the different grammatical features (e.g., long noun phrases, text connectives, pronoun reference)
affect how the meanings are conveyed. Engaging in these types of discussions about the meanings
of texts without metalanguage can be imprecise or even confusing. Rather than teaching language
in isolation (e.g., having students silently complete grammar worksheets), teachers facilitate active
dialogue about how language works and contextualize language learning in the rich content students
are engaged with throughout the curricula. The CA ELD Standards emphasize the development of
language awareness appropriate for academic texts across the disciplines.
Effective Expression
The development of effective communication skills is one of the
hallmarks of the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards.
This section provides an overview of writing, discussing, presenting,
and using language conventions for the grade span.
Writing
By the end of grade five, students demonstrated their growing
writing skills by writing multiple-paragraph texts (W.5.4), logically
grouping ideas in written work to effectively convey opinions and
information (W.5.1–2), and using narrative techniques to write about
experiences or events (W.5.3). They drew evidence from literary
or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research
(W.5.9) paraphrasing information and listing sources (W.5.8). Students also used formatting, such
as headings, and multimedia in written work to aid comprehension (W.5.2a); they produced writing
appropriate to the audience, as well as the task and purpose (W.5.4), and used the Internet to
produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others (W.5.6). By the end of grade
five, students used their keyboarding skills to produce a minimum of two pages in a single sitting
(W.5.6).
As students advance through the middle school grades, they become increasingly effective at
expressing themselves through different genres of writing. In grades six through eight, they build on
previous learning to write more complex and cohesive texts of different types for various purposes
(W.6–8, Standards 1–3) continuing to develop and organize their writing in a way that is appropriate
to the task, purpose, and audience (W.6–8.4). With only some guidance, they engage in planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach in their writing (W.6–8.5). They continue to write
routinely over extended and shorter time frames for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
audiences (W.6–8.10).
New to the grades six through eight span are the following:- In ELA, writing arguments by introducing claims with relevant evidence (W.6–8.1a),
acknowledging and addressing opposing claims (W.7.1a), supporting counterarguments
(W.7.1b), using credible sources (W.6–8.1b), creating cohesion (W.7–8.1c), and establishing and
maintaining a formal style (W.6–8.1d) - In HST, writing arguments on discipline-specific content by introducing claims and distinguishing
them from opposing claims (WHST.6–8.1a), supporting claims logically and with relevant and
accurate data and evidence (WHST.6–8.1b), and establishing and maintaining a formal style
(WHST.6–8.1d) - In ELA, writing informative/explanatory texts by introducing a thesis statement (W.6–8.2a),
using appropriate organization (W.6–8.2a), using appropriate (W.6–8.2c) and varied (W.8.2c)
transitions for clarity (W.6–8.2c) and cohesion (W.7.2c)
522 | Chapter 6 Grades 6 to 8