Effective Expression
Reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language are tools for effective communication across
the disciplines. The CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy make this clear by including standards for reading
and writing literary and informational text in kindergarten through grade twelve and by including
standards for literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects in grades six through
twelve. Students express their understandings and thinking in a variety of ways—through writing,
speaking, digital media, visual displays, movement, and more. These expressions are both the
products of students’ learning and the ways in which they learn. The reciprocal nature of reading,
writing, speaking, and listening is such that each is constantly informed by the others. The CA CCSS
for ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards emphasize this
reciprocity by calling for students to reflect in their writing
and speaking their analysis of evidence obtained by reading,
listening, and interacting (W.K–12, Standards 1–3; W.4–12.9;
SL.K–12, Standards 1–2, SL.K–12, Standards 4–6; ELD.
PI.K–12, Standards 1–4; ELD.PI.K–12, Standards 9–12).
Students learn to trace an argument in text and to construct
arguments in their own writing. They draw on text evidence
to make a point and to convey information in explanations
and research projects. They do this in every content area
as they express themselves through writing and speaking
informally and formally, such as in giving presentations.
Specifically, students write opinions in kindergarten through grade five and arguments in grades six
through twelve (W.K–12.1); they write informative and explanatory texts (W.K–12.2); and they write
narratives (W.K–12.3). They learn to produce this writing clearly and coherently and use technology
to produce, publish, and interact with others regarding their writing. Students strengthen their writing
by engaging in planning, revising, editing, rewriting, and trying new approaches. Students write for
a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences over extended and shorter time frames. Writing serves to
clarify students’ thinking about topics and help them comprehend written and oral texts.
Students speak informally and formally as they participate in learning experiences, interact with
texts, and collaborate to share understandings and work on projects. They engage in discussions
regularly. Students use formal speech when they orally describe, tell, recite, present, and report
stories, experiences, and information (SL.K–5.4). Students present claims and findings in formal oral
presentations; these include various types of speech, including argument, narrative, informative,
and response to literature (SL.6–12.4). From the earliest grades, students engage in collaborative
conversations regarding grade-level topics and texts. Teachers guide students to engage respectfully
and effectively in these classroom conversations, just as they guide students to meet criteria for
effectiveness in more formal presentations.
Effective expression in writing, discussing, and
presenting depends on drawing clear understandings from
and interacting with oral, written, and visual texts. These
understandings may be literal or inferential and are impacted
by students’ knowledge of the topic and comprehension
of the underlying language structures of the texts. Cogent
presentations in speaking and writing result from repeated
encounters with texts; these encounters are driven by
different purposes, which help students analyze and interpret
texts in terms of validity and linguistic and rhetorical effects. Analyzing what a text says and an
author’s purpose for saying it in the way he or she does, permits students to consider their own
Students write for a range of
tasks, purposes, and audiences
over extended and shorter time
frames. Writing serves to clarify
students’ thinking about topics
and help them comprehend
written and oral texts.Effective expression in writing,
discussing, and presenting
depends on drawing clear
understandings from and
interacting with oral, written,
and visual texts.84 | Chapter 2 Essential Considerations