COM ESL Credit Reading and Vocabulary Overview
Students’ reading and vocabulary skills will show an increasing level of difficulty and sophistication as they transition from one level to
the next.
Bold and Italicized: Reviewed and discussed at the reading meeting. Regular: CCC Rubric
Overall
Expected
Outcome: A
Summary
By the end of
56
By the end of
66
By the end of
76
By the end of
86
A student in this
category will have
emerging competence
in terms of
comprehension and
fluency. The student is
able to orally ask and
answer questions about
some details such as
when and where the
story took place. The
student has emerging
comfort and speed of
reading. The student
is able to interact with
the text using external
dialogue (primarily
interaction with other
students and the
teacher) in order to
help comprehend the
reading. The student
uses some active
reading skills but these
tend to be directed by
the teacher. The
readings tend to be
short with concrete,
non-academic
vocabulary. The
student can do presummary skills such as
oral identification of
basic details such as
where and when the
story takes place. The
A student in this
category will have some
competence in
comprehension and
fluency. The student
will begin to show more
comfort, ease, and
interest in reading
without 100%
translation and begin to
show a culture of
reading in their
personal life. The
student is able to
interact with the text
using external dialogue
but has the beginnings
of an internal dialogue
as well. The student
uses active reading
skills directed by the
teacher with some
internal direction in
terms of how to
approach a text.
Students can formulate
and answer questions
about the text. The
readings are still
adapted but are
increasing in length
and complexity of
vocabulary. The
student can
demonstrate some
summary skills such as
A student in this
category will have
competence in
comprehension and
fluency. This means
that reading speed and
comfort is increasing as
students are able to
chunk more material as
they read. In this level,
students begin to read
unadapted material,
jumping from a head
word count of 3000 to
5000 and the students
learn the reading skills
and acquire more
vocabulary to adapt to
this change. The
students is using more
active reading skills
and interaction with
the text is becoming
increasingly more of an
internal dialogue.
Summary skills are
improving, and
students is able to
formulate opinions on
reading materials.
Students can analyze
what they read and
apply their knowledge
through discussion and
presentations.
Information literacy is
A student in this category
will have mastery in terms
of comprehension and
fluency. A student in this
category will be able to
read unadapted fiction
and nonfiction materials
and independently vary
the use of critical reading
techniques according to
the type of material and
the purpose for reading.
The student will be able to
evaluate the logic and
accuracy of evidence in
support of the writer's
main idea. The student
will be able to analyze
written material for the
following underlying
ideas of the writer: main
and supporting ideas,
assumptions, biases, and
inferences. Vocabulary
development will focus
primarily on abstract,
academic words and the
Academic Word List. The
student will show mastery
of information literacy in
terms of use of simple
COM library databases
(Country Watch,
Opposing Viewpoints,
etc), and be able to find
correct definitions with
student has emerging
competence in
information literacy
which includes going to
the library or ESL lab
and emerging
knowledge of dictionary
use.
Critical
Thinking
Reading Type
and Length
Throughout the course
students will need to
apply various critical
thinking skills to
reading selections with
emerging competence.
These skills include
interpretation,
analysis, and synthesis.
Students read at least
five books that are
graded readers –
approximately 250
pages at any level.
Students generally
understand simplified
personal, professional,
academic and
narrative texts on
familiar and concrete
topics if teacher and
text support is
provided.
Students will be able to
read 4-10 page short
stories. Articles are
usually 1-2 pages in
length. If a
supplemental book is
used in addition to the
main text, it is a graded
reader.
producing ungraded
book reports.
Information literacy is
improving in terms of
independently finding
definitions and other
information they may
need.
Throughout the course
students will need to
apply various critical
thinking skills to
reading selections with
some competence.
These skills include
interpretation,
analysis, and synthesis.
Students read at least
ten books that are
graded readers –
approximately 500
pages (10 books). Most
readers will have a
3000 head word count.
Understand simplified
personal, professional,
academic and narrative
texts on familiar and
concrete topics.
Students will be able to
read and analyze stories
and 60 page short
novels. Articles are
usually 1-3 pages in
length. If a
supplemental book is
used in addition to the
main text, it is a
simplified version.
improving as students
can more accurately
find definitions and
other information they
may need to
comprehend what they
read.
the highest accuracy.
Throughout the course
students will need to
apply various critical
thinking skills to
reading selections with
competence. These
skills include
interpretation,
analysis, and synthesis
Throughout the course
students will need to
apply various critical
thinking skills to reading
selections with mastery.
These skills include
interpretation, analysis,
and synthesis.
Students read at least
750 pages in unadapted
novels that have been
carefully selected by the
teacher (head word
count jumps to 5000 in
unadapted novels).
Students read at least two
unadapted novels (chosen
by teacher or by students).
Additionally, students read
and generally understand a
range of personal,
professional, academic and
literary texts,
predominantly nonadapted/authentic texts
written for native English
speakers, with possible
inclusion of adapted texts.
Read and moderately
understand a range of
personal, professional,
academic and literary
texts, which may
include nonadapted/authentic texts
written for native
English speakers.
Authentic texts are
usually supported by
context and/or
vocabulary notes to aid
understanding.
Expository texts are
short and/or simplified
Readings include both
expository and narrative
texts, with some level of
abstraction.
Articles range from 1-6
pages in length. In
addition to a main text,
may include one or more
book-length works.
and narrative elements
may predominate.
Students will be able to
read and analyze
selected un-adapted
books. Articles range
from 1-4 pages in
length. In addition to a
main text, may include a
book-length work,
either a simple,
authentic work or a
simplified book.
Vocabulary
And
Information
Literacy
Students will recognize
and use new
vocabulary and develop
vocabulary-building
techniques.
Vocabulary will tend to
be concrete words from
fiction and nonacademic texts.
Understand simple
sentences which contain
familiar words and
phrases.
Sometimes understand
clearly related sentences
when context,
background knowledge,
or visual information
supports meaning.
Have no knowledge of
academic words.
English vocabulary
ranges from 700-1000
words.
Students will identify
nouns, verbs, adjectives,
adverbs and
prepositions with 70%
Students will recognize
and use new
vocabulary and develop
vocabulary-building
techniques. Students
will demonstrate library
and dictionary skills in
the form of picking the
correct definition based
on a shared dictionary
page and given the part
of speech.
Vocabulary will include
concrete words from
fiction as well as
textbook language.
Students will identify
nouns, verbs,
adjectives, adverbs,
prepositions,
subordinators,
coordinators, word
families, and
conjunctions in simple,
compound with some
competence.
Have little knowledge
of word roots, including
Students learn
vocabulary to bridge
the gap between
adapted and unadapted
novels. Students will
show more competence
in dictionary skills with
such activities as
picking out the correct
definition within a
particular part of
speech.
Read and moderately
understand a range of
personal, professional,
academic and literary
texts, which may
include nonadapted/authentic texts
written for native
English speakers.
Authentic texts are
usually supported by
context and/or
vocabulary notes to aid
understanding.
Students determine and
recall meanings of new
vocabulary words through
context clues. The
vocabulary is primarily
academic and abstract,
including the Academic
Word List. Students are
able to find correct
definitions independently
Have a working
knowledge of many word
roots, including affixes.
Often understand most
new words given in a clear
context.
Have receptive
understanding of some
academic words such as on
the Academic Word List,
with developing
proficiency at using these
academic words to discuss
and write about readings.
accuracy.
affixes.
Sometimes understand
new words and/or
phrases when the
context supports
meaning.
Have little or no
receptive knowledge of
academic words.
Comprehension
Interaction with the
text is usually external
(teacher and students)
and students can
demonstrate simple,
pre-summary skills
such as identifying
when and where a story
takes place. Most of
the information is
reported orally.
Often locate facts in
short, simple texts.
Occasionally understand
the central meaning
and/or details of texts
when content and
language are familiar.
Sometimes understand
new information from
texts with familiar
language.
Interaction with the
text is still primarily
external with some
internal dialogue that is
developing. Students
can produce ungraded
book reports and
similar projects to
demonstrate
understanding.
Students are able to
formulate and answer
questions about the
text.
With support, use
textual cues such as
sentence connectors and
transitional devices to
comprehend the
meaning and structure
of a text.
Sometimes distinguish
between main and
supporting ideas in texts
which have familiar
content and/or language.
Understand some new
information from texts
with familiar language.
Expository texts are
short and/or simplified
and narrative elements
may predominate.
Articles range from 1-4
pages in length. In
addition to a main text,
may include a booklength work, either a
simple, authentic work
or a simplified book.
Interaction with the
text is becoming
increasingly
internalized as students
can begin to choose
their own methods for
approaching a text.
Sometimes use textual
cues such as sentence
connectors and
transitional devices to
comprehend the
meaning and structure
of a text.
Interaction with the text
can be independent as
students gain skills to
approach the text. The
students can Identify the
author’s theme, purpose,
point of view, and tone
with assistance.
Usually distinguish
between main and
supporting ideas in texts
which have familiar
content and/or language.
Comprehend familiar and
semi-abstract texts under
time constraints.
Often understand new
information from texts
with familiar language.
Distinguish between main
and supporting ideas in
texts which have familiar
content and/or language
and produce a written
summary of the reading..
Often use textual cues such
as sentence connectors and
transitional devices to
comprehend the meaning
and structure of a text.
Develop the awareness of
a need to evaluate text
credibility.
Reading
Strategy and
Speed
Cultural
References
Read word by word or
in short phrases.
Students will employ
skimming, scanning,
predicting, and
previewing to enhance
their comprehension of
simplified reading
material.
Rarely understand
common cultural
references.
Read in short phrases
with developing
fluency. Chunking
begins to improve the
speed and comfort of
reading. A culture of
reading begins to
develop in the student’s
personal life.
Read narrative, familiar,
or simplified texts
fluently and rapidly, but
will slow and retrace
reading for most
authentic texts.
Chunking continues to
improve the speed and
ease of reading.
They will use a variety
of reading and word
attack skills to
improve their speed
Occasionally use textual
cues such as sentence
connectors and
transitional devices to
comprehend the
meaning and structure
of a text.
Sometimes understand
common cultural
references.
Often understand
common cultural
references.
Read many texts fluently
and rapidly, but may be
significantly slowed by
academic or abstract
material.
Usually adjust rate
according to the text.
Use a variety of textual
cues such as sentence
connectors and pronoun
reference to comprehend
the meaning and structure
of a text.
Independently vary the
use of critical reading
techniques according to
the type of material and
the purpose for reading.
Usually understand
cultural references.