The pros and cons of discussion

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 9

• Goal 1: The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text and personal experiences.
  • Objective 1.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
    • selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
    • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
    • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
    • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
    • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
    • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
    • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
    • making connections between works, self and related topics.
    • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
    • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
    • identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
  • Objective 1.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
    • selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
    • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
    • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
    • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
    • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
    • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
    • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
    • making connections between works, self and related topics.
    • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
    • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
    • identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
• Goal 3: The learner will examine argumentation and develop informed opinions.
  • Objective 3.01: Study argument by:
    • examining relevant reasons and evidence.
    • noting the progression of ideas that substantiate the proposal.
    • analyzing style, tone, and use of language for a particular effect.
    • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical, or cultural influences contexts, or biases.
    • identifying and analyzing rhetorical strategies that support proposals.
  • Objective 3.02: Express an informed opinion that:
    • states clearly a personal view.
    • is logical and coherent.
    • engages the reader's interest or curiosity.
  • Objective 3.03: Support that informed opinion by:
    • providing relevant and convincing reasons.
    • using various types of evidence, such as experience or facts.
    • using appropriate and effective language, reasons, and organizational structure for the audience and purpose.
    • demonstrating awareness of the possible questions, concerns, or counterarguments of the audience.
• Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements, and terms.
  • Objective 5.01: Read and analyze various literary works by:
    • using effective reading strategies for preparation, engagement, reflection.
    • recognizing and analyzing the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction (e.g., myths, legends, short stories, novels), non-fiction (e.g., essays, biographies, autobiographies, historical documents), poetry (e.g., epics, sonnets, lyric poetry, ballads) and drama (e.g., tragedy, comedy).
    • interpreting literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, dialogue, diction, and imagery.
    • understanding the importance of tone, mood, diction, and style.
    • explaining and interpreting archetypal characters, themes, settings.
    • explaining how point of view is developed and its effect on literary texts.
    • determining a character's traits from his/her actions, speech, appearance, or what others say about him or her.
    • explaining how the writer creates character, setting, motif, theme, and other elements.
    • making thematic connections among literary texts and media and contemporary issues.
    • understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.
    • producing creative responses that follow the conventions of a specific genre and using appropriate literary devices for that genre.

Grade 10

• Goal 3: The learner will defend argumentative positions on literary or nonliterary issues.
  • Objective 3.03: Respond to issues in literature in such a way that:
    • requires gathering of information to prove a particular point.
    • effectively uses reason and evidence to prove a given point.
    • emphasizes culturally significant events.
• Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of selected world literature through interpretation and analysis.
  • Objective 5.01: Read and analyze selected works of world literature by:
    • using effective strategies for preparation, engagement, and reflection.
    • building on prior knowledge of the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry, and exploring how those characteristics apply to literature of world cultures.
    • analyzing literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, situational irony, and imagery and explaining their effect on the work of world literature.
    • analyzing the importance of tone and mood.
    • analyzing archetypal characters, themes, and settings in world literature.
    • making comparisons and connections between historical and contemporary issues.
    • understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.

Grade 11

• Goal 3: The learner will demonstrate increasing sophistication in defining issues and using argument effectively.
  • Objective 3.01: Use language persuasively in addressing a particular issue by:
    - finding and interpreting information effectively.
    - recognizing propaganda as a purposeful technique.
    - establishing and defending a point of view.
    -responding respectfully to viewpoints and biases.
  • Objective 3.03: Use argumentation for:
    - interpreting researched information effectively.
    - establishing and defending a point of view.
    - addressing concerns of the opposition.
    - using logical strategies (e.g., deductive and inductive reasoning, syllogisms, analogies) and sophisticated techniques (e.g., rhetorical devices, parallelism, irony, concrete images).
    -developing a sense of completion.
• Goal 4: The learner will critically analyze text to gain meaning, develop thematic connections, and synthesize ideas.
  • Objective 4.01: Interpret meaning for an audience by:
    - examining the functions and the effects of narrative strategies such as plot, conflict, suspense, point of view, characterization, and dialogue.
    - interpreting the effect of figures of speech (e.g., personification, oxymoron) and the effect of devices of sound (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia).
    - analyzing stylistic features such as word choice and links between sense and sound.
    - identifying ambiguity, contradiction, irony, parody, and satire.
    - demonstrating how literary works reflect the culture that shaped them.

Grade 12

• Goal 3: The learner will be prepared to enter issues of public concern as an advocate.
  • Objective 3.02: Organize and deliver an argument so that an intended audience respects it by:
    - wording the claim clearly.
    - specifying reasons in support of the claim that are likely to be convincing.
    -- adopting an appropriate tone and stance toward the issue.