MICHIGAN
TEST OBJECTIVES
FIELD 602: ENGLISH

Language, Speaking, and Listening
Writing
Reading
Literature

LANGUAGE, SPEAKING, AND LISTENING

Understand that English is a dynamic language shaped by cultural, social, and historical influences.

Includes analyzing the significance of historical events that have influenced the development of the English language (e.g., the Norman Conquest, the interactions between native peoples and immigrants during the colonization of North America); relating English derivatives, borrowings, and slang terms to their origins in other languages and dialects; and analyzing regional and social variations in language in the United States.

Understand fundamental concepts relating to the structure, acquisition, and use of language.

Includes distinguishing structural features of languages (e.g., phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic) and applying principles of language acquisition and use (e.g., language development in children, second language and dialect acquisition).

Understand how language use reflects culture and affects meaning in all modes of communication.

Includes analyzing how diction, dialect, and patterns of expression transmit culture and affect meaning in all modes of communication; understanding the relationship between language and concepts related to customs and daily life in various cultures; and understanding the sociopolitical uses of language.

Understand listening and speaking strategies used in formal and informal communications.

Includes analyzing elements of effective listening and speaking in conversation (e.g., using appropriate language, providing verbal and nonverbal responses to the speaker) and analyzing techniques of effective listening and speaking in small and large groups (e.g., paraphrasing to clarify, interpreting nonverbal cues to monitor reactions, applying discussion techniques).

Understand listening and speaking strategies used for effective communication.

Includes evaluating strategies of organization, selection of details, and delivery in relation to audience and purpose; analyzing factors affecting a listener’s ability to understand spoken language in different contexts; recognizing the role of body language, gestures, and visual aids in communicating a point of view; and recognizing the effects of voice and intonation patterns in oral presentations and interpretations.

WRITING

Understand a variety of strategies for generating ideas for writing.

Includes demonstrating knowledge of the purposes and uses of prewriting strategies such as brainstorming, clustering, researching, discussing, questioning, reading, listing, viewing, and drawing.

Understand appropriate writing strategies for particular audiences and purposes.

Includes selecting and organizing resources and information to support ideas and arguments; demonstrating knowledge of techniques for planning, outlining, composing, and drafting both individually and collaboratively; recognizing aspects of the writer’s craft used to convey meaning effectively (e.g., persuasive techniques, dialogue, metaphors, points of view, logic); and applying effective word choices to create an appropriate style.

Understand the connection between writing and learning across the curriculum.

Includes examining the uses of a variety of written forms (e.g., journals, learning logs, dialogues, diaries, letters) to make connections across the curriculum, record progress and reflect on completed tasks, assist in generating authentic questions for inquiry, encourage reflection on content and the process of learning, and explore ideas and solve problems in all content areas.

Understand strategies and characteristics of writing for personal and artistic expression.

Includes distinguishing an authentic voice in written text; demonstrating awareness of the aesthetic dimension of language (e.g., imagery, figurative language, rhythm, sentence variety); judging effectiveness of alternative leads and endings; identifying details appropriate for specific purposes (e.g., mood, setting, suspense, characterization); distinguishing passages that show rather than tell; and understanding uses of forms of expressive and creative writing (e.g., personal essay, short story, poem, dramatic monologue).

Understand processes and purposes of revising and editing written texts.

Includes demonstrating an awareness of the recursive nature of revision; understanding revision to address the writer’s purpose and audience (e.g., refocusing, clarifying, improving word choice); recognizing resources for revision (e.g., conferences with peers or teachers, use of reference materials and computers); and applying the principles of copyediting and proofreading.

READING

Understand strategies for eliciting and using readers’ responses to text.

Includes strategies such as using reading journals to record and share personal responses to text, identifying methods used in relating texts to personal experiences, and comparing multiple interpretations of a text.

Apply knowledge of authors’ use of language to interpret prose.

Includes interpreting literary devices and figurative language; analyzing authors’ use of language to inform, persuade, and entertain; and applying knowledge of word structure and context to determine meaning.

Understand and apply reading strategies for the acquisition, interpretation, and application of information.

Includes interpreting visual representations; distinguishing between general statements and specific details; and, from a given passage, drawing conclusions, interpreting information, and providing a summary.

Understand and apply techniques of critical analysis and evaluation.

Includes distinguishing between fact and opinion in a passage; judging the relevance, importance, or sufficiency of facts or examples in a writer’s argument; assessing the credibility or objectivity of a source of information; and determining how the author’s point of view, tone, and style affect the reader’s evaluation of the material.

Understand the use of metacognitive techniques in reading comprehension.

Includes analyzing the purposes of reading techniques and strategies (e.g., skimming, varying reading rate) and using techniques for improving reading comprehension (e.g., recalling prior knowledge related to a topic, generating questions).

LITERATURE

Understand various aspects of North American literature, including the literary contributions of native peoples, women, ethnic minorities, and regional writers.

Includes analyzing the significance of writers, works, and movements to the development of North American literature; analyzing changes in literary form and style in U.S. literature from the colonial period to the contemporary period; analyzing the literary responses of North American writers to social conditions, patterns of inclusion and exclusion, historical events, and cultural movements, as exemplified in given passages; and demonstrating a familiarity with children’s and adolescents’ literature.

Understand the ways in which literature reflects the diversity of a global society.

Includes analyzing the contributions of male and female authors, authors from diverse racial and ethnic groups, and authors from many countries and cultures; and recognizing forms, writers, works, and characteristics of modern and contemporary world literature, including children’s and adolescents’ literature.

Understand the variety of purposes for studying literature.

Includes helping readers understand a variety of cultures; understanding the experience of others from a historical perspective; enriching language use; developing self-expression and understanding; deriving enjoyment; and recognizing the benefits of fostering lifelong reading habits.

Understand a variety of approaches to experiencing literature, including visual and audio media.

Includes understanding the characteristics and applications of a variety of approaches to reading literature (e.g., historical, thematic, sociopolitical, archetypal) in a variety of contexts; understanding the uses of readers’ theatre, dramatic readings, visual interpretation, and cross-curricular integration; and recognizing the literary characteristics and applications of print, audio, and visual media.

Identify the forms and purposes of personal writing and letters.

Includes the parts of friendly and social letters; and elements of business letters and letters of complaint.

Identify the forms and purposes of informative and persuasive writing.

Includes techniques for writing research papers; and types of and techniques used in persuasive writing, including editorials and advertising.

Identify the forms and purposes of creative, descriptive, and narrative writing.

Includes processes involved in creative and descriptive writing; and techniques and forms of narrative writing, including written dialogue.

Apply organizational techniques in writing.

Includes use of transitional words, phrases, sentences, supporting details, examples, and general and specific statements to organize writing.

Understand the forms, purposes, and techniques of journalism.

Includes types and characteristics of journalistic publications; writing techniques and styles used in journalism; significant elements of a news story; and organization of factual information into a news story format.

READING

Use word analysis skills.

Includes prefixes, suffixes, roots, and word families; and use of etymology to determine word meanings.

Apply vocabulary skills (e.g., synonyms and context clues) to improve comprehension.

Includes the recognition of synonyms and antonyms; the use of context clues to determine word meaning and the meaning of multiple-meaning words; and the use of syntactic clues to determine the meaning or part of speech of words in sentences.

Use literal comprehension skills in reading.

Includes identifying the stated main idea, details, and factual information; recognizing the sequence of events; summarizing written passages; and distinguishing among levels of generality.

OBJS6O2.WRD/020492