and technical subjects for the strands of reading and writing.
Not only do students engage in careful analyses of texts in
English language arts, they do so in history/social studies,
science, mathematics, arts, world language, and physical
education as well. Students write to argue, explain, and
inform in all areas of the curricula.
Teachers at these grades are guided by standards for
reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language that
make clear what students are to know and do; English
language arts teachers are guided by the CA CCSS for ELA,
while teachers in all other disciplines are guided by the
CA CCSS for Literacy. All teachers with EL students in their
classrooms use the CA ELD Standards to determine how to
support their ELs in achieving the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy
and the content standards specific to each discipline. The CA
ELD Standards guide teachers to support their EL students
to fully engage with the academic grade-level curricula that the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and other
content standards call for while developing English in an accelerated time frame.
In elementary school, the various disciplines are most often taught by one teacher, and students
most often spent their days in one classroom. In middle school, students most often learn in a variety
of classrooms with a variety of teachers—teachers who in this grade span more than ever before
need to work together to ensure that the experience of each student is sufficiently coordinated and
articulated to accomplish the overarching goals of ELA/literacy and ELD. Teacher collaboration to
plan curriculum, assess student progress, develop schedules, examine instruction, and adjust lessons
according to student needs is critical. As noted in the introduction of the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy, the
Standards “insist that instruction in reading, writing, speaking, listening,^1 and language be a shared
responsibility within the school” (CDE 2013, 3). This obligation extends to all students, including ELs,
students with disabilities, and students who experience
reading difficulties.
All students in grades six through eight are expected
to comprehend literary works and informational and
technical materials of increasing length and complexity,
basing their analyses and inferences on explicit and
relevant evidence from the texts. Students in this
span expand on their ability to analyze ideas, literary
elements, and connections in what they read, hear,
and/or view, while incorporating these skills into their
own writing and presentations. They write and present
in different genres, including arguments supported
by evidence, informative/explanatory texts with clear
organization, and well-structured narratives exhibiting
effective literary techniques. Their research projects
draw on numerous sources, incorporating multimedia in
both the information gathering and production phases,
and are often conducted across multiple disciplines.
1 As noted throughout this framework, speaking and listening should be broadly interpreted. Speaking and listening should
include deaf and hard of hearing students using American Sign Language (ASL) as their primary language. Students who
are deaf and hard of hearing who do not use ASL as their primary language but use amplification, residual hearing, listening
and spoken language, cued speech and sign supported speech, access general education curriculum with varying modes of
communication.
In middle school, students
most often learn in a variety
of classrooms with a variety of
teachers—teachers who in this
grade span more than ever
before need to work together
to ensure that the experience
of each student is sufficiently
coordinated and articulated
to accomplish the overarching
goals of ELA/literacy and ELD.Students in this span expand on
their ability to analyze ideas,
literary elements, and connections
in what they read, hear, and/
or view, while incorporating
these skills into their own writing
and presentations. They write
and present in different genres,
including arguments supported by
evidence, informative/explanatory
texts with clear organization, and
well-structured narratives exhibiting
effective literary techniques.Grades 6 to 8 Chapter 6 | 507