Skill Descriptor: Describe and discuss thoughts, feelings, experiences, ideas, and opinions.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Describe emotions, personal experiences, and situations with details
• Discuss thoughts and feelings with others providing examples of experiences
• Use adjectives, Tier Two (all-purpose) words, and Tier Three (curriculum/content specific) words
• Use descriptive language to express personal ideas and opinions
• Use complete sentences and/or full thoughts to make a point
• Explain opinions, providing supportive information or reasons

Skill Descriptor: Select and present content to communicate facts, ideas, and opinions to peers and teachers.

Global Competencies: CL, CM, ICE

Achievement Indicators:

Use descriptive language to share information, ideas, or wonderings about a specific topic or theme

Skill Descriptor: Use language of harmony and respect.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Describe helpful, respectful, and equitable language
• Identify differences between kind and hurtful language
• Attempt to use inclusive language that respects gender identity
• Attempt to use language that demonstrates cultural sensitivity and respect

Skill Descriptor: Ask and respond to questions to clarify information, explore possibilities, or identify solutions to a problem.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, ICE

Achievement Indicators:

• Ask for more information to help understand the question or problem
• Respond with solutions or suggestions and relevant information from text or other sources
• Respond with possible next steps or actions

Skill Descriptor: Give and follow directions or instructions.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Give multi-step and increasingly complex instructions
• Follow multi-step and increasingly complex instructions

Skill Descriptor: Begin to use appropriate communication conventions.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Begin to use language specific to topic
• Begin to use language specific to audience
• Begin to use language specific to situation

Skill Descriptor: Respond personally to presentations, oral stories, and multimodal text

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Respond to presentations and oral stories with questions, wonderings, or reflections
• Respond to multimodal text with questions, opinions, or reflections

Skill Descriptor: Begin to use social conventions when interacting.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Begin to use conversational courtesies
• Use turn-taking when interacting with others
• Demonstrate consideration for the thoughts and feelings of others
• Use words in place of actions to seek a response (conflict resolution, negotiation, material requests, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Receive and critically reflect on the ideas and opinions of others.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Receive and demonstrate consideration for the personal beliefs of others
• Receive and demonstrate consideration for questions and comments of others
• Discuss the reasons for differing opinions or beliefs
• Reflect on differing opinions before responding in agreement or disagreement
• Demonstrate consideration of feedback and responses from those assessing their work to extend learning

Skill Descriptor: Differentiate sounds in spoken language.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Count, identify, delete, and/or modify sounds within longer and multisyllabic words
• Delete one or more sounds of an initial and/or final blend to create a new word (e.g., If we remove /pr/ from spring, what is the new word?)
• Identify where and how a phoneme change has occurred within a word (e.g., How can we change clip to chip?)

Skill Descriptor: Apply letter-sound knowledge and decoding strategies when reading unfamiliar connected text.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Use knowledge of all syllable types (closed syllables, open syllables, marker-e, vowel combinations, r-controlled vowels, diphthongs, consonant-le) to decode compound and multisyllabic words
• Use morphology-based strategies to decode novel words (e.g., multisyllabic words, less-common words, Tier Three vocabulary, etc.)
• Analyze affixes and root/base words to aid meaning (student-‘s, bitt-en, bigg-er, bigg-est, dis-organized, in-visible, care-ful, care-less, stick-y, slow-ly, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Read with accuracy and expression.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Read affixes effortlessly and with voice variation (student-‘s, bitt-en, bigg-er, bigg-est, dis-organized, in-visible, care-ful, care-less, stick-y, slow-ly, etc.)
• Respond to internal and end punctuation when reading aloud with appropriate expression and pausing
• Automatically read a variety of words, including high-frequency words varying in spelling regularity
• Read familiar passages fluently with appropriate phrasing and expression to convey a sense of text to audience
• Read a variety of longer, simple sentences and compound sentences with accuracy and expression, at an appropriate pace and without hesitation

Skill Descriptor: Use a range of vocabulary when communicating.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Organize words into themes, categories, and subcategories according to their meanings
• Use Tier Two (all-purpose) words and Tier Three (curriculum/content specific) words in expressive language (spoken words, signs, symbols, and/or print)
• Identify word relationships (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, etc.)
• Use figurative language to enhance and enrich meaning
• Use known root/base words to understand the meaning of a new word

Skill Descriptor: Construct meaning from printed text when reading independently.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Respond accurately to literal questions by locating specific details
• Make predictions and inferences, citing reasoning
• Create alternate story endings citing new events (The character made a different decision, and didn’t need to apologize, etc.)
• Summarize key elements, citing events in proper sequence
• Investigate prior understandings to build background knowledge
• Self-monitor for understanding by re-reading, reading around unknown words, or slowing down

Skill Descriptor: Describe reading comprehension processes.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Describe reading comprehension processes, including:
  • linking to prior knowledge
  • meta-cognition
  • re-reading
  • reading around unknown words
  • context clues

Skill Descriptor: Connect and respond personally and critically to text.

Global Competencies: CL, CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Read or view a variety of text forms for interest or learning needs in first or additional languages
• Express preferences and opinions about text and text features to others
• Ask to view texts and be read to
• Seek text to build upon prior knowledge or current understandings
• Refer to various text forms for knowledge, entertainment, interest, and information
• Interact with storytellers and people in the community (Elders, family members, librarians, etc.
• Explain connections between text and text, text and world, and text and self, citing prior knowledge and understandings
• Respond critically to a variety of text features and forms with questions, opinions, or reflections

Skill Descriptor: Select and engage with a variety of text forms for specific uses.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Select from a variety of text forms, for interest or learning needs (narrative text, information text, braille, audio book, graphic text, non-fiction text, etc.)
• Read or view a variety of text forms for interest or learning needs in first or additional languages
• Express preferences and opinions about text and text features to others
• Ask to view texts and be read to
• Seek text to build upon prior knowledge or current understandings
• Refer to various text forms for knowledge, entertainment, interest, and information
• Interact with storytellers and people in the community (Elders, family members, librarians, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Identify characteristics, forms, features, and types of text.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Identify text characteristics (characters, settings, plot, etc.)
• Identify text forms (fiction, non-fiction, videos, poems, posters, letters, imaginary text, etc.)
• Use text features to gain additional information from the text (table of contents, chapters, figures, etc.)
• Locate topics and obtain information
• Describe some elements of an author’s/creator’s style

Skill Descriptor: Apply appropriate spelling conventions when creating written works.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Use strategies for using and editing conventional spelling
• Use meaning and syntax patterns as well as sound cues to monitor clarity
• Attempt to use homophones correctly
• Use consonant doubling rules
• Attempt to use uncommon prefixes (fore-, pro-, intra-, inter-, trans-, non-, over-, sub-, super-, semi-, anti-, mid-, ex-, post-, etc.)
• Attempt vowel changes for suffix addition (dropping silent -e > likable; changing -y to -i > cried, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Compose sentences and short paragraphs.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Print, write in cursive, or represent words and sentences using a writing utensil or assistive technology.
• Use subjects, verbs, and pronouns
• Use upper- and lower-case letters accurately (in names, days of the week, months, familiar place names, first words in sentences, the pronoun ‘I’, and, in some cases, holidays and titles)
• Use contracted forms (am, is, has, not, have, would, will)
• Use simple paragraphing
• Use a variety of simple and more complex sentence structure
• Use correct end punctuation consistently
• Use commas and apostrophes correctly
• Use quotation marks in direct speech
• Begin to list pronouns in the correct order (e.g., Jo and I are going to the store; Pass it to Joe and me)
• Begin to use subject-verb agreement (e.g., The goose flies south > The geese fly south)

Skill Descriptor: Organize ideas and create written and media texts.

Global Competencies: CL, CM, CTPS, ICE

Achievement Indicators:

• Generate ideas for writing and representing
• Decide upon a topic or a purpose and select an appropriate form
• Create drafts, using strategies such as:
  • note-taking, rewriting, summarizing, imaginative language, etc.
  • various written or represented forms based on personal interest and choice
  • rewriting and summarizing the information
  • illustrations, charts, and diagrams to enhance writing where appropriate
  • imaginative writing and intentional language
  • identifying the audience (who?) and purpose (why?) for writing and representing
• Use:
  • capitals for proper names, titles, places, days, months, holidays, and beginning of sentences
  • periods at the ends of sentences and for abbreviations, commas in a series and in dates
  • apostrophes for possessives and contractions
  • question marks, exclamation marks, and quotation marks
  • full thoughts and sentences (in cursive or in print, or using augmentative technology)
• Present ideas in a logical order
• Use language that demonstrates an ability to transition between ideas clearly
• Use technology to draft, revise, edit, illustrate, add graphic elements, and publish
• Re-read and revise written works for clarity, word order, and spelling based on personal observations and teacher or peer feedback
• Use reference materials (dictionary, anchor charts, etc.) and revision techniques to ensure writing makes sense and is clear for the audience

Skill Descriptor: Select information from multiple sources to support ideas and construct meaning.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Use information from one or two sources to support ideas
• Gather information to answer a question or solve a problem
• Use information to form a simple argument

Skill Descriptor: Express and discuss thoughts, feelings, experiences, ideas, and opinions, and consider those of their peers.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Describe their thoughts and emotions, personal experiences, and the experiences of others with details
• Use adjectives, Tier Two (all-purpose) words, and Tier Three (curriculum/content specific) words
• Use descriptive language to express personal ideas and wonderings
• Use complete sentences and/or full thoughts to make a point
• Explain opinions, providing supportive information or reasons

Skill Descriptor: Select and present content to communicate facts, ideas, and opinions to peers and teachers.

Global Competencies: CL, CM, ICE

Achievement Indicators:

• Use descriptive language to share simple facts, opinions, and ideas about a specific topic or theme

Skill Descriptor: Use language of harmony and respect.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Describe helpful, respectful, and equitable language
• Use language that is not hurtful or offensive
• Identify differences between kind and hurtful language
• Attempt to use inclusive language that respects gender identity
• Attempt to use language that demonstrates cultural sensitivity and respect

Skill Descriptor: Ask and respond to questions to clarify information, explore possibilities, and identify solutions to a problem.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, ICE

Achievement Indicators:

• Ask for more information to help understand the question or problem
• Demonstrate consideration of all factors contributing to the problem
• Respond with solutions or suggestions and relevant information from text or other sources
• Respond with possible next steps or actions

Skill Descriptor: Give and follow directions and instructions.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Give multi-step and increasingly complex instructions
• Follow multi-step and increasingly complex instructions

Skill Descriptor: Begin to use appropriate communication conventions.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Begin to use language specific to topic
• Begin to use language specific to audience
• Begin to use language specific to situation

Skill Descriptor: Respond personally to presentations, oral stories, and a variety of multimodal text.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Respond to presentations and oral stories with questions, wonderings, or reflections
• Respond to multimodal text with questions, opinions, or reflections

Skill Descriptor: Begin to use social conventions when interacting.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Begin to use conversational courtesies
• Use turn-taking when interacting with others
• Demonstrate consideration for the thoughts and feelings of others
• Use words in place of actions to seek a response (conflict resolution, negotiation, material requests, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Receive and critically reflect on the ideas and opinions of others.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Receive and demonstrate consideration for the personal beliefs of others
• Receive and demonstrate consideration for questions and comments of others
• Discuss the reasons for differing opinions or beliefs
• Reflect on differing opinions before responding
• Reflect on readers’/listeners’/viewers’ questions and comments
• Reflect on feedback and responses from those assessing their work to extend learning

Skill Descriptor: Apply letter-sound knowledge and decoding strategies when reading unfamiliar connected text.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Use morphology-based strategies to decode novel and/or complex words (e.g., multisyllabic words, less-common words, Tier Three vocabulary, etc.)
• Use morphology-based strategies to decode a variety of affixes and root words (non-, pre-, bi-, tri-, under-, mega-, over-, quad-, oct-, -ion, -ation, -ness,- ment, -hood, -less, -sion, -tion, -ness, -er/or, etc.)
• Analyze affixes and root/base words to aid meaning (non-stick, pre-school, bi-annual, tri-cycle, under-coat, mega-byte, over-react, quad-rilateral, oct-agon, frac-tion, apart-ment, neighbour-hood, fruit-less, firm-ness, report-er/investigat-or, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Read with accuracy and expression.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Read affixes effortlessly and with voice variation (non-stick, pre-school, bi-annual, tri-cycle, under-coat, mega-byte, over-react, quad-rilateral, oct-agon, frac-tion, apart-ment, neighbour-hood, fruit-less, firm-ness, report-er/investigat-or, etc.)
• Respond to internal and end punctuation when reading texts of increasing complexity aloud with appropriate expression and pausing
• Automatically read a variety of increasingly complex words, including high-frequency words varying in spelling regularity
• Read familiar and unfamiliar passages fluently with appropriate phrasing and expression to convey a sense of text and enhance meaning to audience
• Read simple, compound, and complex sentences with accuracy and expression, at an appropriate pace and without hesitation

Skill Descriptor: Use a range of vocabulary when communicating.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Define, organize, and expand word themes, categories, and subcategories.
• Use Tier Two (all-purpose) words and Tier Three (curriculum/content specific) words that have been learned from reading in expressive language (spoken words, signs, symbols, and/or print)
• Explain word choice and relationships between words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, super-/sub-ordinates, etc.)
• Use figurative language and new vocabulary to enhance and enrich meaning
• Use some word-learning strategies to understand the meaning of a new word

Skill Descriptor: Construct meaning from printed text when reading independently.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Respond accurately to most literal and inferential questions by citing details or big ideas
• Make predictions and inferences, citing prior understandings and reasonings
• Create alternate story ending to satisfy a specific outcome (How might the character want the story to end?)
• Summarize key elements, citing events and story elements (characters, setting, plot, etc.) in sequence
• Research prior understandings to build background knowledge and enhance meaning when reading
• Self-monitor for understanding by re-reading, reading around unknown words, or slowing down

Skill Descriptor: Describe reading comprehension processes.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Describe reading comprehension processes, including:
  • linking to prior knowledge
  • meta-cognition
  • re-reading
  • reading around unknown words
  • morphology clues
  • context clues

Skill Descriptor: Connect and respond personally and critically to text.

Global Competencies: CL, CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Explain connections between text and text, text and world, and text and self, citing prior knowledge and understandings
• Respond critically to a variety of text features and forms with questions, opinions, or reflections
• Use background knowledge to analyze information presented in print and visual texts
• Identify instances where language is being used for a specific purpose (for emphasis, to entertain, persuade, manipulate, or control)
• Identify examples of prejudice or stereotyping

Skill Descriptor: Select and engage with a variety of text forms for specific uses.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Select from a variety of text forms, for interest or learning needs (narrative text, information text, braille, audio book, graphic text, non-fiction text, etc.)
• Read or view a variety of text forms for interest or learning needs in first or additional languages
• Express preferences and opinions about text and text features to others
• Ask to view texts and be read to
• Seek text to connect to current learning, enhance understanding, or build upon prior knowledge
• Refer to various text forms for knowledge, entertainment, interest, and information
• Interact with storytellers and people in the community (Elders, family members, librarians, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Identify characteristics, forms, features, and types of text.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Identify text characteristics and key story elements (characters, settings, plot, problem resolution, theme/lesson, etc.)
• Identify various text forms (narrative, report, instructions, explanation, autobiography, etc.) and their general purpose
• Use text features to gain additional information from the text (table of contents, headings and subheadings, glossaries, key ideas, margin notes, captions, fonts, diagrams, maps, etc.)
• Locate topics, and obtain and clarify information
• Describe elements of an author’s/creator’s style or technique, citing examples from the text

Skill Descriptor: Apply appropriate spelling conventions when creating written works.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Use strategies for using and editing conventional spelling
• Use meaning and syntax patterns as well as sound cues to monitor clarity
• Use uncommon prefixes (fore-, pro-, intra-, inter-, trans-, non-, over-sub-, super-, semi-, anti-, mid-, ex-, post-, etc.)
• Use a variety of derivational suffixes (-y, -ly, -ful, – ment, -hood, -less, -ness, -er, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Compose sentences and short paragraphs.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Use subjects, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and accurate pronouns
• Use upper- and lower-case letters accurately in names, days of the week, months, familiar place names, first words in sentences, the pronoun ‘I’, and (in some cases) holidays and titles
• Use contracted forms (am, is, has, not, have, would, will)
• Use simple paragraphing
• Use a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, complex) that vary in length
• Use correct end punctuation consistently
• Use commas and apostrophes correctly
• Use quotation marks in direct speech
• Use regular verb tenses consistently (e.g., guess>guessed; score>scored)
• List pronouns in the correct order (e.g., Jo and I are going to the store; Pass it to Joe and me)
• Use subject-verb agreement (e.g., The goose flies south > The geese fly south)

Skill Descriptor: Organize ideas and create written and media texts collaboratively and independently.

Global Competencies: CL, CM, CTPS, ICE

Achievement Indicators:

• Generate ideas for writing and representing
• Decide upon a topic and a purpose and select an appropriate form
• Organize ideas using a framework (web, drawing, graphic organizer, etc.)
• Create drafts, using strategies such as:
  • note-taking, rewriting, summarizing, imaginative language, etc.
  • various written or represented forms based on personal interest and choice
  • rewriting and summarizing the information
  • illustrations, charts, and diagrams to enhance writing where appropriate
  • imaginative writing and intentional language (interesting language, technical language, creative language, etc.)
  • identifying the audience (who?) and purpose (why?) for writing and representing
• Use:
  • capitals for proper names, titles, places, days, months, holidays, and beginning of sentences
  • periods at the ends of sentences and for abbreviations, commas in a series and in dates
  • apostrophes for possessives and contractions
  • question marks, exclamation marks, and quotation marks
  • full sentences (in cursive or in print, or using augmentative technology)
• Present ideas in a logical order
• Use language that demonstrates an ability to transition between ideas clearly
• Use technology to draft, revise, edit, illustrate, add graphic elements, and publish
• Re-read and revise written works for clarity, word order, and spelling based on personal observations and teacher or peer feedback
• Use reference materials (dictionary, thesaurus, anchor charts, etc.) and revision techniques to ensure writing makes sense and is clear for the audience

Skill Descriptor: Select information from multiple sources to support ideas and construct meaning.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Use information from one or two sources to support ideas
• Gather information to answer a question or solve a problem
• Use information to persuade audience or form an argument

Skill Descriptor: Express and discuss thoughts, feelings, experiences, ideas, and opinions, and consider those of their peers.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Describe their thoughts and emotions, personal experiences, and the experiences of others with details
• Use adjectives, adverbs, Tier Two (all-purpose) words, and Tier Three (curriculum/content specific) words
• Use descriptive language to express personal ideas and wonderings
• Use complete sentences and/or full thoughts to make a point
• Explain opinions, providing supportive information or reasons
• Identify similarities and differences between personal thoughts and beliefs and the personal thoughts and beliefs of others

Skill Descriptor: Select and present content to communicate facts, ideas, and opinions to peers and teachers.

Global Competencies: CL, CM, ICE

Achievement Indicators:

Use descriptive language to share facts and ideas or to persuade about a specific topic or theme

Skill Descriptor: Use language of harmony and respect.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Describe helpful, respectful, and equitable language
• Use language that is not hurtful or offensive
• Identify differences between kind and hurtful language
• Use inclusive language that respects gender identity
• Use language that demonstrates cultural sensitivity and respect

Skill Descriptor: Ask and respond to questions to clarify information, explore possibilities, and identify solutions to a problem.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, ICE

Achievement Indicators:

• Use questions in interview format
• Ask for more information to help understand the question or problem
• Demonstrate consideration of all factors contributing to the problem
• Respond with solutions or suggestions and relevant information from text or other sources
• Respond with possible next steps or actions
• Reflect on questions and generate responses to their own questions and the questions of others.

Skill Descriptor: Give and follow directions and instructions.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Give multi-step and increasingly complex instructions
• Follow multi-step and increasingly complex instructions

Skill Descriptor: Begin to use appropriate communication conventions.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Begin to use language specific to topic
• Begin to use language specific to audience
• Begin to use language specific to situation

Skill Descriptor: Respond personally to presentations, oral stories, and a variety of multimodal text

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Respond to presentations and oral stories with questions, wonderings, or reflections
• Respond to multimodal text with questions, opinions, or reflections

Skill Descriptor: Begin to use social conventions when interacting.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Begin to use conversational courtesies
• Use turn-taking when interacting with others
• Demonstrate consideration for the thoughts and feelings of others
• Use words in place of actions to seek a response (conflict resolution, negotiation, material requests, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Receive and critically reflect on the ideas and opinions of others.

Global Competencies: SASM, CL, CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Receive and demonstrate consideration for the personal beliefs of others, questions, and comments of others
• Discuss the reasons for differing opinions or beliefs
• Reflect on differing opinions before responding
• Reflect on readers’/listeners’/viewers’ questions and comments
• Reflect on feedback and responses from those assessing their work to extend learning

Skill Descriptor: Apply letter-sound knowledge and decoding strategies when reading unfamiliar connected text.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Use morphology-based strategies to decode novel and/or complex words (e.g., multisyllabic words, Tier Three vocabulary, less-common and increasingly complex words, etc.)
• Use morphology-based strategies to decode a variety of affixes and root words (semi-, super-, multi, poly-, tele-, mis-, inter-, mid-, sub-, deca/deci-, kilo-, milli/mille-, centi-, -abla/ible, -ian/an, -ship, -ist, -logy/ology, -ism, -ence/ance, -ess, etc.)
• Analyze affixes and root/base words to aid meaning (semi-transparent, super-sonic, multi-culturalism, poly-gon, tele-phone, mis-interpret, inter-play, mid-point, sub-tract, deca-hedron/deci-metre, kilo-gram, milli/mille-litre, centi-metre, vi-able/vis-ible, Mart-ian/Spart-an, friend-ship, arbor-ist, Anthropo-logy, skeptic-ism, depend-ence/remembr-ance, lion-ess, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Read with accuracy and expression.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Read affixes effortlessly and with voice variation (semi-transparent, super-sonic, multi-culturalism, poly-gon, tele-phone, mis-interpret, inter-play, mid-point, sub-tract, deca/deci-metre, kilo-gram, milli/mille-litre, centi-metre, vi-able/vis-ible, Mart-ian/Spart-an, friend-ship, arbor-ist, Anthropo-logy, skeptic-ism, depend-ence/remembr-ance, lion-ess, etc.)
• Respond to internal and end punctuation when reading texts with increasing complexity aloud with appropriate expression and pausing
• Automatically read a variety of increasingly complex words from increasingly complex text, including high-frequency words varying in spelling regularity
• Read increasingly complex familiar and unfamiliar passages fluently with appropriate phrasing and expression to enhance meaning, considering audience
• Read a variety of complex sentence structures with accuracy and expression, at an appropriate pace and without hesitation

Skill Descriptor: Use a range of vocabulary when communicating.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Define, expand on, and investigate themes, categories, and subcategories
• Research and use new and increasingly complex Tier Two (all-purpose) and Tier Three (curriculum/content specific) words that have been learned from reading in a variety of ways
• Explain word choice and relationships (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, super-/sub-ordinates, etc.)
• Use figurative language and new vocabulary, to explain or persuade and to enhance meaning
• Use a combination of word-learning strategies to understand the meaning of a new word

Skill Descriptor: Construct meaning from printed text when reading independently.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Respond accurately to literal and inferential questions by selecting relevant details after skimming a large amount of text
• Make multiple plausible predictions and inferences, citing prior knowledge and contextual reasoning
• Create alternate plotlines, characters, and endings to satisfy a specific outcome (How might the story been written differently to have a suspenseful ending?)
• Summarize key elements, citing events and story elements (introduction, conclusion, overall theme, main idea, characters, setting, plot, etc.) in sequence
• Research prior understandings to build background knowledge, enhance meaning, and analyze new information
• Self-monitor for understanding by re-reading, reading around unknown words, or slowing down

Skill Descriptor: Describe reading comprehension processes.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Describe reading comprehension processes, including:
  • linking to prior knowledge
  • re-reading
  • reading around unknown words
  • morphology clues
  • context clues
  • slowing down
  • researching unfamiliar vocabulary and themes

Skill Descriptor: Connect and respond personally and critically to a range of texts across genres, topics, and subjects.

Global Competencies: CL, CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Explain how texts connect to personal perspectives and experiences, citing prior knowledge and understandings
• Respond critically to a variety of text features and forms with questions, opinions, or reflections to formulate and deepen understandings
• Use background knowledge to analyze information presented in print and visual texts, using details from the text to differentiate between fact and opinion
• Identify instances where language is being used for a specific purpose and audience (for emphasis, to entertain, persuade, manipulate, or control)
• Explain how all texts represent a purpose or point of view and suggest an alternate point of view
• Identify examples of prejudice or stereotyping, citing reasons

Skill Descriptor: Select and engage with a variety of text forms for specific uses.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Select from a variety of text forms, for interest or learning needs (narrative text, information text, braille, audio book, graphic text, non-fiction text, etc.)
• Read or view a variety of text forms for interest or learning needs in first or additional languages
• Express preferences and opinions about text and text features to others
• Ask to view texts and be read to
• Seek text to connect to current learning, enhance understanding, or build background knowledge or prior understandings
• Refer to various text forms for knowledge, entertainment, interest, and information
• Interact with storytellers and people in the community (Elders, family members, librarians, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Identify characteristics, forms, features, and types of text.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS

Achievement Indicators:

• Identify text characteristics and key story elements (characters, settings, plot, problem resolution, theme/lesson, etc.), citing relevant details
• Identify and distinguish between main idea and supporting details
• Discuss how events in narrative text are related to a problem or overall theme
• Identify various text forms (narrative, report, instructions, explanation, autobiography, etc.) and their general purpose
• Use text features to gain additional information from the text (table of contents, headings and subheadings, glossaries, key ideas, margin notes, captions, fonts, diagrams, maps, etc.)
• Explain text features and their purpose
• Locate topics, and obtain and clarify information
• Describe elements of an author’s/creator’s style or technique, citing examples from the text

Skill Descriptor: Apply appropriate spelling conventions when creating written works.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Use strategies for using and editing conventional spelling
• Use meaning and syntax patterns as well as sound cues to monitor clarity
• Use uncommon prefixes (fore-, pro-, intra-, inter-, trans-, non-, over-sub-, super-, semi-, anti-, mid-, ex-, post-, etc.)
• Use a variety of derivational suffixes (-y, -ly- ful,- ment, -hood, -less, -ness, -er, etc.)

Skill Descriptor: Compose sentences and paragraphs.

Global Competencies: CM

Achievement Indicators:

• Use subjects, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and accurate pronouns
• Use upper-and lower-case letters accurately (in names, days of the week, months, familiar place names, first words in sentences, the pronoun ‘I’, and in some cases holidays and titles)
• Use contracted forms (am, is, has, not, have, would, will)
• Use simple paragraphing
• Use a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, complex) that vary in length
• Use correct end punctuation consistently
• Use commas and apostrophes correctly
• Use quotation marks in direct speech
• Use regular and irregular verb tenses consistently (e.g., guess>guessed; break>broke)
• List pronouns in the correct order (e.g., Jo and I are going to the store; Pass it to Joe and me)
• Use subject-verb agreement (e.g., The goose flies south > The geese fly south)

Skill Descriptor: Organize ideas and create written and media texts collaboratively and independently.

Global Competencies: CL, CM, CTPS, ICE

Achievement Indicators:

• Generate ideas for writing and representing
• Select a topic, purpose, and form to develop (via discussion, personal interest, books, media, etc.)
• Organize ideas using a framework (web, drawing, graphic organizer, research, jot notes, sample)
• Create drafts, using strategies such as:
  • note-taking, rewriting, summarizing, imaginative language, etc.
  • various written or represented forms based on personal interest and choice
  • rewriting and summarizing the information
  • illustrations, charts, and diagrams to enhance writing where appropriate
  • imaginative writing and intentional language (precise and interesting language, technical language, creative or figurative language, etc.)
  • identifying the audience (who?) and purpose (why?) for writing and representing
• Use:
  • capitals for proper names, titles, places, days, months, holidays, and beginning of sentences
  • periods at the ends of sentences and for abbreviations, commas in a series and in dates
  • apostrophes for possessives and contractions
  • question marks, exclamation marks, and quotation marks
  • full sentences and paragraphs (in cursive or in print, or using augmentative technology)
• Present ideas in a logical order
• Use technology to draft, revise, edit, illustrate, add graphic elements, and publish
• Re-read and revise written works for clarity, word order, and spelling based on personal observations and teacher or peer feedback
• Use reference materials (dictionary, thesaurus, anchor charts, etc.) and revision techniques to ensure writing makes sense and is clear for the audience

Skill Descriptor: Select and organize information from multiple sources to support ideas and construct meaning.

Global Competencies: CM, CTPS, SGC

Achievement Indicators:

• Gather information from a range of reference texts/databases/electronic searches
• Identify relevant source content
• Use information from multiple sources in an appropriate sequence to support ideas
• Use information to persuade audience or form an argument
• Identify personal and community needs for information