language, students with disabilities, and students experiencing difficulty with reading texts. (See
chapter 9 of this ELA/ELD Framework.) Keeping motivation high, especially through student choice
and peer collaboration, is crucial. In addition, teachers should continue to read aloud and facilitate
discussions about complex texts that stretch students’ thinking and language
Language Development
Language development continues to be a priority in grade
five. A multifaceted approach is taken to vocabulary instruction.
As discussed in chapter 2 of this ELA/ELD Framework and in the
overview of the grade span in this chapter, teachers provide a
comprehensive program of vocabulary instruction in which they do
the following:
- Ensure students have extensive experiences with academic
language - Establish a word-conscious environment
- Teach words
- Teach word-learning strategies.
- Support students to develop language awareness
Considerable emphasis is placed on reflecting on language. For example, students discuss
language choices, and they examine the author’s craft of a variety of genres. Some texts may serve
as mentor texts, ones that contain targeted features that students emulate in their own writing.
This emphasis on reflecting on and discussing language is critical for ELs in the fifth grade as school
may be the only place where they have an opportunity to receive this explicit guidance in English.
Teachers should take the time to engage students in deep discussions about language, in addition to
teaching language explicitly. This dual effort assists ELs, and other students, in developing academic
English and awareness of how language works and supports them in making deliberate choices about
language use.
Effective Expression
Students who have achieved the standards in the previous
grades demonstrate the ability to express themselves clearly
in writing, discussing, and presenting, and they demonstrate
considerable command of language conventions. Grade-five
expectations related to effective expression are discussed in the
following sections.
Writing
A panel of experts on writing instruction notes that “writing
is a fundamental part of engaging in professional, social,
community, and civic activities” (Graham, and others 2012, 6).
The panel further asserts that “because writing is a valuable tool
for communication, learning, and self-expression, people who do
not have adequate writing skills may be at a disadvantage and may face restricted opportunities for
education and employment” (6). Therefore, it is crucial that students have strong writing skills by the
time they complete the elementary school years.
In grade five, students advance their ability to write logically organized and clearly supported
opinion pieces, informational/explanatory texts, and narratives. They provide ample detail and use
precise language. They include formatting and multimedia components as appropriate. They use a
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