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 3 – HIGH 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 (S1.3) Use high-frequency vocabulary and phrases to convey unrehearsed, basic ideas and information. Example: Identify self and leave a short, simple (learned and rehearsed) message on telephone voice mail. Grammar Usage (S2.3) Use some basic grammar conventions in authentic communication. Example: Respond to wh- questions* with attention to basic grammar and authentic communication.* Monitor Communication (S3.3) Use a few complex strategies to monitor communication and begin to self-correct. Example: Give feedback on individual and group work. Pronunciation (S4.3) Produce rehearsed comprehensible oral language independently with limited control of pronunciation, rhythm, stress, and intonation. Example: Use informal contracted speech (e.g., gonna and shoulda).	Attend to Oral Communication (L1.3) Understand and respond to increasingly complex words and phrases in questions, requests, short conversations, and short instructions in predictable situations. Example: Understand simple TV and radio advertising. Recognize Grammar Usage (L2.3) Recognize and respond to various grammar conventions used in speech, including simple verb tenses. Example: Respond to adjectives and adverbs. Attend to Pronunciation (L3.3) Distinguish similar sounds in simple words and contracted speech to determine meaning. Example: Understand some slowed speech with some repetition. Develop Comprehension Strategies (L4.3) Use a few simple strategies to convey a degree of understanding to gather missing information, and/or to repair problems in comprehension. Example: Draw a picture or use simple rephrasing to check understanding. Recognize Cultural Conventions of Speech (L5.3) Use knowledge of various basic cultural conventions to understand oral communication. Example: Demonstrate understanding of concepts of time.	Purpose (R1.3) Read for real-life purposes with increasingly complex words and phrases. Example: Read about entry-level job duties. Decoding (R2.3) Decode and recognize most words in short-to-medium-length, continuous text with some assistance. Example: Practice proper pronunciation, intonation, and stress by reading aloud. Vocabulary and Language Structure (R3.3) Demonstrate familiarity with everyday vocabulary including words with multiple meanings. Example: Recognize synonyms and antonyms. Locating Information (R4.3) Locate information in simple text and graphs with minimal guidance and in response to questions or prompts. Example: Locate answers to 5 wh- questions. Comprehension (R5.3) Comprehend key points and some supporting details in simple texts and documents. Example: Comprehend and follow a set of simple directions. Monitor Reading (R6.3) Self-monitor accuracy in comprehension using simple strategies. Example: Maintain a personal dictionary.	Determine Purpose (W1.3) Write for a purpose as directed with increasing attention to audience. Example: Briefly explain your suggestion on suggestion card that includes your name, address, and telephone number. Organize Information (W2.3) Organize information into simple and compound sentences following a minimally structured format. Example: Fill out a comment section on a form using simple and compound sentences. Present Information (W3.3) Convey information by writing connected text with moderate control of grammar sentence structure, and spelling. Example: Write simple notes and messages about familiar situations. Revise Content of Writing (W4.3) Make a few simple content changes with moderate instructional support. Example: Teacher-assisted revisions on subject-verb agreement (present, past, and future). Edit Grammar and Mechanics of Writing (W5.3) Use resources to make basic edits with some instructional support. Example: Use commas in a series.

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
(S1.3) Use high-frequency vocabulary and phrases to convey unrehearsed, basic ideas and information.

Example: Identify self and leave a short, simple (learned and rehearsed) message on telephone voice mail.

Grammar Usage
(S2.3) Use some basic grammar conventions in authentic communication.

Example: Respond to wh- questions with attention to basic grammar and authentic communication.

Monitor Communication
(S3.3) Use a few complex strategies to monitor communication and begin to self-correct.

Example: Give feedback on individual and group work.

Pronunciation
(S4.3) Produce rehearsed comprehensible oral language independently with limited control of pronunciation, rhythm, stress, and intonation.

Example: Use informal contracted speech (e.g., gonna and shoulda).

Attend to Oral Communication
(L1.3) Understand and respond to increasingly complex words and phrases in questions, requests, short conversations, and short instructions in predictable situations.

Example: Understand simple TV and radio advertising.

Recognize Grammar Usage
(L2.3) Recognize and respond to various grammar conventions used in speech, including simple verb tenses.

Example: Respond to adjectives and adverbs.

Attend to Pronunciation
(L3.3) Distinguish similar sounds in simple words and contracted speech to determine meaning.

Example: Understand some slowed speech with some repetition.

Develop Comprehension Strategies
(L4.3) Use a few simple strategies to convey a degree of understanding to gather missing information, and/or to repair problems in comprehension.

Example: Draw a picture or use simple rephrasing to check understanding.

Recognize Cultural Conventions of Speech
(L5.3) Use knowledge of various basic cultural conventions to understand oral communication.

Example: Demonstrate understanding of concepts of time.

Purpose
(R1.3) Read for real-life purposes with increasingly complex words and phrases.

Example: Read about entry-level job duties.

Decoding
(R2.3) Decode and recognize most words in short-to-medium-length, continuous text with some assistance.

Example: Practice proper pronunciation, intonation, and stress by reading aloud.

Vocabulary and Language Structure
(R3.3) Demonstrate familiarity with everyday vocabulary including words with multiple meanings.

Example: Recognize synonyms and antonyms.

Locating Information
(R4.3) Locate information in simple text and graphs with minimal guidance and in response to questions or prompts.

Example: Locate answers to 5 wh- questions.

Comprehension
(R5.3) Comprehend key points and some supporting details in simple texts and documents.

Example: Comprehend and follow a set of simple directions.

Monitor Reading
(R6.3) Self-monitor accuracy in comprehension using simple strategies.

Example: Maintain a personal dictionary.

Determine Purpose
(W1.3) Write for a purpose as directed with increasing attention to audience.

Example: Briefly explain your suggestion on suggestion card that includes your name, address, and telephone number.

Organize Information
(W2.3) Organize information into simple and compound sentences following a minimally structured format.

Example: Fill out a comment section on a form using simple and compound sentences.

Present Information
(W3.3) Convey information by writing connected text with moderate control of grammar sentence structure, and spelling.

Example: Write simple notes and messages about familiar situations.

Revise Content of Writing
(W4.3) Make a few simple content changes with moderate instructional support.

Example: Teacher-assisted revisions on subject-verb agreement (present, past, and future).

Edit Grammar and Mechanics of Writing
(W5.3) Use resources to make basic edits with some instructional support.

Example: Use commas in a series.