WELCOME to the Kansas State Department of Education
English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects Website!
Over time this site will continue to grow and improve. Please feel free to explore the tabs at the top of the screen to access information about English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects standards and assessments.
All materials traditionally found on the KSDE website can be found under the Kansas ELA Standards tab above.
All users have access to the various pages of this site listed in the menus included within the blue banner near the top of the screen.
If you are a English Language Arts and Literacy educator from Kansas, please register at the top right-hand corner of this page to apply for access to additional materials, including blogs, wikis and forums on ELA education in Kansas.
If you are having trouble finding a resource, please use the contact information at the bottom of the page to ask about it. We intended to transfer everything from the old ELA web pages, but it is certainly possible we missed something and we understand that many visitors to our site may take a little time to get used to finding things on these new pages.
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Common Core Shifts for English Language Arts and Literacy
1. Building knowledge through content rich nonfiction
Building knowledge through content rich non-‐fiction plays an essential role in literacy and in the Standards. In K-5, fulfilling the standards requires a 50-50 balance between informational and literary reading. Informational reading primarily includes content rich non-fiction in history/social studies, science and the arts; the K-‐5 Standards strongly recommend that students build coherent general knowledge both within each year and across years. In 6-12, ELA classes place much greater attention to a specific category of informational text—literary nonfiction—than has been traditional. In grades 6-12, the Standards for literacy in history/social studies, science and technical subjects ensure that students can independently build knowledge in these disciplines through reading and writing.
To be clear, the Standards do require substantial attention to literature throughout K-12, as half of the required work in K-5 and the core of the work of 6-12 ELA teachers.
2. Reading, writing and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational
The Standards place a premium on students writing to sources, i.e., using evidence from texts to present careful analyses, well-‐defended claims, and clear information. Rather than asking students questions they can answer solely from their prior knowledge or experience, the Standards expect students to answer questions that depend on their having read the text or texts with care. The Standards also require the cultivation of narrative writing throughout the grades, and in later grades a command of sequence and detail will be essential for effective argumentative and informational writing.
Likewise, the reading standards focus on students’ ability to read carefully and grasp information, arguments, ideas and details based on text evidence. Students should be able to answer a range of text-‐dependent questions, questions in which the answers require inferences based on careful attention to the text.
3. Regular practice with complex text and its academic language
Rather than focusing solely on the skills of reading and writing, the Standards highlight the growing complexity of the texts students must read to be ready for the demands of college and careers. The Standards build a staircase of text complexity so that all students are ready for the demands of college-‐ and career-‐level reading no later than the end of high school.
Closely related to text complexity—and inextricably connected to reading comprehension—is a focus on academic vocabulary: words that appear in a variety of content areas (such as ignite and commit).
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In this section you will find NEW information in the field of English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. Just because the infomation is listed it does not necessarily mean that KSDE endorses the content. This is just a collection of ELA related information that is being accessed by educators across Kansas.
If you know of any new information you would like to share with the field please feel free to upload it for approval to the site. In order to upload information you must be a registered user to the site.
The database is searchable by the various categories listed.
If you read one of the items, please come back to the site and rate it so other teachers have more input about which ones to review.
*Note: make sure you have your browser set to accept pop-ups from this site in order to view the resources listed.
Search What's NEW in the ELA World
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New Publication from ETS: Seeing the Future --  VISIT |
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Wed 06/05/2013 @ 02:11
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Dear Colleague:
Educators in more than 73,000 schools across America are working toward the shifts in instruction required to help their students meet the academic expectations of the Common Core State Standards. However, many civic and parent leaders do not understand the need for — or the value of — the new standards and assessments.
Why did the states adopt the new standards and how will they affect day-to-day instruction in our nation's classrooms? More importantly, will the new standards and assessments lead to more students being better prepared for success in college, the workplace and life?
In this new publication, Seeing the Future (PDF), we provide parents and the public with the views of educators from across the country who believe in the Common Core State Standards and are working to implement them. We hope this proves to be a valuable resource as your communities evaluate the merits of these reforms.
Please share with your colleagues.
For more information and communication tools regarding the work of the six assessment consortia and the development of next-generation assessments, visit our website at www.k12center.org.
Best regards,
Pascal (Pat) D. Forgione Jr., Ph.D.
Distinguished Presidential Scholar and Executive Director
Center for K–12 Assessment & Performance Management at ETS
701 Brazos Street, Suite 500
Austin, TX 78701
Office: 1-512-439-0864
Email: pdforgione@k12center.org
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Research links physical activity with improved reading, math performance -- VISIT |
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Tue 06/04/2013 @ 11:57
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The increased focus that No Child Left Behind brought to reading and math has, over the years, caused many school administrators to reduce time spent in physical education and recess. However, a report released last month from the National Institute of Medicine finds that students need at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous exercise and such physical activity could lead to better academic performance in reading and math. The Deseret News (Salt Lake City)
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Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Practice Test -- VISIT |
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Tue 06/04/2013 @ 10:14
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Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
On May 29 we take another giant step in the development of the next-generation assessment system: the initial release of Smarter Balanced Practice Tests aligned to the Common Core in grades 3-8 and 11 in English Language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics. Starting Wednesday, students, teachers, and parents nationwide will have access to sets of assessment questions aligned to the Common Core. We hope these Practice Tests are used for professional development and for discussions with policymakers and other interested stakeholders. The Practice Tests will be freely available through a link on the Smarter Balanced website at: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/practice-test/.
While the Practice Tests will provide a preview of the Smarter Balanced assessments, we want users to know that they will not encompass the full range of content that students may encounter on the operational assessments. As such, they should not be used to guide instructional decisions about students. Also, users should know that this early release of practice items will be presented in a “fixed form” (i.e., not computer adaptive) and that users will not receive reports or scores. Although the Practice Tests follow a fixed-form model, the operational assessment system will be computer adaptive.
Development of the Smarter Balanced Assessment System will continue after the release of the Practice Tests and through summer 2014 in collaboration with member states and educators. By fall 2013, this initial version of the Practice Tests will be augmented with additional features, including:
- Full array of performance tasks for mathematics (including classroom-based activities);
- Classroom-based activities for ELA performance tasks in all grades;
- Scoring rubrics for items requiring extended writing;
- American Sign Language translation and other accommodation and accessibility tools.
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REVISED KCCRS Fact Sheet -- VISIT |
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Tue 05/21/2013 @ 10:51
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REVISED fact sheet over the KCCRS.
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Paid-DLM Summer Project-Deadline Extended -- VISIT |
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Thu 05/09/2013 @ 10:11
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We need your help promoting this opportunity to participate in item writing for the Dynamic Learning Maps project this summer.
The Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation (CETE) at the University of Kansas is hiring temporary, full-time staff to assist in the development of English language arts (ELA) and mathematics assessment items for Dynamic Learning Maps, an assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The position begins June 3, 2013 and continues through July 26, 2013, with the potential to work an additional two weeks based on availability and performance. Staff are expected to work 40 hours a week during this time period, with the exception of July 4-5. The work location will be Southwest Middle School in Lawrence, KS.
Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume highlighting pertinent experience with and knowledge of students with significant cognitive disabilities and/or academic content standards. Please apply online and include a cover letter indicating you are available for the full time period of June 3-July 26 and indicate your area of expertise, ELA or Math. Review of applications is in progress, and the application deadline HAS BEEN EXTENDED to May 29. We will complete hiring decisions by May 31, 2013. To apply, go to http://employment.ku.edu/jobs/2439. EOE M/F/D/V
Please share this opportunity with others who might assist us in recruiting.
Best Regards,
The DLM Team
http://dynamiclearningmaps.org/
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English Teachers Group Opposes Machine-Scored Writing -- VISIT |
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Thu 05/09/2013 @ 07:46
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Earlier this month, the National Council of Teachers of English issued a statement saying that machines just aren't able to score the aspects of writing that teachers prize most.
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Response: Ways To Develop Creative Thinking In The Common Core -- VISIT |
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Thu 05/09/2013 @ 07:45
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Three educators share techniques for pushing students to think creatively while also covering the analytical skills emphasized in the common core.
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