Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Massachusetts Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education (ESE)
Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
(ELLAP)
Office of Literacy and Humanities
March 2016
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370
www.doe.mass.edu
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
This document was prepared by the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.
Commissioner
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all of its programs and facilities are accessible to all members of the public.
We do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Inquiries regarding the Department’s compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws may be directed to the
Human Resources Director, 75 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148-4906. Phone: 781-338-6105.
© 2015 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Permission is hereby granted to copy any or all parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes. Please credit the
“Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.”
This document printed on recycled paper
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370
www.doe.mass.edu
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Table of Contents
Background Information ............................................................................................... 5
Our Mission .................................................................................................................. 5
Five Principles for Early Literacy and Learning ......................................................... 6
Early Literacy Action Plan Goals ................................................................................. 7
Implementation Plan to Support Educators’ Understandings and Practices ................. 7
Partnering with Boston Public Schools (BPS) to Present a Model of Best Practices ............. 7
How Support is Being Provided ............................................................................................ 7
Gradual Grade Implementation ............................................................................................ 8
Six Collaboratives Will Provide Regional Support ................................................................. 9
Goal 1: Increase Teacher Implementation of the Standards Identified in the
Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy ........ 12
Rationale ............................................................................................................................ 12
Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 12
Strategies ........................................................................................................................... 12
Measures of Success ......................................................................................................... 12
Goal 2: Enhance Teachers’ Capacity to Provide High Quality Literacy Instruction
(Research-based Literacy Practices) to Ensure That All Students Can Access Gradelevel ELA Standards ................................................................................................... 14
Rationale ............................................................................................................................ 14
Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 14
Strategies ........................................................................................................................... 14
Measures of Success ......................................................................................................... 14
Goal 3: Support Teachers in Integrating Standards-based Literacy Instruction Across
All Content Areas ........................................................................................................ 16
Rationale ............................................................................................................................ 16
Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 16
Strategies ........................................................................................................................... 16
Measures of Success ......................................................................................................... 16
Goal 4: Increase Students’ Active Learning, Empowerment, and Purposeful
Engagement to Enhance High Quality Literacy Instruction ......................................... 18
Rationale ............................................................................................................................ 18
Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 18
Strategies ........................................................................................................................... 18
Measures of Success ......................................................................................................... 18
Goal 5: Strengthen Administrators’ and Instructional Leaders’ Ability to Support the
Early Literacy Teaching Staff ...................................................................................... 20
Rationale ............................................................................................................................ 20
Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 20
Strategies ........................................................................................................................... 20
Measures of Success ......................................................................................................... 20
Appendices .................................................................................................................. 22
Appendix A: Reference Vocabulary ............................................................................ 23
Appendix B: Understanding the Premise of Focus on K2© ......................................... 24
Appendix C: Alignment of Literacy Goals with ESE Core Strategies .......................... 25
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Appendix E: Virtual Support....................................................................................... 30
Appendix F: Department Coordination ...................................................................... 32
Appendix G: References............................................................................................. 33
Appendix H: Additional Resources ............................................................................. 35
Appendix I: Areas of Focus for Research ................................................................... 36
The Early Literacy Planning Team ............................................................................. 38
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Background Information
All kindergarten through grade 3 students should experience an education that consists of: 1) an
aligned and integrated curriculum; 2) purposeful, engaged learning using critical, complex, and
creative thinking strategies; and 3) opportunities for authentic student empowerment1*.
A coherent philosophy is critical to ensure that students are well prepared to meet the academic
challenges of a rigorous, high quality education and to prepare students for post-secondary
success.
Young students learn best in an environment that nurtures their growth across five developmental
domains2, promotes classroom community3, and values and empowers all learners. Within an
optimal learning environment, educators use developmentally appropriate practices4 and
standards-based integrated curriculum5 to promote early literacy development. Early literacy is a
comprehensive set of integrated skills which includes thinking, language, speaking, listening,
writing and reading6.
Fifty-seven percent of Massachusetts third graders scored “proficient or higher” on the
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) reading test for academic year 20132014 — the percentage of students scoring within that range has remained relatively unchanged
since 2010. Researchers have reported that a majority of early reading difficulties are due to a
lack of appropriate experiential and instructional opportunities (Vellutino, Scanlon, Zhang, and
Schatschneider 2008). This finding is significant given that third grade reading proficiency
strongly correlates with success in the later grades and beyond (Annie E. Casey Foundation 2012;
Executive Office of Education 2014). However, a majority of young struggling readers can
become average readers (Vellutino et al. 2008) with the right support.
Our Mission
Recognizing the need to address early literacy practices and strategies within the Commonwealth,
Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education (ESE) requested that the Office of Literacy and Humanities develop a
current early literacy plan.
An Early Literacy Planning Team was formed in the spring of 2015 representing three offices.
Planning Team members made every effort to make sure that conversations and decisions
reflected the intent of former influential ESE literacy reports, and that we incorporated findings
from many classroom observations throughout the Commonwealth, current proposed policy on
socio- emotional learning, and the standards in National Association for the Education for Young
Children (NAEYC), as well as important research in early literacy and early learning. As a result
of all those considerations, the Massachusetts’ Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan (ELLAP)
addresses the resulting understandings of what we believe would make a substantial difference for
each of our kindergarten through grade three learners.
*The numbers in superscript throughout the document correspond to the terms defined in
Appendix A.
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
The Office of Literacy and Humanities has identified the framework for the Massachusetts’ Early
Literacy and Learning Action Plan (ELLAP) through the Five Principles for Early Literacy and
Learning. Although we believe these principles are essential toward the effective implementation
of the Action Plan, they more significantly demonstrate a collective powerful shift in practice and
should have a strong and positive impact on all K-3 student learning and achievement.
Five Principles for Early Literacy and Learning
Each young student must experience ongoing and continuous opportunities where:
● Principle 1: A strong culture of community spirit exists in the classroom.
When educators build a strong culture for a community of learners, students feel free to
collaborate and share what they know with others, think critically and creatively, and are more
receptive to exchanging feedback.
● Principle 2: Each student is empowered to learn and work with others and has opportunities for
choice and authentic voice in their learning.
When educators plan to purposefully empower students, they increase their role as the facilitator
of student learning and decrease their role as a director. In return, students demonstrate increased
capacity for creative and higher-level thinking and self-directed learning, taking greater
ownership for what they learn, how they learn, and how to share what they know.
● Principle 3: Foundational literacy practices are intentionally interwoven within authentic,
meaningful contexts.
When educators purposefully integrate, rather than separate, the foundational literacy practices
through other content area concepts, knowledge, and experiences, it tends to be easier for students
to make meaning and see the relevance of their learning. Having multiple opportunities to practice
and generalize the learning through authentic settings, students also tend to increase their
speaking and academic vocabularies. Additionally, the integration of content may free up time for
students to experience other valuable learning opportunities.
● Principle 4: Each student actively engages in meaningful ways to understand, retain, and
integrate new learning.
When educators purposefully plan and actively engage students in developmentally appropriate
exploration and performance-based demonstrations of new learning, students experience
increased understanding and retention, view content as more relevant to themselves, make more
connections across disciplines, and feel a greater level of joy in the learning process.
● Principle 5: Each student’s progress in literacy skills, concepts and strategies is monitored and
adjusted so that instructional decisions are timely and appropriately accommodate student
differences and needs.
When educators have an expectation to use formal and informal data to inform instruction and
accommodate for student differences, each child will receive the level of instruction and practice
time needed to achieve personalized growth and success.
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Early Literacy Action Plan Goals
The Office of Literacy and Humanities has identified five goals in the Massachusetts Early
Literacy and Learning Action Plan to support the implementation of high quality and engaging,
student-centered literacy instruction across all content areas for K-3 classrooms. These goals,
which support the 2014 ESE Core Strategies as identified in Appendix C, are:
1. Increase teacher implementation of the standards identified in the Massachusetts
Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy.
2. Enhance teachers’ capacity to provide high quality literacy instruction (policy and
research-based early literacy and learning practices) to ensure that all students can access
grade-level English Language Arts (ELA) standards.
3. Support teachers in integrating standards-based literacy instruction across all content
areas.
4. Increase students’ active learning, empowerment, and purposeful engagement7 to enhance
high quality literacy instruction 8.
5. Strengthen administrators’ and instructional leaders’ ability to support the early literacy
teaching staff.
Implementation Plan to Support Educators’ Understandings and
Practices
Partnering with Boston Public Schools (BPS) to Present a Model of Best Practices
The Office of Literacy and Humanities is partnering with Boston Public School’s Early
Childhood Department to demonstrate how the Five Principles are embedded within the Focus on
K2©, Focus on 1, and Focus on 2 programs namely, its aligned and integrated curriculum, as well
as the instructional and assessment philosophy and practices which consider the social-emotional
and developmentally appropriate learning needs of each student. Depending on funding, Boston’s
Early Childhood Department staff will provide professional development to participating schools
through at least grade 2, but our vision is to provide support through grade 3, if possible.
How Support is Being Provided
There are two levels and several strategies of support which will be available to all interested
kindergarten through grade three educators.
At the first level, all school districts, regardless of accountability distinction, will be invited to
send kindergarten through grade 3 educators to the two annual Early Literacy and Learning
Conferences. At the Conferences, educators will learn more about the Office of Literacy and
Humanities’ Five Principles for Early Literacy and Learning and how Boston’s Early Childhood
Department has incorporated those principles into their curricula. Conference participants will
choose at least one of the five principles to strengthen within their school or classroom and later
share those experiences with colleagues at the follow-up Early Literacy Professional Learning
Community (PLC) Regional Meeting.
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
An Early Literacy and Learning Resource Center on the Office of Literacy and Humanities
webpage is currently being developed to provide an additional strategy of support. The Resource
Center is intended to provide support to teachers, administrators, and families (see Appendix D).
The second level reflects the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education’s commitment to provide multiple opportunities for in-depth learning and to
incorporate considerations for the sustainability of changing practices through a four year Early
Literacy Grant. Any school district with an accountability rating of Level 3-5 that is interested in
participating more fully in the exploration and learning of the Five Principles for Early Literacy
and Learning, and/or in learning about Boston’s model curricula units, is encouraged to contact
one of the six regional collaboratives participating in this grant opportunity. Five days of intensive
and focused professional development and personalized coaching time and feedback are
embedded through the grant, as well as dedicated grant funding for substitutes, travel, stipends
and related curriculum materials.
Participating districts will have the option of:



Developing their own curricula based on the Massachusetts’ Five Principles for Early
Literacy and Learning;
adjusting their own curricula using Boston Early Childhood’s curricula template, or
implementing any of Boston’s Focus on K-3 developed units (as they become available)
and making adjustments as each district feels is appropriate.
Gradual Grade Implementation
Three days of professional development in a centralized location will be provided by Boston’s
Early Childhood Department Staff to early childhood administrators and teachers in January
2016, with two follow-up days during spring 2016 for those kindergarten educators who are
interested in continuing their work from last spring’s pilot sites, and also for other districts who
would like to immediately benefit from this window of opportunity. For districts choosing to
participate in the professional development from January through June 2016, training may be
opened up for any K-3 teachers interested in eventually becoming trainers.
Other districts may choose to simply explore the Five Principles or Boston’s model during the
winter and spring of 2016 and then decide whether or not to commit to the implementation plan in
the late spring.
For districts choosing to participate in strengthening their early literacy and learning program over
four years, professional development will be provided for three days in August 2016 for early
childhood educators and kindergarten teachers, with two additional days interspersed throughout
the year. First grade teachers will receive three days of professional development during the
summer of 2017, with two additional days interspersed throughout the year. Second grade
teachers will receive three professional days during the summer of 2018, with two additional
days. If third grade curricula are developed, it is expected that professional development will
follow the same process in the summer of 2019.
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Our plan is for the Office of Literacy and Humanities to bear the costs of all professional learning
opportunities for each cohort’s grade level implementation. After teachers from each grade level
have received training and purchased the related curriculum materials, there will be a release of
financial responsibility to each school/district. By the fifth year, each cohort should be strong
enough to maintain the integrity and sustain the principles and practices of these efforts over time.
However, since, the Action Plan has developed a “train the trainers” model for practicing
educators to build capacity and sustain the changes in practices, district educators willing to
become trainers for other teachers will continue to receive updated professional development
through the Early Literacy and Learning Grant funds so that there will be no financial burden for
the supporting school district.
Six Collaboratives Will Provide Regional Support
The Office of Literacy and Humanities will partner with six regional educational collaboratives
through the Request for Proposals process (RFP). The collaboratives will solicit interest from K-3
schools within their region, hire an Early Literacy and Learning Specialist in each region to
provide personalized coaching to Level 4 and 5 schools receiving Early Literacy Grant funds
(734a or 734b) throughout the Commonwealth, and manage meetings and the financial
reimbursements of grant funds to participating districts (substitutes, stipends, travel and materials
for curriculum units).
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
ESE Office of Literacy and Humanities Early Literacy Overview
Overarching Literacy Vision: All educators will develop their understanding and skill in effective literacy practices so that every student will experience
purposeful engagement in learning that draws on reading, writing, speaking and listening across the content areas in order to ensure that students are
prepared for college, career and civic life.
Early Literacy and Learning Vision: Learning through an integrated curricula approach and developmentally appropriate project-based experiences, students’
individualized needs are consistently considered as they experience a respectful, engaging and empowering culture, helping them become self-directed
learners, critical readers, writers, thinkers, and collaborative workers.
Specific Goals
Objectives
1. Increase teacher
implementation of the
ELA and Literacy
standards.
1.1 Increase K-3 teachers’ understanding of
the ELA standards identified in the
Massachusetts Curriculum Framework
for ELA and Literacy.
1.2 Increase K-3 teachers’ capacity by
helping them obtain the resources and
skills needed to implement the ELA
standards.
2.1 Increase K-3 teaching staff’s knowledge
of high quality literacy and early learning
instruction.
2.2 Increase K-3 teaching staff’s ability to
implement high quality literacy and
early learning instruction.
2.3 Increase K-3 teaching staff’s
implementation of high quality literacy
and early learning instruction.
3.1 Increase K-3 teachers’ understanding of
the content standards outlined in the
Framework.
3.2 Support K-3 teachers’ integration of
state ELA standards across all content
areas.
2. Enhance teachers’
capacity to provide
high quality literacy
and early learning
instruction to ensure
that all students can
access grade-level
standards.
3. Support teachers in
integrating standardsbased literacy
instruction across all
content areas.
Strategies

Provide professional development on the expectations of the standards, especially
in the key shifts, when needed.

Provide two annual statewide early literacy conferences to all K-3 educators on
the Five Early Literacy and Learning Principles and two related regional
Professional Learning Community (PLC) network meetings.

Provide continuous, embedded classroom coaching and virtual support to
teachers on implementing high quality literacy instruction.

Provide a grant opportunity for districts to receive five days of intensive training
through Boston Early Childhood Center staff.

Work with the Offices of English Language Acquisition and Academic Achievement
(OELAAA), Science, Technology/Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Learning
Supports and Early Learning, Massachusetts Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and
Planning & Research and Delivery Systems to provide professional development
on the standards identified in the various Frameworks and how to integrate the
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
ELA standards with the other content area standards.

4. Increase students’
empowerment and
purposeful
engagement to
enhance high quality
literacy and early
learning instruction.
5. Strengthen
administrators’ and
instructional leaders’
ability to support the
early literacy teaching
staff.
4.1 Support an engaging, purposeful
learning environment that integrates
and makes thinking, reading, writing,
listening and speaking meaningful and
relevant.
4.2 Support authentic opportunities for
student empowerment.
4.3 Support a classroom culture of
community and respect to embrace all
learners.
5.1 Enhance administrators’ ability to
support teachers’ implementation of
high quality early literacy and learning
practices.
5.2 Strengthen administrators’ capacity to
sustain high quality literacy and early
learning practices in the early grades.

Create a site within the online Early Literacy and Learning Resource Center to
support teachers on implementing an integrated, standards-based literacy
curriculum.
Provide a grant opportunity for districts to receive five days of intensive training
through Boston Early Childhood Center staff.

Provide professional learning opportunities and a supplemental resource database
within the online Early Literacy and Learning Resource Center for educators.

Provide professional development based on the qualities of research-based
literacy practice through a Professional Learning Community (PLC) model.

Provide a site within the online Early Literacy and Learning Resource Center to
enhance administrators’ understanding of early literacy and learning practices and
how to support K-3 teachers in implementing high quality literacy practices.
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Goal 1: Increase Teacher Implementation of the Standards Identified in
the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts
and Literacy
Rationale
In order to equip students with the literacy skills and knowledge needed for college and career
readiness, early literacy educators need to have a sound understanding of the expectations
outlined in the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy
(ELA).
Objectives
1. Ensure that all K-3 teachers understand the ELA standards identified in the Massachusetts
Curriculum Framework for ELA.
2. Ensure that all K-3 teachers have the resources and skills needed to implement the ELA
standards.
Strategies
 Provide professional development on the expectations of the standards, especially in the key
shifts outlined in the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for ELA.

Provide ongoing, embedded coaching and virtual support via the online Early Literacy
Resource Center (see Appendix E) to ensure that teachers are implementing the ELA
standards as intended. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
o Strategies to engage students in effective discourse to elicit higher-order reasoning
o Strategies to allow students to effectively access grade-level text (e.g., close reading, word
analysis, etc.)
o How to integrate the state ELA and World-class Instructional Design and Assessment
(WIDA) standards
o Exemplar standards-based units, lessons, and rubrics comprised of integrated ELA
standards
o Video clips of standards-based literacy lessons
o Sample graphic organizers and other literacy tools that support teachers’ implementation
of the ELA standards
Measures of Success
 Teacher Outcomes:
o Teachers implement standards-based ELA lessons
o Teachers provide appropriate vocabulary objectives for English Language Learners
(ELLs)
o Teachers provide appropriate support to help ELLs access grade-level content, text, and
discourse
o Teachers provide various literature and non-fiction texts in the classroom
o Teachers supplement instruction with appropriate resources and strategies to ensure that
students have the scaffolding and prompting needed to access grade-level content and
strategies
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan

Student Outcomes:
o Students actively engage in close reading of grade-level text
o Students engage in higher-order reasoning and analysis of grade-level content
o Students engage in effective discourse with peers and teachers on grade-level content,
including challenging each other to elaborate, clarify, and/or justify one’s thinking, while
critically examining how someone else’s thinking compares to one’s own
o Students actively engage in building their academic vocabulary
o Students independently decode grade-level text to build reading fluency and
comprehension
o Students produce grade-appropriate writing across the four different text types
o ELLs use their vocabulary knowledge to participate in classroom conversations about
grade level content/text
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Goal 2: Enhance Teachers’ Capacity to Provide High Quality Literacy
Instruction (Research-based Literacy Practices) to Ensure That All
Students Can Access Grade-level ELA Standards
Rationale
The majority of early reading difficulties are due to a lack of appropriate experiential and
instructional opportunities (Vellutino, Scanlon, Zhang, and Schatschneider 2008). With the right
support, however, most of the struggling young readers can become average readers (Vellutino et
al. 2008).
Objectives
1. Increase K-3 teaching staff’s knowledge of high quality literacy instruction.
2. Increase K-3 teaching staff’s ability to implement high quality literacy instruction.
3. Support K-3 teaching staff’s implementation of high quality literacy instruction.
Strategies
 Provide continuous, embedded classroom coaching and virtual support to teachers on
implementing high quality literacy instruction. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
o How to create a classroom culture where students are actively and purposefully engaged to
strengthen their learning and empowered to become self-directed, thoughtful and critical
thinkers and learners
o How to integrate high quality literacy instruction with developmentally appropriate
practices
o How to implement explicit and systematic instruction to support students in accessing
grade-level content and strategies
o How to create a print-rich classroom environment to help reinforce and build students’
language and literacy skills (including ELLs)
o How to use appropriate and relevant progress monitoring tools to measure students’
progress toward meeting grade-level ELA standards
o How to make sense of student data so that teachers can use the data to adjust instruction or
student grouping
o How to differentiate instruction based on student needs so that all students can work on
meeting the expectations of the ELA standards
Measures of Success
 Teacher Outcomes:
o Teachers create a classroom culture where all students feel respected and free to engage in
classroom and peer conversations, have the skills to provide each other with thoughtful,
meaningful feedback, and continuously demonstrate self-directed learning behaviors
o Teachers create a classroom culture of active, purposeful student engagement in an effort
to strengthen the retention and transfer of new learning
o Teachers post grade-appropriate, relevant print in the classroom to support all students
(i.e., ELLs)
o Teachers provide explicit and systematic instruction that includes modeling, guided
practice, and independent practice of grade-level content and skills (e.g., close reading,
annotation)
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
o Teachers provide multiple opportunities for all students to practice grade-level (and Tier 2
and Tier 3) vocabulary
o Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students to engage in grade-level, text-based
writing
o Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice reading fluency
o Teachers routinely check for students’ understanding of grade-level content/skills, and reteach if necessary
o Teachers monitor student progress towards meeting grade-level standards/skills and use
the information to adjust instruction or provide additional support
o Teachers scaffold or prompt, as necessary, to ensure that all students can successfully
understand grade-level content and skills
o Teachers provide additional, differentiated instruction to small group(s) of students who
need additional support in accessing grade-level standards
o Teachers integrate literacy skills and strategies throughout all content area themes
o Teachers integrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills and strategies throughout
instruction

Student Outcomes:
o Students consistently demonstrate responsible and self-directed learning behaviors
throughout the day
o Students independently use grade-level skills/strategies (e.g., annotating) to access gradelevel content
o Students independently write using appropriate resources (e.g., graphic organizers,
sentence stems, etc.) and citing text-based evidence when appropriate
o Students actively engage in/initiate meaningful and relevant conversations with peers and
teachers, using vocabulary words or referencing classroom print
o Students engage in independent reading of texts from various genres (viz., literature and
informational text)
o Students implement their knowledge on how to provide meaningful feedback to peers
o Students strengthen their critical, creative and problem-solving skills and strategies
through an established classroom culture of collaboration and discourse
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Goal 3: Support Teachers in Integrating Standards-based Literacy
Instruction Across All Content Areas
Rationale
To ensure that students have opportunities to practice and apply higher-level thinking and ELA
and Literacy skills across multiple contexts, teachers need to integrate thinking and literacy
instruction across all content areas.
Objectives
1. Increase K-3 teachers’ understanding of the content standards outlined in the
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
2. Support K-3 teachers’ integration of state ELA standards across all content areas.
Strategies
 Work with other offices in Curriculum & Instruction (C&I), e.g., Office of English Language
Acquisition and Academic Achievement (OELAA) and Science, Technology/Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) to provide professional development on the standards identified in the
various Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, and on integrating the ELA standards with
the other content area standards

Create a site within the online Early Literacy Resource Center to support teachers on
implementing an integrated, standards-based literacy curriculum. Topics may include, but are
not limited to:
o Examples of integrated, standards-based curriculum
o State-created tools to help educators implement integrated, standards-based literacy
practices (e.g., What to Look For documents)
o Exemplar standards-based units, lessons, and rubrics
o Sample graphic organizers and other tools that are aligned to state standards
Measures of Success
 Teacher Outcomes:
o Teachers teach foundational reading (word reading, vocabulary, and reading fluency)
across all content areas, and integrate other ELA and Literacy Curriculum Framework
expectations throughout instruction in the content areas/themes
o Teachers establish a culture where all students apply higher-level thinking skills and
strategies as each processes their understanding of information
o Teachers engage students in close reading of content-specific informational text
o Teachers provide students with strategies and scaffolding to support students’ access to,
and understanding of, grade level content-specific text

Student Outcomes:
o Students successfully participate in project-based group work
o Students read books and have opportunities to write daily
o Students independently write using appropriate resources (e.g., graphic organizers,
sentence stems, etc.) and citing text-based evidence, when appropriate
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
o Students engage in independent, close reading of informational texts across all content
areas
o Students engage in independent and interdependent critical thinking and problem-solving
in all content areas
o Students independently decode content-specific informational text to build reading fluency
and comprehension
o Students (i.e., ELLs) use content-specific vocabulary knowledge to participate in
classroom conversations
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Goal 4: Increase Students’ Active Learning, Empowerment, and
Purposeful Engagement to Enhance High Quality Literacy Instruction
Rationale
Educators have learned from cognitive science and brain-based research that stimulating learning
environments have a positive impact on learning and on students’ reading levels (Campbell et al.
1997; Guthrie et al. 2001). In addition to a strong student-centered learning environment for
literacy acquisition, the social-emotional development of each student matters. Students’ ability to
cooperate and participate in group settings, willingness to try new things and persist when
confronted by a challenge, and their ability to communicate emotions are associated with a
reduced likelihood of problem behaviors and increased school success (Hemmeter and Ostrosky
n.d.).
Objectives
1. Support an engaging, purposeful learning environment that integrates and makes thinking,
reading, writing, language, listening and speaking meaningful and relevant.
2. Support authentic opportunities for student empowerment.
3. Support a classroom culture of community and respect to embrace all learners.
Strategies
 Provide professional learning opportunities and a supplemental resource database within the
online Early Literacy Resource Center for educators. Topics may include but are not limited
to:
o Culturally responsive9 practices
o Strategies to support ELLs’ participation in ELA (e.g., how to integrate ELA and WIDA
standards
o Strategies for effective student discourse10
o Strategies to elicit higher-order reasoning
o Strategies for authentic student empowerment and engaging brain-based learning practices
Measures of Success
 Teacher Outcomes:
o Teachers create a classroom culture where students develop into independent, responsible,
self-directed learners
o Teachers create a safe, culturally responsive learning environment that fosters and
supports students’ individuality, as well as a spirit of community
o Teachers create opportunities for students to process and learn from mistakes and take
risks to further their thinking
o Teachers provide appropriate scaffolding and prompting to allow students to successfully
engage in classroom discourse, provide thoughtful feedback to peers, and challenge
others’ thinking
o Teachers select texts with a variety of characters that represent different cultures,
economic backgrounds and family makeup
*The numbers in superscript throughout the document correspond to the terms defined in
Appendix A.
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan

Student Outcomes:
o Students demonstrate responsible and self-directed learning behaviors
o Students feel confident to take risks in their learning
o Students engage in higher-order student discourse within the classroom
o Students have multiple points of access to grade appropriate resources
o Students use appropriate language when asking questions and inquiring about others’
cultures
o Students are actively engaged in their learning in meaningful and purposeful ways
o Students see connection between school and home through communication between
teacher/school and parent/guardian
19
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Goal 5: Strengthen Administrators’ and Instructional Leaders’ Ability
to Support the Early Literacy Teaching Staff
Rationale
Because the long-term effect of early education depends on high quality teaching, it is critical that
elementary school principals have the capacity to support K–3 teacher effectiveness. Recent
observational studies of preschool to grade 3 classrooms found that the quality of teaching needs
significant improvement, especially in the area of instructional support for students (National
Governors Association 2013).
Objectives
1. Enhance administrators’ ability to support teachers’ implementation of high quality early
literacy practices.
2. Strengthen administrators’ capacity to sustain high quality literacy practices in the early
grades.
Strategies
 Provide a site within the online Early Literacy Resource Center to enhance administrators’
understanding of early literacy and how to support K-3 teachers in implementing high quality
literacy practices. Topics may include but are not limited to:
o Critical components of early language/literacy development (e.g., language and literacy
development at home)
o What an effective early literacy classroom based on current expectations looks like
o Research-based early literacy practices
o Examples of standards-based early literacy instruction
o Tools to support teachers’ implementation of high quality early literacy classrooms

Provide professional development based on the qualities of a research-based literacy practice
Professional Learning Community (PLC) model. Topics may include but are not limited to:
o What developmentally appropriate environments look like
o What an integrated, engaging, student-centered, standards-based curriculum looks like
o What high quality literacy instruction looks like within each tier of instruction
o What appropriate assessment in the early grades looks like and how to support staff to
effectively use data to inform instruction
o What content literacy looks like
o Tools to support the implementation of high quality early literacy instruction
o How to structure the school day to ensure that literacy instruction is integrated across all
content areas
Measures of Success
 Administrator Outcomes:
o Administrators identify strengths and weaknesses of literacy instruction when observing a
K-3 classroom
o Administrators provide literacy-specific feedback to K-3 teachers on how they can
improve the quality of their instructional practices and/or classroom environment
20
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
o Administrators provide feedback to K-3 teachers on how they can improve students’
language/literacy development, purposeful classroom engagement, and the gradual release
of control to empower students to become self-directed learners and problem-solvers
o Administrators provide opportunities or resources to support K-3 students’ language and
literacy development at home

Teacher Outcomes:
o Teachers plan and organize to gradually release control to enable students to become the
thinkers and doers within their learning environment
o Teachers adjust/improve their literacy instruction based on administrator feedback
o Teachers consistently provide standards-based instruction using research-based practices

Student Outcomes:
o Students’ increased levels of purposeful engagement and demonstrated culture of
empowered learning, as well as focused literacy best practices and instruction, improve
literacy achievement based on administrator feedback
21
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Appendices
22
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Appendix A: Reference Vocabulary
1. Authentic Student Empowerment: Meaningful opportunities for students to experience voice, selfcontrol, and responsibility for choices, actions and learning on a daily basis.
2. Five Developmental Domains: (Widely recognized as the foundation for learning for children birth to
age 8) 1. physical development of gross motor and fine motor and adaptive skills; 2. social-emotional
development; 3. approaches to learning; 4. language development; and 5. cognitive development. The
five domains are highly interrelated, with development in one area effecting development in the others
(Office of Head Start 2015).
3. Classroom Community: An environment where students interact respectfully and responsibly
throughout the day as partners with adults and with peers, taking active roles in and during their
learning experience. A classroom community is a culture which nurtures creativity and empowers
students to ask questions, investigate, and solve complex problems.
4. Developmentally Appropriate Practices: The three core considerations include knowledge of child
development and learning, what is individually appropriate, and what is culturally important or
culturally responsive (NAEYC 2009).
5. Standards-based Integrated Curriculum: A purposeful blend of the developmental domains and the
content areas (science, social studies, writing, reading, mathematics, the arts, physical education, etc).
In this curriculum, teachers purposefully embed the state standards (as identified in the Massachusetts
Curriculum Frameworks) into their daily routines and learning experiences. These routines and
experiences are structured based on individual student needs, the social and cultural contexts in which
each student lives, and teacher knowledge about child development and learning (NAEYC 2009).
6. Reading: Phonemic awareness, print awareness, alphabetic principle, phonics, vocabulary
development, fluency and comprehension.
7. Purposeful Engagement: The intellectual and emotional involvement which students experience
toward reaching the learning objectives (as adapted from Eric Jensen’s Brain-Based Learning Theory,
n.d.).
8. High Quality Literacy Instruction: A seamless integration of standards-based literacy instruction
with research-based practices—for example, explicit and systematic instruction, progress monitoring,
differentiation, modeling, guided practice, independent practice, checking for understanding, using
data to inform instruction—that is adjusted depending on student needs.
9. Culturally Responsive: The active engagement between educators and families to get to know the
children’s families and to learn about the values, expectations, and factors that shape their lives at
home and in their community. This information helps educators provide meaningful, relevant, and
respectful learning experiences for each child and family (NAEYC 2009).
10. Effective Student Discourse: Verbal interaction that results in a reorganization or restructuring of
one’s own understanding, thereby leading to a more elaborate cognitive understanding (Gillies 2007).
Effective discourse includes challenging each other to elaborate, clarify, and/or justify one’s thinking,
while critically examining how someone else’s thinking compares to one’s own.
11. Formative Assessment: The evaluation of young children’s strengths, progress and needs by using
methods that are developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically responsive, tied to
children’s daily activities, supported by professional development, inclusive of families, and connected
to specific, beneficial purposes, such as flexible student grouping (NAEYC 2009).
23
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Appendix B: Understanding the Premise of Focus on K2©
Members of the Early Literacy Planning Team observed classrooms throughout the
Commonwealth and reviewed district curricula. The Early Literacy Planning Team was
unanimous in its support of the embedded philosophy and practices it observed in Boston’s Early
Childhood Department curricula, Focus on K1© and K2©, a preschool and kindergarten curricula
built upon the Reggio-Emilia Approach and Making Learning Visible (MLV) Project at Harvard,
and through curricula currently being developed for first and second grades under the supervision
of Dr. Nonie K. Lesaux of Harvard Graduate School of Education.
The team quickly realized that this was a model implementing an authentic application of the
Massachusetts’ Five Principles for Early Literacy and Learning and the related practices and that
the curricula seamlessly integrated the research-based early literacy and early learning practices
we collectively believed were significant in achieving increased student success.
How Focus on K2© Integrates Early Literacy and Learning
Key components and practices of the Focus on K2© program include students being actively
engaged in their learning through authentic opportunities of empowerment where:









Teachers teach and students learn through a comprehensive approach of curriculum,
instruction and assessment based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards.
Literacy instruction is integrated daily throughout a centers-based environment, with
content area themes.
Progress monitoring takes place within the natural course of daily activities.
Students learn in an environment that encourages both purposeful engagement and teacher
facilitation.
Student choice is an embedded practice.
Student inquiry, critical thinking and problem-solving are important daily expectations.
Students have a real voice and experience continuous opportunities for self-directed
learning that demonstrate authentic opportunities of empowerment.
Students experience purposeful learning through play.
Students demonstrate the application of knowledge through the premises of brain-based
and project-based learning.
Subsequently, because the Principles were being integrated so clearly into the curricula, many
members of the Early Literacy Planning Team actually joined in the training on Boston’s Focus
on K2© program, which was made available to interested school districts throughout the
Commonwealth as part of an Early Literacy Grant in spring 2015.
Based on the coherent alignment of the Planning Team’s vision and beliefs, along with the strong
and positive experiences during the training, the Early Literacy Planning Team decided to
recommend the Boston’s Focus on K2© program, which embodies the Five Principles and
provides a comprehensive authentic curricula, as well as a visual model for educators to see and
understand how one school district integrated all of the best practices recommended for early
literacy and learning.
24
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Appendix C: Alignment of Literacy Goals with ESE Core Strategies
EARLY LITERACY ACTION PLAN GOALS
ESE Core Strategy
1. Strengthen curriculum,
instruction, and
assessment
ESE Core Strategy
2. Improve educator
effectiveness
ESE Core Strategy
3. Turn around the lowest
performing schools and
districts
ESE Core Strategy
4. Use data and
technology to support
student performance
1. Increase implementation of the standards
2. Enhance capacity for high quality literacy instruction
3. Support integrating standards-based literacy across all
content areas
4. Increase students’ empowerment and purposeful
engagement to enhance literacy and early learning
instruction
5. Strengthen administrators’ and instructional leaders’
ability to support the early literacy teaching staff
2. Enhance capacity for high quality literacy instruction
3. Support integrating standards-based literacy across all
content areas
4. Increase students’ empowerment and purposeful
engagement to enhance literacy and early learning
instruction
5. Strengthen administrators’ and instructional leaders’
ability to support the early literacy teaching staff
1. Increase implementation of the standards
2. Enhance capacity for high quality literacy and early
learning instruction
3. Support integrating standards-based literacy across all
content areas
4. Increase students’ empowerment and purposeful
engagement to enhance literacy and early learning
instruction
5. Strengthen administrators’ and instructional leaders’
ability to support the early literacy teaching staff
3. Support integrating standards-based literacy across
all content areas
4. Increase students’ empowerment and purposeful
engagement to enhance literacy and early learning
instruction
5. Strengthen administrators’ and instructional leaders’
ability to support the early literacy teaching staff
25
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
26
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Fiscal
Year
2016
2017
Term
Detailed Timeline
Fall
2015
 Presentation to Commissioner
 Develop RFPs for cohorts 1 and 2 and roll out plan to districts
 Teleconference for interested Collaboratives
 Teleconference for interested Level 3, Level 4 and Level 5 districts
 Development of the initial structure of the Early Literacy Resource Center
(with IT)
 Develop January Conference with Boston
Winter
2016
 Review applications for grant funds
 Award notification for schools to be in Cohort 1
 Collaboratives recruit and hire Early Literacy Specialists
 Hold Statewide Conference for all interested K-3 educators
 Provide three days of intensive training for Cohort 2 (to begin
Kindergarten implementation), ESE Specialists and Collaborative Early
Literacy Specialists
 Provide two days of intensive training for Cohort 1 (to continue
Kindergarten implementation), interested ESE Specialists and
Collaborative Early Literacy Specialists
 Follow up to January Conference PLN Regional Meeting
 Pre-testing for Cohort 1 and 2 (Kindergarten)
Spring
2016
 Hold second statewide conference for all interested K-3 educators
 Provide one additional day of intensive training for Cohort 2 (to begin
Kindergarten implementation), ESE Specialists and Collaborative Early
Literacy Specialists
 Provide an additional day of intensive training for Cohort 1 (to continue
Kindergarten implementation), interested ESE Specialists and
Collaborative Early Literacy Specialists
 Provide an administrative meeting for grant recipients
 Follow up to May statewide conference PLN Regional Meeting
 Present with school system at Commissioner’s Spring Summit
 Post-testing for Cohort 1 and 2 (Kindergarten)
Summer
2016
 Provide PD for Cohort 2 schools who chose to start at the beginning of
the school year (as opposed to the middle of the year)
 Online Early Literacy Resource Center with resources identified in the
ELAP plan
 Creation of an administrator PD module
 Data analysis for Kindergarten
27
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
2018
2019
Fall
2016
 Embedded coaching for Cohort 1and 2 (K)
 Pre-testing for Cohort 1and 2 (K)
 Administrator PD for Cohort 1 and 2
Winter
2017
 Embedded coaching for grade K staff and leaders
Spring
2017
 Embedded coaching for Cohorts 1 and 2 (K)
 Post-testing for Cohorts 1 and 2 (K)
 If funds available, RFP for districts to join Cohort 3
Summer
2017
 Data analysis for Cohorts 1 and 2
 Development of Training of Trainers (TOT) module/toolkit
 District grant application review for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3
 Award notification for schools to continue the work and to be in Cohort 3
 Train the Trainers receive PD for Cohort 1, 2 and 3 K teachers
 Train the Trainers provide PD for Cohort 1, 2 and 3 K teachers
 Boston provides intensive training to first grade teachers in the grants
programs
Fall
2017
 Provide statewide conference for all K-3 educators
 Pre-testing for all Cohorts (K-1)
 Embedded coaching for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3 for all K-1 staff
 Administrator PD for Cohorts 1 and 2
Winter
2018
 Embedded coaching for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3 for all K-1 staff
 Follow up to statewide conference PLN Regional Meeting
Spring
2018
 Provide a spring statewide conference
 Embedded coaching for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3 for all K-1 staff
 Post-testing for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3
 Administrator PD for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3
 Follow up from spring statewide conference through a PLN regional
meeting
Summer
2018
 Provide intensive training to Cohort 1, 2 and 3 to begin second grade
implementation
 Data analysis for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3
 TOT PD for new K and first grade staff in Cohorts 1, 2 and 3
Fall
2018
 Provide a fall statewide conference
 Embedded coaching for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3 for all K, 1, and 2 staff
 Pre-testing for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3
 Administrator PLN for Cohorts 1-3
 Embedded coaching for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3 (K-2 teachers)
 Follow up from fall statewide conference through a PLN regional meeting
Winter
2019
28
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Spring
2019
 Embedded coaching for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3 (K-2 teachers)
 Post-testing for Cohorts 1, 2 and 3
 Administrator PD for Cohorts 1-3
 Develop Tool Kit for family engagement
 Provide a spring statewide conference
 Follow up conference with a PLN regional meeting
29
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Appendix E: Virtual Support
Online Early Literacy Resource Center for Administrators, Teachers, and Families
 Provide resources to support teachers on the implementation of standards-based literacy
curricula across content areas. Topics may include but are not limited to:
o Examples of standards-based integrated curriculum
o Educational video clips of the implementation of standards-based literacy curricula across
content areas
o Tools for educators to use for collaborative observation
o State-created tools to help educators implement integrated standards-based literacy
practices (e.g., Look For documents)
o Exemplar standards-based units, lessons, and rubrics
o Sample graphic organizers and other tools that are aligned to state standards

Provide resources and tools on what high quality literacy instruction looks like.
Resources/tools may include, but are not limited to:
o Exemplars of high quality instruction
o Planning tools to support lesson preparation
o Exemplar progress monitoring tools
o Tools to help teachers make sense of student data
o Tools to help teachers differentiate instruction based on student needs
o A checklist of the major elements of a high quality literacy classroom


Provide resources and tools to support administrator’s and instructional leaders’
understanding of high quality literacy instruction aligned with grade-level ELA standards
o
Links to resources so schools can make informed decisions
o
Tools to support the implementation and sustainability of research-based literacy
practices
Provide resources and tools for families to support their children’s language and literacy
development at home. Topics may include but are not limited to:
o
Connecting families and community to early learning and literacy practices
o
Activities to support language, literacy and general development at home
o
Resources that support adult literacy
o
Resources from relevant state agencies/departments that promote family literacy (e.g.,
Adult and Community Learning Services, Early Education & Care (EEC), Department of
Public Health (DPH), Department of Mental Health (DMH), Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education (ESE))
30
Massachusetts Early Literacy Action Plan: Focus on Student Learning
Early Literacy
Resouce Center
Home Page
About Us
Names of offices
of the Early
Literacy Team
News
Current news
relevant to ESE
Early Literacy
Educators
Other
Department
News
ELA Framework
link
Empowering
Learners
High quality,
standards-based
instruction
content literacy
Families
classroom
observation tools
progress
monitoring tools
family
engagement
Child
development
language and
literacy at home
adult literacy
Our Philosophy
Commissioner's
Weekly Updates
link
Definition
research-based
practices
research-based
practices
ELA Look For
tools
types of progress
monitoring tools
Strategies
typical vs.
atypical
Rationale
Resources
Our Goals for
ELRC
BESE Meeting
Minutes link
Types
video examples
strategies
characteristics of
a higih quality
ELA classroom
sample tools
Resources
language
development in
early childhood
Strategies
Strategies
MCAS News link
Strategies
sample lessons
tools
other classroom
observation tools
links to reviews
of tools
Tools
other resources
Tools
MTEL News link
Tools
sample rubrics
OELAAA News
link
Video examples
planning tools
Research
links to online
resources
Research
ESE (link)
ESE resources for
families
Office of Literacy
and Humanities
(link)
Community
resources for
families
ELA Framework
link
Resources
31
Massachusetts Early Literacy Action Plan: Focus on Student Learning
Appendix F: Department Coordination
The Office of Literacy and Humanities plans to coordinate with other units within the Department, as well
as with outside agencies to implement the Action Plan. There will be four targeted areas for
implementation: Agency Alignment, Agency Capacity, External Partnerships, and the Early Literacy
Website (see below).
Participants will be expected to engage in the anticipated annual pre- and post-study (Appendix I).
Targeted Areas
Agency
Alignment
Purpose
Ensure districts receive a
cohesive and coherent
statewide message from
all agencies about
effective early literacy
practices



Agency
Capacity
External
Partnerships
Build the capacity of the
Office of Literacy and
Humanities to support the
hiring and training of
Early Literacy
Implementation
Specialists
Consult with outside
partners to address the
goals and objectives set
forth in the plan






Early Literacy
Website
Establish and manage an
online Early Literacy
Resource Center



Potential Tasks
Collaborate with other offices to provide support and create
resources
Collaborate with Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)
to ensure that early literacy initiatives are aligned to the 2011
Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts
(ELA) and incorporate research-based practices
Collaborate with Department of Higher Education (DHE) to
examine how teacher preparation programs can better prepare their
pre-service teachers to provide a standards-based, integrated
literacy curriculum across all content areas
Work with content specialists from other ESE offices to identify
how teachers can effectively integrate literacy across the various
content areas
Build a network of statewide literacy leaders representing key
stakeholder groups committed to working together to improve
literacy achievement across the Commonwealth
Partner with Boston Public Schools on embedded curriculum
training
Partner with WGBH to provide parent and educator resources
Partner with education collaboratives to help support professional
development opportunities
Partner with professional development experts to provide specific
training
Synthesize early literacy resources/tools relevant to language and
literacy development at home and school
Partner with WGBH and/or education collaboratives to develop
virtual PD modules
Partner with other state and local agencies to identify resources for
educators and parents
32
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Appendix G: References
Anderson, E. 1980. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Motivational and cognitive influences on
conceptual knowledge acquisition: The combination of science observation and
interesting texts. University of Maryland, College Park.
Annie E. Casey Foundation. 2012. Double Jeopardy: How Third Grade Reading Skills and
Poverty Influence High School Graduation. Retrieved from:
http://www.aecf.org/resources/double-jeopardy/.
Bergin, D. 1999. Influences on classroom interest. Educational Psychologist: 34, 87-98.
Campbell, J.R., Voelkl, K.E., and Donahue, P.L. 1997. NAEP 1996 trends in academic progress
(NCES Publication No. 97985r). Washington, D.C: U.S. Department of Education.
Available: nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=97985r
Cotton, K., Wikelund, K., Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, School Improvement
Research Series. In Parent Involvement in Education.
Elmore, R. 2008. Improving the Instructional Core. Retrieved from:
http://www.acsa.org/MainMenuCategories/ProfessionalLearning/CoachingMentoring/Lea
dershipCoaching/Coach-Resources/Elmore-Summary.aspx.
Executive Office of Education. 2014. Early Literacy Expert Panel: Year One Annual Report.
Retrieved from: http://www.mass.gov/edu/docs/eoe/early-literacy/early-literacy-panelannual-report.pdf.
Gillies, R. M. 2007. Strategies to promote student discourse. In Cooperative learning: Integrating
theory and practice: 19-121. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Guthrie, J.T., and Alao, S. 1997. Designing contexts to increase motivation for reading.
Educational Psychologist: 32, 95-105.
Guthrie, J.T., Schaefer, W.D., and Huang, C. 2001. Benefits of opportunity to read and balanced
reading instruction for achievement and engagement: A policy analysis of state NAEP in
Maryland. Journal of Educational Research, 94(3): 146-162.
Guthrie, J.T., and Wigfield, A. 2000. Engagement and motivation in reading. In M.L. Kamil, P.B.
Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research: Volume III:
403-422. New York: Erlbaum.
Hemmeter, M. L., and Ostrosky, M. (n.d.). Recommended practices: Identifying and monitoring
outcomes related to children’s social-emotional development. Retrieved from:
http://challengingbehavior.fmhi.usf.edu/do/resources/documents/rph_outcomes.pdf.
Jensen, E. What is Brain-Based Learning? http://www.jlcbrain.com/what-is-brain-basedresearch.php
33
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Jensen, E. 1998. Teaching with the Brain in Mind. ASCD Publications: 62-70; 92-110.
Alexandria, Virginia
Jones, S., and Yudron, M. (n.d.). Measuring social-emotional development in early childhood:
Social competence. In Memos on Measures of Social-Emotional Development in Early
Childhood, by Subdomain. Retrieved from: http://www.childstats.gov/pdf/Memos.pdf.
King, Alison. Winter 1993. From Sage on the Stage to Guide on the Side. College Teaching.
Vol.41, #1: 30-35. http://bit.ly/CLUMyE.
Office of Head Start. 2015. Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages birth to five.
Retrieved from: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/sr/approach/pdf/ohs-framework.pdf.
National Association for the Education of Young Children. 2009. Developmentally Appropriate
Practice Position Statement. Retrieved from:
http://www.naeyc.org/positionstatements/dap
National Association for the Education of Young Children. 2009. Where We Stand, On
Curriculum, Assessment and Program Evaluation. Retrieved from:
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/StandCurrAss.pdf
National Association of Elementary School Principals. 2014. Leading PreK-3 Learning
Communities, Competencies for Effective Principal Practice.
National Governors Association. 2013. Leading for Early Success: Building School Principals’
Capacity to Lead High-Quality Early Education.
Swan, E.A. 2003. Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction: Engaging Classrooms, Lifelong
Learners: 28-109. New York: The Guilford Press.
Vellutino, F. R. Scanlon, D. M., Zhang, H., and Schatschneider, C. 2008. Using response to
kindergarten and first grade intervention to identify children at-risk for long-term reading
difficulties. Reading and Writing: 21; 437–480.
34
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Appendix H: Additional Resources
National Governor’s Association. October 2013. A Governor’s Guide to Early Literacy: Getting
All Students Reading by Third Grade.
Ayers, Shannon and Frede, Ellen. National Institute for Early Education Research. Seeing the
Learning in Play: Using Performance-based Assessment to Document and Enhance
Learning in Play.
Bryant, Elizabeth Burke. May 2012. Building a Solid Foundation for Governors’ Education
Reform Agendas through Strong Birth-to-3rd Grade Policies. National Governor’s
Association Policy Institute.
Comprehensive Birth through Grade 3 Agenda for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
March 2015.
National Institute for Literacy. 2008. Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early
Literacy Panel.
Lesaux, N. December 6, 2013. Harvard Graduate School. CACE Conference. Comprehensive
Literacy Reform: Increasing Opportunities to Learn for All Students. Retrieved from
http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic1378802.files//CACE_lesaux.pdf
Lesaux, N., Hastings, M.E., Kelley, J.G., Marietta, S.H., and Russ, J.M. Turning the Page:
Refocusing Massachusetts for Reading Success. Available at:
http://www.strategiesforchildren.org/docs_research/10_TurningThePageReport.pdf
Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks: http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html
Massachusetts Standards for Preschool and Kindergarten. Social and Emotional Learning,
and Approaches to Play and Learning - Draft. March 2015.
National Association for the Education of Young Children www.naeyc.org
National Research Council of the National Academies. Education for Life and Work: Guide for
Practitioners.
Phillips, Deborah A. National Governor’s Association Policy Institute. May 2012. Georgetown
University. From the Brain to the Classroom: The Research Case for a Comprehensive
Birth-to-3rd Policy Agenda.
Strickland, Dorothy S. National Governor’s Association Policy Institute. May 2012. Promoting
Third Grade Reading Proficiency.
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
Appendix I: Areas of Focus for Research
We Know We Are Making a Difference Based on Assessment Data
Measurable outcomes could be assessed through pre- and post-data information:

Students show growth in formal/informal formative assessments11 of literacy/language
development (and summative assessment in grade 3)
o Teachers facilitate and students learn through a comprehensive and integrated
approach of curriculum, instruction and assessment through a lens of relevancy
based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and NAEYC Standards
o Students demonstrate the application of knowledge through the foundational
premises of brain-based and project-based learning
o Students apply literacy skills and strategies throughout the day in relevant,
purposeful, and meaningful ways
o Students receive personalized attention through differentiated/variability
instructional practices
o Rigor has taken on new emphasis in the latest editions of national curricula
expectations where educators are being asked to engage students in daily
opportunities to apply higher-level thinking strategies and deeper questioning

Teachers report feeling more equipped to meet the needs of individual learners
o Educators have learned from cognitive science and brain-based research that
learning environments which stimulate or “feed the brain” have a positive impact
on learning and on students’ reading levels
o Educators have also learned that the more meaningful and relevant the learning
experience is for each student the:
 More motivated the student is toward learning the information
 Faster the learning is understood
 Longer the information is retained
 Easier the information is transferred to new applications
o Since the brain naturally and automatically connects and integrates learning,
educators are asked to integrate the content disciplines whenever it’s purposeful
and meaningful to do so. When content is integrated, students tend to become
more motivated due to the curricula connections and the authentic relationship
which is often represented through the integration

Classroom environment is enhanced as evident in the Classroom Assessment Scoring
System® (CLASS®) observation tool (used by the Office of District and School
Turnaround (ODST)) team for the monitoring site visit reports)
*The numbers in superscript throughout the document correspond to the terms defined in
Appendix A.
36
Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
o Students learn within an environment which equally demonstrates a social and
constructive process through purposeful student engagement and teacher
facilitation
o Students have a real voice and experience continuous opportunities for selfdirected learning responsibilities and other actions, which demonstrate meaningful
opportunities of empowerment, such as giving thoughtful feedback to peers,
setting goals for oneself based on reflection, making free decisions around choices,
and other options to develop and demonstrate leadership skills
o Students experience critical and creative thinking opportunities through an inquiry
approach of open-ended questioning, as well as opportunities for reflective
practices
o Educators recognize that how students learn, practice and apply new information
really does matter. Active student engagement fulfills the naturally curious mind,
builds confidence, increases student efficacy, strengthens oral language vocabulary
and skills and deepens students’ conceptual understandings
o Students experience creative construction and purposeful learning through play
o When thematic classroom learning connects students through authentic life-related
content, students tend to be more fully engaged, deepen their conceptual
knowledge, and, as indicated by research, double the amount of information
learned

Research is coordinated through the Office of Planning and Research

Levels 3-5 school districts are allocated focused funds through the literacy grant to
participate in the Focus on Early Literacy and Learning Grant

UMass Donahue Institute (UMDI), paid through Consolidated Literacy funds, analyzes
data and writes the end-of-the-year report
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Massachusetts Early Literacy and Learning Action Plan
The Early Literacy Planning Team
We believe that students should experience a coherent philosophy, an aligned and integrated
curriculum, purposeful engaged learning filled with critical, complex and creative thinking
strategies, and developmentally appropriate, yet authentic opportunities of empowerment from
kindergarten through grade 3. This will impact the substantial change in expectations which are
addressed in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and within the descriptors of Students
Who are College and Career Ready (Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English
Language Arts (ELA) 2011, 9). The implementation of this plan is purposefully designed to
leverage the sustainability of the changes being asked of early childhood educators to make
within their classrooms, curriculum, and instructional practices.
The Early Literacy Plan’s Development Team consists of:
Alice Barton, Office of Literacy and Humanities
Amy Carithers, Office of Student Assessment
Mary Jane Crotty, Office of Learning Supports and Early Learning
Helene Levine, Office of Literacy and Humanities
Lauren McBride, Office of Literacy and Humanities
Nina Schlikin, Director, Office of Literacy and Humanities
Emily Taylor, Office of Learning Supports and Early Learning
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