1. English Language Arts Course of Study Overview 6-12
These are some questions we received from our last webinar.
January 24, 2012

2. Outcomes for the Day Participants will gain an awareness of:
Vertical Alignment
Content Movement
This is what we hope to provide during this session--
That you will gain an awareness of:
-- How the COS is organized
-- Vertical alignment and content movement

3. Timeline for Preparation for the ELA Course of Study
2010
2011
2012
2013
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar Ap
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
ELA Develop Phase I
Phase I
ELA Deliver Phase I
ELA Develop Phase II
ELA Deliver Phase II
ELA Develop Phase III and Deliver PD on Additional Topics—Building Capacity, Content Analysis, Local Curriculum Guides, etc.
2014 ap Oc
Apr
Implementation of 2010 ELA Standards
ELA Development Phase III and Deliver PD on Additional Topics-Building Capacity Content Analysis, Local Curriculum Guides, etc.
In the January 10 Webinar, we shared our timeline for preparation for the ELA COS. You will notice that we are now at the beginning of Phase 1, indicated by the circle on the graphic.

4. Professional Development Plan
Phase 1 (PD Topics)
Components of the Course of Study
Strands (Comparison, New Emphases)
Vertical Alignment
Content Movement
Appendices, including Literacy Standards, Grades 6-12
Phase 2
Analyzing the Standards
Sample Units of Study
Sample Lessons/Curriculum Development
Differentiated Instruction for RtI
Assessment
Implications for Special Education
Resources
Phase 3
Continuous Support, based on LEA needs and requests
In the last Webinar we introduced the professional development plan including Phases 1, 2, and 3. The areas we will cover today are seen in red on this slide.
Vertical Alignment
Content Movement

5. Interpreting the Minimum Required Content
Grade Clusters (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12)
Strands
Subcategories
Content Standards
Content Standard Identifiers
We asked you last week to read through page 13, Directions for Interpreting the Minimum Required Content. That’s where we want to pick up today.
Academic content standards in the document are divided into the same grade clusters as in the 2007 COS: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and Today we will be looking more closely at 6-8 and 9-12
Each cluster contains an introduction followed by grade-level content standards organized by strands, then subcategories.
We will discuss strands, subcategories, content standards, and content standard identifiers in the next few slides.

6. KINDERGARTEN Students will: Reading Standards for Literature
Subcategory
Strand
Key Ideas and Details
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. [RL.K.1]
Make prediction to determine main idea and anticipate an ending.
With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details. [RL.K.2]
With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story. [RL.K.3]
Content Standard Identifiers
Content Standards
As we are discussing each of these items, refer to this graphic found on the bottom of page 13 in the 2010 COS. Notice where each of the items is located in this graphic.
The strand is located at the top. In this case, the strand indicates Reading Standards for Literature.
The subcategory is found in the red band of the table. In this case the subcategory is Key Ideas and Details.
The content standards are found listed in the table using a combination of numbers and letters. Numbering begins again at each grade level rather than at the beginning of each strand as in the Common Core State Standards.
The content standard identifiers are located in the brackets at the end of each standard. These identifiers indicate the 2010 Common Core State Standards (CCSS) strand, grade, and number. For example, in this graphic, the strand is Reading Literature (RL), the grade is Kindergarten (K), and the CCSS numbers are one (1), two (2), and three (3).
Required content added from the 2007 COS or modified from CCSS is noted at the end of a standard by a state of Alabama symbol as seen in the graphic.

7. Strands
You will remember the Conceptual Framework graphic from our earlier webinar. The strands included are:
Reading Literature
Reading Informational Text
Reading Foundations (K-5): This strand is found only in the K-2 and 3-5 clusters.
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Language
Remember from our last Webinar that although these standards are presented in separate strands, they are as interrelated as are the pieces of the puzzle. No strand stands alone; all strands must be mastered in order for Alabama’s students to achieve the English language literacy goal. All strands are necessary and depend on each other and must be connected in classroom instruction in order for students to become college- and career-ready. (2010 page 4)

8. Subcategories
Subcategories - specific purpose of a group of standards within a strand
Reading Standards for Literature
Key Ideas and Details
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RL ]
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. [RL ]
Within each strand standards are grouped into subcategories according to their purpose. In this example, the subcategory is Key Ideas and Details.
Turn to your grade level in your Course of Study document. Notice the subcategories under each of the strands. The subcategories for each strand are the same across all grade levels.

9. Content Standards
Content Standards - define what students should know and be able to do at the conclusion of a grade (They complete the phrase “Students will…”) Reading Standards for Literature
Craft and Structure
6.Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of early American literature to 1900, drawing on a wide reading of American literature.
[RL ]
Content Standards define what students should know and be able to do at the conclusion of a grade. In this example from Grade 10 the Alabama symbol indicates that content has been moved from another grade level in the CCSS in order to match Alabama history standards.
(American History in Grades 10 and 11).
In the earlier Webinar we examined the college and career ready anchor standards for reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language. These define the literacy expectations that must be met by the end of high school for students to be prepared to enter college and workforce training programs ready to succeed. The anchor standards are found on pages 9-12 in your 2010 COS.
The grade-specific standards define end-of-year expectations and a cumulative progression designed to enable students to meet college and career readiness expectations no later than the end of high school.
Students advancing through the grades are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards, retain or further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades, and work steadily toward meeting the more general expectations described by the CCR anchor standards.
In the 2010 COS look at your grade level.

10. 2007 Sixth Grade Standard 5
Analyze short stories, novels, plays, myths, and nonfiction materials for distinguishing characteristics.
Identifying odes, ballads, epic poetry, and science fiction
Identifying figurative language in various literature selections
Let me draw your attention to the difference between bullets in the 2007 COS and letters in the 2010 COS.
In the 2007 COS, bullets are additional, related content required for instruction but not required for mastery.

11. Language Standards (Grade 8)
Conventions of Standard English
36. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. [L.8.2]
Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause
or break. [L.8.2a]
b. Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission. [L.8.2b]
c. Spell correctly. [L.8.2c] .
In the 2010 COS, lettered items, as you will note above, are the specific parts of the standard required for mastery at the grade level.
For example, the last standard in the subcategory of Conventions of Standard English(#36 here) is identical in each grade level. The lettered content changes at each grade level to indicate the expectations for meeting this standard at each grade level.
Look at your grade level in the COS. Locate Language Standards. Locate the last standard under the subcategory of Conventions of Standard English.
You’ll notice that the standard is the same as it is for eighth grade in this example. However, the lettered content is different.

12. Content Standard Identifiers
Content Standard Identifiers - indicate the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) strand, grade, and standard number
Reading Standards for Literature
Key Ideas and Details
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. [RL.K.1]
a. Make predictions to determine main idea and anticipate an ending.
With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details. [RL.K.2]
With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story. [RL.K.3]
The 2010 Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts are noted in brackets following most Grades K-12 standards.
In this example Alabama standards that have been added to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are noted by a state of Alabama symbol.
Since instructional resources will be developed and shared by many states and organizations, we included the common core state standard identifiers in brackets at the end of each content standard. This should assist in matching instructional resources from others to Alabama’s COS.
Another use of the bracketed information is to help with following the vertical alignment across the grades. We will talk more about this in a few minutes.

13. Content Standard Identifiers Abbreviations
Reading Literature RL
Reading Informational Text RI
Reading Foundations RF
Writing W
Speaking and Listening SL
Language L
These are the abbreviations for the strands found in the brackets. You will notice that Grades 6-12 standards do not include Reading Foundations which is addressed only in Grades K-5.

14. Alignment There are two alignment considerations:
Alignment between the 2007 COS standards and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
Vertical Alignment/Learning Progression/Learning Trajectories
There are two important alignment considerations that we will discuss (and that LEAs need to note).
Alignment between the 2007 COS standards and the Common Core State Standards
Vertical Alignment/Trajectories (These mean essentially the same.)
We will discuss each of these.

15. Alignment Between 2007 COS Standards and the CCSS
A comparison of the Alabama COS standards and the CCS standards shows some movement of content from one grade level to another.
A chart was developed by the ELA Task Force as they compared our 2007 standards with the Common Core State Standards. That chart can be found on the SDE Web site.
ALSDE/Special Links/Courses of Study/Drafts and Period for Public Review

16. Correlation of AL ELA COS Standards and CCSS
Created as a result of the work of the ELA Task Force that examined the correlation between AL COS and CCSS
Very large document but very helpful to teachers as they make the transition to the new COS
Part 1, Correlation of Alabama ELA Standards and CCSS, lists the current AL standard (by grade level) and matches each of the CCSS standards
Part 2, Alabama ELA Standards not matched to CCSS, lists the current AL standards (by grade level) that are not matched to a CCSS standard. It was from this list that the task force selected items to add with AL symbol in the 2010 COS.
In the last column, a minus means it moved to an earlier grade in the 2010 COS. The number indicates how many grade levels it moved. A 0 means it stayed the same grade level, and a number with no minus means it moved to a later grade (with the number indicating how many grade levels it moved up).
We will assist in developing a comparison of the 2007 ELA COS and the 2010 ELA COS in our 2012 summer professional development sessions.

17. Movement to a Later Grade
Moved from Grade 6 to Grade 9:
Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses.
In some cases, content has moved from one grade level to a later grade.
In these cases, students will not miss any content. They will get the content in a later grade.
In the accountability grades students will continue to be tested on 2007 content standards through the school year. So, teachers at the accountability grades will continue to teach/emphasize the 2007 standards that moved from their grade level.
In our summer professional development sessions we will provide you with some guidance in identifying and analyzing such movement and planning for helping students transition to the new standards.

18. Movement to an Earlier Grade
Moved from Grade 6 to Grade 5:
Identifying figurative language
Using context clues
Moved from Grade 6 to Grade 3:
Using transitional words/linking words
In this case, the sixth grade teacher will need to teach the new COS standards and continue to teach any standards that were moved to earlier grades until all students have had instruction in those standards.

19. Vertical Alignment Sometimes called a learning trajectory
Refers to how core knowledge and skills are developed over time through grade-level standards that are related but with gradually increasing complexity
Complexity of the performance task
Complexity of the text
A second alignment issue is important for your consideration.
Vertical alignment refers to how core knowledge and skills are developed over time through grade-level standards that gradually increase in complexity to build toward college and career readiness.
Complexity of the performance task
Complexity of the text
Today we will consider two types of complexity of the performance task.

20. Activity Anchor Standard #1 (p. 9 in 2010 COS)
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
Let’s first examine one way that the performance task gradually increases in complexity.
Read Anchor Standard #1 for Reading. (2010 COS p 9)
This is the first reading standard that all students must meet by the end of high school in order to be college- and career-ready.
Look at the CCSS handout, page 1.

21. Reading Standards for Informational Text
Grade 6 students:
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Key Ideas and Details
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Let’s consider the first standard for Reading Informational Text (RI) under the subcategory Key Ideas and Details.
This continuum view is adapted from the CCSS document. These grade-level standards define what students should understand and be able to do at each grade level if they are going to meet this CCR anchor standard.
The first standard in each grade corresponds to Anchor Standard #1.
Standard #1 at each grade level is gradually building toward mastery of the Anchor Standard.
Look at Standard #1 for Grade 6, Grade 7, and Grade 8.
Underline the key words that show how these standards are related.

22. Reading Standards for Informational Text
Grade 6 students:
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Key Ideas and Details
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
The underlined phrases are the ones that are similar.
Now circle the key words that show how the expectation becomes more rigorous at each grade level.

23. Reading Standards for Informational Text
Grade 6 students:
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Key Ideas and Details
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
These are phrases that are different, representing increased rigor.

24. Reading Standards for Informational Text
Grade 9 students:
Grade 11 students:
Key Ideas and Details
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
At each grade level, there is a specific relationship to the previous standard with something new added.

25. Activity Anchor Standard #1 (p 9 in 2010 COS)
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
Look back at Anchor Standard #1.
Note how the grade-level standards are slightly different but are aligned to gradually build the student’s proficiency in relation to this standard.

26. Language Anchor Standard #2 (p. 12 in 2010 COS)
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Let’s look at Anchor Standard #2 for Language (p. 12 in 2010 COS). This is the expectation for proficiency that a student should meet by the end of high school to be college and career ready.
(Read this Anchor Standard.)

27. Reading Standards for Language
Conventions of Standard English
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
a. Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/
parenthetical elements.
a. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old green shirt).
a. Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or break.
Grade 9
Grade 11
a. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses.
a. Observe hyphenation conventions.
In this example, the Grade Level Standard is stated exactly the same as the Anchor Standard for each grade level.
The increased complexity comes in the letters that follow standard 2 at each grade level.
Consider some of the expectations for punctuation at each grade level.
What do you notice about these expectations?
At each grade level, there is a specific relationship to the previous standard with something new added to build the complexity in Grades 6-8. In Grades 9-10 and a new specific concept is addressed.

28. 2010 Alabama COS
Grade 7
37. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old green shirt). [L.7.2a]
Grade 9
b. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses.
[L a]
Grade 11
36. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a. Observe hyphenation conventions.[L a)
The alignment among grade levels is clearly evident in the 2010 ELA standards.
With a few exceptions, there is a grade level standard which corresponds to each of the Anchor Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language. Teachers at each grade level have specific responsibilities to ensure that every student reaches proficiency with these literacy standards by the end of high school in order to graduate college and career ready. This alignment can be useful to accelerate advanced students or to scaffold students who are not mastering grade level expectations for a specific standard.
In the CCSS document, the grade level standards are numbered to match the number of the Anchor Standard and to match the corresponding standard in every other grade. As we saw in our previous examples, standard #1 for Reading Informational Text is aligned with Reading Anchor Standard #1 and with Standard #1 across all grades, K-12.
The 2010 Alabama COS document uses a more familiar numbering system much like our past Courses of Study. At each grade level, the standards are numbered from 1 through the total number of standards (Grade 7, 1-41, Grade 11, 1-40, etc.). The numbered grade level standards do not necessarily match the aligned standards across the grade levels or the Anchor Standards.
The vertical alignment of the standards may be traced using the content standard identifiers (located in brackets following each standard).

29. Think about…
How this vertical alignment serves as a learning trajectory
How could the learning trajectory of the new COS help to support students who are not on grade level? Either above or below?
The learning trajectory for the new standards will be helpful as teachers plan intervention and enrichment. If students are not able to meet grade-level expectations for a particular standard, the foundation for each standard is clearly articulated in earlier grade standards. If students are already proficient with grade-level expectations, the next step for them is articulated in the next grade level.

30. January 26 Webinar In our next Webinar, we will consider:
The importance of text selection in building literacy proficiency.
The importance of writing in building literacy proficiency.

31. Preparation for January 26 Webinar
Become familiar with the documents that are referenced in
Appendix B (p.100) Text Exemplars and Sample Performance Tasks
Appendix C (p. 101) Samples of Student Writing
Links to both documents are included on pages 100 and 101.
The Appendix B document—Text Exemplars — will be helpful in identifying appropriate grade level reading materials that are essential to the increased rigor of the new standards.
The Appendix C document—Student Writing Samples—will give teachers and students high quality examples to help assess grade level writing proficiency across genres.
These are large documents but they will be extremely valuable to teachers who are committed to helping students reach proficiency in the new, more rigorous standards. You may want to print only portions of the documents that apply to your grade clusters (6-8 or 9-12).

32. Send questions to : Pam Higgins at phiggins@alsde
Send questions to : Pam Higgins at or Steve McAliley at We will try to address your questions at the beginning of the January 26 session.