The purpose of this document is to spell out clear objectives in reading, writing, listening, and speaking for all students in Boston, Massachusetts, elementary and middle schools. The objectives include all of the Massachusetts Basic Skills; these are directly linked to competency tests and teacher observation at each level to measure students' individual progress. The objectives described are a maximum curriculum, not a set of minimum competencies. For students who are currently behind their grade levels, the objectives represent a set of goals; and for those who are working on or above their grade levels, the objectives can be used to maximize their growth. They can also be adapted to accomodate bilingual or special education students. The general framework integrates reading, writing, listening, speaking, and critical thinking into: (1) variety of material; (2) literal comprehension; (3) interpretive comprehension; (4) evaluative comprehension; (5) vocabulary building; (6) variety of writing; (7) writing as a craft; (8) the mechanics and usage of writing; (9) speaking; (10) study skills; and (11) language structure. A guideline for assessing students' achievement is provided. Appended are checklists for grades kindergarten through 8, proofreading marks, correlation with State skills, and references. (AOS)