Illinois Learning Standards
Stage I - English Language Arts
Students who meet the standard can apply word analysis
and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections.
- Expand knowledge of word origins and derivations.
- Use idioms, analogies, metaphors, and similes to extend
- Apply knowledge of roots and affixes to comprehend the
meaning of unfamiliar or difficult words, terms, or phrases.
- Identify and analyze the meanings of specialized vocabulary/terminology.
- Analyze the structure and function of words in context.
- Analyze and interpret word usage in traditional and contemporary
sources (e.g., books, lyrics, speeches).
- Interpret American idioms to strengthen comprehension.
- Identify analogy in text and use analogy to explain a
Students who meet the standard can apply reading
strategies to improve understanding and fluency.
- Use previewing and predicting before reading, and questioning
- Relate reading with information from other sources (e.g.,
prior knowledge, personal experience, other reading) using
a variety of strategies.
- Analyze a variety of texts for purpose, structure, content,
detail, and effect.
- Interpret and compare a variety of texts for purpose,
structure, content, detail, and effect.
- Analyze overall themes and discover coherence.
- Clarify meaning of text by focusing on the key ideas presented
explicitly or implicitly.
- Identify how different content areas require different
organizational structures (e.g., science text, literary
- Demonstrate fluency by reading aloud a variety of materials
(e.g., dialogue, dramatizations).
- Select and read books for recreation.
Students who meet the standard can comprehend a broad
range of reading materials.
- Ask questions before, during, and after reading which
demonstrate that understanding of the reading has progressed.
- Use topic, theme, organizational patterns, context, and
point of view to guide interpretation.
- Interpret concepts or make connections through analysis,
evaluation, inference, and/or comparisons.
- Analyze how authors and illustrators use text and art
to express and emphasize their ideas (e.g., imagery, multiple
points of view).
- Identify and use criteria for evaluating the accuracy
of text information.
- Summarize and make generalizations from content and relate
them to the purpose of the material.
- Recognize kinds of writing (e.g., expository, persuasive,
- Explain and justify an interpretation of the text using
relevant, accurate references.
- Challenge ideas presented in a text through questions
about specific parts of the text.
- Interpret tables, graphs, diagrams, and maps in conjunction
with related text by drawing conclusions to support text.
Students who meet the standard can understand how
literary elements and techniques are used to convey meaning.
- Explain how the author uses literary techniques to achieve
the intended effect.
- Support assertions with evidence from the text.
- Explain how the author uses literary elements (e.g., point
of view, character) to achieve an intended effect.
- Identify details that reveal the author's style.
- Evaluate the impact of the author's word choice, language
structure, and syntax.
- Identify the details that reveal the genre (e.g., short
stories, novels, dramas, fables, biographies).
- Demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationships
among reader, author, form, and text.
- Evaluate how a text reflects a culture, society, or historical
Students who meet the standard can read and interpret
a variety of literary works.
- Identify ideas and impressions communicated through a
variety of literary works.
- Respond to text by evaluating key ideas.
- Support an evaluation of the text using content from the
- Make connections between a text and its cultural environment.
- Evaluate how attitudes toward a situation or problem (e.g.,
attitudes concerning environment, immigrants, poverty, parent-child
relationships) change in different periods of history or
in different cultures.
- Evaluate a character's behavior.
- Engage in literary discussions (e.g., conflict, resolutions,
relevance, background, effectiveness, realism).
Students who meet the standard can use correct grammar,
spelling, punctuation, capitalization and structure.
- Compose and edit using Standard English (e.g., clarity,
subject/verb agreement, adverb/adjective agreement, verb
tense, audience, purpose for writing).
- Format documents in final form for submission and/or publication.
- Proofread for correct English conventions.
Students who meet the standard can compose well-organized
and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences.
- Use writing process of prewriting, drafting, revision,
editing, and publication to produce work.
- Compose a clear thesis/claim that contains the main idea
in an essay.
- Defend word and/or technique choice appropriate for specific
- Alter a document to address a different audience and/or
- Use a variety of genres (e.g., essay, poetry, short story).
- Evaluate and use figurative language.
- Identify and use analogy in writing.
- Use a variety of revision strategies to improve clarity
Students who meet the standard can communicate ideas
in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.
- Compose informational writing (e.g., narrative, expository,
persuasive, argumentative) that supports a topic or thesis
statement with well-articulated evidence.
- Compose an argumentative paper that objectively evaluates
2 or more positions on an issue and selects the best position,
based on the evidence presented.
- Complete a sample application accurately using standard
- Adjust voice, tone, vocabulary, and grammatical conventions
according to both purpose and audience.
- Demonstrate the proper format/conventions for business
- Convert a formal letter into an informal one (or vice
- Develop a cover letter and resume for a particular job
- Write creatively for a specified purpose and audience.
- Use available technology to draft, design, produce, revise,
and present compositions and multimedia works for specified
Students who meet the standard can listen effectively
in formal and informal situations.
- Demonstrate understanding of material, concepts, and ideas
in formal/informal presentations.
- Analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information from recorded
materials and live presentations.
- Paraphrase and summarize, with appropriate editorial comments,
information from formal, informal, and media presentations.
- Ask probing, idea-generating questions and make appropriate
statements to clarify and add to meaning.
- Analyze and evaluate verbal and nonverbal cues.
- Critique the relationship between a speaker's verbal communication
skills (e.g., work choice, pitch, feelings, tone, voice)
and nonverbal messages (e.g., eye contact, gestures, facial
expressions, posture, spatial proximity).
- Modify, control, block out both internal and external
Students who meet the standard can speak effectively
using language appropriate to the situation and audience.
- Communicate effectively the intended message.
- Use effective verbal and nonverbal feedback (response)
strategies to adjust message.
- Use a variety of verbal and nonverbal cues (e.g., pauses,
posture change, location, tone of voice.)
- Use language that is clear, audible, and appropriate.
- Use appropriate grammar, word choice, and pacing.
- Demonstrate effective use of visual aids and available
- Rehearse presentations to overcome communication anxiety
- Demonstrate composure while confronting or rebutting opposing
- Recognize and assume differing roles within a group.
- Discuss a problem within a group setting, list and evaluate
possible solutions to attempt consensus.
Students who meet the standard can locate, organize,
and use information from various sources to answer questions,
solve problems, and communicate ideas.
- Survey, with minimal guidance, a subject and select a
- Distinguish among kinds of information needed to solve
a problem, present possible solutions, or extend information
about a topic or problem (e.g., fact/opinion, example/evidence).
- Apply criteria for determining the credibility of multiple
sources of information.
- Organize information for different formats (e.g., narrative
report, data analysis).
- Follow appropriate style manual accurately (e.g., APA,
Students who meet the standard can analyze and evaluate
information acquired from various sources.
- Analyze and evaluate information.
- Use criteria (e.g., accuracy, timeliness, reliability)
to evaluate primary and secondary sources (e.g., juried
article, edited text, reputation of author/publisher).
- Select source(s) and identify the reasoning strategies
(e.g., inductive, deductive) that support major ideas developed
by the writer.
- Cite the source(s) of all direct quotations and paraphrased/summarized
- Develop a bibliography and a source(s) cited page using
an appropriate format.
Students who meet the standard can apply acquired
information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety
- Match the method of inquiry to the question or problem.
- Use multiple, reliable sources to develop and support
- Revise, edit, and proofread.
- Design and present, as an individual or group, a written,
oral, video, or multimedia project that:
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Assessments and Performance Descriptors