CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.6
The Standard
Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Literature
What This Standard Means
Students need to identify who is telling the story or speaking in a poem, then explain how the author shapes that voice. They should notice word choice, thoughts, actions, dialogue, and what the narrator chooses to share or leave out.
Mastery looks like using text evidence to explain how the narrator’s point of view grows clearer or changes across a scene or passage. Students often confuse point of view with theme or opinion. They also may say “first person” and stop there, without explaining how the author builds that perspective.
Ways to Teach It
- Hands-on: Give students sentence strips from a scene and have them sort each one by what it reveals about the narrator’s attitude.
- Discussion prompt: Ask, “What does the narrator want us to believe, and which lines make you think that?”
- Quick assessment: Have students annotate one paragraph with two clues that show the narrator’s point of view, then write a one-sentence explanation.
- Real-world connection: Compare a school event told by a student, teacher, and principal, then discuss how each speaker’s view changes the story.
Before This Standard
If students are struggling here, check these first.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.6
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What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.