Language Demands of the
Common Core for ELLs and
Implications for Instruction:
Understanding Language(UL) Initiative
NCDPI CCSA Conference
Greensboro, NC
Charlotte “Nadja” Trez, NCDPI Title III/ESL Consultant, UL Project Lead
Christie Lynch Ebert, NCDPI Section Chief, K-12 Program Areas
The Common Core and NGSS
Offers a New and Important
Perspective on the Role of Language
In Content Learning that Needs to be
Supported by Instructional Shifts
National Geographic: George Steinmetz
Goals for the Understanding Language
Initiative
 Engage in a healthy public dialogue around what the
Common Core State Standards (CCSS) imply for English
Language Learners (ELLs).
 Develop exemplars of what CCSS - aligned instruction
looks like, to be used as strategic tools by districts (and
others).
Goals for the Understanding Language
Initiative
Develop a vibrant, inquisitive, engaging online
community:
Web: ell.stanford.edu
Twitter: ELLStanford
Facebook: Understanding Language
You Tube: Understanding Language
Goals for the session
•
Examine the critical role language plays in the new
Common Core State Standards for English Language
Learners (ELLs).
•
Identify specific teaching strategies that support ELLs’
access and success with authentic Common Core
aligned complex texts.
•
Unpack the metacognitive processes
teachers/educators need to support and reinforce ELL
learning.
•
Explore ways to engage English Learners in high levels
of discourse in Language Arts classrooms
Major Shifts in Common Core
Standards
English Language Arts
Regular practice with
complex text and its
vocabulary
Building knowledge
through content-rich
informational texts
Emphasis on reading,
writing, and speaking
that is grounded in
evidence from the text
Mathematics
Provide opportunities
for student access to
the different
mathematical
(discourse) practices
described in the CCSS
Support mathematical
discussions and use a
variety of
participation
structures
Focus on students’
mathematical
reasoning, NOT on
students’ flawed or
developing language
Science
Developing and using
models
Constructing
explanations (for
science) and
developing solutions
(for engineering)
Engaging in argument
from evidence
Obtaining, evaluating,
and communicating
information
Cross-Cutting Foundations
(ell.stanford.edu)
•
Language and the Common Core Standards
(L. van Lier and A. Walqui)
•
What is the Development of Literacy the
Development of? (G. Hull & E. Moje)
•
What Does Text Complexity Mean for
English Learners and Language Minority
Students? (L. Wong Fillmore & C. J. Fillmore)
•
Instruction for Diverse Groups of English
Language Learners (A. Walqui & M. Heritage)
What do the New Standards
Imply? Focus on Language
“Students can, without significant scaffolding, comprehend
and evaluate complex texts across a range of types and
disciplines and they can construct effective arguments and
convey intricate and multifaceted information” (ELA
student portraits, p. 7)
Mathematically proficient students understand and use
stated assumptions, definitions, and previously established
results in constructing arguments. They make conjectures,
and build a logical progression of statements to explore the
truth of their conjectures” (Math practices, pp. 6-7)
The New Standards…

call for a high level of classroom discourse across all
subject areas

raise the bar for teaching and learning content

make education more relevant to a globalized,
interconnected, and highly competitive world.

they call for (a) increased language capacities in
combination with (b) content sophistication.

promote multiple literacies.
Understanding Language
Content
Understanding Language
Mostly vocabulary,
Grammar
Old Paradigm
Language
New Paradigm
Content
Understanding Language
Discourse
Text (complex text)
Explanation
Argumentation
Purpose
Typical structure of text
Sentence structures
ΔVocabulary
practices
Language
Realizing Opportunities for English
Learners (Bunch, Kibler, Pimentel)



ELLs should not be removed from the challenges set out
in the standards, but rather supported in meeting them.
ELLs can meaningfully participate in instruction through
“imperfect” language.
Instruction must build on – and build – students’ existing
resources (L1, background knowledge, interests and
motivations), precisely in order to expand them.
Instruction must immerse students in meaning- making
language and literacy activities with both micro- and
macro- scaffolding (Schleppegrell & O’Hallaron, 2011)
Theoretical and Pedagogical Shifts
From a Conception of
To an Understanding of
• Language acquisition as an
individual process
• Language acquisition as a social
process of apprenticeship that takes
place in social contexts
• Language as structures or functions
• Language as action and use,
subsuming structure and function
(Ellis & Larsen Freeman, 2010; Van
Lier & Walqui, 2012)
• Language acquisition as implying
the linear and progressive building
on forms and structures, or
functions, aimed at accuracy,
fluency, and complexity
• Language acquisition as non-linear
and complex developmental
process aimed at communication
and comprehension
• Use of simple and/or simplified
texts
• Use of complex, amplified texts for
all students
Theoretical and Pedagogical Shifts
From a Conception of
To an Understanding of
• Traditional grammar as a starting
point
• Multimodal grammar to support
students’ understandings of texts’
visual, spatial, gestural, audio, and
linguistic meaning
• Identification of discrete structural
features of language
• Language is purposeful and
patterned to accomplish content
specific rhetorical tasks
• Use of activities that pre-teach the
content, or simply “help students
get through texts”
• Use of activities that scaffold
students’ development and their
autonomy, so that the knowledge
gained is generative in nature and
applicable to novel learning
contexts
The theory of action



Share units that can serve as exemplars for how CCSS
standards are supported for ELLs;
Pilot units with careful observation of the challenges and
successes of implementation;
Support schools and districts in their identification of:
◦ existing materials that support the new standards, and in
◦ the development of units that support the new standards

Connect the content standards and English Language
Development standards, with instructional and
assessment implications.
A Pilot ELA Exemplar
“Persuasion Across Time and Space: Analyzing and
Producing Complex Texts”
A Unit Developed for the Understanding Language Initiative
by WestEd’s Teacher Professional Development Program

Unit Authors: Aida Walqui, Nanette Koelsch, and Mary
Schmida

In Collaboration with Understanding Language’s English
Language Arts Working Group: George C. Bunch (Chair),
Martha Inez Castellón, Susan Pimentel, Lydia Stack, and
Aida Walqui
Persuasion Unit

Illustrates how ELA CCSS can be used to deepen and
accelerate the instruction of ELLs in middle schools.

Is based on the notion that ELLs develop conceptual and
academic understandings as well as the linguistic
resources to express them simultaneously, through
participation in rigorous activity that is well scaffolded
(Walqui & van Lier, 2010)
LESSON 2
Persuasion in Historical Context:
The Gettysburg Address
•Gettysburg Address
LESSON 1
Advertising in the Contemporary World:
An Introduction to Persuasive Texts
•Can you live with dirty water?
UNIT
Persuasion Across Time
and Space:
Analyzing and Producing
Persuasive Texts
LESSON 5
Putting it Together: Analyzing and
Producing Persuasive Text
•The Girl who Silenced the World for Five
Minutes
LESSON 3
Ethos, Logos, & Pathos in Civil
Rights Movement Speeches
•MLK “I have a dream”
•Robert Kennedy “On the Death of Martin
Luther King”
•George Wallace “The Civil Rights
Movement: Fraud, Sham, and Hoax “
LESSON 4
Persuasion as Text: Organizational,
Grammatical, and Lexical Moves in
Barbara Jordan’s All Together Now
•Barbara Jordan “All Together Now”
Lesson 2: Persuasion in Historical
Context: The Gettysburg Address
• Demonstrates the tripartite nature of lessons: Preparing
Learners, Interacting with Texts, Extending Understanding.
• Build schema about the time, place, and the political
context of Lincoln’s famous speech through the reading
of informational text.
• Discover how cohesive and coherence ties work
together to create meaning.
• Example: In Our Own Words: the Gettysburg Address is
recreated by individual, groups, and the whole class to
make a cohesive and coherent contemporary text.
3 Moments in the Reading of the
Gettysburg Address
PREPARING LEARNERS
•Jigsaw Project: Era Envelope
•Clarifying Bookmark
•Base Group Share
•Wordle Partner Share with Round Robin
Task 1
Task 2
Task 3
Task 4
INTERACTING WITH TEXT
•Close Reading
•Reading in Four Voices
•Literacy Devices Dyad
•Wordle, Part II
Task 5
Task 6
Task 7
Task 8
EXTENDING UNDERSTANDING
•Vocabulary Review Jigsaw
•In Our Own Words
Task 9
Task 10
Preparing and Scaffolding Learning
• Era Envelope (Background readings and photos)
• Jigsaw and “focus chart” for building essential
background knowledge (“sourcing”)
• Clarifying Bookmark (to support students in reading
the background material and to develop
metacognitive skills for reading)
• Viewing Photos for discussion
• Wordle with roundtable discussion on images that the
words provoke
Era Envelopes – Scaffolding
• There are three different ways to scaffold the Era
Envelopes for different language needs:
 Option 1: Implementation of the task with minimal
scaffolding – groups work independently
 Option 2 : Implementation of the task with moderate
scaffolding – groups jigsaw the readings
 Option 3: Implementation of the task with maximal
scaffolding – teacher works through the readings
with students
Era Envelopes – Moderate Scaffolding
Jigsaw Reading
1.Students sit in base groups of three based on the number
of texts. They count off from 1 to 3.
2.All the 1’s meet together, all the 2’s meet together etc.
Give each group a reading.
3.Each group works together to read and answer the
questions for their reading.
4.Students use the Clarifying Bookmarks to discuss the
reading.
Clarifying Bookmark
Era Envelope: Discussion
1.After completing the Jigsaw Reading and their section of
the handout on page 8, students return to their base
groups.
2.Students take turns sharing responses text-by-text, adding
to or revising responses as needed.
3.Students discuss what was written about each reading
using the Clarifying Bookmark.
Photo Task
• Each student picks a photo from the envelope.
• Students take turns talking about their photo.
• Who is in the photo?
• Who is not in the photo? Why are they missing?
• What else is in the photo?
• Where do you think the photo was taken? Why do
you think so?
• When was the photo taken? How can you tell?
• The group picks one photo and completes HO #7.
• Together they write a caption for the photo and post on
the wall.
Era Envelope and Photograph
Response
• Minimal and moderate scaffolding: Groups review
photos and select one for further analysis
• Maximum scaffolding: Teacher selects and guides
response to one photo
Close Reading
A complex text presents:
• Informational density
• Textual references
• Elaborated nouns
•One solution? Read one sentence at a time, (a short,
powerful one), unpacking and making visible its
complexity
Close Reading: The Gettysburg Address
In Our Own Words
•
Partners are assigned one or two sentences from The
Gettysburg Address to translate into modern English.
•
Sentences are transferred to strips of paper.
•
Speech is reassembled.
•
Teacher leads discussion of consistency in tone and
voice.
•
Students revise sentences and repost.
Word Clouds: Wordle
Students work with a partner to:
Pick two or three words that jump out at you.
Discuss images or ideas come to mind when you think of
the words
Round Robin
Each student in the group shares at least one word and
image/idea associated with it. Do not discuss or comment
until everyone has shared.
Interacting with the Text

Close reading with guided questions

Reading in Four Voices

Literacy Device Matrix (in dyads)

Wordle, revisited (What images do you associate with
the words now? Look for variations of similar words (e.g.
dedicate and dedicates – together the most frequent
word “family” in the speech

Dedicate matrix
The Gettysburg Address – Multiple
Readings

Listen to a version of the Gettysburg Address

Read the Gettysburg Address in Four Voices

Close reading with guided questions

Partner reading of the text for Literacy Devices

Group Analysis – In our own words
Interacting with the Text

Sample Guiding Questions for Close Reading
Literacy Device Matrix
Work with a partner to find examples of repetition in the
Gettysburg Address. The first example has been done for
you.
Example: New
nation
Any nation
This nation
Literacy Device Answer Key

Repetition
New nation, that nation, any nation
So conceived, so dedicated
We are engaged, we are met, we have come
We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot
hallow
Of the people, by the people, for the people
Extending Understanding

Vocabulary review jigsaw

In our own words
Vocabulary Review Jigsaw









Groups of four
Label a piece of paper “The Gettysburg Address”.
Write numbers 1-12 in a list.
Each table should have a set of 4 cards.
Each person gets a card.
Person with card A calls out a number, teammates find
that number on their paper. “A” reads the sentence with
that number
Next “B” reads the sentence with that number
Then “C” reads the sentence with that number
Finally “D” reads the definition
In Our Own Words






There are ten sentences in the The Gettysburg Address
Partners are assigned one sentence from The Gettysburg
Address to translate into modern English
Sentences are transferred to strips of paper.
Speech is reassembled.
Teacher leads discussion of consistency in tone and
voice
Students revise sentences and repost
Persuasion Across Time and
Space: Analyzing and Producing
Complex Texts”

Invites students to participate in processes of
apprenticeship that lead them from being novices to
developing increasing levels of expertise while they build
their agency and autonomy.

You can download the Unit at Ell.stanford.edu
What do we do for Beginning
English Learners?




This unit is for English Learners in ELA classes who
are at the intermediate or above proficiency levels.
Beginners are recommended to be placed in appropriate
ESL classes.
One size does not fit all! ELD standards apply in these
cases. Expectations should be based on those standards
for each student’s correct PROFICIENCY level.
English Learners can be given the same assignments,
however product expectations should be based on the
proficiency level of each student.
Scaffolding is key to student success.
Discussion Questions

What shifts did you see evident in the unit?

What would be necessary for teachers to move in this
direction for English Learners?

How can initiatives like Understanding Language be of
help?
Charlotte-Mecklenberg
Teacher Comments




During PD, I thought the selections would be too
difficult for ELs.
Now I see that with good scaffolding and repeated
readings ELs can access difficult text.
I now understand the need for spiraling texts, instead of
doing unconnected lessons.
My teaching has changed forever.
Student comments during interviews

They said they understand more when they work in
groups.

They unit wasn’t too difficult. They felt they could do all
the activities.
Math Resources

Exemplars available for elementary, middle, and high
school; however only the elementary materials will be
piloted.

Developed by Understanding Language, under the
leadership of Prof. Judit Moschkovich of UC Santa Cruz,
and with assistance from a team of math and language
experts.

Provider of P.D. for these materials: Grace Coates
Elementary Sample Annotated Lesson
Roger’s Rabbits

Grade 4, Operations and Algebraic Thinking

Adapted from Roger’s Rabbits

Copyright by Mathematics Assessment Resource Service
(MARS) 2008.
Roger’s Rabbits
Core Ideas

Rogers Rabbits asks students to identify whether finite
sequences of number follow given rules and extend
those sequences according to those rules.
Roger’s Rabbits
Common Core State Standards for
Mathematics

Grade 4, OA 3, 4

3. Use the four operations with variable numbers to
solve problems.

4.Gain familiarity with factors and multiples
Generate and analyze patterns.*
*Note: We are not requiring students to infer or guess the
pattern, but to generate a pattern from a given rule and
identify features of the given pattern.
Roger’s Rabbits
CCSS for Mathematical Practice






SMP #’s 1, 3, 6, 7, 8.
1. Makes sense of problems and persevere in solving
them
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning
of others
6. Attend to precision
7. Look for and make use of structure
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning
The Annotations
The annotations provide a variety of structures that
support student-to-student dialogue. The strategies
engage students in clarifying meaning, determining
common agreements, justifying their thinking. As they
solve this multistep problem, students develop academic
and content-specific language that demonstrates
precision in communicating their thinking/ideas to
others.
Roger’s Rabbits
CCSS for ELA / Literacy Standards 1, 4, 7, and 2

Key Ideas and Details: Refer to details and examples in a text when
explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from
the text…

Craft and Structure: Determine the meaning of general academic and
domain specific words /phrases in a text relevant in gr.4 subject area.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Interpret information presented
visually, orally, or quantitatively (charts, graphs, diagrams, timelines,
animations or interactive elements on Web pages)

Speaking and Listening: Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or
information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually,
quantitatively, and orally.
Educators Words / Experiences

“I will use this in my class… thank you.”

“I found this most helpful in making the CCSS (in math and language) more
real and doable with my ELL students.”

“The annotations seemed like a lot to do…I realize that it is also a way of
thinking about my lessons….”

I always look for ways to keep my students focused on talking about the
work at hand. These (and the questioning strategies) have changed how I
perceive student talk during class.

“I’ve been giving my kids vocabulary lists that were “out of context”
forever. Thank you for helping me see why kids weren’t making
connections. (the look-up-the- word kind)”
Questions and Answers
CMS Pilot Experience
Teachers as Leaders
building capacity to continue leading the way for
language, literacy, and learning in the classroom
UL Curriculum Writing Project
CMS
Piloting the Units Statewide
(English Language Arts and Mathematics)
• ELA (Middle Grades)
– Persuasion across Time and Space: Analyzing and
Producing Complex Texts
• Math (Elementary Grades)
– A set of resources that discuss relevant language and
supports the participation of ELLs in Mathematical
discussions
NC UL Project Timeline
October 3, 2013
Informational Webinar
May – August 2014
or TBD
Application Process and Pilot
Participants Selection
September 2014
Or TBD
Four (2 x 2) Day Face-to-Face Training
(East & West regions)
TBD
MOOC modules provided by Stanford
University
TBD
Race to the Top Regional Support via
RESA sessions
TBD
Expansion and Sustainability Planning
Pilot Participants
English Language Arts (Grade 7)
4 LEAs/Charters per each region
(Grade 7 ELA team + ESL teacher + EC teacher + administrator +
academic coach/facilitator)
Math (Grade 4)
4 LEAs/Charters per each region
(Grade level TBD + ESL teacher + EC teacher + administrator +
instructional coach/facilitator)
Questions and Answers
References
Ellis, N. & Larsen-Freeman, D. (Eds.) (2009). Language as a
complex adaptive system. Language Learning, 59, Supplement 1.
van Lier, L., & Walqui, A. (2012, January). How teachers and
educators can most usefully and deliberately consider language. Paper
presented at the Understanding Language Conference, Stanford, CA.
Walqui, A. & van Lier, L. (2010). Scaffolding the academic
success of adolescent English Learners. A pedagogy of promise. San
Francisco: WestEd.
Walqui, A., & Heritage, M. (2012, January). Instruction for
diverse groups of English language learners. Paper presented at the
Understanding Language Conference, Stanford, CA.
Contact Information
Charlotte “Nadja” Trez
Title III/ESL Consultant
NC Department of Public Instruction
nadja.trez@dpi.nc.gov
Christie Lynch Ebert
K-12 Program Areas Section Chief
NC Department of Public Instruction
christie.lynchebert@dpi.nc.gov