ELA/Literacy and ELD Vignettes
The following ELA/literacy and ELD vignettes illustrate how teachers might implement the CA CCSS
for ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards using the framing questions and additional considerations
discussed in preceding sections. The vignettes are valuable resources for teachers to consider as they
collaboratively plan lessons, extend their professional learning, and refine their practice. The examples
in the vignettes are not intended to be prescriptive, nor are the instructional approaches limited to the
identified content areas. Rather, they are provided as tangible ideas that can be used and adapted as
needed in flexible ways in a variety of instructional contexts.
ELA/Literacy Vignette
Vignette 6.5 demonstrates how teachers might implement the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and the
CA ELD Standards during an ELA lesson focused on close reading. Vignette 6.6 provides an example of
how designated ELD can build from and into the types of lessons outlined in vignette 6.5.
Vignette 6.5. Freedom of Speech: Collaboratively Analyzing Complex Texts
Integrated ELA/Literacy, ELD, and History/Social Studies Instruction
in Grade EightBackground
Mr. Franklin, an eighth-grade English teacher, Ms. Austin, his social studies colleague, and
Mrs. García, the school’s English language development specialist, frequently collaborate on
interdisciplinary projects. Mrs. García frequently plans with the teachers and coteaches some
lessons in order to support the students who are ELs, most of whom are at the Bridging level
of English language proficiency, as well as students who are newly reclassified as English
Proficient. Recently, the teachers decided to work together to address an issue that came up
in their classes. Two weeks ago, the school principal asked a student to change her T-shirt
because, according to the principal, it displayed an inflammatory message. Some students
were upset by the principal’s request and felt that their right to freedom of speech had been
violated, citing the U.S. Constitution. Their position was that the T-shirt was an expression of
their youth culture and that they had a right to display such sentiments.
Eager to use this teachable moment to promote critical thinking, content understandings,
and disciplinary literacy, the teachers worked together to create a series of lessons on the First
Amendment so that their students would be better equipped to first determine whether or not
their First Amendment rights had, in fact, been violated, and, if so, engage in civil discourse
in order to attempt to persuade the principal that he should reconsider his decision. While the
teachers plan to discuss how the First Amendment establishes five key freedoms of expression
for Americans—freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom to assemble
peacefully, and freedom to petition the government—they will delve most deeply into what is
most relevant to the students at the moment: freedom of speech.
Lesson Context
The two-week long unit that the teachers designed includes reading and discussing primary
and secondary sources, viewing multimedia, writing short texts, and engaging in a debate. The
culminating writing task is a jointly constructed letter to the principal advocating for particular
decisions and actions regarding students’ free speech, an idea that the teachers and principal
feel is a purposeful goal for student learning. Mr. Franklin and Ms. Austin have selected three
documents for close reading and analysis.638 | Chapter 6 Grade 8