Communication

• use first-hand experiences, whenever possible
• deal with problems and concerns perceived as relevant when observing, discussing, responding to or completing written work for a topic under study
• use expressive language ¹ to develop understanding of a unit of study
• participate in prelistening, prespeaking, prereading, prewriting, and previewing activities which focus on the important understandings in a unit and which provide linkages to previous experiences and present knowledge
• develop and express understanding within subject areas through a wide range of language activities
• develop their conceptual understanding of vocabulary wherever possible (e.g., through having students determine critical attributes)

To use a wide range of language experiences for developing students' knowledge of a subject area

K-5

• discuss or write about the ideas presented using their own language in order to better understand the unit under study

  Note: The emphasis on written work should fall upon writing as one way in which students increase their understanding both of the world about them and of what is presented in lessons. This is opposed to treating writing as storing information (e.g., copying notes) or of assessing achievement (e.g., answering exam and "end of chapter" questions). The central question is: Does the written work being done by the students accurately represent the kinds of learning that are considered to be important in the subject area? The emphasis should be upon responding to the ideas put forward by students.

  
  
• explore and express the purpose for and the meaning of what they are doing (e.g., in science, students talk about how their `experiment' relates to the principle in question)
• show their understanding of ideas presented by providing an alternate rephrasing, drawing a diagram, making a model, etc.
• summarize important understandings from oral presentations, films, text material, dance performances, discussions, etc.
• identify the message and its purpose in a variety of media (e.g., television, radio, print material, etc.)
• compose questions related to the unit under study and discuss multiple responses (e.g., developing prior questions)

• synthesize ideas gleaned from current reading/discussion/viewing/oral presentations with prior knowledge and understanding
• differentiate main and subordinate ideas
• summarize
• identify critical issues in factual or argumentative messages in print and audio-visual media
• use concept mapping and diagramming for the purposes of understanding ideas, 0experiences or material
• ask pertinent questions in order to further their own understanding
• clarify the questions of others
• develop questions from titles, headings, sub-headings and topic sentences in text material as one way of developing prior questions before reading

• paraphrase and write a précis
• use outlining
• use questions as tools to further their own and others' understanding
• identify critical issues in editorial messages
• explore the influence of media in shaping knowledge, culture and values

To enable students to use language (listening, speaking, reading, writing) for differing audiences and purposes which are relevant to the students and to the subject area

• appreciate and enjoy experiences with literature, picture books, puppet shows, etc.
• listen for various purposes
• share in their own words, ideas which are heard, read, viewed or discussed
  

  Note: When listening to student discussions (in the classroom or on tape), it is important not to bring expectations drawn from written language. It is perfectly normal in conversation for sentences to be incomplete or to change direction, for much of the meaning to be left implicit and not put into words, for speakers not to make explicit the logical relationship of what they are saying to what has gone before, or for their contributions to overlap. It is important to understand what is implicit in the discussion and what capacities the students have which are not often visible in class activities or written work.

• discuss the meaning of a message and the appropriateness of the medium used
• use printing and writing as a means of recording their thoughts
• use their own words to make notes
• use language, vocabulary, structures, pronunciations and volume appropriate to audience and purpose
• interview persons with prearranged questions to acquire information

• skim subject matter material to discover topic inclusion and organization
• organize information for reporting, discussing or sharing
• develop and use point-form notes
• compose paragraphs that focus on one main topic
• compose paragraphs in which points develop logically
• sequence a series of paragraphs so that ideas develop progressively
• identify and understand persuasion and propaganda techniques in all media (e.g., music, loaded words, unsubstantiated claims, etc.)
• respect, understand and empathize with the language, thoughts, artistic expressions and viewpoints of others
• assess nonverbal feedback or messages of listeners, recognize when word choice or structures are not understood and when requests and directions are misunderstood and adjust accordingly
• use the language and concepts of a subject area to develop an argument or present information in formal public modes (e.g., letters, essays, debates, etc.)
• express thoughts and feelings both nonverbally and verbally with appropriate eye contact, facial expressions and speech which enhance the message
• analyze tables of contents of several texts or reference books on the same topic for depth and breadth of topic coverage
• use dictionary, encyclopedia, thesaurus and atlas as references
• use fiction, non-fiction, periodicals and periodical indexes, newspapers, pamphlets and audio-visual materials as resources

• demonstrate a cultural sensitivity to the language of others
• use inclusionary language
• clarify, refine, restate, adapt, change, give examples, make analogies, summarize a message when another does not understand
• construct thesis statements and other written constructions required to formulate essays
• synthesize/present the same idea/thought for different audiences (e.g., a business concept for advertisers, board members, managers; a policy change within a company and for the general public, managers, workers; etc.)
• make notes and organize with a system, such as index cards
• chair and summarize the proceedings or discussion of a meeting; take notes
• distinguish between primary and secondary sources of information
• use a variety of resources to cover the breadth and depth of a topic
• use style manuals and government publications as resources

To enable students to understand and use the vocabulary, structures and forms of expression which characterize each area of study

Students will develop their abilities to:
K-5

• gradually incorporate the vocabulary of a subject area into their talk and writing

  Note: There is continuous need to work on vocabulary at three levels: useful words necessary to a topic and used in their standard sense. Although these words are not part of the usual vocabulary of a student, these are the words that glossaries do not list and that need to be explained. common words used in specialized ways. Sometimes the meaning of a word can change depending on the way in which it is used. technical terms, more or less particular to the subject. A word should be introduced as near as possible to the point of use, but it should be part of a program of methodical subject vocabulary building, with the word introduced, used, reviewed, and then put into a subject dictionary by the student. Prior to the teacher's explanation of a word there should usually be a deductive process to help students work toward the meaning of that word from their own knowledge of other uses. Normally it is worth while making use of the relationship between the current meaning and other meanings.

• use text aids (e.g., diagrams, graphs, tables of contents, headings, etc.)
• recognize common visual symbols particular to a subject area
• use a variety of strategies to interpret or understand the meaning of words (e.g., interpret pictures/charts/diagrams; use contextual cues and other systems such as syntactic and graphophonic; etc.)

• understand and use organizational structures within a subject area (e.g., to order ideas sequentially or chronologically, to compare and contrast, to discern cause and effect.)
• look for signal phrases and key words

• use the formal procedures required within the subject areas (e.g., lab reports, accounting reports, musical scores, etc.)
• use marginal notes and footnotes
• use headings and subheadings in their writing
• compose reference lists or bibliographies