ELA/ELD Framework in every grade level contributes to students’ progress in becoming broadly literate
as they engage deeply as readers and viewers of a wide range of high-quality texts and media (See
the introduction and chapter 2 to this ELA/ELD Framework for a discussion of these goals, which are
displayed in the outer ring of figure 3.20.)
Figure 3.20. Circles of Implementation of ELA/Literacy and ELD InstructionMeaning Making
As discussed throughout this framework, meaning making is
central in each of the strands of the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and in
all aspects of the CA ELD Standards. In this section, the focus is on
meaning making with text.
Meaning Making with Text
Enjoying text, appreciating its role in daily life, and learning
from it are goals of reading instruction. Thus, meaning making—or
comprehension (see figure 2.6 in chapter 2)—is crucial and is a
dominant focus of the ELA/literacy program. In the kindergarten
year, comprehension instruction occurs primarily during times when
the teacher is reading aloud to the entire group, small groups,
or individuals. While reading aloud, teachers regularly engage
in thinking aloud, initially with simple texts and eventually with more challenging texts. In doing
so, teachers model the strategies they employ to make sense of print. For example, knowing that
predicting is an effective comprehension strategy, teachers occasionally pause as they read aloud to
comment on what they anticipate will happen next. Importantly, they provide their reasons for their
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