- Design of cross-discipline units (e.g., a project-based
unit on an issue that can be understood and analyzed
from different disciplinary perspectives, a service
learning project related to multiple fields) - Consultation on individual or group needs for student
improvement (e.g., building vocabulary across
content areas, or engaging in the writing process for
multiple and varied purposes) - Collaborating to compile a list of reading and writing
assignments across content classes to ensure
students read and produce an appropriate variety of
text types and lengths across all content area courses - Creation of criteria and tools for providing feedback
to students on writing and collaborative discussions
across disciplines
Creating a learning culture in which adults are supported to implement the CA CCSS for
ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards is essential. The convergence of recently adopted state
standards in the areas of communication and thinking offers natural opportunities to bring together
the strengths and energy of many to make the transition to new standards and practices easier and
more efficient. See chapter 11 of this ELA/ELD Framework for more information on professional
learning and collaborations. In this chapter, snapshots and longer vignettes are presented in the
grade-level sections to illustrate how the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy strands, CA ELD Standards, and
content-area instruction can be integrated to create an intellectually-rich and engaging literacy
program.
Key Themes of ELA/Literacy and ELD
Instruction
This section discusses each of the five themes of California’s
ELA/literacy and ELD instruction described in the introduction to
this framework and chapters 1 and 2 as they pertain to grades
nine through twelve (see figure 7.1): Meaning Making,
Language Development, Effective Expression, Content
Knowledge, and Foundational Skills. Impacting each of
these for ELs is learning English as an additional language, and
impacting all students is the context in which learning occurs.
Displayed in the white field of the figure are the characteristics of the context for instruction called for
by this ELA/ELD Framework. Highlighted in figure 7.2 is research on motivation and engagement,
discussed in chapter 2 of this framework. Teachers in the grade span recognize their critical role in
ensuring children’s initial steps on the exciting pathway toward ultimately achieving the overarching
goals of ELA/literacy and ELD instruction (displayed in the outer ring of figure 7.1): students develop
the readiness for college, careers, and civic life; attain the capacities of literate individuals; become
broadly literate; and acquire the skills for living and learning in the 21st century.
Teachers, specialists, administrators,
and others should create structures
for collaboration in which all school
professionals have opportunities
to work together to learn about
standards and instructional
approaches, share successful
practices, plan curriculum and
instruction, develop formative and
other assessments, analyze student
work, and modify schedules and
instruction as needed.Creating a learning
culture in which adults are
supported to implement the
CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy
and the CA ELD Standards
is essential.Grades 9 to 12 Chapter 7 | 669