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UPWI i»W*^< » iHI iinnui ililt hi hi iTi »r- w ^R>»<»»-s»vj «3»w» » r-'WPt*'-"' 'A* MNUVMf -ffH'Stj Hi -sia .#' A-; *W » IJR Ml' »*; Em, *£ »-VSl*fei85sw ilia?**;1 gFtewfer* Kf ; - •#S'« >.s Ti #' CURR HIST hfe> HB &Sil Ex LIBRIS mm UNIVERSITATIS ALBERT7ENSIS CURRICULUM STANDARDS: C.2 ILLUSTRATIONS OF LEVELS Section C.l sets out levels of language and The demonstrations of language included in specific learner expectations in a matrix that Section C.2 were collected from multiple sources portrays language learning for ECS/elementary and from students of varying ages and school students. Language demonstrated at each backgrounds. of the seven levels is described and illustrated here inSectionC.2. These demonstrations oflanguage are presented invideo andprintformat. Thissection,IllustrationsofLevelsisintended • In the video program entitled Language to assist teachers, parents and students in Learning: Levels of Performance, various developing a clearer picture of what is levels of student oral language are expected at each language level and the demonstrated in writing conferences, progressionfrom leveltolevel. responsesto literature, andclassdiscussion. SectionC.2 contains: • In the print reference set, the samples are • a descriptionofthefeatures oflanguagefor grouped into three categories: storytelling, eachlevel personal experience and opinion/persuasion/ argument. • samples demonstrating students' oral and written language, arranged according to the The Diagnostic Reading Program, with its new levelssetoutinC.l language learning supplement, can be used as a companion resource to Section C.2. It enables • analysis of each sample that shows the teachers to gather and interpret information connection between the Specific Learner about student reading processes in a systematic Expectations from C.l and the language way and to select appropriate instructional demonstrated inthe sample. activities to assist students in their continuing development. DRAFT CB: 93 01 29 (DRAFT) Language Learning (Elementary) C.19 2 DETERMINING A LEVEL The following illustrates how the Specific Learner Expectations from Section C.l were used to determine the level of language demonstrated in samples included in the video program and print reference set ofSectionC.2. Stepl A feature of language in the sample was selected and matched to the corresponding SLE in Section C.l. The spanoflevelsfortheSLE was identified. Example: LEVEL 1 LEVEL LEVEL3 LEVEL4 LEVEL5 LEVEL6 [LEVEL 7 M.l Lntroduceandelaborateonanidea focustheirwriting and speakingona intaeirwritingandspeaking, topicorthemeby connecting introduction,developmentand conclusion. InSectionC.2,thisinformationappearsas: 12 3 4 5 6 7 M.l Introducesand elaborateson an idea • The letter and number at the left identify the Specific Learner Expectation selected from SectionC.l foruse inanalysis. • The shaded boxes indicate the span of levels at which the skill (SLE) is expected to be demonstrated. • The commentontherightbrieflydescribes whatthestudentcando inaccordancewiththe SLE. Step2 Alevel oflanguageisnotdeterminedonthe basis ofone SLE, but, rather, bytaking anumber ofSLEs into consideration. Therefore, using the above procedure, information was recorded for a number of selectedfeaturesofthe language sample. SLE LEVEL(S) SLE DESCRIPTION 12 3 4 5 6 7 M.l Introducesand elaboratesonanidea. H.9 Usesatitleto indicatewhat istocome. 1.4 Focusesonimportantideasrelated tothetopic. Summarizes ideasand information. 1.3 M.2 Linksideasusingcause and effectrelationships. M.4 Retellsanexperiencefromanotherparticipant'spointofview. M.10 Appliesknowledge ofcommon spellingpatterns. Language Learning (Elementary) C.20 CB: 93 01 29 (DRAFT) UNiV • UNIVERSITY C Step3 Lookingat the levels forthe SLEs as a whole, a common level or levels oflanguage could be identified and highlighted. SLE LEVEL(S) SLE DESCRIPTION 12 3 —4 5 6 7 M.l Introducesandelaborateson an idea. H.9 ::::':; Usesatitleto indicatewhat istocome. 1.4 :':': Focuseson important ideas related tothetopic. 1.3 ::: :: Summarizes ideasand information. M.2 Links ideasusingcause and effectrelationships. M.4 Retellsanexperiencefrom anotherparticipant'spointofview. M.10 Appliesknowledgeofcommon spellingpatterns. • Here, darker shading has been added to show that Level 4 is the level common to the observed language behaviours. This indicatesthatLevel4 isthe level oflanguage inthis sample. The level ofperformance demonstrated in a language sample is the one that is common to the specific learnerexpectations observed. Inlanguage samplesexhibitingcharacteristics ofvarious levels, Step 3 resulted ina mixed profile of levels. Thisis illustratedbelow. SLE LEVEL(S) SLE DESCRIPTION 12 3 4 5 6 7 H.9 Usesatitleto indicatewhat istocome. N.3 Tellspersonal experience asananecdote. 1.4 Organizes ideasarounda topic. F.2 Experimentswithwords andsentences. M.5 Variessentencebeginnings. M.3 Usescomplete sentences. M.6 Hassubject/verbagreement. M.10 Appliesknowledge ofcommon spellingpatterns. M.ll Forms distinguishable letters in handwriting. CB: 93 01 29 (DRAFT) Language Learning (Elementary) C.21 CLASSROOM APPLICATION It is importantto keep in mindthat: A student's independent leveloflanguage is a A level of language is not necessarily related to the student's age, grade oryear in compilation of what the student knows school. It is, however, generally true that about language and can do with language the older a student, the higher the level of withoutassistance orinputfromothers. languageproficiency. In order to estimate a student's independent A level of language performance can be level of language, numerous samples need to be estimated for an individual student collected or observed that reflect a broad, regardless of ethnic or language integrated picture oflanguage: background, learning difficulties, • as the student reads, writes and exceptional progress or special communicatesorally programming. • over anextended period oftime • in a variety of situations or contexts across The SLEs selected for analyzing a single the curriculum language sample will vary with the type of • withvariouslanguage forms andformats. language sample and the purpose of analysis. Thiscollectionofsamples should eventuallybe of sufficientnumbersand types toillustrate mostof It is not unusual to find that one student's the SLEsfromC.l. language exhibits characteristics of more than one level. A profile of any individual The level of language students exhibit student's current language often resembles independently is generally somewhat different ajaggedline. from that in cooperative learning, conferencing andguidedlesson situations. By having information about what students know and can do, teachers can plan appropriate lessons and activities that will assist students in moving on to the next level oflanguage. Language Learning (Elementary) C.22 CB: 93 01 29 (DRAFT) REFERENCE SETOF STUDENTS' WRITTEN LANGUAGE In this reference set are samples of student These samples and the descriptions of the writing representative of language from pre- features of language for each level can be level 1 to post-level 7. Also included, are photocopied and laid out in a matrix to clearly samplesinwhicha mixture oflevels isevident. portray: Introducing each of the levels from 1 to 7 is a page entitled Features of Language briefly • the progression oflanguage from level to level describing: • many characteristics oflanguage at each • techniques andstrategies level. • conventions • uses of language demonstrated at that level. Emphasis is placed on features most likely to be For the analysis work in Section C.2, Specific particularlyevident in written samples and ones Learner Expectations were selected from C.l that set the level being described apart from the that were likely to be demonstrated through previous level. The pre-level 1 and post-level 7 written language samples. The diagram below samples are displayed without commentary or lists the concepts in C.l from which these SLEs analysis. weretaken. Withthe language samplesforlevels 1 to 7; • Specific Learner Expectations demonstrated inthewritingarenoted. • The span of levels at which the SLEs are expectedtobedemonstratedisindicated. • Anecdotal comments are made, with the highlighted words in the commentary giving the essence ofthecorrespondingSLE. • The overall level of language for each sample is approximated, using the procedure describedonthepreviouspages. Of the many types of writing that students engage in, the ones selected for inclusion in this reference set are storytelling, personal narration, and opinion/persuasion/ argument. At each level, all three types are presented together. There may not always be a clear distinction between the types ofwriting at the veryearlylevels. CB: 93 01 29 (DRAFT) Language Learning(Elementary) C.23 The chart below provides an outline of many ofthe Specific Learner Expectations selected for use in analyzing samples in the reference set on the following pages. These SLEs may or may not make specificreference towriting. Students: E A.l Engage inwritingactivities. X D.4/5 Usetext andtypographical features. P E.4/5 Usecueingsystems. L R E F.2 Experimentinrepresentingideas. C F.5 Keepideasflowingby usingtemporaryspellings. G.3/4 Usefigurative language andvisual images. N H.3/7 Determinepurpose,theme, feelings, attitude, mood. S H.6 Usetechniquestocreate humour. T H.8/9 Usetechniquestoprovide backgroundinformation, assistinpredictionand R createanticipation. U H.IO Recalleventsand recognize relationshipsinbothfiction andnon-fiction. C H.11/12 Recognizeanddevelopcharacters inastory. T 1.4 Summarize,paraphrase, organizeandfocusideas. 1.5 Drawconclusions and make generalizations. L.l Expressviewpointwhetheraccepted orcontrary. M.l Introduce,elaborate onandfocus ideas. C M.2 Linkideas,usingtechniquesappropriatetopurpose. M.3/4/5 Organize ideas,usingvarious sentencestructures,with appropriate M punctuation. M M.6 Producegrammaticallycorrectsentences. U M.7 Refineandpolishwordchoices. N M.8 Use speechordialoguewithpunctuation. I M.9/10 Developin spellingability. C M.ll Develophandwritingskills. A N.3 Retell personalexperiencesasanecdotes, narrativesand memoirs. T N.4 Takeanotherperspective. E N.6/8 Developpersuasive arguments, expressopinionsandprovide supportfor both. N.9 Compose storieswithstructure. N.IO Usedialoguetoadvanceplotanddevelopcharacter. Note: It is importantto referbackto Section C.l,SpecificLearnerExpectations, • toreadthe above abbreviated statementsinthecontextoftheir Concepts (A-N) • tonotethe variations ineachSLE atthe differentlevel spans • tolocate otherSLEsthatmightapplytoaparticularlanguage sample beinganalyzed. Language Learning(Elementary) C.24 CB: 93 01 29 (DRAFT) DISPLAYOF LANGUAGE SAMPLES: PRE-LEVEL 1 Children imitate what they see readers and writers doing. Prior to level one, they turn the pages of a book, tell a story as they look at the pictures, and use writing tools to make marks on paper. These marks are used to convey meaning. Drawings and scribbles appear along with some recognizable letters they have seen in books, in signs, television and in their names. In telling about their drawings and marks on the page, childrenrelatetheirstoryand ideas. CB: 93 01 29 (DRAFT) LanguageLearning(Elementary) C.25 PRE-LEVEL 1 Storytelling/Personal Experience £0' .W*n» /-arju the cco*^ ft*gh * "Hit Child'sdictatedcomposition: "Iliketocall myfriends overtoplay. Weplayallday. We liketopusheachotheronthe swing. We playonthe slide. When arethecookies goingtobeready? Rightnow! Ohyay!" Language Learning(Elementary) C.26 CB: 93 01 29 (DRAFT)