| Language Arts
The Standards for the English Language Arts center around three core beliefs:
* "First, we believe that standards are needed to prepare students for the literacy requirements of the future as well as the present. Changes in technology and society have altered and will continue to alter the ways in which we use language to communicate and to think. Students must be prepared to meet these demands."
* "Second, we believe that standards can articulate a shared vision of what the nation's teachers, literacy researchers, teacher educators, parents, and others expect students to attain in the English language arts, and what we can do to ensure that this vision is realized."
* "Third, we believe that standards are necessary to promote high educational expectations for all students and to bridge the documented disparities that exist in educational opportunities. Standards can help us ensure that all students become informed citizens and participate fully in society."
The Tennessee English Language Arts Curriculum Framework for Kindergarten through Grade 12 was adopted by the State Board of Education on December 5, 1996. "The framework includes the Content Strands and Learning Expectations necessary to insure K-12 Tennessee students develop the language skills needed to succeed in school, in the workplace, and in their lives."
As a response to the concerns of the business and college communities, the TCAP Writing Assessment was developed. The Assessment measures strengths and weaknesses in the area of writing and provides a basis for developing instructional strategies to improve writing.
The verbal section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test contains three types of questions that assess how a student understands the written word:
* Analogies
* Sentence Completions
* Critical Reading
The English section of the ACT contains five reading passages and seventy-five multiple-choice questions:
* Ten questions dealing with punctuation
* Twelve questions dealing with grammar
* Eighteen questions dealing with sentence structure
* Eleven questions dealing with revising and strengthening a passage
* Twelve questions dealing with changing words for style and clarity
* Twelve questions dealing with explaining or supporting a point of view clearly and effectively
The Reading section of the ACT contains four reading passages dealing with the following topics:
* Natural Science
* Social Studies
* Humanities
* Literature
English II is the Tennessee End-of-course test that must be passed before graduation to earn a high school diploma.
The Terra Nova Complete Battery for Reading/Language Arts "reflects current instructional practices. The skills essential for effective communication - - reading comprehension, language, vocabulary, and study skills - - are integrated into one test to provide a coherent assessment experience.
To help student succeed, the directions, passages, and test questions are linked by themes that provide context and stimulate interest. The arrangement of test questions leads to a deepening engagement with the material, much like the process a thoughtful teacher uses in exploring text with students.
The test reflects the diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds and experiences of contemporary students, with the goal of providing equity in assessing achievement. It involves the students in constructing meaning, monitoring their own comprehension strategies, and thinking critically and creatively in response to texts."
The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) document contains skills that can be obtained through a Language Arts program.
The Tennessee Reading Accomplishments are a more specific grade-by-grade fleshing out of the Tennessee Curriculum Frameworks.
The WorkKeys contains skills that can be mastered in a Language Arts program.
The Tennessee Language Arts Curriculum Standards provide standards, performance indicators, and accomplishments for students in language arts.
Creative Writing
The Standards for the English Language Arts provide twelve standards that are "intended to serve as guidelines that provide ample room for the kinds of innovation and creativity that are essential to teaching and learning."
The Tennessee English Language Arts Curriculum Framework identifies the learning expectations for Creative Writing.
The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is typically given to students in the later years of high school prior to applying to colleges.
The American College Test (ACT) is typically given to students in the later years of high school prior to applying to colleges.
The SCANS contains Language Arts competencies that students should master in order to enter the work force after high school.
The WorkKeys provides skills to be mastered by the end of high school.
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