CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.6

ELA6th GradePresentation of Knowledge and Ideas

The Standard

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Speaking and Listening Standards

What This Standard Means

Students need to shift how they speak based on the situation. They should know when a casual voice fits, like partner talk, and when formal English is expected, like a presentation, debate, interview, or class report. They also need to keep grammar, word choice, volume, and tone under control.

Mastery looks like a student explaining the same idea in two different ways for two different audiences. Strong speakers sound prepared without sounding fake. Students often get stuck by using slang in formal tasks, reading word for word, speaking too softly, or not noticing who they are talking to.

Ways to Teach It

Hands-on activity: Give pairs role cards, like principal meeting and lunch table, and have them restate the same message for each setting.
Writing prompt: Ask students to rewrite a casual text message as a formal request to a teacher, then explain three changes they made.
Quick assessment: Have each student give a 30-second answer using formal English, and mark tone, grammar, volume, and word choice.
Real-world connection: Show a job interview clip and a friend conversation clip, then list how the speakers change language and body language.