Besides close reading (Common Core)

[sassenach]

What other Common Core specific ELA skills should I be aware of?

 

My kids' writing teacher and I were just discussing CC and some of the specific vocabulary that students will be learning. Our desire is to make sure that the students are at least familiar with the skills/terms that their peers will be immersed in. 

 

So far I have a list of 55 critical vocabulary words, domain specific vocabulary, and close reading. I'm also familiar with the emphasis on technical reading.

 

Is there anything else? 

 

This is for middle school, if that makes a difference.

 

Thanks for any input!

[Southern Ivy]

www.corestandards.org
 

This is the official standards web page. It spells out everything you need to know for your grade. 

 

[Alessandra]

www.corestandards.org

 

This is the official standards web page. It spells out everything you need to know for your grade.

Yes, this. Go to the download the standards link, download, and read.

 

You probably know that there has been some criticism of the close reading style, as it can sometimes make reading too mechanical. I was taught close reading in school back in the last century. Give examples, I was told. But now, teachers often ask for exact quotes with page numbers. Imo, this can sometimes make you feel that you are being cross examined on the witness stand -- you need to present evidence for just about any comment. Good teachers try not to overdo this, but CC testing is another story.

 

One part of the ELA standard involves oral language. I notice that, since CC, my kids have to give more little speeches in class in middle school. I remember a big research has assignment, student made trifold posters and had to present their topics. Another assignment was a short, humorous talk.

 

Also, nonfiction, both reading and writing. For example, one middle school class assignment was to write a letter to the editor type of paper. Big change from the endless 'personal stories' (ugh) of previous years. CC has a list of suggested nonfiction. Note that there has been criticism that now fiction is being neglected.

[Southern Ivy]

Yes, this. Go to the download the standards link, download, and read.

 

You probably know that there has been some criticism of the close reading style, as it can sometimes make reading too mechanical. I was taught close reading in school back in the last century. Give examples, I was told. But now, teachers often ask for exact quotes with page numbers. Imo, this can sometimes make you feel that you are being cross examined on the witness stand -- you need to present evidence for just about any comment. Good teachers try not to overdo this, but CC testing is another story.

 

One part of the ELA standard involves oral language. I notice that, since CC, my kids have to give more little speeches in class in middle school. I remember a big research has assignment, student made trifold posters and had to present their topics. Another assignment was a short, humorous talk.

 

Also, nonfiction, both reading and writing. For example, one middle school class assignment was to write a letter to the editor type of paper. Big change from the endless 'personal stories' (ugh) of previous years. CC has a list of suggested nonfiction. Note that there has been criticism that now fiction is being neglected.

Embarrassed to even ask, since I'm a teacher and I feel I should know, but what exactly is close reading? It's not emphasized at our school and I honestly don't remember discussing or being instructed on this during my undergrad. 

[Alessandra]

Embarrassed to even ask, since I'm a teacher and I feel I should know, but what exactly is close reading? It's not emphasized at our school and I honestly don't remember discussing or being instructed on this during my undergrad.

Op used the term. I don't recall if CC uses the same term or not, but an example might make it clearer:

 

Student says, "Main character was mean"

Vs

Student says, "Main character was 'mean as a rattlesnake' (page 17)."

 

On tests, students may be asked what a certain word means in context. Ex: What is the significance of the word ketchup in the first chapter of Of Mice and Men? Not a bad question, actually, but requires close reading to find the places where the word is used.

 

Note that I am presuming that is what op meant, don't be embarrassed and correct me if I am wrong! More examples:

 

http://www.parcconline.org/assessments/practice-tests

[Tsuga]

You probably know that there has been some criticism of the close reading style, as it can sometimes make reading too mechanical. I was taught close reading in school back in the last century. Give examples, I was told. But now, teachers often ask for exact quotes with page numbers. Imo, this can sometimes make you feel that you are being cross examined on the witness stand -- you need to present evidence for just about any comment. Good teachers try not to overdo this, but CC testing is another story.

 

I agree that at early ages it is really laborious. But when my stepson is asked for an example, though theoretically he seems to know what an example is, he cannot do it. However if you tell him, find a place in the text in which the person acts that way, quote and page number, he understands it. It's like vague terms such as "example" do not convey the information he needs to complete the assignment.

 

It is like even if we say, "an example IS from the text", without the quotes and page number it has to be from the text, he thinks it's not verifiable. Like we wouldn't notice, like it's not clear that "because the book says so" is not an example. Or like "John is obviously selfish because he is selfish" is an example from the text. But if it says find a quote, he can do it. It is bizarre, to be honest.

 

So I can see why they do that. Some people are just really concrete. So if we are going to get at least 80% of the population to do it, we have to lay it out in no uncertain terms. Find an action. Copy it. Give a page number.

[sassenach]

www.corestandards.org

 

This is the official standards web page. It spells out everything you need to know for your grade. 

I have, believe me. But there are some Common Core-isms that are rolled out over the course of k-12, like the examples I gave above, that don't get specifically defined in each grade level of standards, if that makes sense. 

 

Here is one close reading resource I've found.  There are heaps and heaps online. 

 

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec12/vol70/num04/Closing-in-on-Close-Reading.aspx

 

What I'm hearing is that I haven't missed anything, which is great. I think the critical vocabulary gives me more than enough to focus on for this year!

 

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/113040.aspx

[debi21]

So I'm doing a course on Content Literacy, and there is this bit we read about this past week that I thought was interesting, so I will share it in case it's interesting to others. It's basically like four levels of reading the text, where all are important but the idea is with close reading you reread the work over and over until you have looked at all of these things.

 

The four category questions and the specifics are

 

1. What does the text say? - This is the ability to summarize main ideas and to answer questions on details in the text.

2. How does the text work? - This is text structure questions, like knowing vocabulary words and being able to identify cause/effect, compare/contrast, problem/solution and the like in the text.

3. What does the text mean? - This is about the author's craft, including why they use particular word choices, syntax, use of pictures or graphs, genre of writing, what is the author's point of view/biases and purpose in writing.

4. What does the text inspire you to do? - I don't like the way this question is worded; as far as I understand, this is being able to write critiques or opinion pieces making arguments about the issues raised in the text.

 

Each one of these is kind of "deeper" in terms of the level of bloom's taxonomy required, but we talked about how often it's numbers 2 and 3 that get overlooked. I found it a very useful list to consider.

 

[Alessandra]

So I'm doing a course on Content Literacy, and there is this bit we read about this past week that I thought was interesting, so I will share it in case it's interesting to others. It's basically like four levels of reading the text, where all are important but the idea is with close reading you reread the work over and over until you have looked at all of these things.

 

The four category questions and the specifics are

 

1. What does the text say? - This is the ability to summarize main ideas and to answer questions on details in the text.

2. How does the text work? - This is text structure questions, like knowing vocabulary words and being able to identify cause/effect, compare/contrast, problem/solution and the like in the text.

3. What does the text mean? - This is about the author's craft, including why they use particular word choices, syntax, use of pictures or graphs, genre of writing, what is the author's point of view/biases and purpose in writing.

4. What does the text inspire you to do? - I don't like the way this question is worded; as far as I understand, this is being able to write critiques or opinion pieces making arguments about the issues raised in the text.

 

Each one of these is kind of "deeper" in terms of the level of bloom's taxonomy required, but we talked about how often it's numbers 2 and 3 that get overlooked. I found it a very useful list to consider.

I like that approach.