The NEW ELA Core Curriculum and its Connection to NYS Grade 3 – 8 Testing

1. The NEW ELA Core Curriculum and its Connection to NYS Grade 3 – 8 Testing Presented by: Louisa Kramer-Vida, Ed.D District ELA Supervisor Oyster Bay-East Norwich CSD

2. Agenda • Problem • Task • Philosophy • Premises • Process • Product • Testing Connections • Appendices

3. Problem • Prepare for NCLB Grade 3 – 8 testing • Be proactive regarding potential yearly testing on other grade levels • Federal government requirement for more specificity: • especially for funding • than presented in the ELA Resource Guide with Core Curriculum

4. Task #1 • Develop Core Performance Indicators across all 4 ELA Standards for: • PreK – K – 1 • 2 – 3 – 4 • 5 – 6 • 7 – 8 • 9 – 10 – 11 – 12

5. Task #1 Definition • Core Performance Indicators are skills and strategies that are common to reading, writing, speaking and listening across a grade span

6. Tasks #2 & 3 • Develop (or adapt on the PreK – 3 level) Literacy Competencies per grade level for reading, writing, listening and speaking (grades 9 – 12 were still under development as of 8/31/05) • Develop (or adapt on the PreK – 3 level) grade specific Performance Indicators by Standard

7. Tasks #2 & 3 Definitions • Literacy competencies are skills and strategies that are specific to reading or writing or speaking or listening and are grade specific • Performance Indicators are what students need to know and be able to do • Proficiency is expected at the grade level where the performance indicator is first noted • PIs are reinforced across multiple grades • PIs represent on-going development that increases in complexity

8. Philosophy • Additional specificity within the framework of local choice of texts, products, strategies and activities – all chosen to meet student needs • SED assistance (guidance) to develop local materials and to align local curricula to grade by grade Performance Indicators • Integration with other SED curriculum guidance materials

9. Philosophy Continued • Coordination with SCANS (the U.S. Department of Labor’s Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills) for students to experience successful participation in school, at work, with their family, and in the community. (This is part of the Universal Foundation Skills in the Career Development and Occupational Studies Standards.)

10. Premises • Read on an on-going basis: • Goal – 25 books or equivalent per year • Write at least 1000 words per month across all content areas and Standards • Experience daily academic listening and speaking

11. Additional Premises • All content area teachers are responsible for developing reading, writing, speaking and listening competencies • ELA development is recursive • Technology should be used

12. Further Premises • All students can become competentif they experience skilled instruction, adequate time, varied or specialized resources, and as-needed additional support • Teachers need to understand students’ developmental needs • Student learning should be active

13. Process • Administrators, teachers, professors and SED personnel (often leaders of professional organizations) were invited to participate • Then were organized into 4 groups PreK – 2, 3 – 5, 6 – 8, 9 – 12 composed of a team leader and 3 team members

14. Process • Teaching/administrative experience mirrored the diversity of students in New York State • All attended kick-off and closure meetings at SED in Albany • Other tasks were accomplished via e-mail, conference calls and sub-group meetings

15. Product • A core curriculum guide composed of: • The ELA Learning Standards • Students will read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding • Students will read, write, listen and speak for literary response and expression • Students will read, write, listen and speak for critical analysis and evaluation • Students will read, write, listen and speak for social interaction

16. Product • Key ideas for • Receptive language skills – listening and reading • Expressive language skills – writing and speaking

17. Product • Core Performance Indicators • PreK – K – 1 • 2 – 3 – 4 • 5 – 6 • 7 – 8 • 9 – 10 • 11 – 12

18. Product • Literacy competencies – per grade organized by reading, writing, speaking and listening • Grade Specific Performance Indicators – how key ideas are defined

19. Testing Connections • Grade 3: • Literary and informational passages • Literary listening selections • Multiple choice practice • Constructed response practice • Practice editing paragraphs • Standards measured: 1, 2, 3

20. Testing Connections • Grade 4: • Literary and informational passages • Literary listening selections • Paired reading passages • Multiple choice practice • Constructed response practice • Extended response practice • Standards measured: • 1, 2, 3 - reading • 2 – listening • 3 – reading/writing

21. Testing Connections • Grade 5 • Literary and informational passages • Informational listening selections • Multiple choice practice • Constructed response practice • Practice editing paragraphs • Standards measured: • 1, 2, 3 – reading • 1, 3 – listening/writing

22. Testing Connections • Grade 6: • Literary and informational passages • Literary listening selections • Paired reading passages • Multiple choice practice • Constructed response practice • Extended response practice • Standards measured: • 1, 2, 3 – reading • 2 – listening • 3 – reading/writing

23. Testing Connections • Grade 7: • Literary and informational passages • Informational listening selections • Multiple choice practice • Constructed response practice • Practice editing paragraphs • Standards measured: • 1, 2, 3 – reading • 1, 3 – listening/writing

24. Testing Connections • Grade 8: • Literary and informational passages • Informational listening selections • Paired reading passages • Multiple choice practice • Constructed response practice • Extended response practice • Standards measured: • 1, 2, 3 – reading • 1 – listening • 3 - reading/writing

25. Testing Connections • Parallel Tests – available Fall 2005 • Can be used as practice tests • Can be used as instructional resources • Base on Standards and Core Curriculum

26. Questions?