La Habra High School
English Department

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Language Arts Standards - English 4

READING

• identify and use literal and figurative meanings.
• understand word derivation.
• infer meaning from context clues.
• distinguish between denotative and connotative meanings.
• interpret the connotative significance
• analyze literary works.
• employ critical thinking skills.
• utilize reference resources.
• discuss textual patterns, motifs, and perspectives.
• use textual elements to defend and clarify interpretations.
• determine tone and point of view.
• critique the logic of arguments.
• identify literary genres.
• understand major elements of literary genres.
• identify theme and meaning.
• analyze the theme of a selection using textual evidence.
• compare and contrast thematic works.
• evaluate the elements and effects of style.
• identify and interpret poetic devices in literature.
• analyze literary patterns.
• contrast the literary forms, techniques and characteristics of major literary periods.
• relate literary works and authors to themes and issues of their eras.
• evaluate influences that shaped characters, plots, themes, and settings.
• recognize philosophical arguments in literature.
• analyze authors' positions.
• explore authors' background.
• explore causal relationship between authors, their work, and their time.

WRITTEN & ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

• produce mechanically and grammatically correct work.
• understand the editing process.

LISTENING & SPEAKING

• recognize and use effective communication.
• use appropriate and effective language patterns.
• incorporate higher-level critical thinking skills.
• evaluate formal oral communication and arguments.
• judge validity of arguments.
• understand the effect of connotation on argument.
• identify tone of the speaker or source.
• deliver reflective oral presentations.
• present a main idea or theme through exposition, narration, description or argumentation.
• review historical context of the research topics.
• use primary and secondary sources.
• consider and evaluate alternative perspectives.
• formulate and effectively present oral responses to literature.
• deliver presentations that incorporate the skillful use of multimedia.
• present effective oral presentations from literature.
• demonstrate comprehension and effect of the passage.

WRITING

• identify purpose, speaker, audience, and form.
• demonstrate understanding of rhetorical and aesthetic devices.
• write texts that may include interpretive, reflective, narrative, expository, persuasive, informational, and descriptive writing.
• validate perspectives in writing.
• employ rhetorical devices.
• experiment with language to establish tone.
• use technology to access information.
• synthesize research.
• develop strategies for finding, organizing, and recording information.
• write, revise, and edit work.
• utilize peer and self evaluation.
• write fictional, autobiographical, and/or biographical narratives.
• create a sequence using narrative strategies.
• demonstrate understanding of literature by analyzing characters, imagery, universal themes and motifs, and stylistic devices.
• use textual references to support interpretive claims.
• produce reflective writing balancing personal experience and abstract ideas.
• create presentations using multimedia.
• conduct research.
• create written documents.
• cite research references.