Students will acquire the ability to make full and effective use of the written language in their future educational, occupational, and personal endeavors. Each grade level is preceded by an overview that describes the major concepts and skills that each student will be expected to understand and demonstrate. The standards reflect a balanced instructional program and document a progression of expected achievement in each of the four strands. English standards are organized by grade level because schools are typically organized by grade levels. This organization of standards also reflects the gradual progression in the development of skills.
Oral language includes speaking and listening.
In the early grades, students will learn to participate in classroom discussion. Over the course of several grade levels, students will learn to prepare and to deliver presentations and to critique them in order to improve delivery. Therefore, daily speaking opportunities, both formal and informal, should be a part of every English program. Reading begins with an awareness of the concepts of print and the sounds and structure of language. Students acquire a strong foundation in phonetic principles in the primary grades.