Opportunities to discuss the author’s craft as well as to
read exemplary texts, including multimedia and multimodal
(e.g., painting, billboard) formats, contribute to students’
development as effective writers. Sharing a variety of high-
quality literary and informational texts, including digitized
texts, and modeling the writing of arguments, informative/
explanatory texts, narratives, and research reports occur
regularly. Being literate in the 21st century extends beyond
being able to synthesize and read text to include a wide
variety of media—such as video, audio, and still images. As
students transition to and progress through high school,
they need increased exposure and opportunity to master
multimedia tools. Web 2.0 tools can offer challenges to
motivate students to participate and share their writing.
Online writing communities offer students opportunities
to explore and establish supportive peer groups, allowing
them to match their talents with others with similar interests and abilities (Olthouse and Miller 2012).
Teachers can match appropriate web-based writing tools to their students’ unique interests and needs.
Discussing
Collaborative discussions at all grade levels are a focus of both the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and
the CA ELD Standards. Collaborative conversations between and among students and teachers are
integral to students’ content learning and language development. In high school, every classroom
includes daily collaborative discussions in which all students engage in extended discourse about
content rich topics. By the end of grade eight, students participated in collegial discussions setting
goals and deadlines, tracking their progress, and defining roles as needed (SL.6–8.1b). Students posed
questions during discussions that elicited elaboration, connected the ideas of several speakers, and
responded to others’ questions with relevant observations, ideas, and evidence (SL.6–8.1c); they also
acknowledged new information expressed by others and modified their own views when warranted
(SL.6–8.1d). Students interpreted information presented in diverse formats; analyzed main ideas and
supporting details; explained how the ideas contributed to and clarified a topic, text, or issue; and
evaluated motives behind presentations (SL.6–8.2).
Students also delineated a speaker’s argument and specific claims with increasing sophistication at
each grade (SL.6–8.3).
In high school, students enlarge on these skills
by initiating and participating effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions with diverse partners, building
on others’ ideas, and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively. New to the grades nine through twelve span
are the following:
- Referring to evidence from texts and other research
on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-
reasoned exchange of ideas (SL.9–12.1a) - Working with peers to set rules for collegial
discussions (informal consensus, taking votes, and
presenting alternate views) (SL.9–10.1b); promoting
civil, democratic discussions and decision-making
(SL.11–12.1b)
Being literate in the 21st
century extends beyond
being able to synthesize and
read text to include a wide
variety of media—such as
video, audio, and still images.
As students transition to and
progress through high school,
they need increased exposure
and opportunity to master
multimedia tools.Collaborative conversations
between and among students
and teachers are integral to
students’ content learning and
language development. In
high school, every classroom
includes daily collaborative
discussions in which all students
engage in extended discourse
about content rich topics.690 | Chapter 7 Grades 9 to 12