Virginia State Standards for Language Arts: Grade 12
12.1. The student will make a 5 to 10 minute formal oral presentation.
12.1.a) Choose the purpose of the presentation: to defend a position, to entertain an audience, or to explain information.
12.1.b) Use a well-structured narrative or logical argument.
12.1.c) Use details, illustrations, statistics, comparisons, and analogies to support purposes.
12.1.d) Use visual aids or technology to support presentation.
12.1.e) Use grammatically correct language, including vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.
12.2. The student will evaluate formal presentations.
12.2.a) Critique relationships among purpose, audience, and content of presentations.
12.2.b) Critique effectiveness of presentations.
12.3. The student will read and analyze the development of British literature and literature of other cultures.
12.3.a) Recognize major literary forms and their elements.
12.3.b) Recognize the characteristics of major chronological eras.
12.3.c) Relate literary works and authors to major themes and issues of their eras.
12.4. The student will read and analyze a variety of informational materials, including electronic resources.
12.4.a) Identify formats common to new publications and information resources.
12.4.b) Recognize and apply specialized informational vocabulary.
12.4.c) Evaluate a product based on analysis of the accompanying warranty and instruction manual.
12.4.d) Evaluate the quality of informational and technical materials.
12.5. The student will read and critique a variety of poetry.
12.5.a) Explain how the choice of words in a poem creates tone and voice.
12.5.b) Explain how the sound of a poem (rhyme, rhythm, onomatopoeia, repetition, alliteration, assonance, and parallelism) supports the subject and mood.
12.5.c) Explain how imagery and figures of speech (personification, simile, metaphor) appeal to the reader's senses and experience.
12.5.d) Compare and contrast traditional and contemporary works of poets from many cultures.
12.6. The student will read and critique dramatic selections from a variety of authors.
12.6.a) Describe the conflict, plot, climax, and setting.
12.6.b) Compare and contrast ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect.
12.6.c) Identify the most effective elements of selected plays.
12.6.d) Compare and contrast dramatic elements of plays from American, British, and other cultures.
12.7. The student will develop expository and informational writings.
12.7.a) Generate, gather, and organize ideas for writing.
12.7.b) Consider audience and purpose when planning for writing.
12.7.c) Write analytically about literary, informational, and visual materials.
12.7.d) Elaborate ideas clearly and accurately.
12.7.e) Revise writing for depth of information and technique of presentation.
12.7.f) Apply grammatical conventions to edit writing for correct use of language, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
12.7.g) Proofread final copy and prepare document for publication or submission.
12.8. The student will write documented research papers.
12.8.a) Identify and understand the ethical issues of research and documentation.
12.8.b) Evaluate the accuracy and usefulness of information.
12.8.c) Synthesize information to support the thesis.
12.8.d) Present information in a logical manner.
12.8.e) Cite sources of information, using a standard method of documentation, such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA).
12.8.f) Edit copies for correct use of language, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
12.8.g) Proofread final copy and prepare document for publication or submission.