English Language Arts - Standard A - Performance Standards Grade 8

By the end of grade eight, students will:

A.8.1 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

A.8.2 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

A.8.3 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

A.8.4 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

Content Standard A

For questions about this information, contact Emilie Amundson (608) 266-3551

Last updated on 9/16/2009 11:27:13 AM