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Course Standards
General Course Information and Notes
Version Description
The purpose of this course is to enable students to develop and use developmental writing and language skills in a variety of writing formats for argumentative, informative, and literary analysis purposes to ensure preparation for college and career readiness.General Notes
The content should include, but not be limited to, the following:
- active reading of exemplar writing models to examine
- text craft and structure
- effects of figurative, denotative, and connotative language choice
- power and impact of appropriate voice and/or tone
- influence on idea development of sentence structures, sentence rhythm, and grammatical choices
- reciprocal nature of content and form
- writing for varied purposes, including
- developing and supporting argumentative claims
- crafting coherent, supported informative/expository texts
- responding to literature for personal and analytical purposes
- writing to sources using text- based evidence and reasoning
- digital writing platforms
- effective listening, speaking, and viewing strategies with emphasis on the use of evidence to support or refute a claim in multimedia presentations, class discussions, and extended text discussions
- collaboration amongst peers, especially during drafting and redrafting peer edits
Important Note: Reading and writing courses should not be used in place of English language arts courses; reading and writing courses are intended to be used to supplement further study in English language arts.
Special Notes:
Instructional Practices: Teaching from well-written, grade-level instructional materials enhances students’ content area knowledge and also strengthens their ability to comprehend longer, complex reading passages on any topic for any purpose. Using the following instructional practices also helps student learning.
- Reading assignments from longer text passages, as well as shorter ones when text is extremely complex.
- Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
- Asking high-level, text-specific questions and requiring high-level, complex tasks and assignments.
- Requiring students to support answers with evidence from the text.
- Providing extensive text-based research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).
English Language Development ELD Standards Special Notes Section:
Teachers are required to provide listening, speaking, reading and writing instruction that allows English language learners (ELL) to communicate information, ideas and concepts for academic success in the content area of Language Arts. For the given level of English language proficiency and with visual, graphic, or interactive support, students will interact with grade level words, expressions, sentences and discourse to process or produce language necessary for academic success. The ELD standard should specify a relevant content area concept or topic of study chosen by curriculum developers and teachers which maximizes an ELL’s need for communication and social skills. To access an ELL supporting document which delineates performance definitions and descriptors, please click on the following link: https://cpalmsmediaprod.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/docs/standards/eld/la.pdf.
General Information
Educator Certifications
Student Resources
Original Student Tutorials
Learn how to use context clues—including definitions, synonyms, and antonyms—to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in this baseball-themed, interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about Greek and Latin roots (anti, capit, bene, bon, and mal) and 12 modern words that feature those roots. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice using these words and hopefully add them to your vocabulary!
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about ancient Latin roots — Ante, Post, Scrib, and Script — and practice using twelve modern words connected with these roots to build your vocabulary in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about three roots from ancient Latin and Greek — Per, Seque, and Mis — and practice using twelve modern words connected with these roots to build your vocabulary in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about five roots from ancient Latin and Greek—frag, fract, cret, syn, and sym—and practice using twelve modern words connected with these roots to build your vocabulary in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about 3 Latin roots (Am, Ab, and Ad) and 12 new words that feature those roots. In this interactive tutorial, you'll make some interesting language connections and hopefully add some new words to your vocabulary!
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to paraphrase grade-level content in this tutorial that includes passages about some of America's most notable pioneers.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how to write a great "CER" paragraph that includes a claim, evidence, and reasoning with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Investigate essential and nonessential elements in a sentence. In Part Two, you'll learn about essential and nonessential phrases and clauses and how to use commas with nonessential phrases and clauses in a sentence.
This is Part Two of a two-part tutorial series. Click HERE to launch Part One.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Investigate essential and nonessential elements in a sentence in this two-part tutorial series. In Part One, you'll learn about appositives and how to use commas with appositives when they provide nonessential information in a sentence.
When you're done, make sure to complete Part Two. Click HERE to launch Part Two.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Investigate a mysterious punctuation mark--the dash--in this interactive two-part tutorial. In this series, you'll learn about two types of dashes and their different uses. In Part Two, you'll learn about the em dash and practice using it correctly.
We recommend that you complete Part One first! Click HERE to launch Part One.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Investigate a mysterious punctuation mark—the dash—in this interactive two-part tutorial. In this series, you'll learn about two types of dashes and their different uses. In Part One, you'll learn about the en dash and practice using it correctly. In Part Two, you'll learn about the em dash and practice using it correctly. We hope by the end of this series that the dash will no longer be quite so mysterious!
Make sure to complete Part Two! Click HERE to launch Part Two.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Don't be mystified by commas! This interactive tutorial will help you better understand how to correctly use this often mysterious punctuation mark. You'll learn several ways commas are commonly misused to help make sure you don't make these same mistakes in your own writing. Then, you'll learn several ways to correctly use a comma.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Check out a mysterious punctuation mark—the apostrophe—in this interactive tutorial. You'll learn several important rules and guidelines to help you demystify this punctuation mark so you can use it correctly in your own writing.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn 12 new academic vocabulary terms in this interactive tutorial! You'll practice the words' synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech, and context clues in order to add them to your vocabulary.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn a number of important rules that will help you master the mysterious comma. In this interactive tutorial, you'll learn how commas are used to separate three or more items in a series and to “set off” certain aspects of a sentence.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to recognize and fix one of the most common grammar errors—the run-on sentence—as you complete this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn more about that dreaded word--plagiarism--in this interactive tutorial that's all about citing your sources and avoiding academic dishonesty!
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn the rules of capitalization in this interactive tutorial! By the end, you'll have undergone a "crash course" in correct capitalization.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn 12 new academic vocabulary words in this interactive tutorial! You'll practice the words' synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech, and context clues in order to add them to your vocabulary.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn 12 new academic vocabulary words in this interactive tutorial! You'll practice the words' synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech, and context clues in order to add them to your vocabulary.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn 12 new academic vocabulary words using synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech, and context clues in this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn the difference between formal and informal writing in this interactive tutorial. You'll review the key differences between informative and argumentative writing. You'll also learn to tailor your writing based on your task, purpose, and audience.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how poems are organized to express and develop themes. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read "My Pretty Rose Tree" by William Blake and "'Hope' is the thing with feathers" by Emily Dickinson. Using these classic poems, you'll examine the structure of poetry and review several relevant terms including stanzas, diction, and mood.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how to identify the central idea within a text. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read an article about video games to practice identifying and explaining the central idea of a passage or text.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Review common uses of the comma and learn how it can be properly used to set off nonrestrictive elements--like phrases and words--in a sentence. This interactive tutorial will also give you the chance to complete practice activities to check your understanding.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how to use commas to connect two sentences, how to use commas with coordinate adjectives, and how to use the Oxford comma. In this interactive tutorial, you will complete practice exercises and read several short passages about primates, including gorillas and baboons.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to refine your writing by identifying language that is wordy, repetitive, or redundant. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice identifying wordy language and replacing it with more concise language.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how clauses are used to form different types of sentences. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice identifying four common sentence types: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. You'll also practice rewriting a short paragraph to include these various types of sentences.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words by examining their word parts. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice using prefixes and root words to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to distinguish the theme of the story from its summary. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read several short pirate tales to practice summarizing a story, identifying its theme, and analyzing how the theme is expressed.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how to make inferences based on the information included in the text in this interactive tutorial. Using the short story "The Last Leaf" by O. Henry, you'll practice identifying both the explicit and implicit information in the story. You'll apply your own reasoning to make inferences based on what is stated both explicitly and implicitly in the text.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to distinguish between figurative and literal language in context. In this interactive tutorial, you'll examine excerpts of speeches from John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Barack Obama. You'll practice identifying the following types of figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification, and onomatopoeia. You'll also practice determining the intended meaning of these examples of figurative language.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Practice identifying and examining the evidence used to support a specific argument. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read several short texts about the exploration of Mars to practice distinguishing relevant from irrelevant evidence. You'll also practice determining whether the evidence presented is sufficient or insufficient.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how to identify and write strong argumentative claims. In this interactive tutorial, you'll first learn how to create a strong claim, and then you'll practice writing the introduction to your own argumentative essay.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about 3 Greek and Latin roots (spect, path, and omni) and 12 modern words that feature those roots. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice using these words and hopefully add them to your vocabulary!
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Tutorials
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice using commas correctly in sentences. For each practice item, you must use commas in a sentence only where appropriate. After every response, you will get immediate feedback.
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice using commas correctly in sentences. For each practice item, you must use commas in a sentence only where appropriate. After every response, you will get immediate feedback.
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice fixing comma errors in sentences. For each practice item, you must select the best choice to revise a sentence so that it uses commas correctly. After every response, you will get immediate feedback.
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice fixing comma errors in sentences. For each practice item, you must correct the comma error in a sentence. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. The site also provides an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked "Comma Tip” that appears with feedback.
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice avoiding misplaced and dangling modifiers. For each practice item, you must determine how to complete a sentence to avoid a misplaced or dangling modifier. After every response, you will get immediate feedback.
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice in recognizing misplaced and dangling modifiers. For each practice item, you must select only the sentence that does not contain a misplaced or dangling modifier. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There’s also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice in recognizing misplaced and dangling modifiers. For each practice item, you must identify whether a sentence contains a misplaced or dangling modifier. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There’s also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice in recognizing misplaced and dangling modifiers. For each practice item, you must select only the sentence that does not contain a misplaced or dangling modifier. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There’s also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice in recognizing misplaced and dangling modifiers. For each practice item, you must identify whether a sentence contains a misplaced or dangling modifier. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There’s also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice correcting two common types of run-on sentences: comma splices and fused sentences. For each practice item, you must identify the best way to correct either a comma splice or a fused sentence. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There’s also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice identifying two common types of run-on sentences: comma splices and fused sentences. For each practice item, you must identify whether a run-on sentence is a comma splice or a fused sentence. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There’s also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice in recognizing sentence fragments types. For each practice item, you must identify the type of fragment being presented. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There's also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."
Type: Tutorial
This interactive exercise will give you practice simplifying sentences with apostrophes. For each practice item, you must simplify a sentence by typing a revision that demonstrates the correct use of an apostrophe. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. If you don’t know which word or words to type, the “I Give Up” button will help you out.
Type: Tutorial
This interactive exercise will give you practice simplifying sentences with apostrophes. For each practice item, you must simplify a sentence by typing a revision that demonstrates the correct use of an apostrophe. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. If you don’t know which word or words to type, the “I Give Up” button will help you out.
Type: Tutorial
This interactive exercise will give you practice in correcting sentence fragments. For each practice item, you must select the best choice to correct a fragment in a short passage. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There's also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study; simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice in correcting sentence fragments. For each practice item, you must select the best choice to correct a fragment in a short passage. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There's also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."
Type: Tutorial
This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice in correcting sentence fragments. For each practice item, you must select the best choice to correct a fragment in a short passage. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There's also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."
Type: Tutorial
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