English Language Arts and

California’s Common Core Content Standards An Introduction for Teachers
English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies & Science and Technical Subjects This is an introduction to California’s Common Core Content Standards so that you will be familiar with the organization and content of the standards. We hope to: Ease your mind; lower your heart rate. Help you see that the current standards and the new standards are more similar than different. Let’s take a look at our objectives for the session. Session Requirements Suggested time: : The suggested times are provided as a guide for your planning. The entire Introduction for Teachers is 90 minutes to 2 hours. The activity time is minutes. Handouts: Packet #1 PowerPoint slides copied two per page The last page is the document titled “ELA Org for CCS ” (see slide 11 for picture) Packet #2 A copy of the ELA Common Core Standards for California (by grade span of audience) K-5 – ELA (one set of standards) 6-12 – ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies & Science and Technical Subjects (two sets of standards) Additional materials: Tabs or post-its for the activity on slide 12. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Objectives Overview Organization Similarities Shifts Areas of Emphasis
Key Design Considerations Additional 15% Organization Similarities Shifts Areas of Emphasis We’ll begin with a general overview to help you understand the key design considerations used by the “architects” as they crafted these standards, including the additional 15% California added to the Common Core. Next, we’ll explain the organization of the standards and familiarize you with the terminology used in the new standards. We’ll also highlight similarities between the two sets of standards as well as some of the shifts or differences. Finally, we’ll point out the areas of emphasis in the new standards. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

The Standards Build toward preparing students to be college and career ready in literacy by no later than the end of high school Provide a vision of what it means to be a literate person in the twenty-first century Develop the skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening that are foundational for any creative and purposeful expression in language The architects of the standards framed the work by keeping the following goal in mind: All students are college and career ready in literacy by no later than the end of high school. The standards provide a vision of what it means to be a literate person in the twenty-first century and develop the skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening that are foundational for any creative and purposeful expression in language. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

The Standards Set Requirements for Both...
English Language Arts (ELA) Reading Writing Speaking & Listening Language Literacy in History/Social Studies & Science and Technical Subjects K-5: Embedded in ELA 6-12: Separate section The design of the standards set requirements for English Language Arts AND Literacy in History/Social Studies & Science and Technical Subjects (we’ll explore the details of these sections later). © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Key Design Considerations
State Standards. You can read more detail on your own at a later time if you download the document from the Common Core State Standards website (see last slide for web address). The Introduction was not included in California’s adoption. College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards Grade levels for K-8; grade bands for 9-10 and 11-12 A focus on results rather than means An integrated model of literacy Research and media skills integrated into the Standards as a whole Shared responsibility for students’ literacy development Focus and coherence in instruction and assessment Key design considerations are outlined in the Introduction of the Common Core College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards The CCR standards anchor the document and define general, cross-disciplinary literacy expectations that must be met for students to be prepared to enter college and workforce training programs ready to succeed. California did NOT include the anchor standards; however, they are the framework around which the standards are organized. Grade levels for K-8; grade bands for 9-10 and 11-12 K-8 are grade-level specific. 9/10 and 11/12 are two-year bands. A focus on results rather than means Standards leave room for determination of how goals should be reached and what additional topics should be addressed. An integrated model of literacy Standards are divided into Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, and Language strands for conceptual clarity, yet document reflects their interconnectedness. Research and media skills integrated into the Standards as a whole Research and media skills and understandings are embedded throughout the standards rather than treated in a separate section. We’ll show you some examples of this later. Shared responsibility for students’ literacy development Students’ literacy development is not only the responsibility of the ELA teachers; teachers in other areas have a role in this development as well. This expectation will become clearer as we explain the structure of the standards. Focus and coherence in instruction and assessment While the Standards delineate specific expectations in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language, each standard need not be a separate focus for instruction and assessment. Often, several standards can be addressed by a single rich task. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Intentional Design Limitations
Note what the Standards DO and DO NOT cover The Standards DO… The Standards DO NOT… set grade-level standards define the intervention methods or materials allow for the widest possible range of students to participate fully permitting appropriate accommodations define the full range of supports appropriate for English learners and students with special needs define general, cross-disciplinary literacy expectations define the whole of college and career readiness The Introduction of the Common Core State Standards also describes what is NOT covered by the standards, the Intentional Design Limitations. The Standards do… set grade-level standards; they do not define the intervention methods or materials allow for the widest possible range of students to participate fully permitting appropriate accommodations; they do not define the full range of supports appropriate for English learners and students with special needs define general, cross-disciplinary literacy expectations; they do not define the whole of college and career readiness © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Intentional Design Limitations
Note what the Standards DO and DO NOT cover The Standards DO… The Standards DO NOT… define what all students are expected to know and be able to do define how teachers should teach focus on what is most essential describe all that can or should be taught establish a baseline for advanced learners define the nature of advanced work The Intentional Design Limitations continue with the following: The Standards do… define what all students are expected to know and be able to do; they do not define how teachers should teach focus on what is most essential; they do not describe all that can or should be taught establish a baseline for advanced learners; they do not define the nature of advanced work © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

California’s Criteria for the Additional 15%
Substantively enhance Address a perceived gap Be defensible to classroom practitioners Keep the original standard intact Ensure the rigor of California’s existing standards is maintained States could add up to 15% to the Common Core State Standards developed by the State Standards Initiative consortium. California added to the common core state standards based on the following criteria: Substantively enhance Address a perceived gap Be defensible to classroom practitioners Keep the original standard intact Ensure the rigor of California’s existing standards is maintained In order to identify what was added, the Commission presented a draft to the State Board of Education with California’s Additional 15% indicated in bold and underlined font. The architects of the Common Core combined the best work of states. In fact, California’s standards played a large part in developing the foundation for the Common Core. Because of this, California did not necessarily add the full 15% that was allowed. In terms of word count for ELA, California added approximately 8%. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

California’s Additional 15% Examples of Additions
Analysis of text features in informational text (Gr. 6-12) Career and consumer documents included in Writing (Gr. 8) “Both in isolation and in text” added to the application of phonics and word analysis skills (Gr. K-3) Penmanship added to Language (Gr. 2-4) Formal presentations included in Speaking and Listening (Gr. 1-12) Minor additions and insertions to enhance and clarify (e.g., archetypes, thesis) California’s additional 15% includes the following: Analysis of text features in informational text (Gr. 6-12): For example, in grade 6 ”Analyze the use of text features (e.g., graphics, headers, captions) in popular media” was added to Standard 5 to add specificity. Included Career and Consumer Documents in Writing (Gr. 8): Career and consumer documents were not specifically called out in the Common Core. Therefore, “including career development documents (e.g., simple business letters and job applications)” was added to a CCS standard in order to add specificity. Application of phonics and word analysis skills both in isolation and in text (Gr. K-3): This was added to ensure that students were expected to apply these skills BOTH in isolation and in text. Penmanship added to Language (Gr. 2-4): CCS only included specific standards addressing penmanship in Kindergarten and Grade 1. Formal presentations in Speaking and Listening (Gr. 1-12): CCS placed more emphasis on collaborative conversations, formal presentations were specifically called out in the additional 15% – “Plan and deliver an informative/explanatory presentation…” Minor additions and insertions to clarify (e.g., archetypes, thesis). Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list. Remember, in order to identify what was added, the Commission presented a draft to the Board with California’s additional 15% indicated in bold and underlined font. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Standards Organization
Three main sections A comprehensive K-5 section Two content-area specific sections for grades 6-12 English Language Arts History/Social Studies & Science and Technical Subjects Four strands Reading Writing Speaking and Listening (K-12 ELA only) Language (K-12 ELA only) Let’s begin exploring the organization of the standards. The ELA standards are organized into three main sections. A comprehensive K-5 section; History/Social Studies & Science and Technical Subjects are embedded in these standards since instruction is typically provided by one teacher. Two content-area specific sections for grades 6-12 English Language Arts History/Social Studies & Science and Technical Subjects (this will be explained in more detail later) There are four strands in the Common Core State Standards (the “strands” are called “domains” in the current CA standards): Reading Writing Speaking and Listening (K-12 ELA only – not included in the History/Social Studies & Science and Technical Subjects section) Language: this strand includes conventions and vocabulary. (K-12 ELA only – not included in the History/Social Studies & Science and Technical Subjects section) © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Strand Organization Find the handout at the back of your packet which outlines the organization of each strand. There are three sets of standards in the Reading Strand: Reading Standards for Literature, Reading Standards for Informational Text, and Reading Standards: Foundational Skills. Subheadings are consistent across grade levels within each set of standards Locate the handout at the back of your packet In the first two sets, subheadings are consistent across grade levels: Key Ideas and Details Craft and Structure Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Range and Level of Text Complexity The third set of standards in the Reading Strand is Foundational Skills, included in K-5 only. The subheadings are: Print Concepts Phonological Awareness Phonics and Word Recognition Fluency The Writing Strand includes one set of standards, and the subheadings are consistent across grade levels: Text Types and Purposes Production and Distribution of Writing Research to Build and Present Knowledge Range of Writing Speaking and Listening is one set of standards as well. Again, subheadings are consistent across grade levels: Comprehension and Collaboration Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas Finally, the Language Strand is one set of standards with consistent subheadings across grade-levels: Conventions of Standard English Knowledge of Language Vocabulary Acquisition and Use You may notice that Vocabulary is in the Language Strand of the Common Core, while in our current standards it is in the Reading domain. We’ll explore this shift later in the presentation. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Try It! Introducing the Standards
Locate the Standards Handout Find and tab the four strands Reading Writing Speaking and Listening (K-12 ELA only) Language (K-12 ELA only) Identify an example of California’s additions (bold and underlined font) Distribute the Standards Handout (handouts by grade span). K-5 6-12 (ELA and History/Social Studies & Science and Technical Subjects) Remind 6-12 participants to also tab the following: Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects Note: Presenter may want to provide the page numbers for four strands based on the current handout. ACTIVITY TIME: 3 minutes © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Try It! Strand Organization Quiz
Locate the Reading: Informational Text standards Answer the following questions: The standards on this page are from which strand? This substrand contains reading standards for what type of text? How many standards are in the Reading Standards for Informational Text across ALL grade levels? What are the consistent subheadings? What does the bold an underlined text in standard 4 indicate? Ask participants to turn to the Reading: Informational Text standards page and work with a partner to answer the “quiz” questions. Instructor Note: Debrief the activity using the answers below to highlight important information about strand organization. The standards on this page are from which strand? Reading This substrand contains reading standards for what type of text? Informational Text How many standards are in the Reading Standards for Informational Text across ALL grade levels? Ten What are the consistent subheadings? Key Ideas and Details; Craft and Structure; Integration of Knowledge and Ideas; Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity What does the bold an underlined text in standard 4 indicate? Part of the 15% added by California ACTIVITY TIME: 4-5 minutes © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Organization of Standards Across Grade Levels
K-12 grade-specific standards define end-of-year expectations A cumulative progression designed to enable students to meet college and career readiness expectations no later than the end of high school Next, we’ll look at a standard to explore the organization of standards across grade levels. Remember, the Common Core State Standards were developed to build towards College and Career Readiness, using anchor standards to guide the progression across grade levels. While California did not include the CCR anchor standards, they are central to the organization– they are the framework used to design these standards and you will see how the knowledge and skills develop across grade levels. Remember the four strands identified on the handout. For each strand, anchor standards were used to organize the progression of standards across grade levels. Reading: 10 anchor standards Writing: 10 anchor standards Speaking & Listening: 6 anchor standards Language: 6 anchor standards © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Reading: Informational Text
College and Career Readiness - Anchor Standard 2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details. Standard 2 - Note the progression across grade levels: Kindergarten: With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text. Grade 2: Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text. Grade 4: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. What we’d like you to notice is how the numbers of the standards are consistent across grade-levels, with the purpose of developing a particular knowledge or skill. At the top of the slide is the anchor standard from the Common Core. Note how the development of this standard progresses across grade levels. For example, In the Reading: Informational Text set of the standards, Standard 2 works toward the College and Career Readiness anchor standard “Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.” Look at kindergarten, Grade 2, 4, 6, 8, and 11/12 on this and the following slide. You will see the progression across grade levels. While the anchor standards are not included in California’s adoption, the underlying structure remains. Therefore, the number used to reference each of the standards remain consistent across grade levels. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Reading: Informational Text Standard 2
Note the progression across grade levels: Grade 6: Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. Grade 8: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text. Grades 11-12: Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text. CONTINUED © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Be prepared to share key findings with the group
Try It! Trace a Standard Choose a different standard and trace the progression across grade levels Be prepared to share key findings with the group Direct participants to choose a different standard to trace across grade levels. Facilitate the selection of different standards to trace by encouraging selection from the four strands. You may choose to assign strands to particular groups depending on the number of participants. For 6-12 audiences, encourage participants to also look at the reading and writing standards for history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. ACTIVITY TIME: 7-10 minutes © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Similar Organization Current CA Standards DOMAINS
Common Core Standards for CA STRANDS Reading Writing Listening and Speaking Written and Oral English Language Conventions Speaking and Listening Language Now, we’ll take a look at some of the similarities between California’s current standards and the newly adopted Common Core Standards for California. California’s current standards are organized into four large categories called domains. The domains are: Reading Writing Listening and Speaking Written and Oral English Language Conventions The Common Core Standards for California are similarly organized into four groups called strands. The strands are: Speaking and Listening Language Let’s take a closer look at some of the standards and note their similar content. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Sample Standards Comparison Grades 1 and 3
California Standard Common Core Standard for California 1st Grade Writing 2.1 Write brief narratives (e.g., fictional, autobiographical) describing an experience. 3. Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure. 3rd Grade Reading 2.3 Demonstrate comprehension by identifying answers in the text. Reading Standards for Informational Text 1. Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to text as the basis for the answers. Compare California’s current standards with the Common Core Standards for California on this and the following two slides. Note the similarities in the content of the standards. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Sample Standards Comparison Grade 6
California Standard Common Core Standard for California 6th Grade Reading 2.7 Make reasonable assertions about a text through accurate, supporting citations. Reading Standards for Informational Text (ELA) 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources. Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. CONTINUED © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Sample Standards Comparison Grades 9-10
California Standard Common Core Standard for California 9th/10th Grade Reading 2.1 Analyze the structure and format of functional workplace documents, including the graphics and headers, and explain how authors use the features to achieve their purposes. Reading Standards for Informational Text 5. Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter). a. Analyze the use of text features (e.g., graphics, headers, captions) in functional workplace documents. CONTINUED Point out the bold and underlined text used to indicate California’s additional 15%. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Placement Shifts Standard California: Domain Common Core Standard
for California: Strand Vocabulary Reading Language Conventions/Grammar Written and Oral English Language Conventions While the content of the standards is very similar, the placement within the organization of the standards may have shifted. You’ll note that in our current standards, vocabulary standards are found in the Reading Domain, while in the Common Core Standards for California, they are now in the Language Strand. Standards addressing conventions and grammar are in the Written and Oral English Language Conventions Domain of our current standards. These standards are now found in the Language Strand. It is important to keep these shifts in mind when comparing the two sets of standards. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Try It! Explore the Language Strand
Turn to the Language strand in your handout Identify the subheadings in the Language strand Read the Language standards for your grade level Discuss the specific skills that are addressed in this strand Tell participants that the major “shifts” have moved standards to the Language strand. In this activity they will explore the Language strand. Instructor Note: Debrief the activity using the answers below to highlight important information about the Language strand. Subheadings: Conventions of Standard English Knowledge of Language Vocabulary Acquisition and Use Discussion should include mention of conventions, use of language in writing, speaking, reading, and listening, as well as vocabulary. ACTIVITY TIME: 5-10 minutes © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Writing Applications Common Core Standards for CA
Write Opinions (K-5); Write Arguments (6-12) Write Informative/Explanatory Texts Write Narratives CA Standards Narratives Expository Descriptions Friendly Letters Personal or Formal Letters Response to Literature Information Reports Summaries Persuasive Letters/Compositions Research Reports Fictional Narratives Biographical/Autobiographical Narratives Career Development Documents Technical Documents Reflective Compositions Historical Investigation Reports Job Application/Resume Let’s take a look at some shifts in Writing Applications. While our current standards specifically identify various writing applications across grade levels, the Common Core Standards for California organize the writing applications into three categories: Write Opinions (K-5); Write Arguments (6-12) Write Informative/Explanatory Texts Write Narratives If you compare the two lists, you will see that the various writing applications found in our current standards fit into one of the three categories of the Common Core Standards for California. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

A Progression of Writing
The Standards cultivate three mutually reinforcing writing capacities: To persuade To explain To convey real or imagined experience Distribution of Communicative Purposes by Grade in the 2011 NAEP Writing Framework Grade To Persuade To Explain To Convey Experience 4 30% 35% 8 12 40% 20% One reason for this shift in the organization of writing standards is to better prepare students for college and career writing. This shift matches the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) framework. Notice the decreasing emphasis on writing to convey an experience (narrative) and the increase in writing to persuade or explain. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Try It! Explore the Writing Strand
Turn to the Writing strand in your handout Identify the subheadings in the Writing strand and discuss what is included under each subheading Read the Writing standards for your grade level Discuss the text types and purposes for your grade level Instructor Note: Debrief the activity using the answers below to highlight important information about the Writing strand. For 6-12 audiences, ask participants to also explore the Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. (Note that the subheadings are the same.) Subheadings: Text Types and Purposes Production and Distribution of Writing Research to Build and Present Knowledge Range of Writing Discussion should include mention of text types, writing process (under subheading Production and Distribution of Writing), and research. ACTIVITY TIME: 8-15 minutes © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Shared Responsibility for Teaching the Standards
Another shift is a more overt emphasis on shared responsibility for students’ literacy development. This was already part of California’s ELA and subject frameworks. These standards make the shared responsibility more overt. Our current History and Science frameworks already include many of the standards – so it is not really new to teach reading and writing in the subject areas. In fact, History and Science materials were recently adopted, so many districts have instructional materials in these content areas that do a good job of teaching and incorporating reading and writing. A single K-5 set of grade-specific standards Most or all of the instruction students receive comes from one teacher Two content area–specific sections for grades 6-12 One set of standards for ELA teachers One set of standards for history/social studies, science, and technical subject teachers The literacy standards in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects are meant to complement rather than supplant content standards in those disciplines Instructor Note: Paraphrase the following paragraphs from the Introduction p. 2. The Standards insist that instruction in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language be a shared responsibility within the school. The K–5 standards include expectations for reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language applicable to a range of subjects, including but not limited to ELA. The grades 6–12 standards are divided into two sections, one for ELA and the other for history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. This division reflects the unique, time-honored place of ELA teachers in developing students’ literacy skills while at the same time recognizing that teachers in other areas must have a role in this development as well. Part of the motivation behind the interdisciplinary approach to literacy promulgated by the Standards is extensive research establishing the need for college and career ready students to be proficient in reading complex informational text independently in a variety of content areas. Most of the required reading in college and workforce training programs is informational in structure and challenging in content; postsecondary education programs typically provide students with both a higher volume of such reading than is generally required in K–12 schools and comparatively little scaffolding. Let’s take a look at who is responsible for which portion of the Standards. In K-5, since most of the instruction students receive comes from one teacher, there is a single set of grade-specific standards for which the classroom teacher is responsible. In grades 6-12, there is one set of standards for which ELA teachers are responsible. Another set of literacy standards for history/social studies, science, and technical subjects includes standards for which responsibility must be shared between ELA teachers and teachers in other content areas. The literacy standards in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects are meant to complement rather than supplant content standards in those disciplines; the point is that there are discipline-specific literacy skills that should be addressed in other content areas. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Try It! Literacy is a Shared Responsibility
K-5 Browse the standards and identify how content area literacy skills are embedded across strands Be prepared to share a specific example 6-12 Browse the two sets of standards and discuss how literacy is addressed in both ELA and history/social studies, science, and technical subjects Discuss Reading: Informational Text Standard 3 in each set and discuss how the literacy skill is related and the nuances within each area Activity varies by grade span. K-5: Provide the following example to prompt discussion if needed. Reading Informational Text Grade 2 Standard 3- Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text. 6-12: Reading: Informational Text Standard 3 in ELA is about analyzing key individuals, events and ideas. In History/Social Studies it is about key steps and series of events. In Science and Technical Subjects it is about following multistep procedures. The standard is about analyzing steps or events in all three sets of standards. However, the standards include specific nuances depending on the content area. ACTIVITY TIME: 5-10 minutes © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Areas of Emphasis in the Common Core State Standards
Focus on text complexity Address reading and writing across the curriculum Emphasize analysis of informational text Focus on writing arguments and drawing evidence from sources Emphasize participating in collaborative conversation Integrate media sources across standards Let’s look at some areas of emphasis in the Common Core State Standards. As we begin looking towards new assessments in , we want to teach with an awareness of what is emphasized in the Common Core standards. These standards: Focus on text complexity Address reading and writing across the curriculum Emphasize analysis of informational text Focus on writing arguments and drawing evidence from sources Emphasize participating in collaborative conversation Integrate media sources across standards Let’s see what is meant by each of these statements. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Emphasis on Text Complexity
Reading standards place equal emphasis on the sophistication of what students read and the skill with which they read Standard 10 defines a grade-by-grade “staircase” of increasing text complexity that rises from beginning reading to the college and career readiness level Reading Standard 10 references a text complexity band beginning in Grade 2. Text complexity takes into account three factors: Qualitative evaluation of the text: Levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands Quantitative evaluation of the text: Readability measures and other scores of text complexity Matching reader to text and task: Reader variables (such as motivation, knowledge, and experiences) and task variables (such as purpose and the complexity generated by the task assigned and the questions posed) You will find more information on text complexity within the body of the standards (two pages that follow the K-5 and the ELA standards) and in Appendix A (research) and Appendix B (illustrative texts) which were not included in California’s adoption. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Try It! Explore Text Complexity
Read Standard 10 in Reading: Literature and Reading: Informational Text for your grade level Discuss Measuring Text Complexity: Three Factors located at the end of each grade span Allow time for participants to read the standard and discuss text complexity including the list of texts which illustrate the complexity, quality, and range of students’ reading at the various grade levels. Reminder: The titles listed are representative of a range of topics and genres. Although not adopted by California, Appendix B (found at includes excerpts of these and other texts illustrative of the various grade levels for text complexity, quality, and range. ACTIVITY TIME: 10-12minutes © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Emphasis on Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum
Writing, Grade 5 9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Apply grade 5 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]”). Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point[s]”). The standards emphasize reading and writing across curricular areas. You will see this reflected in these example standards from Grade 5 and Grades 9-10. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Emphasis on Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum
Writing, Grades 9-10 English Language Arts 9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]”). Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning”). History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. CONTINUED Presenter note: Reminder of the organization of the standards Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects (two separate sections) Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies and Science and Technical Subjects (one combined section) © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Try It! Explore Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum
Browse the standards and identify additional examples of the reciprocal relationship of reading and writing across the curriculum Allow time for participants to locate and discuss additional examples of the reciprocal nature of reading and writing instruction across the curriculum. ACTIVITY TIME: 4-5 minutes © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Emphasis on Informational Text
The Standards aim to align instruction with this National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) framework Percentages do not imply that high school ELA teachers must teach 70% informational text; they demand instead that a great deal of reading should occur in other disciplines Distribution of Literary and Informational Passages by Grade in the 2009 NAEP Reading Framework Grade Literary Information 4 50% 8 45% 55% 12 30% 70% An awareness of the emphasis on Informational Text is critical in ensuring student success. The standards aim to align with NAEP in the distribution of literary and informational text. This emphasis on informational text must begin K-3, because as you can see, by Grade 4 the distribution is 50/50. Note that literary non-fiction is included in the Literary category, and this includes essays, speeches, and biographies. Therefore, the actual volume of informational text may be even higher than what is outlined in this table. It is important to note that the high percentages of informational text in high school is a shared responsibility between ELA teachers and teachers in other disciplines. This does not mean that all 70% of informational reading needs to happen in the ELA classrooms. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Emphasis on Writing Arguments and Drawing Evidence From Sources
Writing, Grade 7 1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence. Establish and maintain a formal style. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. This sample from seventh grade is just one example. As with all of the standards, there is a progression across grade levels. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Emphasis on Collaborative Conversations
Speaking and Listening, Grade 5 1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles. Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from the discussions. California’s current standards place more of an emphasis on formal presentation. The Common Core Standards add an emphasis on collaborative conversations; a skill that one might argue is used on an everyday basis. Here is an example of a Speaking and Listening standard addressing Collaborative Conversation. Take a moment to read the standard. Presenter note: One formal speech is called out at each grade level. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Try It! Explore Collaborative Conversations
Read Speaking and Listening Standard 1 across the grade spans Discuss the progression Debrief this activity by asking participants to share key points beginning with the earliest grade level represented in your group. ACTIVITY TIME: minutes © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Emphasis on Integrating Media Sources
Grade 6 Examples Across the Strands Reading Standards for Informational Text 7. Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue. Writing Standards 6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting. Speaking and Listening Standards 5. Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information. Another emphasis is on integrating media sources. Research and media skills are blended into the Standards as a whole. INSTRUCTOR NOTE: Paraphrase the following paragraph from the Introduction. To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a technological society, students need the ability to gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, and report on information and ideas, to conduct original research in order to answer questions or solve problems, and to analyze and create a high volume and extensive range of print and non-print texts in media forms old and new. The need to conduct research and to produce and consume media is embedded into every aspect of today’s curriculum. In like fashion, research and media skills and understandings are embedded throughout the Standards rather than treated in a separate section. Let’s take a look at this integration into the standards as a whole. You’ll see from these Grade 6 examples, the use of media sources is integrated across the strands. Take a moment to read the example standards. These are only a few examples from Grade 6. It is important to note that this is not an exhaustive list; there are numerous examples of integration of media sources within each grade level across the strands. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Try It! Explore Integrating Media Sources
Browse the standards and identify additional examples of how media is integrated within each of the strands Allow time for participants to locate and discuss additional examples. Debrief by asking for one or two specific examples from each of the strands. ACTIVITY TIME: 4-5 minutes © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Not Included in California’s Common Core Content Standards
Introduction College and Career Readiness Standards ELA Appendices Appendix A: Research Supporting Key Elements of the Standards Appendix B: Illustrative Texts Exemplars illustrating the complexity, quality, and range of reading appropriate for various grade levels Appendix C: Samples of Student Writing Annotated writing samples demonstrating adequate performance at various grade levels Throughout the presentation we have referenced the Introduction, College and Career Readiness anchor standards, and the Appendices, which were not included in California’s adoption. These documents may support your understanding of the organization and structure of the ELA standards and can be found at which is on the final slide. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Wrap-Up and Questions Websites
Common Core State Standards California’s Common Core Content Standards Allow a moment for comments and questions. © 2011 California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

English Language Arts and

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "English Language Arts and"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

English Language Arts and

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "English Language Arts and"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback