Goals of ELA/Literacy and ELD Instruction
This ELA/ELD Framework establishes four overarching and overlapping goals for ELA/literacy
and ELD instruction. These goals call for California’s students, by high school graduation, to have
developed the readiness for college, careers, and civic life; attained the capacities of literate
individuals; become broadly literate; and acquired the skills for living and learning in the 21st century.
See figure 2.1.
Develop the Readiness for College, Careers, and Civic Life
Preparing students for college, careers, and civic life is a multilayered and complex process
that begins in the earliest years and advances students towards futures of possibilities, choice, and
satisfying productivity. Students achieve the goal when they graduate from high school and enter
into higher learning, professional lives, and their communities as life-long learners—individuals ready
for the challenges of new settings and ready to contribute to the well-being of the state, nation, and
planet. Graduating seniors are well versed with the content and approaches to learning in a range of
disciplines. Equally as important as the knowledge they have developed over their years in California
schools are their dispositions toward learning and collaborative work.
The CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards play major roles in preparing students
for learning and life after high school, as do all of California’s kindergarten through grade twelve
content standards and the learning foundations for infants and toddlers and preschoolers that lay the
groundwork for success. California’s Standards for Career Ready Practice (http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/
ct/sf/documents/ctescrpflyer.pdf) (CDE 2014b) are also an important resource for educators as they
prepare students for the transition to postsecondary life. (See also the Career Technical Education
Framework, CDE 2007.)
This overarching goal includes readiness for civic life. Strong reading, writing, speaking, listening,
and language skills enable students to be active and responsible citizens as adults. To act as informed
voters, serve as responsible jurors, and participate in policymaking decisions, students need the
knowledge and skills to interpret and communicate ideas and negotiate and collaborate in ways
that positively impact democratic policies, practices, and other people’s lives. The ability to read
complex text allows students to acquire extensive content knowledge about historical events and
democratic ideals, processes, and institutions. The ability to interpret and understand key ideas,
diverse perspectives, points of view, and various philosophical constructs offered in written or spoken
form allows students to identify and draw logical conclusions, analyze logical fallacies, and take
positions based on rational arguments. Providing students with opportunities to engage in discussions
about controversial issues empowers them to formulate opinions and take a stand, paraphrase
information, articulate complex ideas representing various points of view, and practice the art of civil
discourse. Writing develops students’ ability to express complex ideas and articulate arguments in an
organized, coherent manner. Language arts skills are not an end in themselves; they are a means to
strengthening students’ abilities to think critically and respond meaningfully to important issues, which
is fundamental to a democratic society.Attain the Capacities of Literate Individuals
As discussed in the introduction to the framework, schools are responsible for supporting
all students to develop the capacities of literate individuals. Included in these capacities are
demonstrating independence; building strong content knowledge; responding to the varying demands
of audience, task, purpose, and discipline; comprehending as well as critiquing; valuing evidence;
using technology and digital media strategically and capably; and understanding other perspectives
and cultures (CDE 2013, 6; see descriptions of these capacities in figure I.1 in the introduction to this
ELA/ELD Framework).54 | Chapter 2 Essential Considerations