Summary Tables of Texas Adult Education Content Standards & Benchmarks

Created by M.J. Ochoa, Far West GREAT Center
July 2008 (revised January 2009)

ESL CONTENT STANDARDS
LEVEL 2 – LOW BEGINNING

SPEAK SO OTHERS CAN UNDERSTAND • Determine the purpose for communicating. • Organize and relay information to effectively serve the purpose, context and listener. • Pay attention to conventions of oral English communication, including grammar, word choice, register, pace and gesture in order to minimize barriers to listener’s comprehension. • Use multiple strategies to monitor the effectiveness of the communication.	LISTEN ACTIVELY • Attend to oral information. • Clarify purpose for listening and use listening strategies appropriate to that purpose. • Monitor comprehension, adjusting listening strategies to overcome barriers to comprehension. • Integrate information from listening with prior knowledge to address listening purpose.	READ WITH UNDERSTANDING • Determine the purpose for reading. • Select reading strategies appropriate to the purpose. • Monitor comprehension and adjust reading strategies. • Analyze the information and reflect on its underlying meaning. • Integrate new understanding with prior knowledge to address the reading purpose.	CONVEY IDEAS IN WRITING • Determine the purpose for communicating. • Organize and present information to serve the purpose, context, and audience. • Pay attention to conventions of English language usage, including grammar, spelling and sentence structure. • Seek feedback and revise to enhance the effectiveness of the communication.
Vocabulary for Communication (S1.2) Use alphabet, numbers and a limited set of learned words and phrases related to personal information and basic needs. Example: Greet familiar people (co-workers, classmates, etc.) in a familiar setting. Grammar Usage (S2.2) Use a few basic grammar conventions in structured communication. Example: Call out for help. Monitor Communication (S3.2) Use a few basic strategies to monitor communication. Example: Use simple questions such as “Okay?” Pronunciation (S4.2) Produce basic sounds, words, and phrases as modeled in an instructional setting with very limited control over rhythm, stress, and intonation. Example: Produce slowed and repeated speech.	Attend to Oral Communication (L1.2) Understand and respond to simple and high-frequency words, phrases, questions, short conversations, and 1-step instructions in predictable, familiar situations. Example: Respond to “Where are you from?” Recognize Grammar Usage (L2.2) Recognize and respond to additional high-frequency grammar conventions used in speech. Example: Respond to question forms. Attend to Pronunciation (L3.2) Recognize most consonant and vowel sounds to determine meaning. Example: Recognize slowed and repeated speech. Develop Comprehension Strategies (L4.2) Demonstrate understanding and/or lack of understanding relying heavily on verbal and nonverbal cues. Example: Ask speaker to repeat. Recognize Cultural Conventions of Speech (L5.2) Use knowledge of some basic cultural conventions to understand oral communication. Example: Understand use of titles and nicknames.	Purpose (R1.2) Read for simple, real-life purposes related to immediate needs. Example: Read simple registration forms. Decoding (R2.2) Decode and recognize everyday words in short, simple text with assistance. Example: Break words into syllables. Vocabulary and Language Structure (R3.2) Demonstrate familiarity with concepts of print, common vocabulary, phrases and simple sentences. Example: Recognize words to define meaning. Locating Information (R4.2) Locate familiar information in short, simple text with guidance and in response to questions or prompts. Example: Find sales and prices in grocery ads. Comprehension (R5.2) Comprehend basic information stated in lists, phrases and simple sentences in a variety of familiar contexts. Example: Understand words on class calendar such as January or Monday. Monitor Reading (R6.2) Self-monitor accuracy in decoding and word recognition using simple strategies. Example: Repeat sight words such as a, the, yes, no, like, is, are, was, you.	Determine Purpose (W1.2) Write for a purpose as directed with limited attention to audience. Example: Create a “to do” list for another person to use. Organize Information (W2.2) Organize information following a format with limited structure. Example: Complete a sign in sheet for a doctor’s office visit. Present Information (W3.2) Convey information by writing simple sentences with limited vocabulary, and limited control of grammar, sentence structure, and spelling. Example: Responding to a prompt* from a teacher.* Revise Content of Writing (W4.2) Make a few simple content changes with intensive instructional support. Example: “I am/have 39 years old.” Edit Grammar and Mechanics of Writing (W5.2) Make basic edits, including beginning sentence capitalization, spelling, and pronunciation with instructional support. Example: Write from teacher dictation on familiar material.

SPEAK SO OTHERS CAN UNDERSTAND

• Determine the purpose for communicating.
• Organize and relay information to effectively serve the purpose, context and listener.
• Pay attention to conventions of oral English communication, including grammar, word choice, register, pace and gesture in order to minimize barriers to listener’s comprehension.
• Use multiple strategies to monitor the effectiveness of the communication.

LISTEN ACTIVELY

• Attend to oral information.
• Clarify purpose for listening and use listening strategies appropriate to that purpose.
• Monitor comprehension, adjusting listening strategies to overcome barriers to comprehension.
• Integrate information from listening with prior knowledge to address listening purpose.

READ WITH UNDERSTANDING

• Determine the purpose for reading.
• Select reading strategies appropriate to the purpose.
• Monitor comprehension and adjust reading strategies.
• Analyze the information and reflect on its underlying meaning.
• Integrate new understanding with prior knowledge to address the reading purpose.

CONVEY IDEAS IN WRITING

• Determine the purpose for communicating.
• Organize and present information to serve the purpose, context, and audience.
• Pay attention to conventions of English language usage, including grammar, spelling and sentence structure.
• Seek feedback and revise to enhance the effectiveness of the communication.

Vocabulary for Communication
(S1.2) Use alphabet, numbers and a limited set of learned words and phrases related to personal information and basic needs.

Example: Greet familiar people (co-workers, classmates, etc.) in a familiar setting.

Grammar Usage
(S2.2) Use a few basic grammar conventions in structured communication.

Example: Call out for help.

Monitor Communication
(S3.2) Use a few basic strategies to monitor communication.

Example: Use simple questions such as “Okay?”

Pronunciation
(S4.2) Produce basic sounds, words, and phrases as modeled in an instructional setting with very limited control over rhythm, stress, and intonation.

Example: Produce slowed and repeated speech.

Attend to Oral Communication
(L1.2) Understand and respond to simple and high-frequency words, phrases, questions, short conversations, and 1-step instructions in predictable, familiar situations.

Example: Respond to “Where are you from?”

Recognize Grammar Usage
(L2.2) Recognize and respond to additional high-frequency grammar conventions used in speech.

Example: Respond to question forms.

Attend to Pronunciation
(L3.2) Recognize most consonant and vowel sounds to determine meaning.

Example: Recognize slowed and repeated speech.

Develop Comprehension Strategies
(L4.2) Demonstrate understanding and/or lack of understanding relying heavily on verbal and nonverbal cues.

Example: Ask speaker to repeat.

Recognize Cultural Conventions of Speech
(L5.2) Use knowledge of some basic cultural conventions to understand oral communication.

Example: Understand use of titles and nicknames.

Purpose
(R1.2) Read for simple, real-life purposes related to immediate needs.

Example: Read simple registration forms.

Decoding
(R2.2) Decode and recognize everyday words in short, simple text with assistance.

Example: Break words into syllables.

Vocabulary and Language Structure
(R3.2) Demonstrate familiarity with concepts of print, common vocabulary, phrases and simple sentences.

Example: Recognize words to define meaning.

Locating Information
(R4.2) Locate familiar information in short, simple text with guidance and in response to questions or prompts.

Example: Find sales and prices in grocery ads.

Comprehension
(R5.2) Comprehend basic information stated in lists, phrases and simple sentences in a variety of familiar contexts.

Example: Understand words on class calendar such as January or Monday.

Monitor Reading
(R6.2) Self-monitor accuracy in decoding and word recognition using simple strategies.

Example: Repeat sight words such as a, the, yes, no, like, is, are, was, you.

Determine Purpose
(W1.2) Write for a purpose as directed with limited attention to audience.

Example: Create a “to do” list for another person to use.

Organize Information
(W2.2) Organize information following a format with limited structure.

Example: Complete a sign in sheet for a doctor’s office visit.

Present Information
(W3.2) Convey information by writing simple sentences with limited vocabulary, and limited control of grammar, sentence structure, and spelling.

Example: Responding to a prompt from a teacher.

Revise Content of Writing
(W4.2) Make a few simple content changes with intensive instructional support.

Example: “I am/have 39 years old.”

Edit Grammar and Mechanics of Writing
(W5.2) Make basic edits, including beginning sentence capitalization, spelling, and pronunciation with instructional support.

Example: Write from teacher dictation on familiar material.