Jeannie FeldmanField Services Specialist

Pearson School Achievement Services

Foundational Overview of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

Session Objectives

• Participants will develop a deeper understanding of the CCSS (Common Core State Standards) for ELA.

• Participants will examine the developmental progression of the CCSS for ELA.

• Participants will identify the implications of the CCSS to instruction, assessment, leadership and professional development.

Key Ideas of the CCSS for ELA

The goal of the CCSS for ELA is college and career readiness for all students.

The CCSS for ELA are more than a re-hash of the standards that we are now working towards. They are “higher, clearer, and fewer.”

Understanding the CCSS for ELA documents requires studying the organization of the standards document and the relationship of Appendices A–C to the standards themselves.

Portrait of College- and Career-Ready Students

Make a list of what you consider would be the characteristics of college and career-ready students. Share your list with your elbow partner.

Career Readiness

Over the last twenty years, there has been a marked shift in the skills that employers demand.

Employer Needs

• Critical thinking and problem solving

• Effective communication

• Collaboration and team building

• Creativity and innovation

Characteristics of College- and Career-Ready Students

Read the text from page 7 of the CCSS for ELA document. Annotate or highlight the text using the following marks:

On my list

+ Add to my list

! This surprises me

? I have a question about this

O This word or term needs clarification

The CCSS for ELA

• K-12 Standards in reading, writing, speaking, listening and language

• Standards for literacy and content areas

• Standards that define end of year expectations and a cumulative progression.

Standards Organization

A comprehensive K–5 section with four strands- Reading strand (includes Foundational Skills) - Writing strand- Speaking and Listening strand - Language strand

Two content area-specific sections for grades 6–12 with four strands

- ELA• Reading strand• Writing strand• Speaking and Listening strand • Language strand

- History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects• Reading strand• Writing strand

Standards Organization

Three appendices- Appendix A: contains research and

supplementary material on reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language, as well as a glossary of key terms

- Appendix B: consists of text exemplars in the genres and accompanying sample performance tasks

- Appendix C: includes annotated samples of student writing demonstrating at least adequate performances at various grade levels

Reading Standards

10 standards per grade level clustered under 4 bands that remain constant up through the grades

1. Key Ideas and Details

2. Craft and Structure

3. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

4. Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

a. Types of text:

Literature

Informational

b. Complexity

What Does Reading Instruction Look Like in Your Schools?

Grade Literary Informational

4

8

12

NAEP Reading Framework

Distribution of Literary and Informational Passages

by Grade in the 2009 NAEP Reading Framework

The Standards aim to align instruction with this framework so that many more students than at present can meet the requirements of college and career readiness.

 

The Standards aim to align instruction with this framework so that many more students than at present can meet the requirements of college and career readiness.

Grade Literary Informational

4 50% 50%

8 45% 55%

12 30% 70%

College and Career ReadinessReading Standards

Key Ideas and Details1. 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.

2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

College and Career ReadinessReading Standards Craft and Structure4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text,

including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and explain how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

College and Career ReadinessReading Standards Integration of Knowledge and Ideas7. Integrate and evaluate content presented graphically,

visually, orally, and multimodally as well as in words within and across print and digital sources.

8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

College and Career ReadinessReading Standards

Range and Level of Text Complexity10.Read and comprehend complex literary and informational

texts independently and proficiently.

11. Respond to literature by employing knowledge of literary language, textual features, and forms to read and comprehend, reflect upon, and interpret literary texts from a variety of genres and a wide spectrum of American and world cultures.

Foundational Premises of the CCSS for ELA

• Premise #1: Increasing text complexity

• Premise #2: Progressive development of reading comprehension

Foundational Premise #1

Research shows that the ability to read and comprehend complex text is the best predictor of college success.

–Many of the books students read in K-12 became easier after 1962.

–Instruction in K-12 texts is highly scaffolded.

–Students in high school read significantly less than is required in college.

Text Complexity Grade Bands and Associated Lexile Ranges (in Lexiles)

Text Complexity grade band in the

StandardsOld Lexile Ranges

Lexile Ranges Aligned to CCR

Expectations

K-1 N/A N/A

2-3 450-725 450-790

4-5 645-845 770-980

6-8 860-1010 955-1155

9-10 960-1115 1080-1305

11-CCR 1070-1220 1215-1355

Premise #2Activity

• With a partner, review the reading standard for informational text from kindergarten to grade 12.

• Focus on the progression of skills students are expected to acquire as they move across grade levels in this standard.

• Underline each new grade level expectation.• Discuss the following question:

– What stands out to you in terms of the progression in what students need to know and be able to do from grades K-12?

Reading Standards for Informational Texts

Kindergartners Grade 1 Students Grade 2 Students

With prompting and support, ask and answerquestions about key details in a text.

Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

Grade 3 Students Grade 4 Students Grade 5 Students

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Reading Standards for Informational Texts

Grade 6 Students Grade 7 Students Grade 8 Students

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.

Grades 9-10 Students Grades 11-12 Students

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.

Informational Text Exemplar (Appendix B) Grades 4/5

Lauber, Patricia. Hurricanes: Earth’s Mightiest Storms. New York: Scholastic, 1996. (1996)

From “The Making of a Hurricane”

Great whirling storms roar out of the oceans in many parts of the world. They

are called by several names—hurricane, typhoon, and cyclone are the three

most familiar ones. But no matter what they are called, they are all the same

sort of storm. They are born in the same way, in tropical waters. They develop

the same way, feeding on warm, moist air. And they do the same kind of

damage, both ashore and at sea. Other storms may cover a bigger area or

have higher winds, but none can match both the size and the fury of

hurricanes. They are earth’s mightiest storms.

Like all storms, they take place in the atmosphere, the envelope of air that

surrounds the earth and presses on its surface. The pressure at any one place

is always changing. There are days when air is sinking and the atmosphere

presses harder on the surface. These are the times of high pressure. There are

days when a lot of air is rising and the atmosphere does not press down as

hard. These are times of low pressure. Low-pressure areas over warm oceans

give birth to hurricanes.

Reading Informational Text- Grade 5

• Craft and Structure– Compare and contrast the overall structure

(e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts or information in two or more texts.

[RI.5.5]

Sample Performance Task (Appendix B)

• Students identify the overall structure of ideas, concepts, and information in Seymour Simon’s Horses (based on factors such as their speed and color) and compare and contrast that scheme to the one employed by Patricia Lauber in her book Hurricanes: Earth’s Mightiest Storms. [RI.5.5]

Table Talk

• What are the implications of the Reading Framework:– for you?

– for principals?

– for teachers?

– for students and parents?

What Does Writing Instruction Look Like in Schools?

Grade To Persuade To ExplainTo Convey Experience

4

8

12

Distribution of Communicative Purposes by Grade

in the 2011 NAEP Writing Framework

Writing assessments aligned with the Common Core should adhere to the distribution of writing purposes across grades outlined by NAEP. Classroom assignments/instruction should address all three writing types.

Grade To Persuade To Explain To Convey Experience

4 30% 35% 35%

8 35% 35% 30%

12 40% 40% 20%

NAEP Writing Framework

Overall Organization- Writing Standards

• 10 standards per grade level • clustered under 4 bands that remain constant up

through the grades

(4 bands)– Text Types and Purposes– Production and Distribution of Writing– Research to Build and Present Knowledge– Range of Writing

Text Types and Purposes

• Text Types1. Narrative

– Fictional– Personal

2. Informative/Explanatory

1. Opinion Argument– Grade K-5: Opinion/Evidence– Grade 6: Claim/Evidence/Reasoning (warrant)– Grade 7-12: Claim/Evidence/Reasoning/Counterclaim

2. Response to Literature (NY State)

College and Career Readiness Writing Standards

Text Types and Purposes1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of

substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

College and Career Readiness Writing Standards

Production and Distribution of Writing4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the

development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

College and Career Readiness Writing Standards

Research to Build and Present Knowledge7. Conduct short, as well as more sustained research projects

based on questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Range of Writing10.Write routinely over extended time frames (time

for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Responding to Literature11. Develop personal, cultural, textual, and

thematic connections within and across genres as they respond to texts through written, digital, and oral presentations, employing a variety of media and genres.

College and Career Readiness Writing Standards

Activity: Reviewing Writing Standards for Opinion

• With a partner, review the writing standard for argument from kindergarten to grade 12.

• Focus on the progression of skills students are expected to acquire as they move across grade levels in this standard.

• Underline each new grade level expectation.• Discuss the following question:

– What stands out to you in terms of the progression in what students need to know and be able to do from grades K-12?

From Standards for Writing Opinion

Kindergartners Grade 1 Students Grade 2 StudentsUse a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is . . .).

Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.

Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

From Standards for Writing Opinion

Grade 3 Students Grade 4 Students Grade 5 StudentsWrite opinion pieces on familiar topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.•Introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.•Provide reasons that support the opinion.•Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons.•Provide a concluding statement or section.

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

a.Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.

b.Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.

c.Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).

d.Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

a.Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.

b.Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.

c.Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).

d.Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

From Standards for Writing Opinion

Grade 6 Students Grade 7 Students Grade 8 Students

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.a.Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.b.Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.c.Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons.d.Establish and maintain a formal style.e.Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented.

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.a.Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b.Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.c.Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence.d.Establish and maintain a formal style.e.Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.a.Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.b.Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.c.Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.d.Establish and maintain a formal style.e.Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

From Standards for Writing Opinion

Grades 9-10 Students Grades 11-12 StudentsWrite arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from

alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.

c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish

the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claim(s) and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values and possible biases.

c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Argumentation

Argumentation is a reasoned, logical way of demonstrating that the writer’s position, belief, or conclusion is valid.

Research shows that the ability to “write to argue or persuade readers” was virtually tied with the ability to “write to convey information” as the most important type of writing needed by incoming college students.

Only 20 percent of those who enter college are prepared to write reasoned arguments.

Some Definitions

Claim: the position or assertion that supports an argument.

Evidence: the facts, reasons, evidence that support the claim.

Warrant: the chain of reasoning that connects the evidence to the claim.

Counterclaim: an opposing position or assertion.

Rebuttal: logical reasons for rejecting the counterclaim.

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Argument or Persuasion?

What are the key differences between argument and persuasion?

Argument or Persuasion

Argument

• Convinces the audience based on merit and reasonableness of the claims and proofs

Persuasion

• Uses persuasive strategies that:– Establish credibility,

character, or authority of the writer

– Appeal to the self-interest, identity, or emotions of the audience

Activity: Looking at Student Work (Appendix C)

• With a partner, review the piece of student work.

• Use the writing standard for that grade level (12) to determine how it meets the standard.

• Check your analysis against the annotation below the work.

Think, Pair, Share

• How does the student work(s) reviewed compare to the writing produced by your students?

• What are the implications for your grade level?

• What are the implications for your instructional practices?

Implications by grade level

• Take time to closely review the writing standards for your grade level and adjacent grade levels, if possible.

• Discuss with your colleagues the impact these standards will have on your classroom practices related to writing instruction.

• Generate recommendations for your grade level to begin moving students toward meeting or exceeding the CCSS.

Reflection by grade

• Implications for our instructional practices in reading and writing

• What can we do to incorporate the CCSS for reading and writing into our instructional practices?

• By when?

IF THEN BY WHEN?

Websites with More Information

Your State Department of Education Website

Educational Testing Service www.k12.center.org

Pearson www.commoncore.pearsoned.com

Achieve www.achieve.org for Parc test

www.k12.wa.us/smarter/ for Smarter Balanced test