Alaska Anchor Standards for Language Grades K-12 The K-12 grade-specific standards on the following pages define what students should understand and be able to do by the end of each grade. They correspond to the anchor standards below by number. The grade-specific standards are necessary complements—the former providing broad standards, the latter providing additional specificity—that together define the skills and understandings that all students must demonstrate. Conventions of Standard English 1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. 2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Knowledge of Language 3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. Vocabulary Acquisition and Use 4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate. 5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. 6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college- and career-readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression. Language Progressive Skills, by The following skills, marked with an asterisk (*) in Language standards 1–3, are particularly likely to require continued attention in higher grades as they are applied to increasingly sophisticated writing and speaking.
Standard Grade(s) 3 4 5 6 7 8 9-10 L.3.1f. Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement. L.3.3a. Choose words and phrases for effect. L.4.1f. Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons. L.4.1g. Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to/too/two; there/their). L.4.3a. Choose and phrases to convey ideas precisely.* L.4.3b. Choose punctuation for effect. L.5.1d. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense. L.5.2a. Use punctuation to separate in a series.† L.6.1c. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person. L.6.1d. Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents). L.6.1e. Recognize variations from standard English in own and others’ writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to improve expression in conventional language. L.6.2a. Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements. L.6.3a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.‡ L.6.3b. Maintain consistency in style and tone. L.7.1c. Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers. L.7.3a. Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy. L.8.1d. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood. L.9–10.1a. Use parallel structure. *Subsumed by L.7.3a †Subsumed by L.9–10.1a ‡Subsumed by L.11–12.3a Measuring Text Complexity: Three Factors Quantitative measures – readability and scores of text complexity, often best measured by computer software.
Range of Writing 10. routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. 10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. Speaking and Listening Standards 6-12 The following standards for grades 6 - 12 a focus for instruction in each year to help ensure that students gain adequate mastery of a range of skills and applications. Students advancing through the grades are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards and retain or further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades. Grade 6 students: 7 students: Grade 8 students: Comprehension and Collaboration