achievement of the skills and knowledge called for by the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and, as
appropriate, the CA ELD Standards.
This chapter provides guidance for supporting all children’s progress toward^1 and achievement
of the kindergarten and grade one CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy, and additionally for ELs, the CA ELD
Standards. It begins with a brief discussion of the importance of the integrated and interdisciplinary
nature of the language arts, and then highlights the key themes of ELA/literacy and ELD instruction.
Grade-level sections provide additional guidance for transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and grade
one.
An Integrated and Interdisciplinary Approach
The CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy include strands in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening^2 ,
and Language. As noted in chapters 1 and 2 of this ELA/ELD Framework, although the strands are
presented separately in the standards, they are interrelated; they are not distinct, independent areas
of the curriculum. Just as adults discuss or write about what
they read in order to clarify or express their understandings,
children should have opportunities to confer and write in
response to text. Just as adults read to learn more about
a topic under discussion or to inform their writing, children
should have opportunities to engage with text to learn more
about a subject of interest, investigate questions raised in
discussions, and gather ideas for writing. Language is the
basis for each of these communicative acts, and vocabulary
and an understanding of conventions and the purposes
for using language are inseparable from reading, writing,
speaking, and listening. Both the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy
and the CA ELD Standards call for the integration of reading,
writing, speaking, and listening.
The strands of CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and the CA
ELD Standards are not only integrated among themselves, they are deeply interwoven with content
learning. Reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language are inextricably linked to every area of
the curricula. Learning subject matter requires that students understand and use the language of the
subject to comprehend, clarify, and communicate concepts. The language arts are crucial tools for
the acquisition and construction of knowledge and the development of clear, effective communication
across the disciplines (National Research Council 2012). And, conversely, learning subject matter
enriches development of the language arts as children acquire new vocabulary, new ways of conveying
meaning, and new understandings to bring to subsequent interactions with written and spoken text.
Thus, this ELA/ELD Framework calls for an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to teaching the
language arts.
The relationship between the language arts and content learning is apparent throughout
California’s subject matter content standards. A few examples from kindergarten and grade one
standards in various content areas include the following:
1 The CA CCSS and the CA ELD Standards do not include standards for transitional kindergarten. Children in transitional
kindergarten are expected to make progress toward the kindergarten CA CCSS and, as appropriate, the kindergarten CA ELD
Standards.
2 As noted throughout this framework, speaking and listening should be broadly interpreted. Speaking and listening should
include students who are deaf and hard of hearing using American Sign Language (ASL) as their primary language. Students
who are deaf and hard of hearing who do not use ASL as their primary language but use amplification, residual hearing,
listening and spoken language, cued speech and sign supported speech, access general education curriculum with varying
modes of communication.
The strands of CA CCSS for
ELA/Literacy and the CA
ELD Standards are not only
integrated among themselves,
they are deeply interwoven
with content learning. Reading,
writing, speaking, listening,
and language are inextricably
linked to every area of the
curricula.Transitional Kindergarten to Grade 1 Chapter 3 | 133