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Wisconsin Standards

Wisconsin Grades 11–12 ELA Standards

All 29 Wisconsin English language arts standards for grades 11–12, each explained in plain English. The official wording is in Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's document, linked at the end of this page.

29 standards

Reading

9 standards
R.11-12.1
Support close readings with strong evidence for what a text states and implies, note where it is ambiguous, and pose questions for deeper study.
R.11-12.2
Give a fair, accurate summary of a complex text, pick out at least two themes or central ideas, and show how specific details develop and refine them.
R.11-12.3
Weigh how an author's decisions shape a literary work, and explain how people, ideas or events in complex nonfiction interact and develop over time.
R.11-12.4
Interpret figurative, connotative and multiple-meaning words, analyze how word choice sets tone and mood, and trace how an author refines a key term.
R.11-12.5
Analyze how structure creates meaning in literature, and judge how the structure of nonfiction affects its clarity, persuasion and appeal to readers.
R.11-12.6
Analyze how authors use point of view and purpose for effects like satire, irony or understatement, and how place, identity and culture shape their view.
R.11-12.7
Evaluate how adaptations of a literary work, like a film or graphic novel, interpret the original, and combine nonfiction sources to answer a question.
R.11-12.8
Evaluate arguments through a lens like constitutional principles, ethics or logical fallacies, judging if key claims hold and if the evidence is relevant and enough.
R.11-12.9
Create standards for judging how good a text is, and tie it to other works, cultures, identities, time periods and their own lives, like a classic and current events.

Writing

9 standards
W.11-12.1
Write reflectively, formally and creatively for high- and low-stakes purposes, alone or blended, like a college essay draft or a reflective blog post.
W.11-12.2
Write arguments that establish why a claim matters and weigh counterclaims, informative texts that develop complex ideas thoroughly, and well-paced narratives.
W.11-12.3
Organize writing so each part builds a unified whole, link sections with varied transitions and syntax, and use culturally sustaining words, metaphor and analogy.
W.11-12.4
Produce clear, coherent writing whose development, organization and style honor the writer's culture and suit the task, purpose and audience, like a personal statement.
W.11-12.5
Revise writing alone and with peers through planning, editing, rewriting or a fresh approach, keeping the focus on what matters most to the purpose and audience.
W.11-12.6
Pick writing tools on purpose, from paper to podcasts or multilingual formats, weighing how each links writers and readers, stays accessible and suits the message.
W.11-12.7
Run short and extended research on self-chosen questions or real problems, narrowing or widening the focus and blending many sources to show understanding.
W.11-12.8
Search print and online sources with advanced queries, weigh each one's strengths and limits, quote them without leaning on any one, and cite in a standard format.
Common Core W.11-12.8
W.11-12.9
Draw on literature and nonfiction for evidence in analysis, reflection and research, like citing a historical speech to support a research paper.

Speaking and Listening

5 standards
SL.11-12.1
Lead and join civil discussions with varied partners, coming prepared, probing reasoning, making room for all positions and synthesizing views to plan next steps.
SL.11-12.2
Combine information from varied media and formats to make decisions and solve problems, judging each source's credibility and noting where data disagree.
SL.11-12.3
Evaluate a speaker's viewpoint, reasoning, evidence and rhetoric, weighing their stance, assumptions, links between ideas, word choice, emphasis and tone.
SL.11-12.4
Present findings with a clear perspective and logical structure that listeners can follow, address opposing views, and fit content and style to the audience.
SL.11-12.5
Choose digital media for a presentation strategically, like a chart for data or a short audio clip, where each one makes the reasoning clearer or adds interest.
Common Core SL.9-10.5

Language

6 standards
L.11-12.1
See standardized English as one dialect among many with a history of power, fit language and genre choices to each setting, follow style guides and vary syntax.
L.11-12.2
Figure out unfamiliar and multiple-meaning words with context, roots and references, check pronunciation, origin and usage, and use word forms like advocate and advocacy.
L.11-12.3
Explain a nonliteral phrase like take steps, name someone who is friendly to link a word to real life, and rank knew, believed and suspected by how sure they are.
Common Core L.3.5
L.11-12.4
Grow vocabulary alone and with others when meeting new cultural, academic or technical words, and pick words on purpose for the setting, like a scholarship essay.
L.11-12.5
Use standardized English grammar where it fits, explain the choice, and see that usage rules are agreed upon, vary and are contested, checking usage guides.
L.11-12.6
Use standardized capitalization, punctuation and spelling where suited, including advanced marks like brackets and italics in research, and explain each choice.

The official Wisconsin documents

The plain-English lines on this page are EMStudio's own explanations of Wisconsin's standards, not the official wording, which Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction publishes in the documents above. Codes and strand names identify each standard.