English Language Arts Review of Commonly Tested Skills

English / Language Arts Review of Commonly Tested Skills Education Access Network (EAN) Linda Coleman & Kristie English Website: http: //www. Education. Access. Network. org

What will we talk about? n Reading n n n Comprehension Listening Inferential Thinking Vocabulary Grammar Literature Poetry n Functional Texts n Graphic Organizers n Nonfiction n Comparing & Contrasting n Writing Process n Essay Writing

Reading Comprehension: Why is it important? Academic Subjects: Math, Science, History, Social Studies, and English classes all require us to read well. Testing: PSAT, SAT I, ACT, WASL, etc. Writing: Reading helps writing. College Admissions “Personal Statement” Essay

Reading Comprehension Main Idea Important Details Author’s Purpose Summarizing

Main Idea What is the author saying about the topic? TOPIC FREEDOM MAIN IDEA Freedom always comes with a price. 2 Ws Who: Subject What: Action Freedom is the most precious gift of all. Freedom is a recurring theme in American literature.

Author’s Purpose (Fiction) “Why? ” Questions ? n Why was he/she chosen to be the main character? n Why does he/she act and speak this way? n Why here? (setting chosen) n Why now? (time period chosen) Investigate !

Author’s Purpose (Nonfiction) Questions to Ask n What does the author want me to know about this topic? n Why is it important that I know this? n Possible Purposes: n What does the author n To Inform want me to do with n To Persuade this knowledge? n To Change Your Opinion

The Message Fiction (implicit) Nonfiction (explicit) n Does the main character n What has the author change in some important way? demonstrated or proved? n Often this is located at the n Does s/he learn anything important? n How would I explain this story to another person? end of the writing piece.

Important Details! Showing, not Telling Nonfiction n Nonfiction: Details SUPPORT the main idea n Fiction: Details ILLUSTRATE or bring to LIFE the main idea Fiction Unimportant Details: May be interesting, but don’t provide examples or offer proof. n Add Interest and Color to the Story

Summarizing Writing Summaries – Tips to Remember þ Identify the main idea. þ Include details that support the main idea. þ Use your own words. þ Keep it short and to the point.

Listening Active Listening helps you take notes in class. Why is it so difficult to listen actively? 4 Visual Reliance (T. V. , video games, etc. ) 4 Continuous Attention Span Required 4 Society is used to multi-tasking, switching from one idea to the next, quickly and frequently 4 “Big Picture” is lost in the Details

When is Listening Critical? Communicating with Friends Listening Tips: Ø Listen for SEQUENCE § § § Taking Notes in Class Can’t reread for clarification Order of Events, Mental Outline Note Actual Chronology (time), not Order of Narration (as told) Ø Listen for DETAILS § Important details may not always be “interesting” to you.

Thought & Focus Questions What am I listening to? Lecture? Joke? Directions? Why am I listening to it? Collect facts? Follow an argument? Follow a character through a story’s plot? What am I supposed to do with it? Hmmm…

Inferential Thinking n Definition: Educated guesses or assumptions based on evidence; “Reading between the lines” of text n Types of Inferences n n General Inference (figure out what’s left unsaid or undone) Prediction (what will happen next) Conclusion (figure out larger meaning of what we’ve read) Cause and Effect (why certain events happen)

General Inferences (4 Types) 1) Tone Clue: Its feeling or mood. Use descriptions of sights, sounds, smells, and other sense images. 2) Point of View Clue: Voice of story. Personal point of view (“I”) is called first person. 3) What is NOT Said Clue: What does the character want to say, but does not say? 4) What is NOT Done Clue: What does the character want to do, but does not do?

Predicting n Fictional Story Clues ~ Know the character! How do they typically act? Nonfiction Passage Clues ~ Facts and arguments. Imagine the effect of some condition, action, or trend. * Often used in persuasive writing, editorial columns

Conclusion What message can be drawn from the story’s events? n If Fictional: What lesson or moral was learned? n If Essay or Article: What is the final argument or position on the issue?

Cause and Effect

VOCABULARY Don’t dread it. Use it to your advantage! VOCABULARY

Vocabulary n Word Parts (prefix, suffix, root) n Context (positive, negative, angry, happy, etc. ) n Multiple Meanings of Words (Which one is appropriate for this situation? )

Derivations / The Word’s History Dictionary – Tender (1 st meaning) ten·der 1 Pronunciation (…) adj. ten·der·er, ten·der·est 1) a) Easily crushed or bruised; fragile: a tender petal. b) Easily chewed or cut: tender beef. 2) Young and vulnerable: of tender age. 3) Frail; delicate. 4) Sensitive to frost or severe cold; not hardy: tender green shoots. 5) a) Easily hurt; sensitive: tender skin. b) Painful; sore: a tender tooth. 6) a) Considerate and protective; solicitous: a tender mother; his tender concern. b) Characterized by or expressing gentle emotions; loving: a tender glance; a tender ballad. c) Given to sympathy or sentimentality; soft: a tender heart. 7) Nautical. Likely to heel easily under sail; crank.

Dictionary – Tender (2 nd meaning) ten·der 2 pronunciation (…) 1) A formal offer, as: a) Law. An offer of money or service in payment of an obligation. b) A written offer to contract goods or services at a specified cost or rate; a bid. 2) Something, especially money, offered in payment. tr. v. ten·dered, ten·der·ing, ten·ders n To offer formally: tender a letter of resignation. See Synonyms at offer. [From French tendre, to offer, from Old French, from Latin tendere, to hold forth, extend. See ten- in Indo-European Roots. ]

Dictionary – Tender (3 rd meaning) tend·er 3 Pronunciation (… ) n. 1) One who tends something: a lathe tender. 2) Nautical. A vessel attendant on other vessels, especially one that ferries supplies between ship and shore. 3) A railroad car attached to the rear of a locomotive and designed to carry fuel and water.

Grammar & Writing Mechanics n Parts of Speech n Subject – Verb Agreement n Fragments and Run-Ons n Capitalization and Punctuation

Literary Texts ~ Types of Stories ~ Folktales (types) n n Myths n Answer How and Why ? s Legends n Exaggerated stories about, real, historical figures Fairy Tales n Heroic adventures Fables n Teach moral lessons Fiction (several genres or categories) n n n n Historical Fiction Biographical Fiction Science Fiction Mystery Romance Tragedy Comedy Satire

Literary Devices n Setting & Tone n Voice n Symbolism n Other Devices n Foreshadowing n Flashbacks

Author’s Purpose ~ Forms of Literature ~ n Short Story Evoke emotional response. Snapshot, slice of life. n Novel Create rich, detailed characters and complex, fictional world. n Drama Rich, expressive dialogue.

CLIMAX SO RE ON TI LU EXPOSITION (R SU IS S IN PE G N CO AC SE M PL TI O IC N) AT IO NS How Story’s Work ~ The Basic Structure ~ TH EM E

Poetic Texts n What makes Poetry different from Prose (non- poetry)? n Written in verse, sets the rhythm (similar to song lyrics) n May be written in… n Classical Metered Verse n Blank Verse n Free Verse

Poetry Devices n n n n Metaphor Simile Metonymy Onomatopoeia Personification Hyperbole Alliteration Think About… ¯ Why doesn’t the poet use more direct language? ¯ Poetry communicates a series of sensory associations or feelings, not so much facts and dates.

Structure & Poetry n In poetry, the STRUCTURE is as essential as the text’s meaning n Poets consider meanings of words and sounds and rhythms. n Types of Poetry / Styles n n n n Sonnets Odes Villanelles Haiku Epic Poems Lyric Poems Limericks

Functional Texts Provide efficient facts, info, or instructions. Tend to use bullet points, subheadings, and graphics Types n n Advertisements Outlines (table of contents, indexes) Instructions Maps n n n Charts & Graphs Glossaries Recipes Phone Books Application Forms

Graphic Organizers n Venn Diagrams n Sequence Charts n Webs

Venn Diagram ~ Compare & Contrast ~

Sequence Charts ~ Cause & Effect ~

Webs ~ Brainstorming ~

Nonfiction Categories / Types of Nonfiction: n Informational n Biographical & Autobiographical n Editorial n Oral (speeches)

Basic Writing 1) Know Your Audience « Address Your Audience « What Do They Already Know? 2) Find Your Rhythm « Make Writing Flow 3) Support Your Arguments « Enough Support, and Too 4) Maintain Your Focus « Arrange Details by: (Transitions) Much - Importance - Time - Location

Essay Writing Essay Topic Categories help determine the paper’s organization, info to include, and how to effectively use that info. Ø Definition Provide an explanation Ø Description Illustrate a scene or idea Narration Ø Compare & Contrast Ø Process Tell a story Classification Ø Cause & Effect Ø Persuasion Place items into categories Link events to their causes or explain effects of event Argue position or point of view Ø Ø Find similarities or differences Explain how task is completed