Kentucky Reading and Writing L.4.3.c
The Standard
- L.4.3
- Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading or listening.
Differentiate between academic and non-academic discourse patterns based on context.
Kentucky Academic Standards for Reading and Writing (2025) · Knowledge of Language
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students compare how people discuss the same idea in a class presentation and a chat with a friend. They notice patterns, such as giving a point and reasons or trading quick reactions. They adjust their own speaking and writing to fit the setting.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can point out why an explanation fits a class presentation while a quick reaction fits a friend text. They can retell the same idea for either audience without changing the facts.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think academic language just means adding big words. They may think casual talk is wrong, or that a formal-sounding sentence works even when its point is unclear.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Which fits a science report, 'Plants use sunlight to make food' or 'Guess what? Plants make food with sunlight!' Name one clue, then rewrite the other sentence for the report.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs strips reading 'Heavy rain is expected' and 'It's gonna pour'; have them sort the strips by weather report or friend text.
Ask, 'How would you explain a missed bus to your principal and to a friend?' Have students write both versions and underline what changes.
Play audience switch: call out 'class presentation' or 'lunch table' while students rewrite 'The volcano erupted' on mini whiteboards.
Show a printed school closure notice and a sample family text about the same snow day; have students mark clues to each audience.
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Printable L.4.3.c Worksheet
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Related Standards
- RI.5.4
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a grade-level text, and analyze how those words and phrases shape meaning.
- RI.2.4
Determine the meaning of general academic words and phrases and how those words and phrases shape meaning in a grade-level text.
- L.6.1.c
Recognize variations from General American English and implement strategies to improve expression in academic language.
- L.2.3.a
Compare academic and non-academic uses of language.
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