Transcript English Language Arts Grade Level Considerations for Grades 6–8 Considerations for Middle School (Grades 6–8) • • • • Reading level Contexts Item Difficulty Assessment Targets.

English Language Arts Grade Level
Considerations for Grades 6–8
Considerations for Middle School (Grades 6–8)
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Reading level
Contexts
Item Difficulty
Assessment Targets
Style Guide
Reading Level
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Increasingly complex text, independence
and proficiency
Claim 1 (Reading) and 3 (Speaking and
Listening) passages range from being above,
at, or below grade level
For claim 2 (Writing) and 4 (Research) the
passages one grade below the assessed grade
Vocabulary
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Use language that is clear and vocabulary
that is at or below the assessed grade level
Appropriate to middle school students
Vocabulary measured in context must be at
least two levels above grade
Middle School Context
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Appropriate
– historical figures
and events
– space exploration
– school community
– robots
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Inappropriate
– fear of dentists
– philosophy
– constitutional
construction
– driving
– voting
– work
Item Difficulty
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Items should include a range of difficulty
Anticipated difficulty for sample items
Smarter Balanced English Language Arts Claims
and Assessment Targets
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Claim 1: Reading
Claim 2: Writing
Claim 3: Speaking & Listening
Claim 4: Research
Middle School Claim 1: Reading
Students can read closely and analytically
to comprehend a range of increasingly
complex literary and informational texts.
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Selected Response, Constructed Response, and
Technology-Enhanced Items
45% Literary texts: stories, poems,
plays/drama, myths, mysteries,
science fiction, historical fiction
55% Informational texts: literary nonfiction,
historical documents, scientific articles,
technical texts
Middle School Claim 2: Writing
Students can produce effective and well-grounded
writing for a range of purposes and audiences.
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Selected Response, Constructed Response,
Technology-Enhanced Items and Performance
Tasks
Middle School Claim 2 Performance
Tasks include:
– Narrative writing
– Informational/explanatory writing
– Argumentative writing
Middle School Claim 3: Speaking & Listening
Students can employ effective speaking
and listening skills for a range of
purposes and audiences.
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Selected Response, Constructed Response, or
Technology-Enhanced Items
Middle School Performance Tasks
– Oral presentations
Middle School Claim 4: Research
Students can engage in research / inquiry
to investigate topics, and to analyze,
integrate, and present information.
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Selected Response, Constructed Response,
and Technology-Enhanced Items
Performance Tasks
Real world sources
Multiple sources
Middle School English Language Arts
Grade Level Considerations
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Vocabulary, style, context, and item difficulty
Claims and assessment targets from the
Smarter Balanced Content Specifications