as difficulty with fluent decoding. In addition, although
pronunciation is important, overcorrecting it can lead to
self-consciousness and inhibit learning. When appropriate,
teachers check for students’ comprehension of what they
are reading and respectfully point out differences between
standard English and the student’s home dialect of English or
pronunciation influenced by the student’s primary language
or regional accent. (For additional information on different
dialects of English, see chapter 9 on access and equity in this
ELA/ELD Framework.)
The primary way to support students’ fluency is to
ensure accuracy in decoding and engagement in wide,
extensive reading of texts that are neither too simple nor
too challenging. In addition, students are given authentic
reasons to reread text because rereading also supports
fluency. For example, they may reread text several times as
they rehearse for a spoken word poetry performance or a play or when they read a famous speech
aloud in order to understand the impact that spoken language has on audiences.
When assessing fluency for any student, results should be cautiously interpreted. Fluency rates
are particularly difficult to apply to speakers of languages other than English and to deaf and hard
of hearing students who use American Sign Language. When students storysign, they are actually
interpreting the story from a one language (printed English) to another (American Sign Language). For
information on teaching foundational skills to high school students who need this strategic support,
see the section on supporting students strategically that follows in the overview of the span. See also
chapter 9 in this ELA/ELD Framework.
Foundational Skills for English Learners
English learners come to high school with varying levels of language and literacy proficiency
in English and language and literacy proficiency in their native language. Depending on their prior
educational experiences in their home country and in the United States, ELs may have varying degrees
of skills and abilities in foundational—or even more advanced—reading and writing in English. Some
ELs have had the benefit of developing foundational literacy skills in their native language and can
transfer this knowledge—including decoding skills and
using an alphabetic writing system—to English (August and
Shanahan 2006; de Jong 2002; Lindholm-Leary and Genesee
2010). As noted in chapter 6 of the CA ELD Standards (CDE
2014), literacy instruction for ELs needs to be adapted
based on each student’s literacy profile, which includes the
student’s level of oral proficiency in the native language
and in English; the student’s level of schooling and previous
literacy experiences in his or her native language; how
closely the student’s native language is related to English;
and, for students with native language literacy, the type of
writing system used.
Foundational literacy skills, as described in the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy, Reading Standards:
Foundational Skills (K–5), are the same for all students who need to learn basic reading and writing
skills, including high school students. However, the way the skills are taught and how quickly the
students can be expected to acquire the basic skills and move on to higher level reading and writing
depend on their age, cognitive level, and previous oral and written literacy experiences in their native
The primary way to support
students’ fluency is to ensure
accuracy in decoding and
engagement in wide, extensive
reading of texts that are
neither too simple nor too
challenging. In addition,
students are given authentic
reasons to reread text because
rereading also supports
fluency.Some ELs have had the benefit
of developing foundational
literacy skills in their native
language and can transfer
this knowledge—including
decoding skills and using an
alphabetic writing system—to
English.Grades 9 to 12 Chapter 7 | 713