Question
Our state education people told us that we aren't doing No Child
Left Behind anymore, we are doing the Common Core Standards. Thus, they say, we
no longer have to focus on phonological awareness, phonics, or fluency as we
did for the past decade.
Answer:
The Common Core actually requires the teaching of all of those
skills that you mention. In the standards document, they are labeled as
"Reading
Standards: Foundational Skills (K-5)." Perhaps the person
you spoke with was confused by how different these new standards look. In the
Common Core, there are several pages devoted to describing the reading or
reading comprehension standards and the foundation standards are tucked in
after them. These particular standards might not be as prominent in the documents,
but they still need to be taught well and successfully.
Question
I'm confused. Common Core says to teach students at Lexile
levels matched to their grade, but I always was told it was best to teach
students at their "instructional level" no matter what grade they
were in. What should I do?
Answer:
This is one of the most challenging aspects of Common Core in
grades 2-12.
Teachers are being asked to teach students to read with texts
that previously would have been labeled frustration level. There are several
reasons for this change, but one of the most important is that too many
students don't reach sufficiently high reading levels by the time they leave
high school. Raising book levels along the way will increase their opportunity
to master such material in time.
Research and experience suggest that there is no magic level or
right-on student/book match that enables learning. Students can make real
progress even with relatively hard books. But , while it is possible to teach
reading with challenging materials --as Common Core requires -- teachers must
"up their game" to make this work. The harder a text is for a group
of students, the more scaffolding, support, and encouragement they need. There
will definitely have to be more rereading, and teachers will have to become
more cognizant of why students struggle with a text, as well as more adept at
questioning students about those sticking points and providing appropriate
feedback and explanation that would allow students to make sense of what they are
reading.
Although Common Core sets those Lexile levels to show what
students have to be able to handle by the end of a school year, that does not
mean that all of the teaching has to take place at those levels. Each year,
students should be engaged in a range of reading experiences, with the
appropriate guidance of a skilled and thoughtful teacher. Students should be
expected to have a varied diet of both easier and harder books, with more or
less teacher support depending on how hard the text is for the
students.
Question
Who developed these standards?
Answer:
The National Governors Association Center for
Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers
(CCSSO) are leading the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI). Forty-eight
states, two territories, and the District of Columbia have joined this
state-led process.
The standards were developed and continually
reviewed and revised by groups of experts and K-12 practitioners.
• A Work Group
comprised of individuals representing multiple stakeholders and a range of
expertise and experience in assessment and curriculum design across the
continuum of early childhood through postsecondary education. (Michigan was
represented in this group.)
• A Feedback
Group reviewed draft documents and provided expert advice. (Michigan was
represented in this group.)
• An Advisory
Group provided advice and guidance on the initiative. This group included
experts from Achieve, Inc., ACT, the College Board, the National Association of
State Boards of Education, and the State Higher Education Executive Officers.
• States and
national organizations reviewed and provided evidence-based feedback throughout
the process.
For more information, please visit www.corestandards.org.
Question:
What are the Common Core State Standards?
Answer:
The CCSS
address the content areas of English language arts (ELA) and mathematics.
Additionally, the common core ELA standards include literacy standards for
history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. These kindergarten
through grade 12 standards provide a progression of knowledge and skills that
prepare students to graduate from high school and be ready for college and
careers. The Standards are research-based and internationally benchmarked.
Question
Where can I
find information about the national initiative for Common Core State Standards?
Answer:
Information
about the national initiative for Common Core State Standards is available at: http://www.corestandards.org/.
Question
Why are Common Core State Standards needed?
Answer:
Presently,
each state has its own set of standards, and consequently, what students are
expected to learn varies from state to state. The initiative is an effort to
set a clear and consistent progression of K-12 standards that will prepare
students for success in college and their careers. The CCSS articulate the same
expectations for all students, regardless of where they live.
Question
When should schools implement the Common Core State
Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects?
Answer:
The
transition to the Common Core State Standards should be underway. Students in
grades K-2 should be working with the standards now. Full implementation should
be in place for all grade levels during the 2013-2014 school year. The Model
Curriculum as adopted by the State Board of Education should assist districts,
schools and educators in designing curriculum aligned to the standards.
Question
When will statewide assessments aligned to the
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in
History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects begin?
Answer:
Ohio is a
governing state in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers Consortium (PARCC). According to PARRC the timeline for the development
and implementation of assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards
is:
• 2012-13 School Year: First year
pilot/field testing and related research and data collection
• 2013-14 School Year: Second year
pilot/field testing and related research and data collection
• 2014-15 School Year: Full operational
administration of PARCC assessments
• Summer 2015: Set achievement levels,
including college-ready performance levels
Question
What can be done in the short term?
Answer:
Educators
should become familiar with the Common Core State Standards for English
Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical
Subjects and the Model Curriculum. They are encouraged to participate in the
Targeted Professional Development sessions being held across the state.
Additionally they should avail themselves to the online resources available on
the English/Language Arts page of the ODE website, http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=1699&ContentID=86942&Content=117135
Question
How can educators begin to align their instruction
to the Common Core Standards?
Answer:
Educators
should:
• Focus on content depth
• Integrate the concepts and skills from
reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language into instructional
units. Avoid teaching skills in isolation.
• Use formative instructional strategies
and assessments K-12.
• Develop the students’ ability to view
themselves as effective readers and writers – as effective communicators.
• Use resources that connect the English
Language Arts concepts and skills in the classroom to the outside world, which
adds relevance to what is being taught.
• Become familiar with the Content
Elaborations and Enduring Understandings found in the Model Curriculum which is
posted online.
• Promote performance-based assessment.
• Plan and implement appropriate
professional development for both teachers and administrators, building both
content and pedagogical knowledge for students as well as educators.
Question
How will the Common Core State Standards for English
Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical
Subjects be distributed?
Answer:
The K-12
Common Core Standards in English Language Arts, are entirely web-based
and can be found at www.corestandards.org. In the upper right corner of the
screen, select the tab The Standards. Grade-band standards can be printed by
selecting Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in
History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects (66 pages.)
In
addition, the following support documents can be found at this location:
• English Language Arts Appendix A:
Research Supporting Key Elements of the Standards. (43 pages)
• English Language Arts Appendix B: Text
Exemplars and Sample Performance Tasks. (183 pages)
• English Language Arts Appendix C: Samples
of Student Writing. (107 pages)
