COMMON CORE STATE

STANDARDS FOR
English Language Arts
____
Grades 11-12

Introduction to the Common Core State Standards for

English Language Arts
Grade-level version
(See ODE subject-area web pages for grade-band, subject-specific versions of the Standards for Literacy in
History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects)

Preparing Oregons Students

When Oregon adopted the Common Core in October 2010, our state joined other states in the pursuit of a
common, standards-based education for our students, kindergarten through high school. Common
standards can increase the likelihood that all students, no matter where they live, are prepared for success
in college and the work place.
Because skillful reading, writing, language use, and speaking and listening are similar across the states,
common standards make sense. They make possible common assessments, common achievement goals for
grade level groups, and efficiencies of scale for instructional and professional development materials.
Instruction in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social
Studies, Science, and Technical Subjectsthe Standardswill prepare Oregon students and students in
other CCSS states to be proficient in the four strands of the English language arts (ELA) skillsReading,
Writing, Language, and Speaking and Listening.

Utilizing Content Area Expertise

Because students need grade-level literacy skills to access full content in school, the emphasis in the
Common Core is to learn to read and write in ELA and to develop those skills, specific to the content, in all
other classes. The name of the standards reflects this expectation. The Standards for grade 6 and above are
predicated on all teachers using their content area expertise to help students meet the particular challenges
of reading and writing in their respective fields. For grades K-5, the ELA and subject-area literacy standards
are integrated; for grades 6-11/12, they are separate but parallel.

Incorporating a Unique Design

The College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standards, the backbone of the Standards, describe the
literacy skills which all students need when they graduate. The grade-specific standards describe the literacy
skills, corresponding to the CCR Anchor Standards by number, which all students need when they finish each
grade.
Keeping the college and career focus at the forefront of Kindergarten through grade 11/12 implementation
is critical; that is why the CCRs are placed before the grade-specific standards in the CCSS. It is this unique
design that supports the preparation of all students to be successful in school, from the beginning of school,
and proficient in the Essential Skills of Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening required for an Oregon
Diploma.

Using an Integrated Model of Literacy

The Standards are cross-referenced across all four strandsReading, Writing, Language, and
Speaking and Listeningso they can be clustered for instruction.
Language Standards apply to the other three strandsReading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening

Oregon Department of Education

Common Core Introduction

Focusing on Key Features

Reading: Text complexity and the growth of comprehension*
Writing: Text types, responding to reading, and research*
Speaking and Listening: Flexible communication and collaboration*
Language: Conventions, effective use, and vocabulary*
Appendices**
o

Appendix A: Supplementary material on the four strands; glossary of key terms

included

Appendix B: Text exemplars and sample performance tasks illustrating the complexity,
quality, and range of reading appropriate for various grade levels

Appendix C: Annotated examples of student writing demonstrating at least adequate

performance at various levels

Reading this Document

Because the CCR Anchor Standards are the backbone of the Standards, the CCRs for each strand are
featured on a separate page before the grade-specific standards for that strand; this placement underscores
the importance of the CCR connection to every standard. Reading down the columns, the order is as follows:
Reading CCRs
Literature Standards
Informational Text Standards
Writing CCRs
Writing Standards

Language CCRs
Language Standards
Speaking and Listening CCRs
Speaking and Listening Standards

Notation for grade-specific standards:

Individual grade-specific standards are identified by grade, strand, and number (or number and letter, where
applicable); for example, 8.RL.1, means grade 8, Reading Literature, standard 1.
Literature
Grade

Literature

8.RL

Key Ideas and Details

8.RL.1
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Grade-level
Standard

Standard number
Strand

*See Appendix A (from ODE homepage search ccss or add go/commoncore to address; then link to ELA).
**See Appendices A, B, and C (from ODE homepage search ccss or add go/commoncore to address; then link to ELA).

Oregon Department of Education

Common Core Introduction

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading

The grades 6 -12 standards define what students should understand and be able to do by the end of each
grade. Each grade-specific standard corresponds to the same College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor
Standard below by number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complementsthe former
providing broad standards, the latter providing additional specificitythat together define the skills and
understandings that all students must demonstrate.
Key Ideas and Details
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make
logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing
or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their
development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and
interact over the course of a text.

Note on range and content

of student reading
To become college and career ready,
students must grapple with works of
exceptional craft and thought whose
range extends across genres, cultures,
and centuries. Such works offer
profound insights into the human
condition and serve as models for

Craft and Structure

students own thinking and writing.

4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including

determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and
analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

Along with high-quality contemporary

5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences,

paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter,
scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

the classics of American literature, and

6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of
a text.

literature and literary nonfiction of

works, these texts should be chosen

from among seminal U.S. documents,
the timeless dramas of Shakespeare.
Through wide and deep reading of
steadily increasing sophistication,
students gain a reservoir of literary and

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

cultural knowledge, references, and

7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and

formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.*

images; the ability to evaluate intricate

8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text,

including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and
sufficiency of the evidence.

surmount the challenges posed by

arguments; and the capacity to

complex texts.

9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in

order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors
take.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts
independently and proficiently.
*Please see Research to Build Knowledge in Writing and Comprehension and Collaboration in Speaking and Listening for additional
standards relevant to gathering, assessing, and applying information from print and digital sources.

Reading Standards: Literature

Adopted October 2010

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12
The following standards offer a focus for instruction each year and help ensure that students gain adequate
exposure to a range of texts and tasks. The CCR anchor standards and high school grade-specific standards
work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectationsthe former providing broad standards,
the latter providing additional specificity.

Literature

11-12.RL

Key Ideas and Details

11-12.RL.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text
leaves matters uncertain.
11-12.RL.2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development
over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to
produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
11-12.RL.3 Analyze the impact of the authors choices regarding how to develop and relate elements
of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the
characters are introduced and developed).
Craft and Structure
11-12.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly
fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
11-12.RL.5 Analyze how an authors choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g.,
the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic
resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
11-12.RL.6 Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly
stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
11-12.RL.7 Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live
production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets
the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American
dramatist.)
11-12.RL.8 (Not applicable to literature)
11-12.RL.9 Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century
foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the
same period treat similar themes or topics.

Adopted October 2010

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

11-12.RL.10 By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and
poems, in the grades 11CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed
at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and
poems, at the high end of the grades 11CCR text complexity band independently and
proficiently.

Adopted October 2010

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

Reading Standards: Informational Text

Informational Text

11-12.RI

Key Ideas and Details

11-12.RI.1

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text
leaves matters uncertain.

11-12.RI.2

Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the
course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a
complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.

11-12.RI.3

Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals,
ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

Craft and Structure

11-12.RI.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines
the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines
faction in Federalist No. 10).

11-12.RI.5

Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her
exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing,
and engaging.

11-12.RI.6

Determine an authors point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is

particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power,
persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

11-12.RI.7

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or

formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or
solve a problem.

11-12.RI.8

Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of
constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority
opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public
advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).

11-12.RI.9

Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents

of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the
Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincolns Second Inaugural Address)
for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

11-12.RI.10 By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 11CCR
text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the
grades 11CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Adopted October 2010

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing

The grade 6-12 standards define what students should understand and be able to do by the end of each grade.
Each grade-specific standard corresponds to the same College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standard
below by number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complementsthe former providing
broad standards, the latter providing additional specificitythat together define the skills and understandings
that all students must demonstrate.
Text Types and Purposes*
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive
topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence.

Note on range and content

of student writing
For students, writing is a key means of
asserting and defending claims, showing

2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey

complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the
effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

what they know about a subject, and

3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events

using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured
event sequences.

college- and career- ready writers,

conveying what they have experienced,

imagined, thought, and felt. To be
students must take task, purpose, and
audience into careful consideration,
choosing words, information, structures,

Production and Distribution of Writing

and formats deliberately. They need to

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,

organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.

know how to combine elements of

5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising,

editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

and explanation within narrativeto

6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish

writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

They need to be able to use technology

different kinds of writingfor example, to

use narrative strategies within argument
produce complex and nuanced writing.
strategically when creating, refining, and
collaborating on writing. They have to

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

become adept at gathering information,

7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on

focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject
under investigation.

evaluating sources, and citing material

8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources,

assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the
information while avoiding plagiarism.

clear and cogent manner. They must

9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support

analysis, reflection, and research.

text under a tight deadline as well as the

accurately, reporting findings from their

research and analysis of sources in a
have the flexibility, concentration, and
fluency to produce high-quality first-draft
capacity to revisit and make
improvements to a piece of writing over

Range of Writing

multiple drafts when circumstances

10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research,
reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or
a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

encourage or require it.

*These broad types of writing include many subgenres. See Appendix A for definitions of key writing types.

Adopted October 2010

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

Writing Standards
The following standards offer a focus for instruction each year and help ensure that students gain adequate
exposure to a range of texts and tasks. The CCR anchor standards and high school grade-specific standards
work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectationsthe former providing broad standards,
the latter providing additional specificity.

Writing

11-12.W

Text Types and Purposes

11-12.W.1

Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s),
distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization
that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant
evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner
that anticipates the audiences knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of
the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons,
between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms
and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
argument presented.

11-12.W.2

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and
information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and
analysis of content.
a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each
new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include
formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful
to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts,
extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples
appropriate to the audiences knowledge of the topic.
c. Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the
text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor,
simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms
and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance
of the topic).

Adopted October 2010

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

11-12.W.3

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective

technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its
significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator
and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple
plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to
create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense
of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).
d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid
picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed,
or resolved over the course of the narrative.

Production and Distribution of Writing

11-12.W.4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types
are defined in standards 13 above.)

11-12.W.5

Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or

trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific
purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of
Language standards 13 up to and including grades 1112.)

11-12.W.6

Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or
shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or
information.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

11-12.W.7

Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including
a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when
appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of
the subject under investigation.

11-12.W.8

Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using
advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms
of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to
maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and
following a standard format for citation.

11-12.W.9

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
a. Apply grades 1112 Reading standards to literature (e.g., Demonstrate knowledge of
eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American
literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes
or topics).

Adopted October 2010

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

b. Apply grades 1112 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., Delineate and
evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional
principles and use of legal reasoning [e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court Case majority
opinions and dissents] and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public
advocacy [e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses]).
Range of Writing
11-12.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision)
and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes,
and audiences.

Adopted October 2010

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Language

The grades 6 -12 standards define what students should understand and be able to do by the end of each
grade. Each grade-specific standard corresponds to the same College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor
Standard below by number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complementsthe former
providing broad standards, the latter providing additional specificitythat together define the skills and
understandings that all students must demonstrate.
Conventions of Standard English
1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Note on range and content

of student language use
To be college and career ready in
language, students must have firm
control over the conventions of standard
English. At the same time, they must

Knowledge of Language

come to appreciate that language is as

3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language

functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for
meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or
listening.

at least as much a matter of craft as of

rules and be able to choose words,
syntax, and punctuation to express
themselves and achieve particular
functions and rhetorical effects. They

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning

words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful
word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference
materials, as appropriate.

must also have extensive vocabularies,

built through reading and study,
enabling them to comprehend complex
texts and engage in purposeful writing
about and conversations around

5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word

relationships and nuances in word meanings.

content. They need to become skilled in

6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and

domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge
when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension
or expression.

words and phrases they encounter,

determining or clarifying the meaning of

choosing flexibly from an array of
strategies to aid them. They must learn
to see an individual word as part of a
network of other wordswords, for
example, that have similar denotations
but different connotations. The inclusion
of Language standards in their own
strand should not be taken as an
indication that skills related to
conventions, effective language use, and
vocabulary are unimportant to reading,
writing, speaking, and listening; indeed,
they are inseparable from such contexts.

Adopted October 2010

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

Language Standards
The following standards offer a focus for instruction each year to help ensure that students gain adequate
mastery of a range of skills and applications. The CCR anchor standards and high school grade-specific
standards work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectationsthe former providing broad
standards, the latter providing additional specificity.

Language

11-12.L

Conventions of Standard English

11-12.L.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.
a. Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time,
and is sometimes contested.
b. Resolve issues of complex or contested usage, consulting references (e.g., MerriamWebsters Dictionary of English Usage, Garners Modern American Usage) as needed.

11-12.L.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation,

and spelling when writing.
a. Observe hyphenation conventions.
b. Spell correctly.

Knowledge of Language
11-12.L.3

Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts,

to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when
reading or listening.
a. Vary syntax for effect, consulting references (e.g., Tuftes Artful Sentences) for guidance
as needed; apply an understanding of syntax to the study of complex texts when
reading.

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

11-12.L.4

11-12.L.5

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
based on grades 1112 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a words
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or
parts of speech (e.g., conceive, conception, conceivable).
c. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries,
thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine
or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage.
d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by
checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in
word meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role
in the text.
b. Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.

Adopted October 2010

10

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12
11-12.L.6

Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases,
sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness
level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a
word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Adopted October 2010

11

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening
The grades 6-12 standards define what students should understand and be able to do by the end of each
grade. Each grade-specific standard corresponds to the same College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor
Standard below by number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complementsthe former
providing broad standards, the latter providing additional specificitythat together define the skills and
understandings that all students must demonstrate.
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of
conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building
on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.

Note on range and content

of student speaking and
listening
To become college and career ready,
students must have ample opportunities
to take part in a variety of rich, structured

2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media

and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

conversationsas part of a whole class, in

3. Evaluate a speakers point of view, reasoning, and use of

evidence and rhetoric.

around important content in various

small groups, and with a partnerbuilt

domains. They must be able to contribute
appropriately to these conversations, to

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

make comparisons and contrasts, and to

4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such

analyze and synthesize a multitude of

that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the

organization, development, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.

ideas in accordance with the standards of

evidence appropriate to a particular
discipline. Whatever their intended major

5. Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to

express information and enhance understanding of
presentations.

or profession, high school graduates will

6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks,

demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or
appropriate.

to build on others meritorious ideas while

depend heavily on their ability to listen

attentively to others so that they are able
expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
New technologies have broadened and
expanded the role that speaking and
listening play in acquiring and sharing
knowledge and have tightened their link to
other forms of communication. The
Internet has accelerated the speed at
which connections between speaking,
listening, reading, and writing can be
made, requiring that students be ready to
use these modalities nearly
simultaneously. Technology itself is
changing quickly, creating a new urgency
for students to be adaptable in response
to change.

Adopted October 2010

12

OREGON COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES 11-12

Speaking and Listening Standards

The following standards offer a focus for instruction each year and help ensure that students gain adequate
exposure to a range of texts and tasks. The CCR anchor standards and high school grade-specific standards
work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectationsthe former providing broad standards,
the latter providing additional specificity.

Speaking and Listening

11-12.SL

Comprehension and Collaboration

11-12.SL.1

Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in

groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 1112 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other
research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of
ideas.
b. Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set
clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.
c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and
evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify,
verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative
perspectives.
d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and
evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and
determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the
investigation or complete the task.

11-12.SL.2

Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g.,
visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems,
evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among
the data.

11-12.SL.3

Evaluate a speakers point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing
the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

11-12.SL.4

Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct
perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing
perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are
appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.

11-12.SL.5

Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive
elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence
and to add interest.

11-12.SL.6

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal

English when indicated or appropriate. (See grades 1112 Language standards 1 and 3 for
specific expectations.)

Adopted October 2010

13