essential skills for the common core · use of informational texts, use of evidence from texts, ......

Essential Skills for the Common Core

Part 1 of 2

Lily Wong Fillmore University of California at Berkeley

A two part presentation: In Part 1...

• I will identify and explicate some concepts related to essential Common Core skills, and show how they figure in language, literacy and learning.

• The skills that the Common Core requires are necessary for all students, but they are downright critical for English learners and language minority students.

• There has been doubt expressed as to whether these students will be able to handle the rigors of the Common Core.

• The goal here is to convince you that they can, but only if they have instructional support.

Part 2 is a practical guide

• The goal in that part is to offer you a way to start developing Common Core aligned language, literacy and learning skills in your students.

• You will get some guidance on some instructional practices that will enhance your effectiveness as an educator–no matter what you are teaching and at what level.

• I am hardly an expert on all these matters, but I have the help of some people who are.

Let’s begin with a look at the global requirements of the Common Core

Key instructional shifts

• The shifts called for in the ELA curriculum––increased use of informational texts, use of evidence from texts, emphasis on complex texts and academic language––are not limited to ELA: they cut across the curriculum, and serve as the linchpin for curricular reform.

• The aim of these shifts is increased access to learning and content through literacy, more effective communication of ideas and information, and the linguistic means for understanding and for complex thought and expression.

Concern with language & literacy across the curriculum

• A key to the new standards: academic literacy, learning from texts, reasoning and arguing from text-based evidence cut across all subjects.

• All teachers, not just ELA (or ESL, ELD), must regard the following as part of their assignment:

• Greater attention to building the language, literacy, reasoning, and problem solving skills kids will need for learning across the curriculum.

How will ELs and language minority students be affected?

• Can they handle higher language and literacy expectations? What about long-term ELs and under-achieving language minority students?

• They can, and they will thrive––provided they get the help they have needed.

• For much too long, their needs have not been met, despite the best intentions and efforts of educators.

• The problem? The needs of ELs and LM students have not been well understood. Language, cultural, & experiential differences tend to trigger remediation rather than the building of bridges and enrichment.

• Many English learners and language minority students have not found it easy to acquire the language required for full academic development.

• We will consider how such language is learned, and what experiences and support students must have in school to learn its various forms.

• I will argue that, far from being “too much to expect of English learners” and struggling students, the Common Core provides a way to overcome the many structural and mental roadblocks that have prevented such students from making adequate progress in the past.

Question: how to insure that all students master academic language?

During the school years• All students are language learners, namely of the registers of

academic discourse. Kids start at different levels: e.g., ELs have to learn, in addition to their primary language(s), the language of schooling.

• To do so, learners require evidence as to how the language works: its structural principles, forms, and devices, and how they convey information & express ideas. What kind of evidence? The only reliable source available to kids comes in the form of written texts.

• Familiarity with the way it works is a key to learning to read at all, and children who have had no prior exposure to such language tend to have more difficulty learning to read than those who have. It is in fact, a prerequisite to reading!

Let’s take a closer look at the goals of the new literacy standards and

at what’s involved

Learning from texts

• For more than 2 decades, reading instruction has been narrowly focused on skill development. Under the Common Core, the emphasis is on the purpose of reading, as it should be!

• Much is made of preference for informational texts over story or narrative texts––big question, why?

• Fact is, while there’s much to learn from literary texts, the type of materials that offer access to accumulated knowledge which enables us to build new knowledge is to be found in “informational” texts.

Greater text complexity, language and thought

• But why complex when simple is so much easier on the eyes and head?

• Simply written materials are harder to understand than materials that are more fully developed. Simple is OK if readers have enough prior knowledge to fill in gaps!

• Complex ideas require development. When they are being communicated in writing, the writer must make use of language that presents those complex ideas clearly. The language has to work in ways that allow readers to follow the writer’s train of thought and reasoning.

A look at text complexity & academic language

• It’s important to know what’s complex, what isn’t, and why complex texts are necessary and often enough are easier to comprehend than simple ones;

• We need to know some of the characteristics of the language of academic discourse, and in what ways such language differs from everyday spoken language.

• That will help us see why kids, especially ELs and language minorities, require complex texts to make any progress in school at all, and why they need help in getting access to text meaning and in figuring out how the language works.

Complexity in all types of texts, not just

informational texts

Fiction or non-fiction, contrast can be seen: From Aesop’s Fables (thanks to Greg Hansen of APS who found these texts): “Androcles and the Lion”

Text complexity: 2 versions of one tale

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Long ago, there was a slave in Rome. His name was Androcles. Androcles did not want to be a slave. One day, Androcles ran away. He went into a dark forest. There he heard a loud roar. That sounds like a lion! Androcles thought.

!

He heard the roar again. Now it sounded like a moan. Then he saw the lion. Androcles was frightened. But the lion did not move. The lion was hurt. He had a large thorn in his paw. Androcles helped the lion. Androcles looked at the lion’s paw. He saw the thorn. He took it out. He beamed at Androcles. Androcles touched the lion’s mane. He said: “You must rest. Your paw will get better”.

The lion gave Androcles some food. Then he ate the food. Then he thanked the lion. Androcles and the lion fell asleep. Source: McGraw-Hill Treasures Grade 3

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Compare that version with this one

A slave named Androcles ran away from his master, by whom he had been most cruelly treated, and, in order to avoid capture, betook himself into the forest. As he wandered about in search of food and shelter, he came to a cave, which he entered and found to be unoccupied. Really, however, it was a lion's den, and almost immediately, to the horror of the wretched fugitive, the lion himself appeared.

The man gave himself up for lost. But, to his utter astonishment, the lion, instead of springing upon him, came and fawned upon him, at the

same time whining and lifting up his paw. Observing it to be much swollen and inflamed, he examined it and found a large thorn embedded in the ball of the foot. He accordingly removed it and dressed the wound as well as he could. And in the course of time it healed up completely.

The lion's gratitude was unbounded. He looked upon the man as his friend, and they shared the cave for some time together.

(Source: The Fables of Æsop, selected, told anew, and their history traced by Joseph Jacobs (London: Macmillan and Company, 1902), no. 23, pp. 60-61. First published 1894)

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While you are reading, consider how this version differs from the previous one. Your thoughts on which works better as a story text?

Which version is easier to follow? Which is more interesting?

What do you understand of the se/ng, the characters, unfolding plot or situa6on as you read each version?

Let’s compare the two closely

¶1 Long ago, there was a slave in Rome. His name was Androcles. Androcles did not want to be a slave. One day, Androcles ran away. He went into a dark forest. There he heard a loud roar. That sounds like a lion! Androcles thought.

!!!

¶1 A slave named Androcles ran away from his master, by whom he had been most cruelly treated, and, in order to avoid capture, betook himself into the forest. As he wandered about in search of food and shelter, he came to a cave, which he entered and found to be unoccupied. Really, however, it was a lion's den, and almost immediately, to the horror of the wretched fugitive, the lion himself appeared.

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¶2 He heard the roar again. Now it sounded like a moan. Then he saw the lion. Androcles was frightened. But the lion did not move. The lion was hurt. He had a large thorn in his paw. Androcles helped the lion. Androcles looked at the lion’s paw. He saw the thorn. He took it out. He beamed at Androcles. Androcles touched the lion’s mane. He said: “You must rest. Your paw will get better”.

¶3 The lion gave Androcles some food. Then he ate the food. Then he thanked the lion. Androcles and the lion fell asleep.

¶2 The man gave himself up for lost. But, to his utter astonish-ment, the lion, instead of springing upon him, came and fawned upon him, at the same time whining and lifting up his paw. Observing it to be much swollen and inflamed, he examined it and found a large thorn embedded in the ball of the foot. He accordingly removed it and dressed the wound as well as he could. And in course of time it healed up completely.

¶3 The lion's gratitude was unbounded. He looked upon the man as his friend, and they shared the cave for some time together.

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• Text 1

• Mostly simple sentences. • Nothing to support cohesion

except the sequence of the sentences; few markers used indicating relationship of ideas between sentences.

• Unusual sequential use of name, pronoun references affects text coherence further.

• Each idea is foregrounded. • No contextualizing detail or

background information provided • No expansions or explanation • Both Androcles & the Lion come

across as being downright dorky.

• Text 2

• Combination of complex & relatively simple sentences.

• Complex sentences connect related ideas, foregrounding some, backgrounding others. Purpose––information flow.

• Follows chain of reference rules. • Explanations, supporting

information given for assertions. • Inclusion of background

information and details that give texture to the story.

• Androcles and the Lion seem a little more socially rounded, or motivated.

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How the two versions differ linguis2cally & discursively

Critical difference: access to the language of complex thought

• Features of the complex language used in the second text (which give it its character): ‣informational density (many ideas

packed into phrases, clauses, sentences.)

‣devices for backgrounding information that may already be known to some readers; devices for foregrounding new and important information;

‣The use of adverbial clauses & phrases to situate events in time and place, and relating contingent information: e.g., purpose, reasons, conditions, and causes.

Old or known information fronted (e.g., “Really, however, it (the cave) was a lion’s den...”); new information or the most important events in narratives placed at the end of clauses (“the lion himself

E.g., “The man gave himself up for lost. But, to his utter astonishment, the lion, instead of springing upon him, came and fawned upon him, at the same time whining and lifting his paw.”

E.g., sentence beginning “A slave named Androcles ran away from his master, by whom he had been most cruelly treated, and, in order to avoid capture, betook himself into the forest.”

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The problem for ELs & other language minorities

• Their access to texts like Androcles 2 that might reveal how academic English works is severely limited by teachers who believe such materials would be far too difficult for them!

• This might be true for the first year of exposure to English, and the materials would be difficult for them to manage on their own for even longer than that––

• But they would not be too difficult with the right kind of instructional support.

• Simplified materials make the task of learning English far more difficult, and they are more difficult to understand!

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Therein lies the problem• Fact is, when complex texts are avoided, readers receive

less meaningful materials, less content, less reason to be reading at all.

• The greatest problem is this: students have no access to the way the registers of language required for literacy work!

• No one––including native speakers of English––is a native speaker of this kind of language. It is acquired through literacy, but only if the language used in the texts students read and work on actually offer access to it.

• Let’s consider what that means in language learning terms: children in our schools are either speakers of English or of languages other than English, in which case they are ELs.

Critical for language development

• If the target is academic language, the input data must represent it well. Simplified texts do not do that, and that’s why such materials do nothing to advance literacy development!

• Learners must also have instructional support: they require cooperation and support from more competent others in noticing the relationship between form and meaning. They also need help in gaining access to meaning in linguistic data.

• Children do not notice on their own the language used in texts––it is just background, like the paper the text is printed on. What they want is access to meaning: what they need to discover is how meaning relates to form.

Complex content and situations require grammatical and structural devices beyond the set used in conversation

Features of academic language

‣ Texts that tell a story (like Androcles) are much easier to follow and process than ones meant to convey or provide information, or explain difficult ideas or phenomena.

‣ Writers of informational texts must also consider how to include and communicate necessary information to potential readers, and package the facts, details, and arguments that are deemed necessary to do it effectively.

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African lions are in decline so wildlife advocates ask to have them declared an “endangered species” to protect them.

Petition to protect African Lions

Lions Need Help It’s hard to believe a population can plummet so quickly. In the 1940s, an estimated 450,000 lions roamed across most of Africa and parts of Asia. Today African lions number as few as 40,000, occupying just 22 percent of their historical range. Given this alarming decline, Defenders of Wildlife and other groups are petitioning the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the African lion under the Endangered Species Act. Listing lions would focus global attention on their plight, prohibit the importation of lion trophies and body parts into the United States and could encourage Congress to provide funding to start up lion conservation projects in Africa.

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So what’s so great about such texts? Why do kids need to

work on texts like this one? What’s to learn?

What would it take to give them access to its

meaning? Is it worth the time & instructional effort?




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An example of a persuasive and

informative text: It’s informationally dense: a lot of info packed into each

sentence (into phrases and clauses);

It makes use of words, structures & devices

found mostly in academic writing!




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Words:population, plummet, estimated, decline,

occupy, petition, listing, focus, plight, prohibit, etc.

Expressions:most of, parts of, so

quickly, just X percent, historical range, under the X, global attention,

provide funding, start up




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What’s likely to be difficult is not always obvious! Consider--

so quickly the 1940s

as few as 40,000

just 22 percent

Given X

African lions are in decline so wildlife advocates ask to have them declared “endangered species” to protect them.


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What kids can learnfrom texts like this: Use of constructions

Time expressions

“Phraseology” of written English

Cross sentential comparative structures

It’s hard to believe... as few as... Given X...

In the 1940s... Today...


We’ll revisit this text in Part 2, so hang onto it!

An instructional approach for supporting access to language

and text meaning

Some background first• My colleagues and I have been working on instructional tools that

will help teachers make complex texts accessible to their EL and LM learners. This instructional approach is one that has evolved since 2007 in NYC––this happened in many of the Networks through which schools and school districts have been provided services that used to be provided directly by the NYCDOE.

• The work was done in collaboration with Maryann Cucchiara, who worked at one of NYC Schools’ Learning Support Organizations. My role––chief instigator and guide through the intricacies of academic language & the process of language development.

• Theories are a dime a dozen––Big question: will they fly in the real world of schools, teachers and kids?

The backstory, cont’d

• MaryAnn’s role––working out an approach for developing an infrastructure to pilot the work in a variety of schools, from K-12; designing the professional development approach, working with site administrators, and supervising and guiding a team of staff development specialists to work directly in schools with teachers.

• The schools’ roles––i.e., what the site administrators had to do, and the teachers’ roles in adding creativity and instructional substance to the approach.

• Nearly 7 years later, we are confident that the approach is workable, and even better than that, it can give students who might not have had much success in school a fighting chance to make it!

What it is & what it isn’t• This is an approach to helping students acquire the academic

language, reading, writing, speaking and thinking skills required for college & career.

• But it is not a program to “teach” academic language as one might teach ESL, or SSL. (I have nothing to sell!)

• It’s not just for ELs and LM students, although ELs and many LMs are in desperate need of such instructional support.

• It involves attention to the language demands of complex texts across the curriculum for any students, but especially ELs.

• It is not something teachers can do without administrative support, and professional development.

INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT

Big ideasEssential questions Concepts/Themes

Compelling & ComplexTexts

Hands & minds on grade level appropriate instructional experiences

How Academic English fits into a curriculum framework––the emphasis is content, not language!

Literacy

Language

Instructional Conversations

Reading Writing

Speaking Listening

Vocabulary Grammar

Communication

The starting point: content

• The standards determine the curricular content, and content is our starting point.

• Teacher teams in a school decide how to bundle the content into instructional units; their creative input makes instruction cohere.

• We advise the use of compelling and complex texts––at least as rigorous as recommended by CCSS.

• Why? Because complex texts are more interesting, more worthwhile, and more likely to promote learning than simplified ones ever can.

• Such materials are almost always too demanding for students to work on by themselves––but if they are appropriately complex, they are not too demanding to be worked on with instructional support, in specially designed instructional conversations

• These conversations are anchored in instructional units in which students learn content through various activities, including reading informational texts and writing.

• Each day, teachers select a “juicy sentence” or two from the texts students are reading to feature in an instructional conversation they conduct with the students.

• Meaning and language are the primary foci of the conversation. It begins with a read aloud of the sentences.

• Teacher focuses attention on the parts of the sentence, asking questions to invite students to figure out the meaning conveyed by each part.

• In this way, teacher & kids figure out how meaning maps onto structure.

Instructional conversations

• That’s where teachers come in. This cannot be automated, nor handed off to peers or volunteers.

• Peers do not know enough about this kind of language to provide the support needed by learners. They can and do help solidify learning by talking, but––

• It takes the maturity and the professional training and skill of teachers to provide support for language development.

Instructional support needed

http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=9154&picture=lions">Lions</a> by Anna Langova

Deconstruction & Reconstruction

• Instructional conversations can be based on a sentence or a longer text (longer texts work when the students are experienced with the procedure).

• Teacher invites students to figure out what each phrase or clause is saying, and teacher transcribes the students’ responses on strips of paper, or on another sheet.

• Teachers in lower elementary use color coding to help the students map what they have found back onto the text.

Through those conversations

• Students learn that sentences can be quite complex because a lot of information can be stuffed into every possible nook and cranny––the phrases and clauses that make up sentences.

• They learn to unpack the information stuffed into sentences in the texts they read, and discover (implicitly) the many devices by which ideas and propositions can be presented. And they learn how to reconstruct them into compact structures again.

• Perhaps the most important things they learn through these conversations is that while words can be considered as individual concepts––their meaning must be understood in the context of the phrases and clauses in which they are used.

• They learn how to get access to meaning in complex texts.

Vocabulary development through phrases: In this chart, teachers are highlighting forms of VPs

NP subjects VP predicates + Progressive

A video

• The best way to explain how the approach works is to show you how it does with ELs. (Video documentation over the past 6 years.)

• This video is of a science teacher at a school in Queens working with a group of 4-5 grade ELs who are pretty new to English still––they do not have English terms for many ordinary objects.

• The teacher has broken the sentence down into phrases and clauses for discussion.

• Her questions draw students to notice how each part in turn contribute to the meaning of the sentence.

• The subject of the sentence is a complex noun phrase: “The wires behind the wall that carry electricity to lights and appliances....”

• Notice what the teacher does with the term “appliances,” a word that was unfamiliar to the students. They not only learn the word, but much more.

PS Q-‐19: Tchr Chris Anderle & Grade 4-‐5 ELs

Planful instruction

• One last point––there is no way this kind of instruction could be done on the fly. When teachers select the sentence or sentences to be featured in instructional conversations, they have to spend time thinking about what they have selected––how is it structured?

• The science teacher had broken the sentence down into large meaningful chunks for discussion, and had obviously thought about what each part was about, and how it contributed to the overall meaning of the sentence.

• She had also considered how she would draw the students’ attention to each part––and planned some conversational starters to get the kids to focus on the various parts of the sentence in turn.

Reasoning and arguing from text-‐based evidence...• The work that began in NYC schools predated the

Common Core.

• We focused on language and literacy development, knowing how crucial it was for kids to acquire the skills and strategies required for advancement in school.

• The Common Core has highlighted a need to make our conversations more academically productive by working on reasoning and problem solving along with literacy.

• We will look at how to do that in Part 2––after a break.

essential skills for the common core · use of informational texts, use of evidence from texts, ......

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