TExES ELAR 7-12 (331) key terms

The ability to notice, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words-blending /c/ /a/ /t/ into "cat" or deleting the first sound. It works with speech sounds only, not with printed letters.

Instruction in the predictable relationships between letters or letter patterns and the sounds they represent, used to decode unfamiliar printed words. Unlike phonemic awareness, phonics always involves letters, not just spoken sounds.

The understanding that letters and letter patterns stand for the sounds of spoken language, so printed words can be decoded systematically. It is the conceptual foundation on which phonics instruction builds.

The study of the smallest meaningful units in words (morphemes)-roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Morphological knowledge helps students unlock unfamiliar words and spell them, especially in content-area reading.

The conventional writing system of a language, including spelling patterns, capitalization, and punctuation. English orthography preserves meaning-based spellings (sign, signal) alongside sound-based ones, which explains many apparent irregularities.

The study of meaning in language: what words, phrases, and sentences mean and how meanings relate to one another through synonymy, antonymy, and connotation. It is the vocabulary-and-meaning side of language study.

The rules governing how words combine into phrases and sentences, including word order and sentence structure. Syntactic awareness supports both comprehension of complex sentences and sentence variety in student writing.

How context shapes meaning: the social rules for language use, such as turn-taking, tone, implied meaning, and adjusting register for an audience. It explains why the same sentence can be polite, sarcastic, or offensive.

A word in one language that shares a root and core meaning with a word in another, such as Spanish "familia" and English "family." Recognizing English-Spanish cognates lets bilingual students transfer vocabulary knowledge across languages.

Reading text accurately, at an appropriate rate, and with expression that reflects meaning. Fluency bridges word recognition and comprehension and is typically measured through accuracy, words correct per minute, and prosody.

The mental framework of prior knowledge and experience a reader brings to a text. Comprehension improves when readers activate relevant schema before and during reading and connect new information to what they already know.

A conclusion drawn by combining text evidence with background knowledge to fill in what an author implies but does not state. Inference underlies interpretation of character motive, tone, and theme.

The organizational pattern of a text, such as cause-effect, compare-contrast, chronology, problem-solution, or description. Recognizing structure helps readers predict, organize notes, and retain information.

A deliberate, repeated reading of a short, complex passage to analyze word choice, structure, and evidence, with conclusions grounded in the text itself rather than in personal reaction.

A central insight about life or human nature conveyed by a literary work, expressed as a full statement rather than a single topic word. Themes emerge from patterns across character, conflict, and imagery.

The use of a concrete object, person, or action to stand for an abstract idea, such as a river representing time or freedom. Symbols acquire meaning through repetition and context within a work.

The perspective from which a narrative is told-first person, third-person limited, or omniscient, for example. It determines what the reader can know and how reliable the account appears.

How demanding a text is for a particular reader, judged by quantitative measures (readability, sentence length), qualitative features (structure, knowledge demands, levels of meaning), and reader and task considerations.

A reader's ongoing awareness and control of their own comprehension: noticing when meaning breaks down and choosing a fix-up strategy such as rereading, summarizing, or clarifying vocabulary.

The planning stage of composing-generating ideas, gathering evidence, and organizing a plan through brainstorming, outlining, or freewriting-before a draft is written.

A sentence or two stating the central claim of an essay and previewing how the argument will be organized. An effective thesis is specific, arguable, and supportable with evidence.

A paragraph structure for argument and analysis: state a debatable claim, supply relevant textual evidence, then explain how that evidence supports the claim. The commentary carries the writer's own reasoning.

Coherence is the logical unity of ideas across a piece; cohesion is the linking of sentences through transitions, pronouns, and repeated key terms. Both are required for readers to follow a writer's reasoning.

Reworking a draft's content and organization-sharpening the thesis, adding or cutting evidence, reordering paragraphs. It is distinct from editing, which addresses surface conventions.

Correcting the surface features of writing such as grammar, usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. Editing comes late in the writing process, after ideas and organization are settled.

A published or teacher-written model that students analyze for a specific craft move-a strong lead, an effective counterargument-and then imitate in their own writing.

Listening that involves deliberate attention, note-taking, and questioning in order to understand a speaker's message and viewpoint, including asking clarifying questions and offering relevant responses during discussion.

The three classical means of persuasion: ethos (the speaker's credibility), pathos (the audience's emotions), and logos (logic and evidence). Students analyze how speakers and writers combine them for different audiences.

The ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and produce messages in print, visual, and digital media, including identifying a source's purpose, audience, bias, and techniques such as framing and selection.

An original document or artifact created at the time of an event by a participant or witness-letters, speeches, diaries, raw data, photographs. Secondary sources interpret or analyze such materials.

Combining information from multiple sources into a new, integrated understanding or argument rather than summarizing sources one at a time. Synthesis requires comparing, contrasting, and resolving conflicting evidence.

Presenting another person's words or ideas as one's own, whether by copying, patchwriting, or paraphrasing without citation. Instruction in quoting, paraphrasing, and citing sources is the main preventive measure.

Ongoing, low-stakes checks during instruction-exit tickets, conferences, quick writes, observations-used to adjust teaching while learning is still in progress.

An evaluation of student learning at the end of a unit, course, or grading period, such as a final essay or exam, used for reporting and accountability rather than for immediate instructional adjustment.

Temporary supports-models, sentence frames, chunked texts, guided practice-that let students succeed at a task just beyond their independent level and are gradually withdrawn as competence grows.

Planning instruction so that content, process, or product are adjusted to students' readiness, interests, and learning profiles while all students work toward the same standards.

Examining a reader's oral reading errors to determine whether they are meaning-based, syntax-based, or visual, revealing which cue systems the reader uses and guiding targeted instruction.

A scoring guide that lists criteria and describes levels of performance, making expectations transparent and grading consistent. Rubrics may be analytic, scoring traits separately, or holistic, giving one overall score.

Designing instruction that draws on students' cultural backgrounds, languages, and experiences as resources for learning, and selecting texts that both reflect and expand students' worlds.