LANGUAGE ARTS

The North Carolina Standard Course of Study provides a set of English language arts competencies for each grade and high school course to ensure rigorous student academic performance standards that are uniform across the state. It is based on a philosophy of teaching and learning that is consistent with the current research, exemplary practices, and national standards.

The ultimate purpose of the English Language Arts curriculum is to teach students the language abilities they need to communicate effectively as individuals and as contributing members of society. It is a spiraling curriculum in the sense that many of the same skills develop over time.

Strands

Students at any grade level continue to develop skills in the three language strands of oral language, written language, and media/technology use.

The specific expectations for what students study at different grade levels vary. First graders and tenth graders, for example, all read and write and use technology, but the expectations about what they read and write and how they use media are different.

Common Content

Likewise, at all grades students study some common content:

• language of the discipline (plot, theme, setting, etc.);
• language conventions (sentence structure, mechanics, spelling and punctuation, etc.); and
• different genre (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama).

This common content study, however, also involves age appropriate materials and different grade level expectations.

Common K-5 Goals and 6-12 Goals

In order to provide continuity of language study and increasing language skill development across grade levels, grades K-5 have common goals. Grades 6-12 also have common goals across the grade span.

The English Language Arts Standard Course of Study is the framework that guides classroom instruction and assessment for every student in North Carolina. It is the ultimate guide for textbook selection and the foundation of the North Carolina testing program. A variety of North Carolina Department of Public Instruction support documents articulate and enhance this curriculum.