Understanding / Implementing Common Core Standards in the Classroom - ELA

General Overview of Common Core

• Clearer and Higher: Why Students Need CCSS (Ohio Education Department)
• Common Core for ELA and Literacy – an introduction to the Common Core State Standards for ELA (teachingchannel.org)
• What are the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts? How are they different? (Common Core Illinois)
• Outcomes of the Adaptation Process, Part 6 of Adapting Materials Project: New case studies share a look at the process of adapting math and ELA materials. (achievethecore.org)   
• Building Fluency: A Guide to Grades K-2 ELA Standards - This free UnboundEd ELA Guide is designed to explain what the new, high standards for ELA say about what students should learn in each grade, what they mean for curriculum and instruction, and how to implement teaching practices that support them. It demonstrates how fluency practice can be integrated into ELA and instruction across content areas. (unbounded.org)
• Building Knowledge – provides resources for exploring the shifts required by the Common Core State Standards as well as a link to the Text Set Project. (achievethecore.org)
• What Makes Instruction Aligned - The Instructional Practice Guide suite of tools focus not on every pedagogical move in the classroom, but on the specific actions teachers and students take to address the Key Shifts required by the Standards. To understand aligned practice, you must first understand the Key Shifts. (achievethecore.org)
• Student Achievement Partners: Parent FAQ Sheet—designed for use with parents to provide information about the Common Core (achievethecore.org)
• Finding Overlap in the Common Core Math, Language Arts, and  National Science Standards (Education Week, October 2014)
• Relationships and Convergences—a Venn Diagram which shows how the practice standards overlap in Math, Language Arts, and Science (ell.stanford.edu)

Common Core State Standards

• Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (corestandards.org)
• "Common Core en Español" is a joint effort between the San Diego County Office of Education, Council of Chief State School Officers, and California Department of Education, March 26, 2013.
• Appendix A: Research Supporting Key Elements of the Standards Glossary of Key Terms including selected topics highlighted below (corestandards.org)
  • Information for Teachers about Text Complexity, pgs. 2-16
  • Reading Foundational Skills, pgs. 17-22 (Gr. K-5)
  • Writing—Definitions of the Standards’ Three Text Types: Argument, Informational /Explanatory, and Narrative, pgs. 23-25
  • Speaking and Listening: The Special Role of Speaking and Listening in K-5 Literacy, pgs. 26-27
  • Language Overview and Progression Across Grades, pgs. 28-31
  • Acquiring Vocabulary, pgs. 32-35
  • Glossary for Key Terms, pgs. 42-43
• Appendix B: Text Exemplars and Sample Performance Tasks – Table of Contents (listed by grade level K-12), pgs. 4-13 (corestandards.org)
• Appendix C: Samples of Student Writing—Table of Contents(listed by grade level K-12), pgs. 3- 4 (corestandards.org)
• In Common Student Writing Samples: Find hundreds of samples of Common Core-aligned student work from K-12 classrooms around the country. (achievethecore.org)
• Core Content Connectors identify the most salient grade-level, core academic content in ELA and Mathematics found in both the Common Core State Standards and the Learning Progression Frameworks. CCCs illustrate the knowledge and skills needed at each grade to promote success at the next, and identify priorities in each content area to guide instruction. (ncscpartners.org)

Elementary

• ELA K-5 Standards Progression (PCG in collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education)
• Common Core State Standards for ELA for the Elementary grades. (teachingchannel.org)

Secondary

• ELA 6-12 Standards Progression (PCG in collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education)
• Common Core State Standards for ELA for the Middle grades (teachingchannel.org)
• Common Core State Standards for ELA and for the High School grades (teachingchannel.org)

EQuIP Resources for Common Core Alignment

• The EQuIP Review Process and Rubric (achievethecore.org)
• EQuIP e-Learning Modules - The purpose of this e-Learning module is to develop the learner's knowledge and understanding of the EQuIP Quality Review Process, which is designed to increase the ability of educators – and educational leaders – to identify and create quality instructional materials aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Specifically, learners will explore what effective observations and criterion-based feedback look like and experience the process of reviewing instructional materials using the EQuIP Quality Review criteria, rating scales, and rating descriptors. (achieve.org)
• The EQuIP Student Work Protocol is designed to establish or articulate the relationship between student work and the quality and alignment of instructional materials that previously have been reviewed using the EQuIP quality review process. Focusing on this relationship enables educators to develop a common understanding of the challenging work required by the CCSS. (achieve.org)
• Strengthening Lessons for the Common Core – This video explores the role of the EQuIP rubric in instructional planning, calibration and what teachers might learn from evaluating lessons together. (Achieve and Teaching Channel)
• Peer Review in Action: The ELA EQuIP Rubric – This video introduces a Student Work Protocol to evaluate an ELA/Literacy lesson using the EQuIP rubric. (Achieve and Teaching Channel)
• EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: ELA/Literacy Grades K-2 (achieve.org)
• EQuIP Rubric for Lessons and Units: ELA/Literacy (Grades 3-5) and ELA (Grades 6-12) (achieve.org)
• Understanding Quality and Alignment: EQuIP ELA/Literacy – This video provides an overview of Achieve’s EQuIP collaborative and the Tri-State Rubrics for evaluating the quality of instructional materials. (achieve.org/EQuIP)
• EQuIP: Educators Evaluating Quality Instructional Products (achieve.org)

Common Core Implementation for All Students

• The Coaching and Self-Reflection Tool for Competency in Teaching English Learners is an interactive learning tool designed to support educators’ understanding of The Common Core of Teaching through the lens of effective practice for ELs. This resource was designed by the CT Strategic English Learner Partnership, a collaboration between the CSDE and the Regional Educational Service Centers (RESCs) to support all educators in their work with ELs. The Tool is organized by the domains and indicators from the 2016 CCT Rubric and provides: a research base relevant to ELs; examples of highly effective practices with hyperlinks to examples, resources, and videos; sample “might sees” describing diverse classroom scenarios of best practices in action; sample questions for coaching and self-reflection. (portal.ct.gov)  
• A Teacher's Guide to the Common Core: A Resource Guide for Success in English Language Arts for Teachers who Work with English Learners and Students with Disabilities - Resources in the guide include: identification and explanation of the ELA instructional shifts, strategies and instructional considerations, a lesson planning guide and template, an exemplar lesson, and digital resources to deepen and expand understanding. (achievethecore.org)
• Essential Actions: 15 Researched-based Practices to Increase ELL Student Achievement - In this article written for Colorín Colorado, Kristina Robertson shares a step-by-step process for meeting ELLs' academic language needs. 
• NEA - How Educators Can Advocate for English Language Learners: ALL IN! 2015 Advocacy Guide (nea.org and colorincolorado.org)
• Language Objectives: The Key to Effective Content Area Instruction for English Learners by Jennifer Himmel - This article provides an overview of how to use language objectives in content-area instruction for English learners and offers classroom-based examples from different grade and subject levels. (colorincolorado.org)
• GLAD Sentence Patterning Chart – a short video from Mount Vernon Schools that could be helpful to elementary students as well as English Language Learners. (youtube.com)     
• Top Five Vocabulary Strategies for English Language Learners - This article offers vocabulary strategies and resources to help all students, especially ELLs, overcome their vocabulary challenges. (teachingchannel.org)
• Improving Writing Skills: ELLs and the Joy of Writing by Kristina Robertson –This article discusses the important correlation between writing and language development. It also includes how to differentiate writing activities that allow for every students to be successful. (colorincolorado.org)  
• An Innovative High School CCSS Lesson for ELLS: Letters from John Smith – This blog posted by Diane Staehr Fenner describes some innovations that provide strategies for all teachers of ELLs. (colorincolorado.org)
• Understanding Language Project at Stanford University —This site aims to heighten educator awareness of the critical role that language, literacy, and learning play in the CCSS. (ell.stanford.edu)
• Stanford CLAD ELL Modules online materials for teachers who work with students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. (web.stanford.edu) 
• The Northeast Comprehensive Center, in conjunction w/the Connecticut State Department of Education, has developed a series of short videos to support the successful implementation of the ELA Common Core State Standards. The video series provides instructional strategies for Middle School teachers working to successfully engage English language learners with the ELA Common Core State Standards. The link below will take you to the series collection and corresponding handouts. (northeastcompcenter.org) 
• Using Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to Implement Common Core —The Council of Great City School’s white paper encourages schools to embrace the needs of ALL students, and recommends implementing the standards within a framework of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that will help ensure that all students succeed. (cgcs.org)
  • A Close Reading of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address--modified to illustrate ways in which instruction can be provided for a group of students with diverse learning needs (NOTE:  Read pages 20-22 for a description of multi-tiered instructional tips before examining the unit sample on pages 29-36.)
• Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School - This practice guide offers educators specific, evidence-based recommendations that address the challenge of teaching English learners in the elementary and middle grades: building their English language proficiency while simultaneously building literacy, numeracy skills, and content knowledge of social studies and science. (What Works Clearinghouse for the U.S. Department of Education)
• ELL Reading Tip Sheets - Colorín Colorado and the American Federation of Teachers have collaborated to develop tip sheets focused on reading instruction for educators of English language learners in grades 4-12. These tip sheets include information on what to do first, vocabulary instruction, and age-appropriate reading strategies. They are available in English and Spanish. (colorincolorado.org)
• ELL Early Literacy Instruction - Providing a solid foundation for literacy is critical for young children who are already bilingual or are learning a second language.  These resources provide guidance on how to build that foundation as well as guidance on using a child's native language as part of their literacy development. Information is available in Spanish as well. (Colorincolorado.org)
• GRAMMAR: Kahn Academy’s newest subject -The free videos, practice exercises, and assessments help students (and teachers) learn Standard American English at their own pace. Exercises include punctuation, parts of speech, style and usage, and conventions.(kahnacademy.org)     
•  5 Essential Practices for Teaching ELLS - In this blog posting, Gretchen Vierstra highlights a video series, produced in partnership with San Francisco Unified School District, that showcases teachers implementing five essential practices to engage and support all learners, especially English Language Learners (ELLs). (teachingchannel.org)
• Curriculum Resource Guides provide guidance for teaching the Common Core State Standards to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, provide examples for differentiating instruction for a wide range of students in multiple grade levels, and identify the necessary skills and knowledge students need to acquire/master the content. (ncscpartners.org) 
• Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices (ies.ed.gov)
• Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners: Six Differentiation Strategies for New Teachers - In this blog article, Lily Jones for Tcher’s Voice explores different differentiation strategies to use in the classroom: Equity Sticks, Sentence Frames, Multiple Ways to Express Understanding, Share Air Time, Excerpt Texts, and Differentiate Rubrics. (teachingchannel.org)
• Supporting All Learners with Complex Texts - This resource provides strategies to scaffold instruction of Standards-aligned, complex texts. (achievethecore.org)    
•  Strategies for Supporting Struggling Readers - This guide provides strategies to use Before Reading, During Initial Reading, During Subsequent Readings.  (Assembled by Student Achievement Partners for achievethecore.org)
• Meeting Students Needs Through Scaffolding – This document provides suggestions for scaffolding instruction to help students successfully read texts that may be difficult for them. (Expeditionary Learning for engageny.org) 
• Deeper Learning for English Language Learners —This set of videos illustrates scaffolded instructional strategies and differentiation in different classroom settings. (Grades 9-12 Teaching Channel – Internationals Network Deeper Learning Series)   
• TextProject Word Pictures: Children, like adults, learn concrete words more readily than abstract words.  A way to close the vocabulary gap for students (especially English Learners and students of poverty) is to support them in connecting written words and the concrete objects these words represent.  TextProject Word Pictures provides a vault of carefully chosen pictures to assist educators in making such connections. (textproject.org)