STANDARDS FOR LANGUAGE ARTS

This document has been formatted to separate skills and strategies into the following headings for the ease of the user. It is understood however, that reading and writing skills develop simultaneously and are integrated throughout a balanced curriculum. State adopted content and performance standards recommend that, in addition to regular school reading (as measured by number of books or pages read, or minutes of daily reading), students read a good representation of narrative (i.e. contemporary and classic literature) and expository (i.e. magazines, newspapers, on-line information) text appropriate for grade level:

	By grade 4, students read half a million words annually
	By grade 8, students read one million words annually
	By grade 12, students read two million words annually

South Tahoe High School - English Department Global Standards

Graduating seniors should:

Be life-long readers, recognizing the value of reading for both aesthetic and informational purposes. Be able to write appropriately to a variety of purposes and for a variety of audiences. Be able to edit written and oral communication according to the standard conventions of the English language. Possess the academic skills to be successful in post-secondary education. Be able to speak confidently and knowledgeably in both discussion and public speaking settings. Be a productive worker, able to set goals, follow directions, meet deadlines, and evaluate both processes and products. Be able to read analytically, appreciating the complexity of texts and making personal and global connections. Be confident when accessing, reading and responding to both public and functional information. Be able to evaluate and form responsible judgments about information presented in public media: television, periodicals, computer sources, radio. Be able to listen carefully, to process information thoughtfully, and to respond and question appropriately.