Shifts to align school with ELA CCSS (Common Core Standards)
To align curricular materials and classroom instruction with the ELA CCSS, educators will need to accomplish six shifts in instruction.
Shift 1: Increase reading of informational text
Shift 2: Growth in text complexity
Each grade level requires a "step" of growth in text complexity on the "staircase" to being ready for the complexity of career read y texts. Teachers provide grade appropriate text
Shift 3: Text based answers and comprehension
After reading a central text, students have rich and rigorous conversations about it. Teachers ensure that students make evidentiary arguments based on the text, both verbally and in writing, to assess their comprehension of the text.
Shift 4: Academic Vocabulary
Students constantly build the vocabulary they need to access grade-level complex texts. Think comprehension of words such as discourse and theory as opposed to homonym and onomatopoeia
Shift 5: Writing from sources
Writing instruction emphasizes use of evidence to make an argument and inform, including short, focused research projects starting in kindergarten.
Shift 6: Literacy instruction in all content areas
Connect area teachers in social studies, science and technical subjects emphasize literacy experiences in their planning and instruction.
Source: Virginia Goatley, Director, International Reading Association, Associate Professor in the Reading Department, University of Albany, State University of New York.
