ARM 10.54.3706. GRADE 8 PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTORS AT THE PROFICIENT LEVEL

(1) A student at the proficient level in communication arts demonstrates solid academic performance by consistently meeting grade level expectations. He/she demonstrates the knowledge and skills required to be successful. (a) The student demonstrates the knowledge and skills under communication arts speaking and listening content standard 1 by: (i) analyzing components of the communication process; (ii) applying elements of effective speaking; (iii) applying elements of effective listening; (iv) selecting a specific topic and developing the introduction, body, and conclusion; (v) adapting to formal and informal audiences, settings, and purposes; (vi) using feedback to monitor and adjust; (vii) comparing and contrasting speaking and listening strategies in cultural stories; and (viii) displaying respectful communication and orally referencing sources. (b) The student demonstrates the knowledge and skills under communication arts reading content standard 2 by: (i) decoding words; (ii) expanding general and specialized vocabulary; (iii) adjusting fluency; (iv) identifying when comprehension breaks down and self-correcting; (v) connecting text to self, text to text, and text to world; (vi) revising and explaining predictions; (vii) generating and answering literal and higher-order questions; (viii) explaining a series of events to draw conclusions; (ix) summarizing main ideas and details; (x) making and justifying inferences; (xi) analyzing text features; (xii) comparing and contrasting information to draw a conclusion; (xiii) explaining cause and effect across multiple texts; (xiv) critiquing the author's purpose, points of view, language use, and credibility; and (xv) setting goals and monitoring. (c) The student demonstrates the knowledge and skills under communication arts literature content standard 3 by: (i) comparing and contrasting literary elements; (ii) analyzing language use and literary devices; (iii) defining characteristics of genre; (iv) interpreting influences of culture, history, and literature; (v) comparing a variety of perspectives in literature; and (vi) justifying personal ideas and feelings in response to literature. (d) The student demonstrates the knowledge and skills under communication arts media literacy content standard 4 by: (i) differentiating how techniques and technologies impact media messages; (ii) analyzing credibility of media message sources; (iii) analyzing purpose of fact, fiction, opinion, bias, and stereotypes in media messages; (iv) applying proper use and creation of media messages; (v) applying guidelines for using and creating media messages; (vi) creating and analyzing media messages; and (vii) identifying how media embeds values and influences. (e) The student demonstrates the knowledge and skills under communication arts writing content standard 5 by: (i) applying steps of the writing process; (ii) selecting a topic and generating a thesis; (iii) developing a main idea using a variety of details; (iv) organizing writing using a progression of ideas; (v) demonstrating knowledge of language choice and its impact; (vi) applying conventions; (vii) identifying and describing purpose, audience, format, style, and tone; (viii) analyzing characteristics of writing forms and genres; (ix) sustaining focus of topic in writing; (x) using information problem solving process; (xi) using information legally; (xii) setting goals and monitoring writing; and (xiii) using writing to think and learn.