English: Writing Convention – Grammar, Spelling, and Vocabulary Use

Learner outcomes
Apply

• Basic grammar conventions through the correct use of

○ Subject-verb agreements
○ Verb tenses
○ Pronouns
○ Different clause and phrase types (adverb clause, adjective clause, adverb phrase)

Identify and use

• Parts of speech (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, conjuctions, prepositions, adjectives, and interjections)
• Common idioms and literary allusions
• Subtleties of word meanings

Demonstrate

• Control of English through proper use of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization through the correct use of:
○ Commas in nonrestrictive clauses and contrasting expressions
○ Ellipses, colons, hyphens, semi-colons, apostrophes, and quotation marks
○ Sentence structure, avoiding run-on and fragmented sentences

Develop and use a spelling strategy

• Through the use of dictionaries, thesauri, or other reference texts
• That infers meaning from context or by using word roots, affixes and cognates
• That appropriately uses word processors’ spell and grammar checks
• To differentiate between commonly confused words (e.g., its/it’s, affect/effect)

(Conley, 2003; 2005; 2007) (The American Diploma Project, 2004)

College Readiness Standards 22083252

6/25/2009
Knowledge and Skills for University Success (KSUS)
English: Reading Informational and Technical Texts
A. Successful students apply basic grammar conventions in an effort to write clearly
B. Successful students know conventions of spelling
C. Successful students know conventions of punctuation and capitalization

Cognitive Strategies Emphasized

• Habits of the mind such as:
○ Time management – budgeting time to complete reading tasks
○ Understanding expectations of readings
○ Academic persistence
• Critical thinking skills such as:
○ Ability to discuss materials in-depth by asking engaging questions
○ Problem solving
• Understanding the connection between reading comprehension skills and disciplines:
writing, speaking and research
• Self-analysis – learning from constructive criticism and feedback
• Developing comfort with ambiguity of readings and assignments

Bibliography
Conley, D. T. (2005). College Knowledge. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Conley, D. T. (2003). Understanding University Success: A Project of the Association of American

Universities and The Pew Charitable Trusts. Eugene: Center for Educational Policy Research.

Conley, D. (2007). Towards a More Comprehensive Comprehension of College Readiness.

Eugene, OR: Educational Policy Improvement Center.

The American Diploma Project. (2004). Ready or Not: Creating a High School Diploma that
Counts. Achieve, Inc.

College Readiness Standards 22083252

6/25/2009