Language Skills Benchmarks (CASAS Content Standards) – ELL 1
*Find CASAS Content Standards at:
www.casas.org/home/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showContent&MapID=1720
Sub-strand
Reading & Writing
Beginning
Literacy
 Identify and write both
the upper and lowercase
letters of the alphabet.
(R1.1)
 Match letters to sounds.
(R1.4)
 Recognize that letters
make words and write
some phonics-based
words. (R1.2)
 Read and write from left
to right, top to bottom,
front to back. (R1.3)
 Relate letters to a range
of possible sounds,
including recognizing
homonyms. (R1.5)
 Use common
phonological patterns to
sound out and spell
unfamiliar words. (R1.6)
 Interpret common
symbols. (R2.1)
 Read and write basic
sight words such as ‘the’,
‘is’, etc. (R2.2)
 Use capitalization as a
clue to interpret words
such as names and place
names. (R2.4)
Vocabulary
General
Comprehension
&
Conversation
Speaking & Listening
Grammar
 Say and understand the
 Identify upper
letters of the alphabet.
and
lowercase
 Vocalize common sounds
letters of the
of consonants and
alphabet.
vowels.
 Recognize
 Recognize beginning,
consonants
ending and medial sounds
vs. vowels.
of spoken words.
 Relate letters to a range
of pronunciations,
including homonyms.
(R1.5)
 Use common
phonological patterns to
interpret and pronounce
unfamiliar words. (R1.6)
 Discriminate between
sounds that affect word
meaning (minimal pairs).
(L1.3)
 Demonstrate
 Begin to
understanding of familiar
categorize
vocabulary through
vocabulary as
physical response and
nouns
simple utterances. (L1.1)
(people,
things, and
 Use and demonstrate
animals) and
understanding of simple
verbs
words in context of
(actions).
common, everyday
situations. (L1.2)
 Discriminate between
sounds that affect word
meaning such as minimal
pairs. (L1.3)
 Use supporting
 Utter and respond to basic  Use subject
illustrations and photos to
routine social phrases
pronouns and
interpret very basic texts.
such as “Hi”, “How are
verb ‘be’ in
(R3.12)
you”, etc. (L4.1)
greetings and
Ronald M. Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning: ELL Department 2007
Terms for
Explicit
Instruction
 Alphabet
 Consonants
 Vowels
 Short
vowels
 Long
vowels
 Phonics
 Sound out
 Sight words
 Spell
 Rhyme
 Vocabulary
 Sight words
 Nouns
 Names
 People
 Places
 Things
 Animals
 Verbs
 Actions
 Sentence
 Subject
 Verb
 Verb ‘be’
 ‘am’
1
 Read and write very
simple sentences that
contain familiar phonicsbased and sight word
vocabulary. (R3.2)
 Begin to read and
understand very simple
texts on familiar topics.
(R3.3)
 Begin to participate in
and demonstrate
understanding of simple
face-to-face
conversations that use
previously learned
material. (L4.2)
introductions.
 Use names
and other
nouns as
subjects and
simple verbs
like ‘have’
and ‘live’ in
sentences.
 Interpret and use
 Respond to simple wh Capitalize
beginning capitalization,
questions about personal
initial letter
capitalization of own
information. (L3.1)
of own first
name and cities, and final  Use the negative “no” and
and last name
punctuation. (R3.1)
and names of
demonstrate
street, city,
understanding of simple
 Recognize the negative
and state.
“Do Not . . .” on signs.
negative phrases using
“not”. (L3.2)
 Understand
 Recognize and use verb
negatives
‘be’ and subject
 Respond to simple yes/no
“no” and
pronouns.
questions that are about
“not”.
familiar contexts. (L3.3)
 Recognize and use simple
 Understand
wh words.
basic whwords (what,
where,
when).
 Understand
basic yes/no
questions and
short answers
with verb
‘be’.
Understanding  Interpret simple written
 Use and demonstrate
 Recognize
Instructions,
instructions supported by
understanding of highverbs in
Requests, and
illustrations
or
symbols.
frequency
commands
and
written
Imperatives.
(R3.6)
expressions of courtesy.
instructions
(L2.1)
and verbal
 Interpret “Do Not” signs.
commands
 Respond appropriately to
(copy, write,
and issue short
circle, sit
emergency warnings and
down, etc.).
commands such as “Be
careful!” “Slow down!”.
(L2.2)
 Ask for and respond to
requests for repetition or
Interpreting
Grammatical
Structures
Ronald M. Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning: ELL Department 2007
 ‘is’
 ‘are’
 Pronouns
 ‘I’
 ‘you’
 ‘we’
 ‘they’
 ‘he’
 ‘she’
 ‘it’
 Singular
 Plural
 Sentence
 Capital
 Period
 Question
 Question
words
 Question
mark
 Verb
 Verb ‘be’
 ‘am’
 ‘is’
 ‘are’
 Pronouns
 ‘I’
 ‘you’
 ‘we’
 ‘they’
 ‘he’
 ‘she’
 ‘it’
 Singular
 Plural
 Negative
 Directions
 Verbs
2
Text in
Format/
Speech in
Context
Comprehension
Strategies
Thinking
Skills
Independent
Learning
Skills
 Read and write numbers.
(R4.1)
 Read clock times
including standard
clocks. (R4.2)
 Read dates on calendar
and forms. (R4.3)
 Read money amounts on
receipts and bills. (R4.4)
 Predict the content of a
text from title and
pictures. (R6.1)
 Scan a simple text to find
specific information.
(R6.2)
 NA
simple clarification.
(L2.3)
 Understand and use basic
social phrases and
courtesies in
conversational contexts.
(L4.1)
 NA
 Numbers
 Time
 Calendar
 Forms
 Money
 Total
 Begin to predict
conversational context
through body language
and setting clues.
 NA
 Text
 Title
 Author
 Pictures
 NA
 NA
 NA
 Alphabetical
 Write words to match
 Begin to make and
 Categorize
with pictures (make
answer simple requests
vocabulary as  Flashcards
 Picture
flashcards).
for information.
nouns and
dictionary
verbs.
 Use a picture dictionary.
 Nouns
(R5.4)
 Verbs
Key to *CASAS Basic Skills Content Standards
R1.__: Beginning Literacy/Phonics
L1.__: Recognizing Vocabulary
R2.__: Vocabulary
L2.__: Understanding Imperatives, Instructions and
R3.__: General Reading Comprehension
Requests
R4.__: Text in Format
L3.__: Interpreting Grammatical Structures
R5.__: Reference Materials
L4.__: Understanding Conversation
R6.__: Reading Strategies
L5.__: Understanding Non-face-to-face Speech
R7.__: Reading and Thinking Skills
L6.__: Comprehending Informational Discourse
R8.__: Academic-oriented Skills
L7.__: Making Inferences
R9.__: Literary Analysis
*Find CASAS Content Standards at:
www.casas.org/home/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showContent&MapID=1720
Ronald M. Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning: ELL Department 2007
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