The ELA/ELD Framework

Today, we had the chance to present information on California's new ELA/ELD Framework to our Curriculum Council--educational leaders from around the county.

(Click either on the image to the left, or here, to view the presentation.  Navigate to our website, tinyurl.com/corelearning, and scroll down to Curriculum Council to view and print out all handouts.)

Unlike the California ELD standards, California's ELA/ELD Framework is a useful tool that is aimed at providing guidance on how to implement the ELA/Literacy standards and the ELD standards in tandem.

The Framework is built upon the premise that there exist five themes that run throughout both the ELA/Literacy and the ELD standards; these five themes are Meaning Making, Language Development, Effective Expression, Content Knowledge, and Foundational Skills.  Chapters 3-7 of the Framework focus on specific grade level spans, and provides specific suggestions for the implementation of these themes.  Most importantly, these chapters provide snapshots and longer vignettes, which provide examples of lessons and units that implement all five of the key themes.

The Framework, then, is a chance for teachers to see what the ELA/Literacy and ELD standards, working in tandem, look like.  And what it boils down to, frankly, is really great instruction that is rooted in scaffolding learning for all students, including ELD students (but also any struggling readers).

The Framework emphasizes a need for collaboration (between elementary teachers, and between secondary content area teachers and ELD teachers) in order to curtail the problem of LTELs (long-term English learners)--students who stay in the ELD classes, not progressing towards College and Career Readiness.

With the right structures in place, and support from administrators, teachers could begin to implement this important work, and see the resulting success in students who have bridged the achievement gap.

By Maria Vlahiotis, Literacy Specialist

Support All Students' Literacy Skills with the New York Times

The New York Times' education blog, The Learning Network, is a valuable resource that supports the literacy needs of all students.

Many districts are specifically focusing on writing across content areas this year.  The Learning Network provides a post on "200 Prompts for Argument Writing"; topics include technology, art, gender, athletics, the legal system, health, and science, among others.  The prompts are coupled with articles that students can read, analyze, and use as evidence in order to support their claims.

In "10 Ways to Support English Language Learning with the New York Times," The Learning Network outlines website features that would be helpful to ELLs.  Features include a dictionary function that enables students to look up any word in a New York Times article, graphic organizers and games to scaffold understanding, photo collections to promote digital literacy, and information about students' home countries.

All of the resources on this blog are based in quality non-fiction texts that will aid students in an understanding of global issues.  And best of all, the resources are hot off the presses!

By Maria Vlahiotis, Literacy Specialist

Boost Your ELL and Struggling Readers' Reading Comprehension with Lingro

Lingro is a website that makes other websites "clickable" so that students can see definitions of words on the page.  This is an ideal resource to use with struggling readers whose first language is English; however, this is a fantastic tool for ELLs as well.

Here's how to use it:

1. Navigate to lingro.com.
2. Type or paste in a website that you would like to make clickable.
3. Then, choose the dictionary you would like to use.  (The "English" dictionary translates the words into English; native speakers of other languages can use multiple other dictionaries, including: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Swedish, Russian, Dutch, and Chinese.)
4. Click on the arrow.
5. You will now navigate to the site you want to read.
6. Click on any piece of text to see the definition!

This tool, and others like it, can be found on our teacher resource page, tinyurl.com/corelearning.

By Maria Vlahiotis, Literacy Specialist

ELA ELD Materials Fair: Face the Conundrum!

Hard to believe it but we are already half-way through September! So much is happening for everyone in education these days. One of the things that many schools and districts are wrestling with now is finding appropriate Common Core-aligned materials. This is the case whether looking for complete curriculum programs, supplemental resources, or technological enhancements for the materials already in use in our classrooms.

This really is a conundrum right now: should we adopt the first round of Common Core-aligned curriculum programs at great cost, or continue to use the programs already in place, and instead design units or lessons with supplemental materials? There is no correct answer and there's no one right way.

To help you make your decision, we are holding an ELA and ELD Materials Fair this October 3rd at the Alameda County Office of Education. There will be some Board-approved curriculum programs presented, as well as a large selection of supplemental materials and technological programs for you to peruse and even try. We hope you can come and take advantage of this free opportunity to explore and engage with a wide variety of materials and programs to support ELA and ELD teachers and students. No registration is required--just click on the image of the flyer above to download the full-sized flyer with all the details!