Middle school students engage in collaborative discussions while considering ideas and information
expressed by others. As they evaluate the impact of author’s choices, their appreciation for uses of
language becomes more sophisticated, including understanding of concepts such as tone, analogy,
allusion, dramatic irony, and connotative meanings. Students also learn to analyze authors’ reasoning
and use of text features. Their control of conventions of standard English grows more sophisticated,
as does their awareness and proficiency in a range of academic registers in a variety of disciplines.
Students who are ELs engage in all of these academic
activities at the same time they are learning English
as an additional language, and some students may be
simultaneously developing literacy and academic skills in
languages other than English. It is important to note that,
even as students learn English as an additional language,
California values the primary languages of its students and
encourages continued development of those languages. All
students benefit from knowing more than one language,
and middle school is an optimal time to begin or continue
the development of multilingualism. This is recognized by
the establishment of the State Seal of Biliteracy. (See the
introduction to this ELA/ELD Framework.)
In addition, and as discussed in chapters 2 and 9, California takes an additive stance to language
development for all students. This framework views the “non-standard” dialects of English (such as
African American English or Chicana/Chicano English) that linguistically and culturally diverse students
may bring to school from their homes and communities as valuable assets, resources in their own
right and solid foundations to be built upon for developing academic English.
California’s diverse population includes students with disabilities. These students also participate
in the rigorous ELA/literacy curriculum. Expectations are high, but accompanying high expectations
are appropriate instruction (including collaborations among specialists, teachers, and families) and
supports and accommodations that allow for students’ 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 the achievement of all students in grades six
through eight of the 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. It then highlights key themes in English language arts and in literacy across the
disciplines, including selected instructional practices; ways to support students strategically, including
those with disabilities or reading difficulties; and appropriate ELD instruction. Grade-level sections
provide additional guidance for grades six, seven, and eight.
An Integrated and Interdisciplinary Approach
The CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards recognize the role that complex skills in
literacy and language analysis and applications play across the curricula. The language arts are used
in all content areas to acquire knowledge and inquiry skills (through reading, listening, viewing, and
conversing) as well as convey knowledge in a variety of modes (writing, speaking, and incorporating
multimedia). Although presented separately in the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy, the strands of Reading,
Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language are learned and used by students in an interrelated
fashion. This relationship is made even more visible by the focus on literacy across the content areas
in grades six through eight.
This integrated and interdisciplinary approach holds special promise for students in the middle
grades. Curricula that are challenging, exploratory, integrative, and relevant is identified as an essentialAll students benefit from
knowing more than one
language, and middle school
is an optimal time to begin
or continue the development
of multilingualism. This
is recognized by the
establishment of the State Seal
of Biliteracy.508 | Chapter 6 Grades 6 to 8