Students read and understand a variety of materials. By the end of English III or IV, students, given an unfamiliar selection to read, can explain its literal meaning, identify its genre, discuss its structure, technique, author s purpose and point of view, and relate its ideas to the world outside of the text. By the end of English III or IV, given access to appropriate resources, students can make meaningful connections between a text and its cultural, historical, or artistic context. By the end of English III or IV, students can articulate their own reading processes and preferences and self-assess their level of comprehension of written material. By the end of English III or IV, when asked to read and respond to the writing of others, students can provide suggestions and constructive critiques at appropriate points in the writing process.
Students write and speak for a variety of purposes and audiences.
By the end of English III or IV, students can select and incorporate source materials to support and enhance their speaking and writing. By the end of English III or IV, students can write compositions and make speeches that fulfill different purposes and that are clearly focused for different audiences, both public and private. By the end of English III or IV, students can write compositions and speeches that are focused and cohesive. By the end of English III or IV, students can produce effective compositions for a variety of rhetorical purposes, including description, persuasion, exposition of research, and literary analysis. By the end of English III or IV, students can identify and make use of stylistic elements, such as figurative language, diction, sound, and structure, as they develop an individual style and voice.