Objectives for Level 1

Level 1: novice or low beginning level

Speaking, Pronunciation, and Listening language objectives:
In completing Level 1, students should be able to:
o Begin to approximate the sounds and intonation patterns of
American English.
o Participate in simple conversations using pre-learned gambits and
ritualistic discourse patterns, such as:
Greetings
Introducing self
Exchanging information
Asking for clarification
o Show they comprehend simple English conversations and
presentations by answering questions about them with 80%
accuracy.
o Answer simple questions posed to them.
o Respond appropriately to different language conversation
situations: asking for clarification, asking for directions, etc.
o Talk about their feelings, likes and dislikes, etc.
o Describe objects, places, people accurately.

Writing and grammar skills, including cursive handwriting skills:

In completing Level 1, students should be able to:
o Penmanship skills: begin to produce and be able to read cursive
writing with 60% accuracy. Students will use the DNealian cursive
style.
o Write simple sentences using correct grammar (subject-verb
agreement; correct pronoun use; possessives; appropriate verb
tenses).
o Correctly formulate yes/no and information questions in English.
o Use the vocabulary they are learning in simple sentences.
o Write a short paragraph (descriptive, narrative, etc.) of at least 4
sentences with appropriate topic sentences and support.
o Prepare all typed written work following the MLA style format.

Reading:
In completing Level 1, students should be able to:

o Make accurate predictions about what the reading selection will be

about based on examining the title and reading the first paragraph.
o Identify the main idea of a short reading selection.
o Find details in a short passage that prove the authors main idea.
o Correctly answer simple comprehension questions on short reading
passages.
o Identify the controlling idea (thesis) of a reading selection.
o Be able to give (in writing or in spoken language) a brief three to
four sentence summary of a reading selection.
o Read between the lines and be able to make inferences.
o Define and use at least 150 new vocabulary words in their oral and
written language. [Vocabulary is determined by the chapters in the
textbook]

Language and Vocabulary development skills:

In completing Level 1, students should be able to
o Learn, use and understand up to 1,200 common vocabulary words
and phrases used in North America.
o Gain basic fluency in English
o Give synonyms for the words they are learning without use of a
translator.
o Use the words they are learning in sentences.
o Correctly spell the words they are learning.
o Provide synonyms for the words they are learning without the use
of a translator