division of secondary language arts and reading
TRANSCRIPT
Division of Secondary Language Arts and Reading
Spring 2012
High School Day 1
Agenda Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
Rate your Common Core
Knowledge
4
0 -- This must have something to do with fruit, right?
1 -- Isn’t that those new English standards? I’ve heard something about
those…didn’t we adopt them in Florida?
2 -- I’ve heard something about them, and I’ve at least scanned through
the standards document.
3 -- I’ve thoroughly read through the ELA document, and I can use the
terms ―strand,‖ ―cluster‖, and ―anchor standard‖ in appropriate
contexts.
4 -- I know the document backwards and forwards; transitioning to these
new standards will be a breeze!
0 1 2 3 4
Highlights Ice Breaker
Select a highlighter from the basket at the table. You will
need this as we progress through the organization and
design of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
document.
Yellow: Name, Location, Years TEACHING, Favorite LA/Read Strategy.
Blue: Name, Location, Years TEACHING, Favorite Novel/Literary Text to teach
students.
Orange: Name, Location, Years TEACHING, Favorite benchmark to teach. Why?
Pink: Name, Location, Years TEACHING, Best Professional development attended. Why?
Green: Name, Location, Years TEACHING, Your definition of rigor?
The
ACED+: Analysis, Clarification,
Extension, Discussion
Distinguish, compare, contrast, investigate categorize, identify, explain, separate important ideas about the text.
Examine misleading or complex sections of the text.
Expand and internalize information presented in the text.
Dialogue to demonstrate text comprehension and determine validity and reliability
Relate text to personal experience or knowledge.
Adapted from “Evidence – Based Instruction in Reading” by Ransinski & Padak
The
―The best thing you can do is
the right thing; the next best
thing you can do is the wrong
thing; the worst thing you can
do is NOTHING.‖
-Theodore Roosevelt-
Why the Change to Common Core
State Standards ?
• Currently, every state has its own set of academic standards, meaning public education students in each state are learning at different levels.
• All students must be prepared to compete with not only their American peers in the next state, but with students from around the world.
11
Why the Change to Common Core
State Standards ?
12
As part of Florida's Race to the Top Project, Florida is using funding to provide
information that allows international comparisons of student achievement in STEM
and literacy. Prior to full implementation of the Common Core State Standards
(CCSS) and aligned common assessments, Florida is seeking reliable system-level
data on how achievement compares internationally in reading, mathematics, and
science through participation in international linking and benchmarking studies.
Two international studies administered during the spring of 2011 were conducted
to help benchmark student performance in the U. S. compared to other countries
around the world.
• Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011
• Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2011.
Why the Change to Common Core
State Standards ?
13
Administration:
• Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011
• Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2011.
• Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) will be administered in the
fall of 2012.
All three international assessments and research projects are designed to measure
trends in achievement and will be managed in the United States by the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Areas of need revealed by these measures will further allow Florida to adjust
priorities for development of resources and strategies prior to the initiation of the
internationally-benchmarked common summative assessments of the CCSS.
The Road to Common Core State Standards
14
Beginning in the spring of 2009, governors and state
commissioners of education from 48 states, 2 territories and
the District of Columbia committed to developing a common
core of state K-12 English-Language Arts (ELA) and
Mathematics standards.
The development of the Common Core State Standards
(CCSS) for English Language Arts & Literacy is a state-led
effort by the National Governors Association Center for Best
Practices (NGA Center). Parents, teachers, school
administrators, and experts from across the country, together
with state leaders, through their membership in the Council of
Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National
Governors Association Center for Best Practices, convened to
develop the CCSS.
www.corestandards.org
Mission Statement The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so that teachers and parents may know how and what can be done to assist them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in COLLEGE and CAREERS. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.
-Common Core State Standards Initiative
15
46 States + District of Columbia have
adopted the Common Core State Standards
*Minnesota (only adopted ELA)
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness
for College and Careers (PARCC)
17
The chair of the governing
board is Mitchell Chester,
Education Commissioner of
Massachusetts, and the state
of Florida is serving as its
fiscal agent.
18
CRITERIA Standards provide for a(n)…
Rigorous Application of content knowledge and skills
Clear & Specific Guidance and clarity
Teachable & Learnable Guidance for the design of curricula and
instructional materials
Measurable Observable and verifiable measures
Coherent Progression of learning
Standards by Grade Level Limited opportunity for repetition
Internationally Benchmarked Success in our global economy
www.commoncore.org
WHY… What Makes These Standards Special?
19
www.commoncore.org
WHY… What Makes These Standards Special?
Independent analysis indicates that they are
more rigorous/demanding than the standards
of 37 states.
They are internationally benchmarked.
They include all grades (K-12) and emphasize
disciplinary literacy.
They increase stress on expository text,
critical reading, and use of technology.
They recognize the importance of text difficulty
and the value of canonical (classics/influential)
text.
Critical to know and understand:
These standards demand very high levels of performance from all students, which in turn has significant implications for teaching.
Differentiated instruction, integrated instruction, learning by design, and other strategies will become commonplace in all classrooms.
There is no excuse for at-risk populations failing to achieve at the same rate as their as their non- at – risk peers. 20
Critical to know and understand:
New, next generation in-class assessments will
accompany the Common Core State Standards.
These assessments range far beyond the usual multiple-choice and short-answer questions.
Instead, students will apply their knowledge to real-world situations through performance events, work in interdisciplinary situations, and use technology with facility. Some performance events will take weeks to complete.
21
Critical to know and understand:
For teachers, this new form of evaluation means developing a full understanding of performance events, how to construct them, and how to evaluate student work.
In order to prepare students for such assessments, teachers must provide students with ample practice in this style of evaluation.
The new assessments will be available for
teachers to make use of formative assessment techniques. 22
Conclusion: The promise of standards…
These Standards are not intended to be new names for old ways of doing business. They are a call to take the next step. It is of paramount importance that states work together to build upon lessons learned from two decades of standard-based reforms. The time has come to recognize that standards are not just promises to our children, but promises we intend to keep.
-www.corestandards.org/ 23
Shift
1
PK-5, Balancing
Informational and
Literary Texts
Student read a true balance of informational and literary texts. Elementary school classrooms are,
therefore, places where students access the world-science, social studies, the arts and literature-
throughout text. At least 50% of what students read is informational.
Shift
2
6-12
Building Knowledge in
the Disciplines
Content area teachers outside of the ELA classroom emphasize literacy experiences in their planning
and instruction. Students learn through domain-specific texts in science and social studies classrooms-
rather than referring to the text, they are expected to learn from what they read.
Shift
3
Staircase of
Complexity
In order to prepare students for the complexity of college and career ready texts, each grade level
requires a “step” of growth on the “staircase”. Students read the central, grade appropriate text around
which instruction is centered. Teachers are patient, create more time and space in the curriculum for
this close and careful reading, and provide appropriate and necessary scaffolding and supports so that
it is possible for students reading below grade level.
All students are asked to encounter grade level complex texts.
Questions to think about:
What is Shift 3?
What will this mean we have to change about our practice?
What challenges will we face as we make this shift?
What will we do less of in order to make room for the time it will take to read this text closely?
Which portions of the text should we focus on?
Which portions should we ask students to re-read multiple times?
What role can independent reading play in this unit for students who struggle to access the central text
on their own?
What other supports will we need to provide for these students?
When was the last time I was challenged by a text?
What did I do to handle/ manage/ work within that frustration?
Unpacking Shift 3
By unpacking Shift 3, the discussion addresses the benefits and challenges in shifting to a practice
where all students are asked to encounter grade-level complex texts.
Shift
4
Text-Based
Answers
Students have rich and rigorous conversations which are dependent on a common text. Teachers insist that classroom experiences stay
deeply connected to the text on the page and that students develop habits for making evidentiary arguments both in conversation, as
well as in writing to assess comprehension of a text..
Focus on command of evidence from text: rubrics and prompts.
Questions to think about:
What is shift 4?
What will this mean we have to change about our practice?
What challenges will we face as we make this shift?
What are the implications for teacher planning and for teacher planning time in schools?
Unpacking Shift 4
By unpacking Shift 4, the discussion addresses what it takes to create opportunities for students to have deep, evidence-based
conversations about text.
Shift
5
Writing
from
Sources
Writing needs to emphasize use of evidence to inform or make an argument rather than the personal narrative and other forms of
decontextualized prompts. while the narrative still has an important role, students develop skills through written arguments that
respond to the ideas, events, facts, and arguments presented in the texts they read.
Questions to think about:
What is shift 5?
What will this mean we have to change about our practice?
What challenges will we face as we make this shift?
Unpacking the Shift 5
By unpacking Shift 5, the discussion addresses the challenges and benefits of putting a renewed emphasis on writing from sources
rather than keeping the current focus on personal narrative.
Shift
6
Academic
Vocabulary
Students constantly build the vocabulary they need to access grade level complex texts. By focusing strategically on comprehension of
pivotal and commonly found words (such as “discourse,” “generation,” “theory,” and “principled”) and less on esoteric literary terms
(such as onomatopoeia or homonym), teachers constantly build students ability to access more complex texts across the content areas.
Questions to think about:
What is shift 6?
What will this mean we have to change about our practice?
What challenges will we face as we make this shift?
How many vocabulary words are there in the selection?
How many of these words can be seen as useful “tools” which students will confront frequently as they read at this grade level?
Which words are worth investing in?
What would it look like to create three columns of words – ignore, target, and infer?
What is the impact, for the author, of including the words in which you are choosing to invest? What task could you create that would
get students writing using those words?
Unpacking Shift 6:
By unpacking Shift 6, the discussion addresses the “tiers” of vocabulary (see Isabel Beck’s work, for example) and the choices teachers
need to make regarding the explicit teaching of “academic” vocabulary.
CCSS
Road to Common Core
Design and Organization
Common Core: Shift#3 & Shift #4
Text Complexity
Common Core Shift: #5 Writing
Common Core: Shift #6 Vocabulary
The Standards are comprised of:
3 Main Sections 1. English Language Arts & Literacy in History/ Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects K-5 (Comprehensive K-5)
Content Area Specific 6-12
2. English Language Arts (ELA)
3. Literacy Standards in History/Social Studies, Science
& Technical Subjects
3 Appendices A - Research and evidence; glossary of key terms
B - Reading text exemplars; sample performance tasks
C - Annotated student writing samples 28
29
K-12 Literary/ Informational
Text
STORIES DRAMA POETRY LITERARY NONFICTION
& SCIENTIFIC, AND
TECHNICAL TEXTS
Includes children’s
adventure stories,
folktales, legends,
fables, fantasy,
realistic fiction and
myth
Includes staged and
brief familiar scenes
Includes nursery
rhymes and the
subgenres of the
narrative poem,
limerick, and free
verse poem
Includes biographies
and autobiographies;
books about history,
social studies,
science, and the arts;
technical texts,
including directions,
forms, and
information displayed
in graphs, charts, or
maps; digital sources
on a range of topics
4 Clusters
10 Broad Anchor Standards
Common Core State Reading Standards for
English Language Arts
and
Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects
30
Common Core State Reading Standards for
English Language Arts
and
Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects
31
Reading Standards for
Informational Text
Reading Standards for
Literature
Reading Standards for
History/Social Studies
Reading Standards for Science &
Technical Subjects Grade Level
Anchor
Standards
Comparison
Reading
4 Clusters
10 Anchor Standards
Writing
4 Clusters
10 Anchor Standards
Speaking and Listening
2 Clusters
6 Anchor Standards
Language
3 Clusters
6 Anchor Standards
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
32
Strand 1
• College and Career Readiness (CCR)
Standards – Overarching standards for each of four strands that are further defined by grade-specific standards
Reading – 10 standards
Writing – 10 standards
Speaking and Listening – 6 standards
Language – 6 standards
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards – The Reading
strand has 4 clusters.
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
33
4 Clusters
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards- The Reading strand
has 10 standards
34
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
Reading
4 Clusters
10 Anchor Standards
Writing
4 Clusters
10 Anchor Standards
Speaking and Listening
2 Clusters
6 Anchor Standards
Language
3 Clusters
6 Anchor Standards
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
35
Strand 2
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards – The Writing strand
has 4 clusters.
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
36
4 Clusters
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards – The Writing strand
has 10 standards.
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
37
Reading
4 Clusters
10 Anchor Standards
Writing
4 Clusters
10 Anchor Standards
Speaking and Listening
2 Clusters
6 Anchor Standards
Language
3 Clusters
6 Anchor Standards
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
38
Strand 3
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards – The Speaking and
Listening strand has 2 clusters.
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
39
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards – The Speaking and
Listening strand has 6 standards.
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
40
Reading
4 Clusters
10 Anchor Standards
Writing
4 Clusters
10 Anchor Standards
Speaking and Listening
2 Clusters
6 Anchor Standards
Language
3 Clusters
6 Anchor Standards
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
41
Strand 4
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards – The Language
strand has 3 clusters.
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
42
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards – The Language
strand has 6 standards.
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts
43
Common Core State Standards for
English Language Arts Grade-Level Standards in English Language Arts
K-8, grade-by-grade
9-10 and 11-12 grade bands for high school
Format highlights progression of standards across grades
44
Strand Strand
Abbreviation
Grade Levels
Grade Specific Anchor Standard
45
Increasing Text Complexity Across Grades
Reading Standards for Literature
Grade 3: Describe characters in a story (e.g.,
their traits, motivations, or feelings) and
explain how their actions contribute to the
sequence of events.
Grade 7: Analyze how particular elements of
a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting
shapes the characters or plot)
Grades 11-12: Evaluate various explanations
for characters’ actions or for events and
determine which explanation best accords
with textual evidence, acknowledging
where the text leaves matters uncertain.
Reading Standards for Informational
Text
Grade 3: Describe the relationships between a
series of historical events, scientific ideas or
concepts, or steps in technical procedures
in a text, using language that pertains to
time, sequence, and cause/effect.
Grade 7: Analyze the interactions between
individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g.,
how ideas influence individuals or events,
or how individuals influence ideas or
events).
Grades 11-12: Analyze a complex set of ideas
or sequence of events and explain how
specific individuals, ideas, or events interact
and develop over the course of the text.
CCR Reading Anchor Standard 3: Analyze how and why individuals,
events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of the text.
Grade Specific Standards for Reading: Informational Text
AC
TIV
ITY
Grade Specific Standards for Reading: Informational Text
Evidence Standard
Main Idea Standard
Interaction Standard
Vocabulary Standard
Structure Standard
Point of View Standard
Multimedia Standard
Argument Standard
Multi-Text Standard
Complexity Standard
AC
TIV
ITY
6-12 ELA
RL – Reading Literature Standards
RI – Reading Informational Text Standards
W – Writing Standards
SL – Speaking and Listening Standards
L – Language Standards
6-12 Literacy in History/Social studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects
RH – Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies
RST - Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects
WHST- Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects
College and Career
Readiness (CCR)
Standards
Common Core State Standards for
Abbreviations
49
Standard Classification System
LACC.7.W.1.3a
Cluster Text Types and Purposes
Standard Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, relevant descriptive
details, and well-structured event
sequences. Grade Level 7
Subject Code Reading/Language Arts
Common Core
Strand Writing
Specificity Standard Provide a conclusion that follows
from and reflects on the narrated
experiences or events.
Common Core Standards – English Language Arts K-12
The standards are organized into three main sections
Each section is divided into strands
Each strand features grade-level standards that are anchored in
college and career readiness standards.
Standards for
English Language Arts —and—
Literacy in History/Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects
GRADES K-5
Standards for
English Language Arts
GRADES 6-12
Standards for
Literacy in History/Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects
GRADES 6-12
Reading
Writing
Speaking & Listening
Language
Reading
Writing
Speaking & Listening
Language
Reading
Writing
English Language Arts and Literacy Standards “Roadmap”
READING
WRITING
SPEAKING &
LISTENING
LANGUAGE
10 Anchor Standards for College and Career Readiness
6 Anchor
Standards for CCR
ELA
Standards
K-12
ELA
Standards
K-12
ELA Standards
K-12
Literacy Standards
6-12
Literary Text
1
K
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9-10
11-12
9-10
11-12
6-8
9-10
11-12
6-8
11-12
1
K
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9-10 9-10
11-12
6-8
1
K
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9-10
11-12
1
K
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9-10
11-12
K
1
2
3
4
5
9-10
11-12
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
K → → → → → → → → → → →
→ → → → → → → → → → →
→ → → → → → → → → → →
→ → → → → → → → → → →
→ → → → → → → → → → →
→ → → → → → → → → → →
→ → → → → →
→ → → → → →
→ → → → → →
→ → → → → →
→ → → → → →
→ → → → → →
ELA Standards K-12
Literacy Standards 6-12
Sci. / Tech Subj.
Hist. / S.S.
Inform. Text
Foundational Skills
6 Anchor
Standards
for CCR
10 Anchor Standards for College and Career
Readiness
CCSS
Road to Common Core
Design and Organization
Common Core: Shift#3 & Shift #4
Text Complexity Common Core Shift: #5 Writing
Common Core: Shift #6 Vocabulary
“While reading demands in college, workforce training
programs, and life in general have held steady or increased over
the last half century, K–12 texts have actually declined in
sophistication, and relatively little attention has been paid to
students’ ability to read complex texts independently.‖
These conditions have left a serious gap between many high
school seniors’ reading ability and the reading requirements
they will face after graduation.
—
The Crisis of Complexity
Common Core State Standards
Text Complexity and the Common
Core State Standards The Common Core State Standards Initiative places a strong
emphasis on the role of text complexity in evaluating
student readiness for college and careers.
Just
Read,
Florida!
“The Common Core State Standards hinge on students encountering appropriately complex texts at each grade level in order to develop the mature language skills and the conceptual knowledge they need for success in school and life” (p. 3).
Specifically, reading standard #10:
Anchor Standard: R.CCR.10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational
texts independently and proficiently.
Text Complexity
RI.6
.10
By the end of the year, read and
comprehend literary nonfiction in the
grades 6-8 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed
at the high end of the range. R
I 11
-12
.10
By the end of grade 11, read and
comprehend literature (information
texts) in the grades 11-CCR text
complexity band proficiently, and with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of
the range.
By the end of grade 12, read and
comprehend literature
(informational texts) at the high end of
the grade 11-CCR text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Sample Grade Level Standards
Broad Spectrum
Academic orientation/ narrativity-
Information vs. Narrative
Cohesion - techniques the author
use to tie text together(repeated
phrases v. more abstract words).
Word maturity - degrees of abstract
multiple meaning words (e.g.
ground: earth or soil, to grind, or ―no
grounds‖ for an argument, or being
―well grounded‖)
60
Overview of Text Complexity
Text complexity is defined by:
2. Qualitative measures – levels of meaning,
structure, language conventionality and
clarity, and knowledge demands, often best
measured by an attentive human reader.
1. Quantitative measures – readability and
other scores of text complexity often best
measured by computer software.
Reader and Task
3. Reader and Task considerations –
background knowledge of reader, motivation,
interests, and complexity generated by tasks
assigned, often best made by educators
employing their professional judgment.
CCSS Text Complexity Model
Considerations for Text Complexity
Qualitative Quantitative
• Levels of meaning • Word length
• Levels of purpose • Word frequency
• Structure • Word difficulty
• Organization • Sentence length
• Language conventions • Text length
• Language clarity • Text cohesion
• Prior knowledge demands • Syntactic Complexity
• Cultural/Discipline knowledge
demands
• Content/Discipline knowledge
demands
62
Text Complexity – Why is This Important?
Complexity of texts students are expected to read is below what
is required to achieve college and career readiness:
• High school textbooks have declined in all subject areas
over the last several decades
• Average length of sentences in K-8 textbooks has declined
from 20 to 14 words
• Vocabulary demands have declined since the 1960s:
• 8th grade textbooks = former 5th grade texts
• 12th grade anthologies = former 7th grade texts
Complexity of college and careers texts has remained steady or
increased, resulting in a gap (up to 350L)
Why Should We Worry about This Gap?
Too many students are reading at too low a level (<50% of high school graduates can read sufficiently complex texts)
The complexity of what students can read and comprehend is the single greatest predictor of success in college (ACT study)
• Question type (main idea, word meanings, details) is NOT the chief differentiator
• Question level (higher order vs. lower order; literal vs. inferential) is NOT the chief differentiator either
Increasing Instructional Rigor
As teachers, we must… Increase the cognitive demand or levels of thinking in classroom instructional practices for all content areas. Challenge students to reach for greater levels of understanding through the application of the knowledge they have learned.
Quantitative Measures
66
Remember, however, that the quantitative measures are only the first of
three “legs” of the text complexity triangle.
Our final recommendation may
be validated, influenced, or even
over-ruled by our examination of
qualitative measures and the
reader and task considerations.
Qualitative Measures
Measures such as:
• Structure
• Language Demands
and Conventions
• Knowledge Demands
• Levels of
Meaning/Purpose
67
Reader and Task
Considerations such as:
• Motivation
• Knowledge and experience
• Purpose for reading
• Complexity of task assigned
regarding text
• Complexity of questions asked
regarding text
68
CCSS
Road to Common Core
Design and Organization
Common Core: Shift#3 & Shift #4
Text Complexity
Common Core Shift: #5 Writing
Common Core: Shift #6 Vocabulary
Writing
http://engageny.org/resource/common-core-in-ela-
literacy-shift-5-writing-from-sources/
Addresses challenges and benefits of
putting a renewed emphasis on writing
from sources rather than keeping the
current focus on personal narrative.
Video Presentation between
NYS Commissioner of Education John B. King Jr.,
David Coleman (contributing author to the Common Core) and Kate Gerson (a Sr. Fellow with the Regents Research Fund)
Shifts to Consider…
• Draw evidence from texts to support and develop:
• Analysis
• Reflection
• Research
• Increase opportunities to write in response to
sources
• Extensive practice with short, focused research
projects
• ―typically taking a week and occurring—at a
minimum—quarterly‖
• Increase focus on argumentation and informative
writing, less emphasis on narrative writing
PLEASE NOTE: As with reading, the percentages in the table reflect the
sum of student writing, not just writing in English Language Arts. Also,
these modes of writing are not mutually exclusive; multiple purposes often
exist within a single piece of writing.
Writing and Research the Analyzes and Deploys
Evidence
Common Core Writing
Evidence concerning the demands of college and career
readiness gathered during development of the standards
concurs with NAEP’s shifting emphases: standards for grades
9–12 describe writing in all three forms, but, consistent with
NAEP, the overwhelming focus of writing throughout high school
should be on arguments and informative/explanatory texts.*
*As with reading, the percentages in the table reflect the sum of
student writing, not just writing in ELA settings.
It follows that writing assessments aligned with the standards
should adhere to the distribution of writing purposes across
grades outlined by NAEP.
(page 5 CCSS)
SHIFT 5
Writing from sources
Three
Text
Types
Argument Supporting a
claim with sound
reasoning and
relevant evidence
Informational/
Explanatory
Writing
Increase subject
knowledge
Explain a process
Enhance comprehension
Narrative
Writing
Conveys experience
i.e. fictional stories,
memoirs, anecdotes,
autobiographies
Appendix C:
Samples of
Student Writing
Argumentative
writing is
especially
prominent in
the CCLS
SHIFT 5
Writing
from
Sources
Write about a time you had to
make a difficult decision.
Describe the situation and the
heroic qualities you exhibited.
Pre-CCSS
SHIFT 5
Writing
from
Sources Write a critical essay in which you
discuss The Odyssey and The Lost City
of Z from the perspective provided in
the Critical Lens. In your essay:
Provide a valid
interpretation
of the
statement.
Agree or
disagree with
the statement
as you’ve
interpreted it.
Support your
opinion using
specific
references from
the two works
listed above.
Post-CCSS
Critical Lens
Nothing is given
to man on earth –
struggle is built
into the nature of
life, and conflict is
possible - the
hero is the man
who lets no
obstacle prevent
him from
pursuing the
values he has
chosen.
• Used for many purposes
• To change the reader’s point of view
• To bring about some action on the reader’s part
• To ask the reader to accept the writer’s explanation or
evaluation of a concept, issue or problem
• An argument is a reasoned, logical way of demonstrating
that the writer’s position, belief, or conclusion is valid
Argumentation/Opinion
Appendix A, page 23
• When writing to persuade, writers
employ a variety of persuasive
strategies
• Appeals to the credibility, character, or
authority of the writer (or speaker)—
when writers establish that they are
knowledgeable and trustworthy,
audiences are more likely to believe
what they say
• Appeals to the audience’s self-interest,
sense of identity, or emotions, any of
which can sway an audience
• A logical argument, on the other hand,
convinces the audience because of
perceived merit and reasonableness of
the claims and proofs offered rather
than either the emotions the writing
evokes in the audience or the character
or credentials of the writer
• The standards place special emphasis
on writing logical arguments as a
particularly important form of college-
and career-ready writing
Appendix A, page 24 Appendix A, page 24
Argument vs. Persuasion
• Conveys information accurately
• Serves one or more closely related purposes
• To increase readers’ knowledge of a subject
• To help readers better understand a procedure or
process
• To provide readers with an enhanced comprehension of
a concept
Informational/Explanatory Writing
Appendix A, page 23
• Conveys experiences, either real or imaginary, and uses time as its
deep structure
• Can be used for many purposes, such as to inform, instruct,
persuade, or entertain
• Can be used in the service of informational and argumentative
writing
Appendix A, page 23
Narrative Writing
Writing tasks that demonstrate an understanding of text by using information
from the text in response to a prompt.
What Is Text-Based Writing?
Writing tasks that relate to a text but do not require comprehension of the
passage.
What Is Text-Inspired Writing?
For example, after students read a mystery, a
teacher might assign them to write their own
mysteries. This sort of text-inspired writing task
may be an engaging and worthwhile writing
activity for students, but it is not dependent on
comprehending the information in the text.
Reading/ Research Use of available resources; relevant, accurate, and
sufficient text support; credibility of resources
Development Focused response; development using relevant
and sufficient details to achieve the purpose
Organization Structure; introduction, progression of ideas,
transitions, conclusion
Language/ Conventions Command of standard English; language and tone
appropriate to audience and purpose; complete
sentences with variety in length and structure;
citation of sources
Traits of Common Core Writing
Modes of Writing Argumentation Informative Narrative
CCSS Presentation Notes Road to Common Core
Design & Organization
Common Core: Shift#3 & Shift #4
Text Complexity
Common Core Shift: #5
Writing
Common Core: Shift #6 Vocabulary
Agenda Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
Vocabulary
http://engageny.org/resource/common-core-in-ela-
literacy-shift-5-writing-from-sources/
Addresses the “tiers” of vocabulary
and the importance of explicit teaching of
“academic” vocabulary.
Video Presentation between
NYS Commissioner of Education John B. King Jr.,
David Coleman (contributing author to the Common Core) and Kate Gerson (a Sr. Fellow with the Regents Research Fund)
Study & Apply Vocabulary
• Students require multiple exposures to targeted vocabulary words in authentic contexts to retain an understanding of the words’ meaning(s) and use the words effectively when writing and speaking.
• To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 5–10 Tier 2 academic words per week for each text (L.3.4–6).
SHIFT 6 Academic Vocabulary
Tier One
Words • Words of everyday speech
Tier Two
Words
• Not specific to any one
academic area
• Generally not well-defined by
context or explicitly defined
within a text
• Wide applicability to many types
of reading
Tier Three
Words
• Domain specific
• Low-frequency
• Often explicitly defined
• Heavily scaffolded
Ramp up
instruction of
Tier Two
words
CCSS
Road to Common Core
Design & Organization
Common Core: Shift#3 & Shift #4
Text Complexity Research
Common Core: Shift#3 & Shift #4
Determining Text Complexity
Common Core Shift: #5 Writing
Common Core: Shift #6
Vocabulary
District Pacing Guide
References This presentation was compiled using resources and information from Just Read, Florida!, www.corestandards.org/, FLDOE, and the 46 States + District of Columbia who have adopted the Common Core State Standards.
Division of Language Arts/Reading
Dr. Sharon Scruggs-Williams
Instructional Supervisor
North & North Central
Dr. Erin Cuartas
Instructional Supervisor
South Central
Laurie Kaplan
Instructional Supervisor
South
http://languageartsreading.dadeschools.net/
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