Florida Department of Education
Academic Skills Building
Curriculum Framework

ACADEMIC SKILLS BUILDING REASONING THROUGH LANGUAGE ARTS	
Program Title	Academic Skills Building (ASB)	
Program Number 	9900500	
Course Title	Academic Skills Building Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA)	
Course Number	School Districts: 9900502
Florida College System:  ASB0200-ASB0299	
CIP Number	1532010101	
Grade Equivalent	9.0-12.9	
Grade Level	30, 31	
Standard Length	Varies	

PURPOSE
Adult General Education Program: The Florida Department of Education administers the Adult General Education Program the under the authority of s. Florida Statute 1004.93, F.S., and the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (2014). The AGE Program has multiple purposes. Primarily, it provides instruction in reading and language and Math to students seeking to obtain a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Another purpose is to support parents to become full partners in the educational development of their children and to improve the economic opportunities of their family. Finally, the AGE Program helps learners transition to postsecondary education and training and obtain employment.

Academic Skills Building Program: The ASB Program is a non-credit program designed to develop the literacy and mathematics skills necessary for students to be successful workers, citizens, and family members. The Academic Skills Building (ASB) Program comprises two courses, ASB Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA) and ASB Mathematics. Students in the ASB program may enroll in either course or both courses.

Academic Skills Building Reasoning through Language Arts Course: The ASB RLA course content standards describe what students should know and be able to do in RLA at the secondary level and serve several purposes:  

•	Ensure continuity with the K-12 Florida Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards with the Adult Basic Education Program
•	Provide a common language for the ABE Educational Functioning Levels (EFL) among those of the other programs within AGE: AHS, Adult ESOL, and GED® Preparation
•	Provide advanced instruction for students who may already have a high school diploma (by passing the GED® or by graduating from a K-12 High School or Adult High School) and have a goal of preparing for postsecondary education and employment 
•	Assist local adult education agencies with ASB curriculum development
•	Provide guidance for ASB instructors
•	Ensure quality instruction through professional development

STUDENTS
Students eligible to enroll in the ASB Reasoning through Language Arts course are those who:

•	Are age 16 years or older
•	Are not enrolled in the K12 system
•	May already have a high school diploma (by passing the GED® or by graduating from a K-12 High School or Adult High School) and have a goal of preparing for postsecondary education and employment 
•	Score within the Educational Functioning Levels (EFL) 5 and 6 of the ASB Reasoning through Language Arts course as measured by FDOE-approved assessments.

EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONING LEVELS
The Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act defines the term Educational Functioning Level as “the ABE, ASB and ESL literacy levels, as provided in the NRS Guidelines, that describe a set of skills and competencies that students demonstrate in the skill areas of the National Reporting System (NRS)” (Code of Federal Regulations Title 34 Subtitle B Chapter IV Part 462). For purposes of the ASB RLA course, the term describes the level at which students develop the literacy skill area as provided in the NRS Guidelines. 

Table 1 shows the two EFLs of the ASB RLA course, as provided in the NRS Guidelines. It also shows the corresponding Grade Equivalent levels.

Table 1: NRS EFLs for ASB Reasoning through Language Arts and Grade Level Equivalents

NRS EFLS	COURSE TITLE AND LEVEL	GRADE EQUIVALENT	
ABE Level 5	ASB – RLA Level 5	9.0 – 10.9	
ABE Level 6	ASB – RLA Level 6	11.0 – 12.9	

PROGRAM LENGTH
Table 2 illustrates the recommended maximum number of instructional hours for each level.  It is understood, however, that each student learns at their individual pace and there will be students who successfully complete the program or attain their educational goals in fewer (or more) than the recommended maximum hours noted.  

Table 2: Recommended Maximum Number of Hours by EFL

COURSE TITLE AND NUMBER	NRS EFLS	RECOMMENDED MAXIUMU HOURS	
ASB RLA
School Districts:  9900502
Florida College System: ASB0200-ASB0299	ABE Level 5
High Intermediate Basic Education	450 Hours	
	ABE Level 6
Adult Secondary Education	450 Hours	

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
The ASB RLA curriculum framework provides ASB instructors with the Anchor Standards in Reading, Writing, and English Language Arts that the adult learner needs. With “framework” being the operative word, it is the basis for designing curriculum and to assisting programs and teachers with selecting or creating instructional materials, techniques, and ongoing assessment. 

The Florida DOE provides the ASB RLA curriculum framework to local programs across the state in order that local program personnel can design a curriculum that will serve the unique needs of their students and instructors. A fully developed curriculum at the local program will include the following elements. Program staff may contact the Florida DOE Bureau of Adult Education for additional information on developing an in-house curriculum.

•	A description of educational outcomes that students will be expected to have achieved upon completion of the course
•	A set of core instructional materials (print and digital) aligned to the educational outcomes that students will be expected to have achieved upon completion of the course 
•	A series of needs assessment tools that helps teachers prioritize which standards are most relevant to the learning needs and educational goals of their students
•	Supplementary textbooks on grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary in the context of employment and life skills
•	Pacing guides and matrices that display the scope and sequence of the curriculum
•	A list of recommended websites, films, dictionaries available for teachers to select from
•	An overview of the content to be covered in the course 
•	A description of learning activities that may be used on a regular basis for reinforcement
•	Academic vocabulary (such as Averill’s Academic Word List)
•	Grammar and the conventions of standard English for each level of the course

Note: Instructors are not required to progress through the standards sequentially. The unique needs of each cohort of students can drive instruction and instructors may modify the sequence of teaching the standards.

ASSESSMENT
The Florida DOE has approved the following tests for the ASB Reasoning through Language Arts course: 

•	CASAS GOALS Reading 900 Series
•	TABE 11&12 Language
•	TABE 11&12 Reading 

References for Assessment and Reporting: For complete information regarding assessment procedures and policies, see the Florida DOE Assessment Technical Assistance Paper. For guidelines on the procedures for reporting data related to student test results, see the Florida DOE Division of Career and Adult Education (DCAE) Office of Research and Evaluation. 

Pre-testing: Federal and state policies require local adult education agencies to pre-test all new students within the first 12 hours of enrollment activity. The Florida DOE defines a new student as one who is not found as having been enrolled at the local agency at any point during the current program year and/or the previous program year. All new ASB RLA students are required to pre-test in the reading skill area. The agency will report the pre-test results to the Florida DOE per the guidelines of the DCAE Office of Research and Evaluation.

Post-testing: After a student participates in instruction for the number of hours recommended by the test publisher, the local agency will post-test the student per the guidelines of the Florida DOE Assessment Technical Assistance Technical Assistance Paper. The agency will report the post-test results to the Florida DOE per the guidelines of the DCAE Office of Research and Evaluation.

Course Completion: For state and federal reporting purposes, ASB RLA students complete the course when the student’s post-test scores exceed NRS ABE EFL 6. The agency will report the post-test results to the Florida DOE per the guidelines of the DCAE Office of Research and Evaluation.

Course Completion for ASB RLA Students in IET Programs: ASB RLA students who are participating in a state-approved IET program complete the ASB RLA course when they have demonstrated progress in one or more of the following areas:

•	Enroll in a postsecondary program after exit and by end of the program year
•	Earn an industry certification on the Master Credential List (MCL) or Perkins Recognized Postsecondary Credential List
•	Complete one year of an apprenticeship program
ACCOMMODATIONS
Federal and state legislation requires the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities to meet individual needs and ensure equal access. Adult students with disabilities must self-identify, provide documentation, and request such services. Students with disabilities may need accommodations in areas such as instructional methods and materials, assignments and assessments, time demands and schedules, learning environment, assistive technology, and special communication systems. Documentation of the accommodations requested and provided should be maintained in a confidential file.

ADULT EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION 
As per s. Florida Statute 1012.39 (1)(b), F.S., each school district shall establish the minimal qualifications for part-time and full-time teachers in adult education programs. 
	
INTEGRATED EDUCATION AND TRAINING (IET)
The Florida DOE Division of Career and Adult Education (DCAE) promotes the planning, development, and implementation of an integrated education and training (IET) service approach that provides concurrent and contextualized adult education and literacy activities in combination with workforce preparation activities and workforce training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster for the purpose of educational and career advancement. 

The IET service approach provides all levels of adult education students the opportunity to acquire the skills needed to:

•	Transition to and complete postsecondary education and training programs
•	Obtain and advance in employment leading to economic self-sufficiency
•	Exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship

All IET programs must include the following three components:

•	Adult education and literacy activities (§463.30)
•	Workforce preparation activities (§463.34)
•	Workforce training for a specific occupation or occupation cluster which can be any one of the training services defined in section 134(c)(3)(D), of WIOA

In order to meet the “integrated” requirement of IET, all services must include the following:

•	Adult education and literacy activities run concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation activities and workforce training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster for the purpose of educational and career advancement
•	Activities are of sufficient intensity and quality, and based on the most rigorous research available, particularly with respect to improving reading, writing, mathematics, and English proficiency of eligible individuals
•	Occur simultaneously
•	Use occupational relevant instructional materials

The integrated education and training program must have a single set of learning objectives that identifies specific adult education content, workforce preparation activities, and workforce training competencies, and the program activities function cooperatively. 

ACADEMIC SKILLS BUILDING STANDARDS BACKGROUND
In Program Year 2022-2023, the Florida DOE aligned the previous versions of its ABE Reading and Language Standards to Florida’s K-12 Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards for English Language Arts in accordance with Executive Order 19-32 dated January 31, 2019. This curriculum framework of the ASB RLA Standards is the result of that alignment.  Professional curriculum writers developed the standards with extensive input from a team of Florida adult education practitioners to ensure that the standards address the high-priority skills and content that students need to advance toward their postsecondary and career goals.

ACADEMIC SKILLS BUILDING REASONING THROUGH LANGUAGE ARTS (RLA) STANDARDS FOR ADULT EDUCATION
Table 3 illustrates the coding scheme used to indicate the Expectations, Strands, Standards and Benchmarks in the ASB RLA Framework. An overarching set of Expectations runs through every component of the ASB RLA Curriculum Framework. The Standards are separated into four Strands: Foundations, Reading, Communication, and Vocabulary. Each Standard has one or more Benchmarks. The instructor may present topic-centered and/or project-based lessons that integrate standards from several strands.

Table 3: The Coding Scheme used in the ASB RLA Curriculum Framework 

ASB RLA Curriculum Framework Coding Scheme	
F = Foundations Strand
R = Reading Strand
C = Communication Strand
V = Vocabulary Strand	
Subject	NRS Level	Strand	Standard	Benchmark	
RLA	L5	F	1	4	
Example:
RLA.L5.F.1.4 Read grade-level texts with accuracy, automaticity, and appropriate prosody or expression to support comprehension.	

Table 4 below presents the RLA Expectations, which are those overarching skills that run through every component of the ASB RLA curriculum framework.

Table 4: RLA Expectations

RLA EXPECTATIONS	
RLA.K12.EE.1.1  	Cite evidence to explain and justify reasoning.	
RLA.K12.EE.2.1 	Read and comprehend grade-level complex texts proficiently.	
RLA.K12.EE.3.1  	Make inferences to support comprehension.	
RLA.K12.EE.4.1	Use appropriate collaborative techniques and active listening skills when engaging in discussions in a variety of situations.	
RLA.K12.EE.5.1  	Use the accepted rules governing a specific format to create quality work.	
RLA.K12.EE.6.1 	Use appropriate voice and tone when speaking or writing.	

FOUNDATIONS STRAND (9.0–12.9)
Foundational skills are the building block skills for students functioning within NRS Levels 1–4. These skills are not an end in and of themselves; rather, they are necessary and important components of an effective, comprehensive reading program designed to develop proficient readers with the capacity to comprehend texts across a range of types and disciplines. For students in NRS Levels 5–6, foundational reading standards are included for those students who need targeted instruction in these specific skills. Teachers can integrate these standards into instruction, if needed, specifically for Academic Skills Building students who may not yet be proficient in all of these skills.

The Foundations (F) strand for Levels 5 and 6 includes 1 standard and 2 benchmarks.

STANDARD	BENCHMARK	CODE	
Learning and Applying
Foundational Reading Skills	Phonics and Word Analysis 	F.1.3	
	Fluency 	F.1.4	

Foundations (F)
Learning and Applying Foundational Reading Skills	
Phonics and Word Analysis  F.1.3	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.F.1.3	Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding and encoding words.
a.	Use an array of strategies to decode single-syllable and multisyllabic words.
b.	Accurately read multisyllabic words using a combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences and syllabication patterns.
c.	Use an array of strategies to accurately encode single-syllable and multisyllabic words.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.F.1.3	Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding and encoding words.
a.	Use an array of strategies to decode single-syllable and multisyllabic words.
b.	Accurately read multisyllabic words using a combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences and syllabication patterns.
c.	Use an array of strategies to accurately encode single-syllable and multisyllabic words.	
Fluency  F.1.4	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.F.1.4	Read grade-level texts with accuracy, automaticity, and appropriate prosody or expression to support comprehension.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.F.1.4	Read grade-level texts with accuracy, automaticity, and appropriate prosody or expression to support comprehension.	

READING STRAND (9.0–12.9)
To become college and career ready, students need to grapple with a variety of reading materials that span across genres, subject areas, cultures, and centuries. By engaging with increasingly complex readings, students gain the ability to evaluate, analyze, and synthesize arguments and challenges posed by complex text. In NRS Levels 5–6, students engage in deeper layers of analysis with more complex texts, examining and evaluating particular techniques an author uses to convey purpose and meaning. 

The Reading (R) strand for Levels 5 and 6 includes 2 standards and 9 benchmarks.

STANDARD	BENCHMARK	CODE	
Reading Informational Text	Structure	R.2.1	
	Central Idea 	R.2.2	
	Purpose and Perspective 	R.2.3	
	Argument	R.2.4	
	Connecting Ideas 	R.2.5	
Reading Across Genres	Interpreting Figurative Language	R.3.1	
	Paraphrasing and Summarizing 	R.3.2	
	Comparative Reading 	R.3.3	
	Understanding Rhetoric 	R.3.4	

Reading (R)
Reading Informational Text	
Structure R.2.1	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.R.2.1	Analyze the impact of multiple text structures and the use of features in text(s) to convey purpose and/or meaning in texts.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.R.2.1	Evaluate the structure(s) and features in text(s), identifying how the author could make the text(s) more effective.	
Central Idea R.2.2	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.R.2.2	Analyze the central idea(s), implied or explicit, and their development throughout a text, particularly in historical American speeches and essays as well as those from the Classical Period.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.R.2.2	Evaluate how an author develops the central idea(s), identifying how the author could make the support more effective.	
Purpose and Perspective R.2.3	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.R.2.3	Analyze how an author establishes and achieves purpose(s) through rhetorical appeals and/or figurative language, particularly in historical American speeches and essays as well as those from the Classical Period.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.R.2.3	Evaluate an author’s choices in establishing and achieving purpose(s).	
Argument R.2.4	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.R.2.4	Compare the development of two opposing arguments on the same topic, evaluating the effectiveness and validity of the claims, and analyzing the ways in which the authors use the same information to achieve different ends.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.R.2.4	Compare the development of multiple arguments on the same topic or in related texts, evaluating the validity of the claims, the authors’ reasoning, use of the same information, and/or the authors’ rhetoric.	
Connecting Ideas R.2.5	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.R.2.5	Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.R.2.5	Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.	

Reading (R)
Reading Across Genres	
Interpreting Figurative Language R.3.1	
NRS Level 5	RLA.L5.R.3.1	Analyze how figurative language creates mood and tone in text(s).	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.R.3.1	Analyze and evaluate the author’s use of figurative language to create mood and tone in text(s).	
Paraphrasing and Summarizing R.3.2	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.R.3.2	Summarize a text to enhance comprehension; paraphrase content from grade-level texts.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.R.3.2	Summarize a text to enhance comprehension; paraphrase content from grade-level texts.	
Comparative Reading R.3.3	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.R.3.3	Compare and contrast how contemporaneous authors address related topics, comparing the authors’ use of reasoning, and analyzing the texts within the context of the time-period.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.R.3.3	Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of historical significance, including how they address related concepts.	
Understanding Rhetoric R.3.4	
NRS Level 5	RLA.L5.R.3.4	 Analyze an author’s use of rhetoric in a text.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.R.3.4	Evaluate rhetorical choices across multiple texts.	

COMMUNICATION STRAND (9.0–12.9)
The Communication standards cover the development of critical writing skills (including narrative, argumentative, and expository writing), as well as skills in presentation, research, and use of multimedia and technology. Interwoven in the standards are benchmarks that address the writing process as well as grammar and conventions. In NRS Levels 5–6, the benchmarks detail rigorous expectations regarding the intentional organization and development of ideas, strategic use of details and evidence, and advanced utilization of technology.

The Communication (C) strand for Levels 5 and 6 includes 5 standards and 9 benchmarks.

STANDARD	BENCHMARK	CODE	
Communicating Through Writing	Narrative Writing 	C.1.2	
	Argumentative Writing 	C.1.3	
	Expository Writing 	C.1.4	
	Improving Writing 	C.1.5	
Communicating Orally 	Oral Presentation	C.2.1	
Following Conventions 	Conventions	C.3.1	
Researching 	Researching and Using Information 	C.4.1	
Creating and Collaborating 	Multimedia 	C.5.1	
	Technology in Communication 	C.5.2	

Communication (C)
Communicating Through Writing	
Narrative Writing C.1.2	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.C.1.2	Write narratives using narrative techniques, varied transitions, and a clearly established point of view.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.C.1.2	Write complex narratives using appropriate techniques to establish multiple perspectives and convey universal themes.	
Argumentative Writing C.1.3	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.C.1.3	Write to argue a position, supporting claims using logical reasoning and credible evidence from multiple sources, rebutting counterclaims with relevant evidence, using a logical organizational structure, elaboration, purposeful transitions, and maintaining a formal and objective tone.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.C.1.3	Write arguments to support claims based on an in-depth analysis of topics or texts, using valid reasoning and credible evidence from sources, elaboration, and demonstrating a thorough understanding of the subject.	
Expository Writing C.1.4	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.C.1.4	Write expository texts to explain and analyze information from multiple sources, using an introduction, relevant supporting details, logical organization, varied purposeful transitions, precise language and domain-specific vocabulary, a tone and voice appropriate to the task, and a conclusion.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.C.1.4	Write expository texts to explain and analyze information from multiple sources, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the subject and using an introduction, relevant supporting details, logical organization, varied purposeful transitions, precise language and domain-specific vocabulary, a tone and voice appropriate to the task, and a conclusion.	
Improving Writing C.1.5	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.C.1.5	Improve writing by planning, editing, considering feedback from adults, peers, and/or online editing tools, and revising for clarity, cohesiveness, purpose, and audience.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.C.1.5	Improve writing by planning, editing, considering feedback from adults, peers, and/or online editing tools, and revising to enhance purpose, clarity, structure, and style.	

Communication (C)
Communicating Orally	
Oral Presentation C.2.1	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.C.2.1	Present information orally, with a logical organization and coherent focus, with credible evidence, creating a clear perspective, with substance and style that are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.C.2.1	Present information orally, with a logical organization, coherent focus, and credible evidence while employing effective rhetorical devices where appropriate, with substance and style that are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.	

Communication (C)
Following Conventions	
Conventions C.3.1	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.C.3.1	Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.C.3.1	Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.	

Communication (C)
Researching	
Researching and Using Information C.4.1	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.C.4.1	Conduct research to answer a question, refining the scope of the question to align with findings and synthesizing information from multiple reliable and valid (print and digital) sources.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.C.4.1	Conduct research on a topical issue to answer a question and synthesize information from a variety of (print and digital) sources.	

Communication (C)
Creating and Collaborating	
Multimedia C.5.1	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.C.5.1	Create digital presentations with coherent ideas and a clear perspective, to improve understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.C.5.1	Design and evaluate digital presentations for effectiveness.	
Technology in Communication C.5.2	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.C.5.2	Use online collaborative platforms to create and export publication-ready quality writing tailored to a specific audience, integrating multimedia elements.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.C.5.2	Create, publish, and share multimedia texts, tailored to a specific audience, through a variety of digital formats.	

VOCABULARY STRAND (9.0-12.9)
The Vocabulary standards focus on understanding words and phrases and their nuances and relationships, and on acquiring new vocabulary, particularly general academic words and phrases. In Levels 5–6, instruction should include increasingly complex academic and technical vocabulary.

The Vocabulary (V) strand for Levels 5 and 6 has 1 standard and 3 benchmarks.

STANDARD	BENCHMARK	CODE	
Finding Meaning	Academic Vocabulary 	V.1.1	
	Morphology 	V.1.2	
	Context and Connotation 	V.1.3	

Vocabulary (V)
Finding Meaning	
Academic Vocabulary V.1.1	
NRS Level 5	RLA.L5.V.1.1	Integrate academic vocabulary appropriate to grade level in speaking and writing.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.V.1.1	Integrate academic vocabulary appropriate to grade level in speaking and writing.	
Morphology V.1.2	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.V.1.2	Apply knowledge of etymology and derivations to determine meanings of words and phrases in grade-level content.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.V.1.2	Apply knowledge of etymology, derivations, and commonly used foreign phrases to determine meanings of words and phrases in grade-level content.	
	
NRS Level 5
	RLA.L5.V.1.3	Apply knowledge of context clues, figurative language, word relationships, reference materials, and/or background knowledge to determine the connotative and denotative meaning of words and phrases, appropriate to grade level.	
NRS Level 6	RLA.L6.V.1.3	Apply knowledge of context clues, figurative language, word relationships, reference materials, and/or background knowledge to determine the connotative and denotative meaning of words and phrases, appropriate to grade level.	

APPENDIX A: CONVENTIONS PROGRESSION BY NRS LEVEL

	Standard Introduction Level	Symbol	
The skill has not been introduced.	-	
The skill is introduced.	I	
The skill is mastered.	M	
The skill should be reviewed as students encounter and create more complex text.	R	
	
Skill	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Levels 5-6	
Begin each sentence with a capital letter and use ending punctuation.	I, M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Capitalize the days of the week, the months of the year, and the pronoun I.	I, M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Form regular plural nouns orally by adding /s/ or
/es/.	I, M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use interrogatives to ask questions.	I, M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Capitalize proper nouns.	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Form and use simple verb tenses for regular verbs by adding the affix -ed.	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Form plurals -y to -ies.	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Form and use complete simple sentences.	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use possessives.	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use subject-verb agreement in simple sentences.	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Conjugate regular and irregular verb tenses.	-	I	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Form and use regular and frequently occurring irregular plural nouns.	-	I	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular verbs.	-	I	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use apostrophes to form contractions.	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use interjections.	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Appropriately use pronouns.	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use commas in a series.	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use plural possessives.	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Maintain consistent verb tense across paragraphs.	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Form and use irregular plural nouns.	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Form and use the progressive and perfect verb tenses.	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use simple modifiers.	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use prepositions and prepositional phrases.	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Form and use compound sentences.	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use quotation marks with dialogue and direct quotations.	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use commas to indicate direct address.	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use subject-verb agreement with intervening clauses and phrases.	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.	-	-	I	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	

APPENDIX A: CONVENTIONS OF STANDARD AMERICAN ENGLISH – PROGRESSION BY NRS LEVEL (Cont.)

Standard Introduction Level	Symbol	
The skill has not been introduced.	-	
The skill is introduced.	I	
The skill is mastered.	M	
The skill should be reviewed as students encounter and create more complex text.	R	

Skill	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Levels 5-6	
Use conjunctions.	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use principal modals to indicate the mood of a verb.	-	-	-	I	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use appositives, main clauses, and subordinate clauses.	-	-	-	I	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in tense and number	-	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use conjunctions correctly to join words and phrases in a sentence.	-	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use verbals including gerunds, infinitives, and  participle phrases.	-	-	-	-	I	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use comparative and superlative forms of adjectives	-	-	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Use pronouns correctly with regard to case, number, and person, correcting for vague pronoun reference.	-	-	-	-	I	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	R	
Appropriately use colons.	-	-	-	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	
Appropriately use dangling modifiers.	-	-	-	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	
Appropriately use ellipses.	-	-	-	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	
Appropriately use hyphens.	-	-	-	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	
Vary sentence structure.	-	-	-	-	-	I	I	M	R	R	R	R	R	
Appropriately use passive and active voice.	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	
Use semicolons to form sentences.	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	
Use verbs with attention to voice and mood.	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	I	M	R	R	R	R	
Add variety to writing or presentations by using parallel structure and various types of phrases and clauses.	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	I	I	I	M	R	R	
Use knowledge of usage rules to create flow in writing and presenting.	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	I	I	M	R