Language Arts/Writing Competencies/ Proficiencies --List 4-6 broad competencies for your grade level.
5th grade
Competency
Proficiency
Assessment Tool
Conventions
· Identifying or correcting grammatical errors · Applying basic capitalization rules · Using appropriate punctuation to various sentence patterns to enhance meaning · Correctly spelling grade-appropriate, high-frequency words, including homonyms and homophones and applying syllables and affix spelling patterns/rules
Types of Writing
Narrative · Creating a clear and coherent story line · Establishing context, problem/ conflict/challenge, and resolution · Using transition words and phrases to establish clean chronology and to enhance meaning Informational (Reports, Procedures, Persuasive Writing) · Using an organizational text structure appropriate to focus/controlling ideas · Selecting appropriate information to set context · Establishing a topic · Stating and maintaining a focus/controlling idea · Including facts and details relevant to focus/controlling idea, and excluding extraneous information · Including sufficient details or facts for appropriate depth of information: naming, describing, explaining, comparing, using visual images
Writing Responses
· Selecting appropriate information to set context/background · Connecting what has been read (plot/ideas/concepts) to prior knowledge or other texts, by referring to relevant ideas · Stating and maintaining a focus (purpose), when responding to a given question · Making inferences about the among content, events, characters, setting or common theme · Using specific details and references to text or citations to support focus · Organizing ideas, using transitional words/phrases and writing a conclusion that provides closure · Summarizing key ideas
Structures of Language
· Using varied sentence length and structure to enhance meaning · Using the paragraph form: indenting, main idea, supporting details · Recognizing organizational structures within paragraphs or within texts (Text Structures: description, sequence, chronology, proposition/support, compare/contrast, problem/solution) · Applying directionality as appropriate to text
6th grade
Conventions: Student will apply correct conventions within the context of individual assignments.
-applying rules of Standard English usage, capitalization, and punctuation to various sentence patterns Vocabulary and Spelling: Student will effectively use grade-appropriate vocabulary and spelling.
-correctly spelling grade-appropriate words Types of Writing: Student will write effectively in Narrative, Informational, Persuasive, and Expressive genres. Narrative
-creating a clear and coherent story line
-establishing context and maintaining a theme
-providing a sense of closure Informational (Reports, Procedures, Persuasive writing)
-using an organizational text structure
-selecting appropriate information
-establishing a topic
-writing with a sense of audience
-including facts and details relevant to focus Expressive (Poetry)
-writing poems that express the speaker's moods, thoughts, or feelings Writing Responses: Student will state and maintain a focus using specific details and references when responding to text.
-selecting and summarizing key ideas
-connecting what has been read to prior knowledge
-stating and maintaining a focus (purpose)
-making inferences about relationships (content, events, characaters, etc.)
-organizing ideas, using transitional words/phrases Structures of Language: Student will use varied sentence lengths, structure, and organization.
-using varied sentence length and structure and the paragraph form
-recognizing organizational structures within paragraphs
7th grade Conventions: Student will apply correct conventions within the context of individual assignments.
-applying rules of Standard English usage, capitalization, and punctuation to various sentence patterns Vocabulary and Spelling: Student will effectively use grade-appropriate vocabulary and spelling.
-correctly spelling grade-appropriate words Types of Writing: Student will write effectively in Narrative, Informational, Persuasive, and Expressive genres. Narrative
-creating a clear and coherent story line
-establishing context and maintaining a theme
-providing a sense of closure Informational (Reports, Procedures, Persuasive writing)
-using an organizational text structure
-selecting appropriate information
-establishing a topic
-writing with a sense of audience
-including facts and details relevant to focus Expressive (Poetry)
-writing poems that express the speaker's moods, thoughts, or feelings Writing Responses: Student will state and maintain a focus using specific details and references when responding to text.
-selecting and summarizing key ideas
-connecting what has been read to prior knowledge
-stating and maintaining a focus (purpose)
-making inferences about relationships (content, events, characaters, etc.)
-organizing ideas, using transitional words/phrases Structures of Language: Student will use varied sentence lengths, structure, and organization.
-using varied sentence length and structure and the paragraph form
-recognizing organizational structures within paragraphs
8th grade
Conventions
Applying rules of standard English usage to correct grammatical errors
Applying capitalization rules
Applying appropriate punctuation to various sentence patterns to enhance meaning
Applying conventional and word-derivative spelling patterns/rules
Types of Writing
Narrative
Creating a clear and coherent story line
Establishing context, character motivation, problem/ conflict/challenge, and resolution and maintaining point of view
Using a variety of effective transitional devices
Establishing and maintaining a theme
Providing a sense of closure
Creating images, using details and sensory language to advance plot
Using dialogue to advance plot
Developing characters through description, dialogue, actions and relationships with other characters
Using voice appropriate to purpose
Maintaining focus
Selecting and elaborating important ideas and excluding extraneous details ||
Using an organizational text structure appropriate to focus/controlling ideas
Establishing a topic
Stating and maintaining a focus/controlling idea
Writing with a sense of audience, when appropriate
Establishing an authoritative voice
Including facts and details relevant to focus/controlling idea, and excluding extraneous information
Including sufficient details or facts for appropriate depth of information: naming, describing, explaining, comparing, using visual images
Addressing readers’ concerns
Commenting on the significance of information, when appropriate
Expressive - Poetry
Writing poems in a variety of voices for a variety of audiences
Writing poems that express the speaker’s moods, thoughts, or feelings
Choosing conventional or alternative text structures to achieve impact (Text Structures: free verse, haiku, concrete poems)
Selecting vocabulary according to purpose and effect on audience
Using rhyme and figurative language
Using a variety of poetic forms
Expressive - Reflective
Engaging the reader by establishing context (purpose)
Analyzing a condition or situation of significance
Using a range of elaboration techniques to establish focus
Providing closure - leaving the reader with something to think about
Writing Responses
Selecting and summarizing key ideas to set context
Connecting what has been read (plot/ideas/concepts) to prior knowledge, other texts, or the broader world of ideas, by referring to and explaining relevant ideas
Stating and maintaining a focus (purpose), a firm judgment, or point of view when responding to a given question
Making inferences about the relationship(s) among content, events, characters, setting, theme, or author’s craft
Using specific details and references to text or relevant citations to support focus or judgment
Organizing ideas, using transitional words/phrases and writing a conclusion that provides closure
Structures of Language
Using varied sentence length and structure to enhance meaning
Using the paragraph form: indenting, main idea, supporting details
Recognizing organizational structures within paragraphs or within texts (Text Structures: description, sequence, chronology, proposition/support, compare/contrast, problem/solution)
Applying a format and text structure appropriate to the purpose of the writing
Language Arts/Writing Competencies/ Proficiencies --List 4-6 broad competencies for your grade level.
5th grade
· Applying basic capitalization rules
· Using appropriate punctuation to various sentence patterns to enhance meaning
· Correctly spelling grade-appropriate, high-frequency words, including homonyms and homophones and applying syllables and affix spelling patterns/rules
· Creating a clear and coherent story line
· Establishing context, problem/ conflict/challenge, and resolution
· Using transition words and phrases to establish clean chronology and to enhance meaning
Informational (Reports, Procedures, Persuasive Writing)
· Using an organizational text structure appropriate to focus/controlling ideas
· Selecting appropriate information to set context
· Establishing a topic
· Stating and maintaining a focus/controlling idea
· Including facts and details relevant to focus/controlling idea, and excluding extraneous information
· Including sufficient details or facts for appropriate depth of information: naming, describing, explaining, comparing, using visual images
· Connecting what has been read (plot/ideas/concepts) to prior knowledge or other texts, by referring to relevant ideas
· Stating and maintaining a focus (purpose), when responding to a given question
· Making inferences about the among content, events, characters, setting or common theme
· Using specific details and references to text or citations to support focus
· Organizing ideas, using transitional words/phrases and writing a conclusion that provides closure
· Summarizing key ideas
· Using the paragraph form: indenting, main idea, supporting details
· Recognizing organizational structures within paragraphs or within texts (Text Structures: description, sequence, chronology, proposition/support, compare/contrast, problem/solution)
· Applying directionality as appropriate to text
6th grade
Conventions: Student will apply correct conventions within the context of individual assignments.
-applying rules of Standard English usage, capitalization, and punctuation to various sentence patterns
Vocabulary and Spelling: Student will effectively use grade-appropriate vocabulary and spelling.
-correctly spelling grade-appropriate words
Types of Writing: Student will write effectively in Narrative, Informational, Persuasive, and Expressive genres.
Narrative
-creating a clear and coherent story line
-establishing context and maintaining a theme
-providing a sense of closure
Informational (Reports, Procedures, Persuasive writing)
-using an organizational text structure
-selecting appropriate information
-establishing a topic
-writing with a sense of audience
-including facts and details relevant to focus
Expressive (Poetry)
-writing poems that express the speaker's moods, thoughts, or feelings
Writing Responses: Student will state and maintain a focus using specific details and references when responding to text.
-selecting and summarizing key ideas
-connecting what has been read to prior knowledge
-stating and maintaining a focus (purpose)
-making inferences about relationships (content, events, characaters, etc.)
-organizing ideas, using transitional words/phrases
Structures of Language: Student will use varied sentence lengths, structure, and organization.
-using varied sentence length and structure and the paragraph form
-recognizing organizational structures within paragraphs
7th grade
Conventions: Student will apply correct conventions within the context of individual assignments.
-applying rules of Standard English usage, capitalization, and punctuation to various sentence patterns
Vocabulary and Spelling: Student will effectively use grade-appropriate vocabulary and spelling.
-correctly spelling grade-appropriate words
Types of Writing: Student will write effectively in Narrative, Informational, Persuasive, and Expressive genres.
Narrative
-creating a clear and coherent story line
-establishing context and maintaining a theme
-providing a sense of closure
Informational (Reports, Procedures, Persuasive writing)
-using an organizational text structure
-selecting appropriate information
-establishing a topic
-writing with a sense of audience
-including facts and details relevant to focus
Expressive (Poetry)
-writing poems that express the speaker's moods, thoughts, or feelings
Writing Responses: Student will state and maintain a focus using specific details and references when responding to text.
-selecting and summarizing key ideas
-connecting what has been read to prior knowledge
-stating and maintaining a focus (purpose)
-making inferences about relationships (content, events, characaters, etc.)
-organizing ideas, using transitional words/phrases
Structures of Language: Student will use varied sentence lengths, structure, and organization.
-using varied sentence length and structure and the paragraph form
-recognizing organizational structures within paragraphs
8th grade
Conventions
Types of Writing