Shift Happens
Edwina Howard-Jack, NBCT, English/Language Arts Coordinator
“Literacy is not a luxury, it is a right and a
responsibility.
If our world is to meet the challenges
of the twenty-first century
we must harness the energy
and creativity of all our citizens.”
--President Clinton
Document:
Content Specifications with Content Mapping
For the Summative Assessment of the
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy
in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects with
Appendices A-C
Appendix A – Content Rigor Matrix and Depth of Knowledge
Appendix B – Reading Learning Progression Frameworks
Appendix C – Tools for Examining Text Complexity
Appendices D-F
Appendix D – Interim and Formative Assessment Ideas
Appendix E – Guidelines for Performance Task Development
Appendix F – Examples of Assessment Types
Developed by:
• Content Experts
• SMARTER Balanced Assessment
Consortium
• Work Group Members
• Technical Advisory Committee
Claim #1:
• Students can read
closely and
critically to
comprehend a
range of
increasingly
complex literary
and informational
texts.
Claim #2:
• Students can
produce
effective writing,
which is
grounded in
evidence, for a
range of
purposes and
audiences.
Claim #3:
• Students can
employ effective
speaking and
listening skills for
a range of
purposes and
audiences.
Claim #4:
• Students can engage
appropriately in
collaborative and
independent inquiry
to investigate and
research topics,
pose questions, and
gather and present
information.
Your Assignment:
Focus Question: What does the sufficient
evidence for our claim look like?
1. Read the claim assigned to your group. Write this
claim on your chart paper.
2. Discuss the evidence description.
3. Quickly create a poster—through words or pictures—
illustrating a summary of the main ideas of the
reading.
4. Prepare to report to the whole group.
Driving Question
How do these claims support
the Next Generation Content
Standards and Objectives?
Reading
Small Group Discussion
How do the 5 claims support
this standard?
Writing
Small Group Discussion
How do the 5 claims support
this standard?
Speaking and Listening
Small Group Discussion
How do the 5 claims support
this standard?
Small Group Discussion
How do the 5 claims support
this standard?
Creating Professional Development that
Counts
1. WIIFY: WHAT’S IN THIS FOR
YOU?
2. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO
PREPARE YOUR TEACHERS
AND STUDENTS FOR THESE
SHIFTS IN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE ARTS
INSTRUCTION AND
ASSESSMENT?
Foundational Shifts to ELA:
•
1) Your students will be using informational texts for
building knowledge
Your students will be expected to be literate in all disciplines!!!
80
70
60
50
Literary
40
Informational
30
20
10
0
Grade 4
Grade 8
Grade 12
Creating Professional Development that
Counts
1. WIIFY: WHAT’S IN THIS FOR
YOU?
2. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO
PREPARE YOUR TEACHERS
AND STUDENTS FOR THESE
SHIFTS IN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE ARTS
INSTRUCTION AND
ASSESSMENT?
• 2. Your students will
be reading
increasingly complex
texts to acquire
language skills
including academic
vocabulary
The Crisis of Text Complexity
• Complexity of texts students are
expected to handle K-12 has
eroded:
– High school textbooks have declined
in all subject areas over several
decades.
– Average length of sentences in K-8
textbooks have declined from 20 to
14 words.
– Vocabulary demands have declined,
e.g., 8th grade textbooks equivalent
to former 5th grade texts; 12th grade
anthologies equal to former 7th
grade.
• Complexity of college and
careers texts have remained
steady or increased:
– Lexile scores of college textbooks
have not decreased in any block of
time since 1962 and in fact have
increased.
– Vocabulary difficulty of newspapers
has remained stable.
– Word difficulty of scientific journals
and magazines 1930–1990 has
increased since 1930.
Recap of ACT Findings
• Question type (main idea, word
meanings, details) is NOT the
chief differentiator between
students scoring above and
below the benchmark.
• Question level (higher order vs.
lower order; literal vs. inferential)
is NOT the chief differentiator
between students either.
What students could read, in terms of its complexity--rather
than what they could do with what they read--is greatest
predictor of success.
Too Many Students Reading at
Too Low a Level
• Only half of high
school graduates
are meeting the
benchmark.
• Deficiencies are
not equal
opportunity. . .
What’s wrong with the simplified text
approach?
• Simplified texts are often synonymous with restricted,
limited, and thin in meaning.
• Academic vocabulary can only be learned from complex
texts––by noticing how it works in texts, engaging with,
thinking about, and discussing their more complex
meanings with others.
• Mature language skills needed for success in school and
life can only be gained by working with demanding
materials.
• No evidence that struggling readers—especially at middle
and high school--catch up by gradually increasing the
complexity of simpler texts. . .
Lexile Alignment to College & Career
Readiness to Close the Gap
Grade Band
Old Lexile
Ranges
New Lexile
Ranges
2-3
450-725
450-790
4-5
645-845
770-980
6-8
860-1010
955-1155
9-10
960-1115
1080-1305
11-CCR
1070-1220
1215-1355
Creating Professional Development that
Counts
1. WIIFY: WHAT’S IN THIS FOR
YOU?
2. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO
PREPARE YOUR TEACHERS
AND STUDENTS FOR THESE
SHIFTS IN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE ARTS
INSTRUCTION AND
ASSESSMENT?
• 3. Your students will be reading, writing and
communicating about texts using evidence
Creating Professional Development that
Counts
1. WIIFY: WHAT’S IN THIS FOR
YOU?
2. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO
PREPARE YOUR TEACHERS
AND STUDENTS FOR THESE
SHIFTS IN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE ARTS
INSTRUCTION AND
ASSESSMENT?
Shift has happened.
Questions?
EDWINA HOWARD-JACK AT
EHJACK@ACCESSLK12.WV.US