Texas
Adult Education Standards and Benchmarks
for ABE ASE and ESL Learners
Implementation Guide
Version 1.1
June 2008
Section 5: Glossary (cont'd)
Jargon
The technical language of a special field.
It is an instructional technique, created by Ogle (1986.). Using this technique, teachers activate students' prior knowledge by asking them what they already Know; then students (collaborating as a classroom unit or within small groups) set goals specifying what they Want to learn; and after reading students discuss what they have Learned. For more information: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/lr2kwl.htm
Language Functions
The different ways the language can be used such as greeting, describing, giving directions, expressing emotions, clarifying, checking, making excuses.
Logogram (n), Logographic (adj.)
A single written symbol that represents an entire word, phrase or concept without indicating its pronunciation; "7 is a logogram that is pronounced `seven' in English and `nanatsu' in Japanese." A logographic cue is a simple symbol or picture that acts as a visual reminder of an important literacy element in a text – that literacy element may be as simple as a word (e.g. the visual symbol of the “Golden Arches” says McDonalds.)
Main Ideas
The central topics or point.
Manageability
Manageability of standards considers both the quantity and the presentation of the standards. The number of standards must reflect what is feasible to teach and learn within the time constraints of the adult education system. Content standards need to be organized in a user-friendly format for all stakeholders.
Measurability
Content standards have to be sufficiently detailed to provide clear expectations of what learners know and are able to do at different levels. They specify results that can be measured and communicated to stakeholders.
Mechanics
Punctuation, capitalization and other rules of writing, spelling, vocabulary use.
Modals
Auxiliaries that describe mood or ability (can, could, may, might, should, will, would, must, ought). Modal verbs are used to express ideas such as possibility, intention, obligation and necessity.
Monitor
To watch, check, guide, observe and assist.
A brief recitation of details of a story or a series of events in either written or oral format.
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
The National Council of Teachers of English is a professional organization for teachers of English and English language arts. NCTE and IRA developed a set of national reading standards called Standards for the English Language Arts. See http://www.ncte.org.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is a professional organization for teachers of mathematics. NCTM has developed a set of national mathematics standards called Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, which provides guidelines for excellence in mathematics education. See http://www.nctm.org.
National Reporting System (NRS)
The National Reporting System is an outcomes-based accountability system for state-administered, federally funded adult education programs. The NRS was designed to meet accountability requirements for adult education programs required by Title II of the Workforce Investment Act. See http://www.nrsweb.org.
Negative Verb Forms
Forms that say "no." (I don't eat tacos. He didn't eat pizza.)
Notate (v)
To mark with spots or lines, which are often colored.
Noun
A person, place, thing, idea or concept.
- count – nouns that can be counted (dog, dogs) and take many
- mass – nouns that can’t be counted. They use a singular verb or take much (The air is humid. The water is cold. This tea has too much sugar.)
- collective – nouns that name a group of people or things as one unit. They can be singular or plural. (family/families, band/bands, team, public) (The team is on its way to victory. This family has four members. The families of the team members are at the airport).
Numerals
Numbers.
Outcomes
Outcomes are measures of achievement that result from participation in adult education. Within adult education, the NRS outcomes include measures of (1) educational gain in literacy skills; (2)entry into employment, postsecondary education, and training; and (3) high school completion. Adult education programs often track secondary outcomes such as participating in children’s education, voting, and obtaining a driver’s license.
Paraphrase
To state the same idea in a different way or with different words; to reword.
Participatory or Learner-Centered Approach
A participatory approach focuses on the expressed needs and interests of learners. Participatory approaches build on learners’ prior knowledge and often use problem-posing techniques to construct meaning generated from texts and situations that adults encounter in life.
A classification of words according to how they are used in a sentence and the types of ideas they convey. Traditionally, the parts of speech are the noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction and interjection.
Passage
A brief portion or section of a reading.
Passive Voice
The form used when the action is more important than who did it or it is understood who did it (John built the house in 1955. [active] vs. This house was built in 1955. [passive] Mary can solve the problem vs. The problem can be solved.) Formed by using some form of the verb “to be” and the past participle of the main verb.
Peer Review
An evaluation of a person's work or performance by a group of people in the same occupation, profession, or industry.
Performance-based Assessment
Performance-based assessments are real-life or simulated tasks that require learners to apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate achievement of the indicators or content standards. Performance-based assessments can be in the form of projects, presentations, tests, or writing tasks.
Performance Descriptions
Performance descriptions state what students should know and the ways they can demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
Performance Standards
Performance standards describe how well or to what extent learners meet the content standards.
Phoneme
The smallest unit of sound within a word that distinguishes one word from another; ex. fat vs. bat [f] and [b] are phonemes.
Phonemic Awareness
The ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds in speech.
Phonetically Decode
Use information about the sound/symbol correspondence to understand and pronounce a new word while reading.
Phonics
The study of the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent.
Phonological Cues
Pronunciation patterns as well as stress and intonation patterns for words and sentences.
Phrasal Verb
A verb consisting of content verb plus a preposition.
- two part – get up, look out, drop off
- three part – catch up with, brush up on, come down with
A list of words matched to appropriate pictures. In commercially prepared materials (Oxford Picture Dictionary, Heinle Picture Dictionary) words/pictures are usually grouped thematically.
Pitch
The highness or lowness of a sound.
Plot
The main story line.
Portfolio
A portfolio is a purposeful collection of a learner’s work to demonstrate acquisition and application of knowledge and skills. Portfolios are used to document and assess performance, achievement, or progress. They often include learners’ self-assessments.
Possessive
A word that indicates ownership.
- adjective – my, your, his, her, their
- pronoun – mine, yours, his, hers, theirs
- ‘s – John’s, the cat’s
Prefix
An affix that is added to the beginning of a word to alter meaning (unhappy).
Prepositions
Connecting word; a word that shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun to some other word in the sentence.
- time – in, on, at I’ll see you at 3:00 on the first Sunday in May.
- place – in, on, at, between, under, over, etc. The book is on the table, between the lamps.
Pre-reading Activities
Activities that help the student to comprehend the reading material by explaining the vocabulary, discussing the major point or ideas, going over grammar points, author's point of view, etc.
Pre-teach
Teacher teaches the vocabulary, grammar point or subject matter before actual activity takes place.
Program Standards
Program standards describe the design, operation, and management of programs and services rather than individuals’ skills and performances. Program standards address a full range of issues related to educational program design and delivery, including administration, staffing, assessment, curriculum, instruction, professional development, support services, intake, and orientation.
Progress Monitoring
Progress monitoring is the ongoing review and assessment of a learner’s knowledge and skills. Continual classroom monitoring allows instructors to identify strategies and materials that will help learners gain the knowledge and skills to meet the content standards and to meet their goals.
To assist the student in starting to speak or write, or correcting their speech by indicating errors and/or by making suggestions.
Pronouns
Word used to take the place of a noun.
- subject- I, you, he, she, it, we, they
- object- me, you, him, her, it, us, them
- possessive- mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs
- demonstrative- this, that, these, those
- indefinite- all, any, both, each, either, everyone, many, none, several
- reflexive- myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves
The contraction of a word or words usually separated by an apostrophe (e.g. can’t for cannot) and the omission or slurring of one or more sounds in relaxed or informal speech (e.g gonna for going to).
A subset of language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting. For instance, a speaker may use standard grammar and pronunciation in formal setting, but the same person could violate all of these prescriptions in an informal setting.
Reliability
Reliability refers to the degree to which the results of an assessment are consistent when conducted over time and by different people, or across different tasks that measure the same thing.
Reported Speech
Used to report what someone has said. (She said that she watched TV every night.)
The ability to repeat spoken language intelligibly.
ReQuest
It is a strategy that people use to inquire while they are reading and focus their reading on a deeper comprehension of the text. For more information: http://english.byu.edu/Novelinks/reading%20strategies/TheThreeMusketeers/Request_Strategy.pdf [PDF Document Adobe® Acrobat® Reader] .
Rhythm
The perceived regularity of prominent syllables during speech.
Rigor
Rigorous standards contain the essential concepts, knowledge, and skills that can be applied in a variety of contexts. They reflect high-level skills that will allow learners to meet the demands of the 21st century and set high expectations for all learners at appropriate levels.
Role Play
Situation activity where each student is given a role to play, can be general role (student, salesperson, reporter, . . . .) or specific (Michael Jackson, John Wayne, Madonna, . . . .).
Roots
The base form of a word (mean, meaning, meaningful, meaningfulness).
Rubric
Rubrics are tools that define or describe the criteria for assessing learners’ competence on assigned tasks and performances. Rubrics often contain short, narrative descriptions at various levels on a continuum (e.g., emergent, developing, proficient, advanced) and can be used to assess student work as a whole or to assess components of student work. Rubrics can be shared with learners so they understand the criteria necessary for improving their performance. Rubrics are often used to assess written work, oral presentations, project-based products, etc.
Salutations
A polite expression of greeting or goodwill; a word or phrase used to begin a letter or message.
A reading technique used to search for particular key words or ideas in a text.. Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. Scanning is also used when you first find a resource to determine whether it will answer your questions. Once you've scanned the document, you might go back and skim it.
SCANS (Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills)
The Secretary’s Commission was formed by the U.S. Secretary of Labor to define the skills all high school graduates should have for employment. SCANS identified competencies in five key areas (Resources, Interpersonal, Information Management, Systems, and Technology) and the foundation of skills that lie at the heart of job performance (Basic Skills, Thinking Skills, and Personal Qualities). See http://www.bused.org/scans.html.
Setting
The place where a story takes place, background, scenery.
Two to five paragraphs found in newspapers or magazines.
Words that are most frequently seen in text. They are immediately recognizable as whole words and do not require word analysis for recognition.
A group of sentences that usually address a single topic.
Simplify
To make less complicated; to use easier, more familiar or shorter words.
To move quickly through a reading selection for the purpose of extracting the gist of its meaning.
Small Talk
Everyday conversations of minor importance, such as asking about health, work, school, family, the weather, sports.
Sound Out
To use phonics to decode a word.
Specificity
For any set of standards to guide instruction and the development of curricula and assessments, the standards must be specific enough to assure a common understanding of the expectations at each level. Standards should provide sufficient contextual detail and a strong sense of what learners and teachers are expected to do.
SQ4R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review, Reflect. It is a reading strategy which provides a systematic way of comprehending and studying text (Richardson & Morgan, 1997). For more information: http://www.wvup.edu/Academics/learning_center/sq4r_reading_method.htm.
Stakeholders
Stakeholders are the people (or groups of people) with a vested interest in a program or project. Adult education stakeholders include learners, teachers, administrators, school staff, advocacy organizations, community members, higher education institutions, and employers who have a significant interest in public education. Broad stakeholder input is essential for the successful development and implementation of content standards.
Standards
Standards comprise both the content standards and performance standards. The definitions for content standards and performance standards are included in this glossary.
Standards-based Education (SBE)
Standards-based education is a reform effort that defines what is important for learners to know and be able to do (content standards) and aligns assessment, curriculum, instruction, and professional development. SBE provides a systemic model for educational improvement.
Standardized Tests
Standardized tests are formal methods of assessing student performance that use the same content, task-scoring procedures, and reporting procedures for all learners. Standardized tests have empirically determined, quantifiable measures of reliability and studies of their validity. Such tests are popular accountability methods because they allow for comparison across states and programs.
Story webs and concept maps are visual ways to structure ideas. They are diagrams showing the relationships between concepts. Story webs and concept maps require active thinking, rather than rote repetition. As a result, students acquire a deeper understanding of the topic they are studying. For more information: http://www.cobbk12.org/~techtips/April03/inspiration_overview.pdf [PDF Document Adobe® Acrobat® Reader]
Study Circles
Study circles bring adult education practitioners (e.g., teachers, counselors, administrators, or others) together in small group settings to learn about research findings and theories and to explore how the findings can be applied to practice and policy. Study circles are often used for ongoing professional development.
Basic activities that require successful communication for continued existence.
Stress
The degree of force with which a syllable is uttered. Syllables may be stressed or unstressed in varying degrees.
Structural Analysis
Determine the different types of words (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) the parts of words (prefix, suffix, endings, root).
Subject Pronouns
See PRONOUNS.
Suffix
An affix that is added to the end of a word to alter meaning (blissful).
Summarize
To state the main points or topics briefly.
Supporting Details
The examples that reinforce the main idea.
Survival Situations
Basic activities that require successful communication for continued existence.
Syllabication
The division of words into syllables; division of a word into small parts. Not dependent on meaning.
Synonym
Word that has the same or similar meaning as the given word.
Tag Question
A question added at the end of a sentence usually to make sure information is correct (He is from Mexico, isn't he?).
A reading or listening comprehension activity in which a student puts a large "T" on a page and write main ideas to the left of the vertical line and corresponding details on the right.
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL)
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc., is a professional organization for teachers of English to non-native English speaking learners. TESOL has developed a set of national standards for Pre-K–12 settings. For more information: http://www.tesol.org.
Tense
The characteristic of a verb that indicates time.
Future tense- the tense that is used for future actions
- WILL - for uncertainty and offers -Maybe I will go to Hawaii on my next vacation.
- GOING TO- for known or somewhat planned actions - I am going to Hawaii in June with my family.
Future perfect tense- the tense that is used for actions that will continue up to a time in the future (I will have been in Phoenix for 35 years in May.)
Future perfect progressive (continuous) tense- the tense that is used to state the duration of an action that will be in progress before another time in the future. (I will have been sleeping for 2 hours by the time he gets home.)
Future progressive tense- the tense that is used for stating what will be happening at a certain time in the future (At 10:30 tomorrow he will be working.)
Habitual past- the tense that is used for describing actions that were a regular occurrence in the past. Uses both used to and would. (I used to wake up late. I would wake up late every day.
Imperative verb form- command (Sit down!)
Past tense-the tense that is used for completed actions in the past (I ate the pizza yesterday. He went to the movies last night.)
Past perfect tense- tense that is used for an action that happened before another past action (When I arrived, they had already eaten.)
Past perfect progressive (continuous) tense- the tense that is used to say how long something had been happening before something else. (They had been playing for 30 minutes when the storm hit.)
Past progressive (continuous) tense- the tense that is used for actions that were happening at a certain time (I was eating when you called. They were working at 2:30 yesterday afternoon.)
Present tense- the tense that is used for every day, usual and habitual actions (I eat pizza on Friday. He often eats tacos.)
Present perfect tense- the tense that is used for the unfinished past or the action that started in the past and continues till the present (I have lived in Phoenix since 1964. He has been in class for two months.)
Present perfect progressive- the tense that is used to state the duration of an action that began in the past and continues to the present. (I have been sitting here since 7. I've been thinking of you all day.)
Present progressive (continuous) tense- the tense that is used for at the moment or temporary actions (I am typing right now. I am reading a book about world languages.)
Tone
The overall feeling or effect created by the pitch, rhythm, volume and/or choice of words.
Validity
Validity refers to the extent to which a measure reflects the underlying concept of what it is supposed to measure. Effective assessments must demonstrate their validity through empirical studies that involve comparing their measures with a related measure derived from another source (e.g., another assessment, expert judgment).
A diagram using circles to represent sets, with the position and overlap of the circles indicating the relationships between the sets.
The characteristic of a verb that indicates time.
Vocabulary
The words of a given language; list of words for students to learn, group of words used in relation to a subject.
Voice
- The sound that is made when the vocal chords vibrate ([b] is voiced; [p] is unvoiced).
- The unique written expression of an individual’s ideas.
Questions beginning with which, why, where, when, how, who, and whom.
Word Derivatives
Words formed from existing roots or bases by adding affixes (as in sing to singer), changing the root (sing to song).
Word Families
Groups of words that have a common pattern (pan, ran, fan) or similar roots or stems (science, scientific, scientist, scientifically)
Word/Sentence Boundaries
The spaces and punctuation that mark the beginning and ending of words and sentences in written format.
A literacy tool composed of an organized collection of words which are displayed in large visible letters on a wall, bulletin board, or other display surface, usually in a classroom. The word wall is designed to be a tool for students or others to use, not just a display, and contains a list of words that can be used during writing and/or reading to reinforce vocabulary. Word walls can be used by individuals or as a tool for cooperative learning.
