Language Arts
• Table of Contents - All Standards

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Content Standard: Language/Communication

Students in Wisconsin will listen to understand and will speak clearly and effectively for diverse purposes. Students in Wisconsin will apply their knowledge of the nature, grammar, and variations of American English.

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Fourth Grade Performance Standards: Language/Communication

By the end of grade Four, students will:

Orally communicate information, opinions, and ideas effectively to different audiences for a variety of purposes.

• Identify and discuss criteria for effective oral presentations, including such factors as eye contact, projection, tone, volume, rate, and articulation
• Read aloud effectively from previously-read material
• Speaking from notes or a brief outline, communicate precise information and accurate instructions in clearly organized and sequenced detail
• Present autobiographical or fictional stories that recount events effectively to large and small audiences
• Participate in group readings, such as choral, echo, and shadow reading
• Perform dramatic readings and presentations
• Distinguish between fact and opinion and provide evidence to support opinions

Listen to and comprehend oral communications.

• Follow basic directions
• Identify and summarize key points of a story or discussion
• Retell stories and reports of events in proper sequence
• Follow sequence in plot and character development, predict outcomes, and draw conclusions
• Recall the content of stories after hearing them, relate the content to prior knowledge, and answer various types of factual and interpretive questions about the stories
• Distinguish fact from fantasy and fact from opinion
• Understand increasingly complex sentence structures
• Understand a variety of word structures and forms, such as affixes, roots, homonyms, antonyms, synonyms, and word analogies

Participate effectively in discussion.

• Volunteer relevant information, ask relevant questions, and answer questions directly
• Use appropriate eye contact and other nonverbal cues
• Use appropriate strategies to keep a discussion going
• Reflect on the ideas and opinions of others and respond thoughtfully
• Ask for clarification and explanation of unfamiliar words and ideas
• Summarize information conveyed through discussion

Develop their vocabulary of words, phrases, and idioms as a means of improving communication.

• Consult dictionaries, thesauruses, and other resources to find and compare definitions, choose among synonyms, and spell words correctly
• Use their knowledge of roots, prefixes, and suffixes to interpret and convey the meaning of words
• Identify common figures of speech and use them appropriately

Recognize and interpret various uses and adaptations of language in social, cultural, regional, and professional situations, and learn to be flexible and responsive in their use of English.

• Identify various styles and purposes of oral and written language and learn to communicate effectively in commonly occurring situations
• Describe and give examples of variations in American English that appear in different social, cultural, regional, and professional environments

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Kindergarten: Language/Communication

Use language to communicate effectively:

• follow implicit rules for conversation (e.g. taking turns, staying on topic)
• use voice level, phrasing, sentence structure, intonation and gesture appropriate for language situation
• listen and speak in informal conversation with peers and adults
• initiate conversations
• participate in discussion about what is being learned
• discuss everyday experiences, events, and objects

Use listening and speaking skills:

• use words to describe/name people, places, and things
• use words to describe actions
• contribute to classroom interactions
• follow directions
• speak in complete thoughts

Demonstrate growth in the use of language:

• listen to a variety of literary forms, including stories and poems
• create meaning from a variety of media
• respond to modeling of standard English, including pronouns and verb tense

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: Language/Communication

Use communication skills effectively:

• initiate conversation with peers and adults
• follow rules for conversation
• use appropriate voice level in group settings
• ask and respond to questions in group settings

Apply effective listening and viewing techniques to comprehend oral and visual messages:

• listen and respond to a variety of media, including books, audiotapes, videos and other age-appropriate publications
• participate in a variety of oral language activities

Demonstrate growth in the use of language:

• express ideas in complete sentences
• tell and retell stories and events in logical order
• ask for clarification and explanation of words and ideas
• give and follow directions
• respect turn taking of other speakers
• extend speaking vocabulary

Use conventions of standard English:

• use simple sentence structure
• use singular and plural nouns

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: Language/Communication

Adapt language for audience and purpose:

• use language for different purposes: to inform, to persuade, and to entertain
• share stories or information orally with an audience
• participate in group discussion
• retell information shared by others

Expand listening and speaking vocabulary:

• use words that reflect a growing range of interests and knowledge
• clarify and explain words and ideas
• give and follow oral directions

Demonstrate an understanding of language structure:

• use increasingly complex sentence structure
• use appropriate noun/verb agreement, verb tense, pronouns, singular possessives, prefixes, suffixes

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: Language/Communication

Use effective communication skills for a variety of audiences and purposes:

• listen attentively by making eye contact, facing the speaker, asking questions, and paraphrasing what is said
• ask and respond to questions from teachers and other group members
• explain what has been learned
• use language appropriate for audience and purpose
• engage in communication to clarify thoughts, solve problems, make decisions, discuss issues, and extend understandings
• identify the intended messages of advertisements, entertainment programs, and news sources

Present brief oral reports:

• speak clearly
• use appropriate volume and pitch
• speak at an understandable rate
• organize ideas sequentially or around major points of information
• use clear and specific vocabulary to communicate ideas

Use conventions of standard English appropriately:

• use parts of speech including nouns, pronouns, and adjectives
• use punctuation marks that distinguish statements, questions, exclamations, and commands
• recognize and apply standard usage in tense, number, gender, and case
• use complex sentence structure

Recognizes similes, and metaphors.

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: Language/Communication

Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:

• select and use language appropriate to audience and purpose
• present accurate directions to individuals and small groups
• follow basic directions
• contribute to group discussions
• seek and respond to the ideas and opinions of others
• use evidence to support opinions
• ask appropriate and clarifying questions
• understand increasingly complex sentence structures
• respond to the questions of others
• use language and gestures appropriate to message and audience
• discuss and summarize information heard
• respect turn taking of others

Make and listen to oral presentations and reports:

• speak audibly
• use appropriate eye contact and nonverbal cues
• use subject-related information and vocabulary
• use standard English and precise speech
• listen to and record information
• organize information for clarity

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: Language/Communication

By the end of grade Eight, students will:

Orally communicate information, opinions, and ideas effectively to different audiences for a variety of purposes.

• Share brief impromptu remarks about topics of interest to oneself and others
• Speaking from notes or an outline, relate an experience in descriptive detail, with a sense of timing and decorum appropriate to the occasion
• Perform expressive oral readings of prose, poetry, and drama
• Prepare and conduct interviews
• Present a coherent, comprehensive report on differing viewpoints on an issue, evaluating the content of the material presented, and organizing the presentation in a manner appropriate to the audience
• Differentiate between formal and informal contexts and employ an appropriate style of speaking, adjusting language, gestures, rate, and volume according to audience and purpose
• Observe the appropriate etiquette when expressing thanks and receiving praise

Listen to and comprehend oral communications.

• Summarize and explain the information conveyed in an oral communication, accounting for the key ideas, structure, and relationship of parts to the whole
• Distinguish among purposes for listening, such as gaining information or being entertained, and take notes as appropriate
• Recall significant details and sequence accurately
• Follow a speaker's argument and represent it in notes
• Evaluate the reliability of information in a communication, using criteria based on prior knowledge of the speaker, the topic, and the context and on analysis of logic, evidence, propaganda devices, and language

Participate effectively in discussion.

• Participate in discussion by listening attentively, demonstrating respect for the opinions of others, and responding responsibly and courteously to the remarks of others
• Explain and advance opinions by citing evidence and referring to sources
• Evaluate the stated ideas and opinions of others, seeking clarification through questions
• Invite ideas and opinions of others into the discussion, responding clearly and tactfully to questions and comments
• Accept and use helpful criticism
• Establish and maintain an open mind when listening to others' ideas and opinions
• Summarize the main points of a discussion, orally, and in writing, specifying areas of agreement and disagreement and paraphrasing contributions
• Display and maintain facial expressions, body language, and other response cues that indicate respect for the speaker and attention to the discussion
• Attend to the content of discussion rather than the speaker
• Participate in discussion without dominating
• Distinguish between supported and unsupported statements

Develop their vocabulary and ability to use words, phrases, idioms, and various grammatical structures as a means of improving communication.

• Consult dictionaries, thesauruses, handbooks, and grammar texts when choosing words, phrases, and expressions for use in oral and written presentations
• Explain how writers and speakers choose words and use figurative language such as similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, and allusion to achieve specific effects
• Choose words purposefully and evaluate the use of words in communications designed to inform, explain, and persuade

Recognize and interpret various uses and adaptations of language in social, cultural, regional, and professional situations, and learn to be flexible and responsive in their use of English.

• Describe how American English is used in various public and private contexts, such as school, home, and work
• Make appropriate choices when speaking and writing, such as formal or informal language, considering the purpose and context of the communication
• Evaluate how audience and context affect the selection and use of words and phrases, including technical terms, slang, and jargon

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Grade Level Performance Standards: Grade Five: Language/Communication

Use effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills for a variety of purposes.

Listen, draw conclusions, and share responses in group learning activities:

• participate in and contribute to discussions across curriculum areas
• organize information to present reports of group activities
• paraphrase and summarize information
• recognize and apply standard usage

Make oral presentations:

• determine appropriate content for audience and purpose
• use effective phrasing, tone, clarity, and volume
• organize content sequentially or around major ideas
• develop an awareness of audience response
• incorporate visual aids to support presentation
• summarize main points before or after presentation

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: Language/Communication

Use effective language in formal and informal situations (e.g., speeches, debates, reports, discussions):

• differentiate between formal and informal contexts and employ an appropriate style of speaking, adjusting language, gesture, rate, and volume according to audience and purpose
• distinguish among purposes for listening, such as gaining information or being entertained

Analyze oral participation in small-group activities:

• communicate as leader and contributor
• participate in discussion by listening attentively, demonstrating respect for the opinions of others, and responding responsibly and courteously to the remarks of others
• accept and use helpful criticism
• evaluate own contributions to discussions
• summarize and evaluate group activities
• analyze the effectiveness of participant interactions

Listen critically and express opinions in oral presentations:

• distinguish between fact and opinions
• compare and contrast points of view
• present a convincing argument
• give feedback about content, organization, and overall effect

Identify persuasive techniques:

• recognize how messages are adjusted for different audiences
• identify sales approaches and techniques aimed at children

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: Language/Communication

Give and seek information in conversations and in group discussions:

• use vocabulary and style appropriate for audience
• use standard English and conventions
• communicate ideas and information orally in an organized and succinct manner
• ask probing questions to seek elaboration and clarification of ideas
• make supportive statements to communicate agreement or acceptance of others' ideas
• explain and advance opinions by citing evidence and referring to sources
• participate in discussion without dominating
• summarize main points before or after presentations
• identify effect of exaggeration on audience

Evaluate the effectiveness or a speaker's verbal and nonverbal messages:

• evaluate verbal communication skills, such as word choice, pitch, feeling, tone, and voice
• evaluate nonverbal communication skills, such as eye contact, posture, and gestures
• compare/contrast a speaker's verbal and nonverbal messages
• distinguish between supported and unsupported statements

Analyze persuasive messages in print and nonprint media, including television, radio, and film:

• critically view nonprint media
• articulate reasons for selecting particular television and radio productions and rejecting others
• identify advertising strategies and techniques aimed at teenagers
• describe the possible cause/effect relationships between mass media coverage and public opinion trends
• evaluate advertisements, editorials, and feature stories for relationships between intent and factual content

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: Language/Communication

Communicate information, opinions, and ideas effectively to different audiences for a variety of purposes:

• use various resources such as dictionaries, thesauruses, and grammar texts to refine language choices
• choose words purposefully and evaluate the use of words in communication designed to inform, explain, and persuade
• demonstrate awareness of how the use of language is affected by community, culture, and audience

Listen to and comprehend oral communication:

• evaluate the stated ideas and opinions of others, seeking clarification through questions
• display and maintain facial expressions, body language, and other response cues that indicate respect for the speaker and attention to the discussion

Evaluate the reliability of information in various types of communication, using criteria based on prior knowledge of the speaker, the topic, and the context, and on analysis of logic, evidence, propaganda devices, and language.

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: Language/Communication

By the end of grade Twelve, students will:

Develop their vocabulary and ability to use words, phrases, idioms, and various grammatical structures as a means of improving communication.

• Examine the origin, history, denotation, connotation, and usage of English words and phrases by consulting dictionaries, thesauruses, handbooks, and other sources of information about the language
• Evaluate the effects of different types of language, such as literary and technical, formal and informal, in communications designed to narrate, inform, explain, persuade, and entertain
• Use language appropriate to the background, knowledge, and age of an audience
• Recognize and exercise options in modes of expression and choice of words when speaking and writing, especially when revising written work

Recognize and interpret various uses and adaptations of language in social, cultural, regional, and professional situations, and learn to be flexible and responsive in their use of English.

• Evaluate the use of standard American English in public contexts, such as school and work
• Evaluate the choice of words, expressions, and style considering the purpose and context of a communication
• Analyze and explain how immediate context and broader social, cultural, regional, and professional variables influence the use of language, citing characteristics such as level of formality, slang, jargon, and emotional impact
• Draw inferences about values, attitudes, and points of view by analyzing a writer's or speaker's use of English
• Compare form, meaning, and value of different symbol systems--such as alphabets, signs, symbols--and of expressions commonly used in another language

Prepare and deliver formal oral presentations appropriate to specific purposes and audiences.

• Develop and deliver a speech that conveys information and ideas in logical fashion for a selected audience, using language that clarifies and reinforces meaning
• Construct and present a coherent argument, summarizing then refuting opposing positions, and citing persuasive evidence
• Participate effectively in question-and-answer sessions following presentations
• Summarize narrative and numerical information accurately and logically in presentations
• Demonstrate confidence and poise during presentations, interacting effectively with the audience, and selecting language and gestures mindful of their effect
• Demonstrate the ability to debate an issue from either side
• Interpret literary works orally, citing textual data in support of assertions
• Synthesize and present results of research projects, accurately summarizing and illustrating the main ideas, using appropriate technological aids, and offering support for the conclusions
• Speak fluently with varied inflection and effective eye contact, enunciating clearly at an appropriate rate and volume
• Observe the appropriate etiquette when expressing thanks and receiving praise

Listen to, discuss, and comprehend oral communications.

• Attend to both literal and connotative meanings
• Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information
• Distinguish fact from opinion, evaluate logic, and identify manipulative techniques
• Analyze messages for their accuracy and usefulness
• Evaluate a speaker's use of diction, tone, syntax, rhetorical structure, and conventions of language considering the purpose and context of the communication
• Relate a speaker's ideas and information to prior knowledge and experience
• Consider the specific situation and current conditions when responding to instructions

Participate effectively in discussion.

• Detect and evaluate a speaker's bias
• Consider the ideas and opinions of other speakers thoughtfully before responding
• Evaluate the validity and adequacy of ideas, arguments, hypotheses, and evidence
• Be aware of and try to control counterproductive emotional responses to a speaker or ideas conveyed in a discussion
• Appraise the purpose of discussions by examining their context and the motivation of participants
• Perform various roles in a discussion, including leader, participant, and moderator
• Demonstrate the ability to extend a discussion by adding relevant information or asking pertinent questions
• Explain and advance opinions by citing evidence and referring to authoritative sources
• Employ strategies such as summarizing main ideas or identifying areas of agreement to solve problems, resolve conflicts, and conclude discussions
• Convey criticism in a respectful and supportive way

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