School District of Springfield Township

A SNAPSHOT: GRADE 12 LANGUAGE ARTS

Reading Standards
Writing and Grammar Standards
Speaking and Listening Standard
Research Standard

(A Pennsylvania State Standards-Based Curriculum)

A Snapshot of Grade 12 Language Arts Theme: A Global Perspective

Sample Essential Questions Explored Through The Literature Selections

How do socioeconomic factors influence individual and/or group behavior?
How does a society/culture effectively police itself?
How can individuality flourish in the face of the omnipresent mechanisms of social control?
Can victory exist in defeat?
How does one prioritize family honor and societal law?
How does tragedy from Classical Greece exist in modern modes of communication?
What is the greatest factor for judging ourselves and others?
What is art?
How do form and content work together for thematic purposes?
How does literary criticism inform and enhance understanding and appreciation for a novel?

Sample Texts—Classics, Contemporary Classics, Young Adult Fiction

Novels:

Lord of the Flies, Anthem, 1984, The Stranger, Dune, Heart of Darkness, The Secret Sharer, Metamorphosis, Madame Bovary, Sons and Lovers, Babbitt, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Crime and Punishment, Death of a Salesman, Waiting for Godot, Dune, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Feed

Plays:

Three Theban Plays, Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, A Man for All Seasons, Death of a Salesman, Waiting for Godot, Everyman, A Midsummer’s Night Dream and selected comedies

Short Stories:

“The Rocking Horse Winner,” “The Scarlet Ibis,” ”A Good Man Is Hard To Find,” “The Hunger Artist”

Selected Poems Selected Non-Fiction

Note: Students must complete Pre-requisite Reading—see current list on our web site at www.sdst.org/shs.

Reading Standards

Student reads independently to understand, interpret, and respond to a wide range of texts.

Student reads informational texts critically to solve problems, make decisions, and draw conclusions.

Student analyzes and interprets literature across experiences, societies, eras.

The Reading Standards In Action

In Grade 12, students refine reading comprehension and literature interpretation through individual and collaborative study of literature, kinesthetic activities, and Sadlier Oxford Vocabulary Series, Level G

Sample 12th Grade Class Activities Exercises, read-alouds, reading responses, Learning Log, PNI charts, peer reviews and edits, informal and formal presentations, team activities such as “Cascades Survival Situation” and “Tinker Toys,” student as teacher, Literature Circles, Socratic Seminars and roundtable discussions, fishbowls, jigsaw activities, wordplay, word histories, Venn diagrams, novel study pathfinders

Sample Indicators of Effective 12th Grade Reading Behaviors:

Adjusts reading rate to difficulty of text
Uses metacognitive skills to monitor understanding
Clarifies meaning of text through graphic organizers, outlines, notes, summaries
Draws conclusions and justifies inferences with reasons and text-based evidence
Recognizes literary devices and patterns; uses this knowledge to infer meaning
Cites evidence to support views
Evaluates author strategies in language, technique, and meaning
Looks for “absences” in text
Asks questions of the author
Compares and contrasts text to other texts, own experiences, and larger contexts
Discusses puzzling or compelling passages with others

Essential Learning Prompted by Reading Standards:

Student reads and responds to a variety of texts and genres of quality and complexity. To support reading comprehension, the Sadlier Oxford program, level G offers acquisition of 300 new vocabulary words to provide students with increased vocabulary in addition to words learned in literature context. From grades 5-12, students learn approximately 2400 words using the Sadlier series.

Writing and Grammar Standards

Student writes effectively. Effective writing includes making writing choices appropriate to audience and purpose, using writing process (pre-write, draft, revise, proofread and edit, publish), and controlling focus, content, organization, style, and conventions.

Student increases grammatical competencies.

The Writing and Grammar Standards In Action

Sample 12th Grade Class Activities

In grade 12 students increase writing and grammatical competencies through: Frequent formal and informal writing assignments Process writing and writing on demand (in class essays) Expository format (emphasis on literary analysis; other formats include rationales, articles—e.g., creation of Common Threads newspaper) Resume Creative writing—scripts, parodies Peer review and peer edit collaboration Individually-based focal correction areas Mini-lessons: review and practice (vague pronouns, comma errors, verb tense consistency) crafting and revision honing precision and flow

Sample Indicators of Effective 12th Grade Writing/Grammar Behaviors:

Orders information effectively (masters comparison/contrast format)
Creates logically reasoned positions; uses convincing evidence
Uses writing terminology of PA Writing Assessment domains to discuss writing issues; pays attention to audience and purpose for writing
Uses expository format effectively: introduction/thesis, body, conclusion
Uses conventions of English correctly—aware of individual weaknesses and seeks correctness
Develops authentic and controlled voice

Essential Learning Prompted by Writing and Grammar Standards:

Students understand that the process of writing is as important as the product itself. The metacognitive awareness of the writer’s choices and how those choices affect the reader help students take greater care in both content and mechanics. Students and teachers use the PA Writing Assessment rubric domains for assessment and instruction.

Speaking and Listening Standard

Student demonstrates speaking, listening, and discussion skills.

The Speaking and Listening Standard In Action

Sample 12th Grade Class Activities

In grade 12 students improve their speaking and listening skills through collaborative learning assignments, demonstrating strategies, participating in Socratic Seminars, roundtables, Literature Circles, role play, readers’ theatre, performances.

Indicators of effective 12th grade speaking and listening behaviors:

Masters ability to monitor own listening behaviors—awareness of under or over participation
Responds to ideas of others by agreeing, furthering, questioning, validating, providing examples, etc.
Selects, develops, and uses media of different types
Participates as a speaker and/or listener through everyday conversation, interviews, class discussions, small group discussions, informal debates, complex directions, and explanations
Works effectively for group presentations—plans, shares workload, communicates, rehearses, executes, reflects
Takes intellectual risks to further new ideas
Functions effectively as “teacher” to share expertise gained through independent and small group study and through research with classmates

Essential Learning Prompted By Speaking/Listening Standard:

Effective communication through speaking and listening is a life skill. Students learn to listen critically and to speak cogently, to respond to ideas and synthesize them in a discussion, to present ideas formally and informally, and to stand before a group and present information or artistic expression with confidence and clarity. One aspect of the Senior Seminar graduation requirement demands proficiency in presenting to an audience.

Research Standard

Student researches by gathering and synthesizing information from reference materials and communicating the knowledge gained (See also Reading Standards).

The Research Standard In Action

Annotated bibliographies and using research to widen understanding of text and context underpin research activity in grade 12 Language Arts. Additionally, the senior thesis graduation requirement in Senior Seminar expects that students will demonstrate proficiency in all aspects of the research process.

(For details about the research process and documentation format, consult the School District of Springfield Township Research Guide online at www.sdst.org/shs/library.)

Sample Indicators of Effective 12th Grade Research Behaviors:

Poses question, thesis, hypothesis
Understands that research is a process of locating, weighing, synthesizing, and documenting information.
Uses effective strategies as instructed for locating valid information
Weighs credibility, bias, and usefulness of information
Uses structured format to gather and arrange relevant notes
Synthesizes information effectively
Paraphrases effectively and selects supportive quotations judiciously
Uses technology skills in accessing, organizing, storing, analyzing, evaluating, and reporting information and conclusions
Integrates quotations from primary and secondary sources seamlessly into synthesis of own and others’ ideas
Uses research independently as a learning tool

Essential Learning prompted by the Research Standard:

Students learn and practice the lifelong tools and skills of effective inquiry: posing questions, locating and identifying reliable sources, note taking, organizing information, synthesizing, documenting sources, and reflecting on the effectiveness of the process. The Language Arts Research Standard forms the level of expectation across the curriculum, and the senior thesis requirement for graduation demands accomplished research skills.

Most Frequently Asked Questions

How can I help my son/daughter write an effective college essay?

Answer: Colleges are looking for competence, flair, and creativity. These essays showcase an applicant’s control of grammar conventions and precision of word choice as well as his/her special personality. The goal is to differentiate oneself from the other applicants.

By grade 12 students are competent in structuring narratives and expository pieces. Encourage your child to start early to brainstorm either a topic or responses to an assigned topic. Remind him/her to allow time to draft, revise (several times!), and edit. If necessary, create a writing schedule with your child to help him/her stay on task. If you are asked for feedback during drafting or revision, respond as a reader: What sections are not clear for you? What makes a particular passage effective? What do want to know more about? If you edit, stick to identifying errors—do not rewrite the essay in your own style. Encourage your child to seek out more than one reviewer and/or editor.

Teachers are happy to help students during all stages of the writing process; however, students should make appointments well before their deadlines.

What books are required for the pre-Requisite reading that all students must complete before the course begins? Answer: We periodically review and refine our lists; while the lists have not changed significantly over the last few years, we do make changes. Consult the current lists posted on our web page at www.sdst.org/shs. Additionally, we send home a copy of each grade’s list with report cards in June. It is important that you urge your son/daughter to complete this requirement because s/he will be assessed on the reading during the first week of class. We encourage students to keep a reading log for a memory aid; students will be allowed to consult the log during assessment of their reading.

Is there anything a parent can do to combat “senioritis”?

Answer: Depending on when your son/daughter is accepted to a college or at what point your child has decided upon the military or the workplace after high school, s/he may exhibit “senioritis,” the disease that strikes when seniors realize that they have reached a point in their education at which motivation to earn good grades becomes much less extrinsic. Students suffering from this disease typically disregard homework, and their class work is often lackluster. Continued learning and honing skills can only enhance success in college or in the workplace. Parents can help by emphasizing that high school does not end until graduation, by maintaining firm guidelines on school night activity, and by continuing to hold high family expectations for achievement.