Middle School English Language Arts Instructional Guide

Last Updated May 22nd, 2025 Middle School ELA, Page 1

Table of Contents

Updated Instructional Guide Features Beyond the Bell Best Practices in ELA Canyons Secondary Writing Framework Standards for Classroom Novel Use w/ District Policy and State Law Book Approval Process State ELA Resources AI Essentials for ELA Educators Digital Tools to Support Secondary ELA Disciplinary Literacy Close Reading Routine Special Education Supports Do and Don’ts for Supporting Advanced Learners Implementing Common Formative Assessments (CFAs) in Secondary English Language Arts Middle School Assessment Calendar for 2024-25 District-Wide Standards Based Assessment (DWSBA) & RISE Testing NWEA MAP Reading Screener FAQ and Resources

ELA Resources

Assessments

Year at a Glance Units 1-4 Approved Commonly Taught Novels for Grade 6 Year at a Glance Units 1-4 Approved Commonly Taught Novels for Grades 7-8 Year at a Glance Units 1-4 Approved, Commonly Taught Novels for Grades 7-8 Vertically Aligned Standards Grade 6, Unpacked Standards with Aligned CFAs Grades 7-8, Unpacked Standards with Aligned CFA’s

ELA 6

ELA 7

ELA 8

State Standards

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UPDATED INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE FEATURES

Feature

Description

This document provides guidance for secondary ELA teachers on designing, administering, and using Common Formative Assessments (CFAs) with a focus on writing and on-demand tasks to support student growth and collaborative instructional practices This document provides practical strategies and guidelines for English Language Arts educators in Canyons School District to integrate AI responsibly and effectively into reading, writing, speaking, and listening instruction while fostering student agency and critical thinking. Utah Administrative Rule R277-728 defines the requirements for honors courses in public schools, emphasizing increased academic rigor, student engagement, and depth of content. The rule requires that honors courses be accessible to all interested students (without prerequisites) and that schools promote these opportunities equitably to students and families. Beyond the Bell offers ongoing opportunities for secondary ELA educators to deepen their professional practice through collaborative and enrichment-focused experiences. From practical strategies to inspiring conversations, these sessions are designed to spark fresh ideas and strengthen your impact in the classroom.

COMMON FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS IN SECONDARY ELA

AI ESSENTIALS FOR ELA EDUCATORS

USBE HONORS COURSE GUIDELINES

BEYOND THE BELL

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BEYOND THE BELL

Professional Practice

Description

Kick off the school year with purpose at District Day—a dynamic half-day gathering for all secondary (6–12) ELA teachers to connect, collaborate, and align. Come build meaningful vertical connections, share powerful practices, and set the tone for a unified, impactful year of teaching and learning. Join fellow ELA, Library, and SALTA teachers for a book study of Just Read It by Jared Amato, focused on practical strategies to support student choice reading and build a stronger reading culture. Kick off the New Year with A 30-Day Writing Habit, a no-pressure, email-based experience starting the first week of January, designed to help teachers build a consistent writing practice and model the writing process for students. District-wide collaboration brings educators in common subject areas together to share ideas, solve problems, and improve instruction. By using data, shared strategies, and cross-school PLCs, teachers enhance both professional practice and student learning. The dates can be located here . Join the AI Innovations Ambassadors to lead the way in using AI thoughtfully and effectively in ELA classrooms. Together, we’ll explore best practices, tackle real challenges, and share key insights to support a purposeful rollout of Magic School AI across the district.

DISTRICT DAY

BOOK STUDY: JUST READ IT BY JARED AMATO

30-DAY WRITING COMMUNITY, YEAR 4

DISTRICT-WIDE COLLABORATION DATES

AI INNOVATION AMBASSADORS

OTHER

TBD

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Best Practices in ELA

READING Utilize Diverse Texts

Plan instruction around texts that are at grade level, developmentally appropriate, and are culturally relevant in a broader context. ●​ Encourage students to analyze texts from different angles. Discuss how characters’ backgrounds, experiences, and cultural contexts shape their viewpoints. ●​ Provide daily opportunities to read from a variety of sources. ●​ Provide daily opportunities to read texts of a variety of lengths.

Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors by Rudine Sims Bishop

Culturally Responsive Teaching Rubric, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Resource: Accessing Complex Texts Resource: Text Complexity

Student Choice Create an environment to encourage students’ intrinsic motivation in reading, there are two keys. Students are more motivated when they value what they are doing and when they believe they have a chance for success. Use text sets and literature circles to increase student choice.

Motivating Students with Book Choice from Edutopia

Student Choice is the Key to Turning Students Into Readers, by Jenni Aberli, International Literacy Association “Literature Circles: How Educators Can Make this Small Group Exercise Work Better in Classrooms” from Harvard Graduate School of Education Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices from What Works Clearinghouse (see recommendation #2) “Does Your Comprehension Strategy Instruction Have this Key Element?” by Tim Shanahan “The Skill, Will, and Thrill of Reading Comprehension” by Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey Teaching High School Students Active Reading Skills by Sunaina Sharma, Edutopia

Explicit Reading Instruction

Instruct students on specific reading strategies, such as predicting, summarizing, visualizing, questioning, and making inferences. Model these strategies, provide guided practice, and offer opportunities for independent application across different genres and types of texts.

Active Reading Techniques

●​ Pre-Reading: Activate prior knowledge and set purpose for reading through activities like predicting and discussing key concepts. ●​ Guided Reading and Think-Alouds: Model fluent reading and comprehension strategies, pausing to ask questions and clarify misunderstandings.

Active Reading Strategies, Or Reading for Writing , Vanderbilt University

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●​ Active Reading Strategies: Encourage students to annotate, ask questions, and make connections while reading to deepen understanding. ●​ Discussion and Collaborative Learning: Foster discussion and critical thinking through small group and whole class discussions. ●​ Post-Reading Reflection and Extension Activities: Synthesize understanding and extend learning through writing responses and engaging in projects.

The Skill, Will, and Thrill of Reading Comprehension , Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey, ASCD

Active Reading Techniques (cont’d)

Resource: Writing Text Dependent Questions

WRITING

A Culture of Writers

Foster a dynamic writing environment that sustains a positive writing culture and empowers students as writers.

The Writing Habit Write daily in a variety of formats, and for a variety of purposes. Writing to Learn Use low stakes writing to write about content to navigate ideas, build upon learning and comprehension, and to communicate thinking. Writing Feedback Provide frequent during-writing feedback and targeted instruction based on formative data. Specific strategy instruction on the characteristics and components of good writing via modeling, explanation, and guided practice. Writing Modes Use technology and emerging technologies to support writing processes, practices, and products. Mentor Texts Select writing that exemplifies specific literary techniques, genres, or styles, providing students with models to analyze and emulate in their own writing. Writing as Process

See the CSD Writing Framework, linked image below, to learn more and to see strategies for each pillar of the Writing Framework.

By studying mentor texts, students can gain insight into effective writing strategies, deepen their understanding of literary conventions, and improve their skills through guided practice and reflection.

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SPEAKING AND LISTENING Structured Academic Discussion

Teachers will provide students with opportunities to discuss in order to express learning, gain knowledge, engage with text, demonstrate growth, and communicate with the world around them. Teachers will develop opportunities for all students ●​ to speak daily, ●​ for a range of purposes, ●​ Audiences, ●​ and lengths of time.

Structured Academic Discussion (link to resource in guide)

Structured Academic Discussion (cont’d)

Active Listening Explicitly teach and practice active listening skills. This can involve activities such as listening to podcasts, TED Talks, or audio recordings of speeches, and then discussing the main points, arguments, and techniques used by the speakers. Provide student strategies for active listening, such as making eye contact, nodding, summarizing key points, and asking relevant questions.

“Practices that Support Listening” by Katie Alford, excerpt from English Journal

Reflective Listening, University of New South Wales, Sydney

Explicitly Teaching Listening in the ELA Curriculum: Why and How by Katie Alford, McKendree University Strategies for Supporting Students’ Speaking and Listening Skills by Lisa Schultz, Edutopia

Authentic Communication

Provide opportunities for students to engage in authentic, real-world communication tasks both inside and outside the classroom. This could involve interacting with guest speakers, conducting interviews, participating in community service projects, or communicating with peers from different cultural backgrounds through pen-pal exchanges or virtual collaborations. These tasks help students apply their speaking and listening skills in meaningful contexts and develop intercultural competence. Incorporate performance tasks that assess students' ability to apply skills in authentic performance contexts. Create varied assessment types that measure different aspects of student learning. This could include formative assessments such as quizzes, exit tickets, and writing prompts for ongoing feedback and adjustment of instruction. Summative assessments like essays, projects, and presentations allow students to demonstrate their understanding over longer periods and in more comprehensive ways. Incorporate reflective assessment practices where students critically evaluate their own work and learning process.

The Profound Effects of Language in Both ELA and Math , Timothy Shanahan and Jeff Zwiers, UnboundED

Speaking of Speaking by John Larmer, ASCD

Assessment Authentic Assessment

Authentic Assessment: Where to Start by Joanna Dolgin, Kim Kelly, and Sarvenaz Zelkha, NCTE

Assessing Applied Skills by Joe DiMartino and Andrea Castaneda, ASCD

The Case for Reflective Assessment by Lauryn H. Evans

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Canyons School District Secondary Writing Framework

Writing Pillars

Description

Supporting Research

Foster a dynamic writing environment that sustains a positive writing culture and empowers students as writers. Write daily in a variety of formats, and for a variety of purposes. Write about content to navigate ideas, build upon learning and comprehension, and to communicate thinking. Provide frequent during-writing feedback and targeted instruction based on formative data. Specific strategy instruction on the characteristics and components of good writing via modeling, explanation, and guided practice.

What Works Clearinghouse: Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively NCTE Statement Principles 2.2, 3.1 Habits of Mind A Path to Better Writing: Evidence-Based Practices in The Classroom, 361-362 NCTE Statement Principles 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.4 Utah State Standards: Writing Strand Grade Bands 6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 A Path to Better Writing: Evidence-Based Practices in The Classroom, 360-361 NCTE Statement Principle 3.4 A Path to Better Writing: Evidence-Based Practices in The Classroom, 361 Hattie, J. (2023). Writing Programs. In Visible Learning: The sequel (pp. 271–274). NCTE Statement Principle 3.1, 3.3 A Path to Better Writing: Evidence-Based Practices in The Classroom, 362-363 Hattie, J. (2023). Writing Programs. In Visible Learning: The sequel (pp. 271–274). NCTE Statement Principle 3.1 Framework for Success “Developing Flexible Writing Processes” (pages 7-8) Implementing the Writing Process Framework for Success "Developing Knowledge of Conventions" (page 9) Framework for Success "Developing Critical Thinking" (page 11) A Path to Better Writing: Evidence-Based Practices in The Classroom, 363 Hattie, J. (2023). Writing Programs. In Visible Learning: The sequel (pp. 271–274).

1. Create and maintain a supportive writing environment

2. Write extensively

3. Engage students in writing to learn and low-stakes writing

4. Facilitate as students compose

5. Teach critical skills, processes, and knowledge

NCTE Statement Principle 1.1, 2.3 Framework for Success "Developing Knowledge of Conventions" (page 9) A Path to Better Writing: Evidence-Based Practices in The Classroom, 364

Use technology and emerging technologies to support writing processes, practices, and products.

6. Utilize next generation writing modes

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1. Create and Maintain a Supportive Writing Environment

Foster a dynamic writing environment that sustains a positive writing culture and empowers students as writers. Students need a supportive writing environment in order to take risks and improve as writers.

Description:

Rationale:

Resources:

Middle School ELA Resource Hub

​

Best Practices

Critical Components

●​ Focus on amplifying the effective moves. ●​ Re-establish student writing identity and momentum. Begin to see themselves as writers again. (Gallagher) ●​ Honor student voice in writing. ●​ Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. ●​ Collaborate in writing with students ●​ Allow students to see your writing process in all variations versus only the best draft ●​ Use think-alouds with students while writing so they can your decision-making process ●​ Stop frequently and make explicit the choices writers make to create an effect for an intended audience. ●​ Focus on how diction, tone, and punctuation can change meaning. ●​ Ask the following: What am I trying to say? Have I said it?

Create and maintain an asset-based approach to student writing.

Write alongside students and allow yourself to be vulnerable in modeling the writing process and decisions writers make.

Approach writing as problem-solving.

Notes/Ideas:

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2. Write Extensively

Description:

Write daily in a variety of formats and for a variety of purposes.

To build consistency in student writing, increase writing fluency, and expose students to a variety of purposes and audiences.

Rationale:

Resources:

Middle School ELA Resource Hub

​

Best Practices

Critical Components

Journals - Composition Notebook 1. ​ Part of the daily classroom routine 2. ​ Generative writing is the focus 3. ​ Gradual release - be explicit at first with structure 4.​ Multiple ways to use the journal: starter, free writes, notes, prewriting, drafting, revision, interactive 5. ​ Add in scaffolding for SPED and ML to lighten the writing load for students who need the support, but still maintain value in the notebook 6. ​ Use to help students reflect on their learning and writing 7. ​ Ungraded or minimal grading

Focus on consistency instead of intensity Engage real world writing for a variety of purposes

Students write more than can be read, or graded

Notes/Ideas:

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3. Engage Students in Writing to Learn and Low-stakes Writing

Write about content to navigate ideas, build upon learning and comprehension, and to communicate thinking. Writing to learn encourages students to develop critical thinking skills by exploring ideas rather than focusing on a structure or product.

Description:

Rationale:

Resources:

Middle School ELA Resource Hub

​

Best Practices

Critical Components

Integrate writing in conjunction with:

●​ Activating background knowledge ●​ Honoring funds of knowledge ●​ Building vocabulary ●​ Exploring Ideas and Concepts ●​ Annotating for a purpose ●​ Analysis and evaluation

pre-reading

during reading

●​ Reflection ●​ Metacognitive practices ●​ Synthesizing learning

after reading

Notes/Ideas:

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4. Facilitate as Students Compose

Provide frequent during-writing feedback and targeted instruction based on formative data. Writing is a process and students should get feedback in order to improve throughout the process. “The work of a writing teacher is response and encouragement.” Kelly Gallagher

Description:

Rationale:

Resources:

Middle School ELA Resource Hub

​

Best Practices

Critical Components

●​ Student’s asking for feedback for a specific purpose ●​ Peer writing groups ●​ Students who receive feedback through classroom discussion improve their outcomes (Hattie .82 effect size) ●​ Review student work while they are engaged in the writing process to gather formative data ●​ Allow time for students to practice during class and to engage in a feedback cycle about their writing decisions ●​ Best drafts are for grading; feedback needs to be given before grading. ●​ Limit comments to one or two suggestions that might help the student make the writing better.

Regularly engage in student writing conferences

Ensure students receive feedback in the midst of drafting

Feedback on a best draft is limited.

Notes/Ideas:

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5. Teach Critical Skills, Processes, and Knowledge

Specific strategy instruction on the characteristics and components of good writing via modeling, explanation, and guided practice.

Description:

Rationale: Resources:

Writers learn a process in one genre that is largely transferable to other genres.

Middle School ELA Resource Hub

​

Best Practices

Critical Components

●​ Tap into prior knowledge ●​ Provide students with a step-by-step structure for engaging the writing process ●​ Use collaborative writing strategies with students ●​ Model by writing with students ●​ “Read, Analyze, Imitate. If students can identify strategies, they can begin to use them.” Kelly Gallagher ○​ Read the mentor text ○​ Analyze the writing moves ○​ Try the moves in your own writing

Scaffold writing using learning progressions

Provide mentor texts for students to model their writing after

Notes/Ideas:

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6. Utilize Next Generation Writing Modes

Use technology and emerging technologies to support writing processes, practices, and products. To address inequalities in digital technologies and competencies, continuing curricular innovation in the ELA curriculum at all levels of K–12 education is needed. - NCTE Position Statement: Media Education in English Language Arts .

Description:

Rationale:

Resources:

Middle School ELA Resource Hub ​

Best Practices

Critical Components

●​ Be explicit in teaching and studying the writing modality based on mentor texts ●​ Focus on writing for a real audience and authentic purpose ●​ Show how writers are transferring a similar structure from one writing skill to a new genre or format ●​ Engage the writing process through to production ●​ Look for ways to use modes of writing that go beyond substitution, but instead allow for augmentation, modification, and/or redefinition.

Experiment with different modes of writing, beyond traditional writing formats, for real audiences and purposes.

Notes/Ideas:

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Standards for Classroom Novel Use

Purpose of novels in classroom instruction

To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students must read widely and deeply from a broad range of high-quality, increasingly challenging literary and informational texts. Through extensive reading of stories, dramas, poems, and myths from diverse cultures and time periods, students gain literary and cultural knowledge as well as familiarity with various text structures and elements. Novels act a mirrors, window, and sliding-glass doors where students can “celebrate both our differences and our similarities, because together they are what makes us all human” ( Bishop, 2015 ) As stated in District Policy 600.02 - Instructional Materials , any book taught in its entirety will need to be approved through the Fiction and Nonfiction Book Approval Process (Exhibit 5) and listed in the Book Approval Database . All instructional materials (including teacher-selected materials) need to follow the Instructional Materials Selection Criteria . If your novel will address controversial topics, follow Policy 600.16—Study of Controversial Issues . Instructional materials that have sensitive materials are not not allowed to be taught in Utah Schools per state law ( House Bill 29 and related codes cited in the bill).

District Policy and State Law

Guiding questions 1.​ What standards am I teaching? How does this novel support those standards? 2.​ What are the needs of the students in my class? How will I scaffold this novel to meet those needs?

3.​ What background knowledge do students need in order to access this novel? 4.​ What will students be doing to show their thinking during the reading of this novel?

Implementation and Alignment to

Meets Standard

Does Not Meet Standard

Scope and Sequence

A variety of text types and complexities are used in class with appropriate tasks. Actively reading using strategies, e.g., ●​ Annotating the text ●​ Citing textual evidence ●​ Note-taking (Cornell notes, guided notes, etc.)

Difficult texts not appropriately scaffolded

Low-level texts not matched to difficult task

Students follow along as teacher reads without accompanying active task Students listening to tape without accompanying active task Students reading silently without accompanying active task Understanding of the novel demonstrated through an end of novel test focusing on recall Discussions and writing focus on the events of the novel, not pulling evidence to support larger ideas. No close readings of novel performed

Use of text is focused on standards. Short sections selected for close reading.

Students demonstrate their thinking through academic discussion and writing in a variety of ways. Teachers require students to use textual evidence to support academic discussion and writing, demonstrating a varying degree of depth of knowledge. Class time used to actively read sections for whole-class activities. Other sections assigned as outside reading. Limited sections of audio used to support active reading (eg., a few minutes of listening followed by independent reading, followed by partner discussion).

Depth of knowledge only includes 1 or 2

Considerable class time spent to read or listen to the novel in order to read the entire novel in class.

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Book Approval Process

Tools and Resources

As stated in District Policy 600.02 - Instructional Materials , any book taught in its entirety will need to be approved by the district committee (600.03-3.4 Supplemental Instructional Materials).

Criteria for novel approval: ●​ Text Complextiy

○​ Quantitative text complexity ○​ Qualitative text complexity ○​ Task and reader complexity ●​ Curriculum map and standards alignment ●​ Community appropriateness

Process for novel approval : 1.​ Teacher submits rationale ensuring that the novel meets the requirements for approval based on text complexity rubrics (qualitative, quantitative, task and reader), map alignment, support of the standards, and community appropriateness. 2.​ The district Book Selection Committee will review the book and application for approval. The committee consists of district personnel, teachers, administrators, and parents/guardians from each feeder system. 3.​ The committee will either approve or deny the application and rationale will be written on the application. The book will be added to the database.* A novel may be re-submitted after consideration of use and change to the original submission. To add a novel that has been approved for another grade or system, parts of previously approved novel rationales may be used. ●​ Concerns about materials should be communicated to the school’s administrator. ●​ Questions about the approval process should be directed to the Instructional Supports Department.

*The database was first created in 2017.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Link

QR Code

Book Database

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ELA Resources from Utah State Department of Education

Utah Administrative Rule R277-728 defines the requirements for honors courses in public schools, emphasizing increased academic rigor, student engagement, and depth of content. The rule requires that honors courses be accessible to all interested students (without prerequisites) and that schools promote these opportunities equitably to students and families. The core guides provide correlation and connections between standards horizontally and vertically. They give academic language and activity suggestions, as well as learning progressions. Utah’s New English Language Arts Standards Overview is the slidedeck from the summer 2023 training on the new state standards. These best practices support implementation of the Utah English Language Arts Standards with the goal that students read, write, speak, and listen in every class session using grade-level texts and content. Includes additional articles for further reading. UEN is curating a hub for secondary ELA resources. Phase 1 is now live. You can find lesson plans and resources aligned to the state standards. *Please evaluate any resources you find before using in your classrooms. Linked to the right are USBE sponsored webinars on topics for secondary ELA classes. The links will take you to a folder with the recording, presentation, and any other additional materials shared by the presenters. Linked are the official state standards and supplemental standards.

R277-728. Honors Courses

USBE RULE R277-728-3. Honors Course Objectives

Utah State ELA Standards

Utah State Supplemental Standards for ELA

State of Utah ELA Core Guides: Grades 9-10

Standards & Core Guides

Grades 11-12

Utah's New English Language Arts Standards Overview

USBE’s Best Practices in ELA

Best Practices in ELA

UEN Secondary ELA Media Hub

UEN Secondary ELA Media Hub

●​ Why You Should Teach Listening Explicitly - Katie Alford ●​ Besting the Grammar Beast - Deborah Dean ●​ Multimodal Writing & Research - Amber Jensen ●​ Reading with Purpose - Lauren Aimonette Liang ●​ Restoring Humanity to Striving Readers - Panel Discussion ●​ Indigenous America through

Secondary ELA Webinars

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Literature - Donna Sabis-Burns

DIGITAL TOOLS TO SUPPORT SECONDARY ELA Note : Be sure to vet the content from these resources to ensure they are age-appropriate before incorporating them into your classroom instruction. Digital Tool Brief Description Resources

Select the button below to learn more about how you can use the resources on this page.

On this Canvas site, you can find grade level specific resources; archived thematic units; professional learning screencasts, newsletters, and podcasts; a place to collaborate and solicit ideas from other grade level teachers in the district; and more. In UEN’s Secondary English Language Arts Hub, you can access high-quality teaching resources aligned to the Utah Secondary English Language Arts standards. CommonLit is a comprehensive literacy program with thousands of reading lessons, full-year ELA curriculum, benchmark assessments, and standards-based data for teachers. TeachingBooks is an ever-expanding database of digital resources about children's and young adult books and their authors and illustrators. The resource collection includes author and illustrator interviews, video book trailers, audio book readings, book discussion guides, and much more. MagicSchool is a powerful AI platform designed specifically for educators, offering over 100 tools that streamline lesson planning, resource creation, and student support—helping teachers save time and enhance learning outcomes effortlessly. Scrible (https://www.scrible.com/) is a research and writing platform that can be used to bookmark, annotate, organize, and share articles and webpages. The Utah State Board of Education has secured a statewide contract to provide Scrible Edu Pro to all Utah K-12 educators and students. Beanstack is a web and mobile app used to track independent reading time, and help build a culture of reading in school and at home. Beanstack makes it easier for you to help kids track reading, keep kids motivated to read, and provide feedback and insights into the reading habits at your school. Each Mini Moves for Writers video focuses on how to use one professional writing move that will enhance writing style, argumentation, voice, grammar, or organization. Check out just one to master a specific move, or watch multiple videos to support your students’ writing practice.

Middle School ELA Resource Hub

UEN Secondary ELA Media Hub

CommonLit

Teaching Books

MagicSchool AI

Scrible

Beanstack

Mini Moves for Writers

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DISCIPLINARY LITERACY Specific reading, writing, and communicating within a discipline.

Disciplinary literacy refers to the specifics of reading, writing, and communicating in a discipline. It focuses on the ways of thinking, the skills, and the tools that are used by experts in the disciplines (Shanahan & Shanahan, 2012). Each discipline (e.g., science, math, history,

art, technology, etc.) has a specialized vocabulary and components that are unique to that discipline. Secondary students need to be taught what is unique about each discipline and the “nuanced differences in producing knowledge via written language across multiple disciplines” (Moje, 2007, p. 9). Content literacy strategies typically include ways to approach text in any discipline; these strategies help with comprehension but are not sufficient for an in-depth understanding of a particular discipline. Content literacy strategies include

predicting what the text might be about before reading, paraphrasing during reading, and summarizing after reading. However, in addition to these strategies, students must learn and use specific strategies to comprehend complex text in the disciplines. For example, when reading historical documents, students need to contextualize information (When was it written? Who was the audience? What was going on in society at that time?); source the document (Who wrote it? For what purpose?); and corroborate conclusions (Do other documents written during that time have the same perspective and come to the same conclusions?).

English Language Arts

Mathematics

Social Studies

Science

●​ Story elements: who, what when, where, why ●​ Literal vs. implied meaning ●​ Themes Text structures ●​ Genres: i.e., poetry, essay, fiction

●​ Search for the “truth” and for errors ●​ Importance of each word and symbol ●​ Interpretation of information presented in unusual ways ●​ Mathematical modeling & problem solving

●​ Author’s perspective and bias; sourcing ●​ Time period: contextualization ●​ Corroboration of multiple perspectives and documents ●​ Rhetorical constructions

●​ Facts based on evidence ●​ Graphs, charts, formulas ●​ Corroboration and transformation ●​ Concepts such as data analysis, hypothesis,

observations, investigations

Literacy in the disciplines is crucial for several reasons. A secondary students’ ability to read complex texts is strongly predictive of their performance in college math and science courses (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2011). Yet students are reading less in high school than they did fifty years ago. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010) emphasize close reading of complex text in the disciplines to build a foundation for college and career readiness. Adapted from Shanahan, shanahanonliteracy.com

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Disciplinary Literacy in Literature

Disciplinary literacy is important because each discipline represents different cultures that: ●​ have different purposes and approaches to knowledge ●​ use different methods to gain information ●​ depend on different kinds of evidence ●​ write different kinds of text ●​ read with those differences in mind

To create artificial worlds that provide insight into the human condition.

Purpose

Truth is irrelevant.

Belief

Use of story and poetry to interpret the human condition.

Methods

Is an interpretation of meaning based on textual clues?

Evidence

Poems, short stories, novels, plays; critiques; most emphasizing character, plot, rising action, climax, theme, literary devices. Read in accordance with a particular literary tradition (e.g. close reading, reader response scholarly reading, using a particular interpretive lens/poststructural). ●​ Imagery (description, metaphor, simile); ●​ Figuration (symbolism, irony, satire); ●​ Rhetorical strategies and patterns (parallelism, understatement, exaggeration, repetition, allusion); ●​ Problems of point of view (narrators); ●​ Aesthetic choices; ●​ Character, setting and plot development

Texts

Approach to Reading

Text Characterizations

All in service of theme(s) author wants to develop

Words describing emotions, states of mind, the senses e.g. paroxysm, “ the insane joy of the hunt, when as I climb the rock, my face contorted, gasping, shouting voluptuously senseless words

Vocabulary

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CLOSE READING ROUTINE Effect Size 0.75

Critical Actions for Educators

Close reading is an instructional routine in which students critically examine a complex text, through repeated readings, annotations, collaborative conversations and text dependent questions. Close reading invites students to examine the key ideas and details, craft and structure, and integration of knowledge and ideas. These close readings of complex text must also include consideration of the author’s purpose, how ideas connect to other texts, and how readers synthesize and consolidate information to formulate opinions. The primary objective of a close reading is to afford students with the opportunity to assimilate new textual information with their existing background knowledge and prior experiences to expand their schema. The challenge is in not becoming so focused on background knowledge and prior experiences, but that we spend time pressing for textual evidence.

—-------------------------- ●​ Select the purpose for the close read (i.e. standard/concept) ●​ Choose an appropriate SHORT Complex Text ●​ Write text dependent questions ●​ Provide purpose for annotation ●​ Provide purpose for repeated readings ●​ Plan for structured classroom discussion by

A second purpose of a close reading is to build the necessary habits of readers when they engage with a complex piece of text. These include building stamina and persistence when confronted by a reading that isn’t easily consumed. In addition, students need to build the habit of considering their own background knowledge when there isn’t someone prompting them to do so.

creating space, writing sentence frames, and word banks.

A third purpose is to take new knowledge and apply it to a performance task that might include a written prompt, a rich classroom discussion (i.e, socratic seminar, philosophical chair, debate) or an action (i.e. creating a brochure to encourage others to reduce plastic waste in the oceans).

Key Features of a Close Reading Routine Include

Short Complex Passages of Text Limited Front loading Repeated Readings Text-Dependent Questions

Annotations Structured Classroom Discussion Extension Performance Task

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Close Reading Routine K-2: teacher reads aloud initially, annotates wholly or guides student annotation. Students may eventually read independently depending on text complexity/difficulty 3 - 12: students read independently and annotate with increased independence. Struggling readers may be read to or explored to text previously in small groups. Teacher Preparation Prior to Student’s First Read ●​ Select and pre-read a text worthy of multiple reads ●​ Read and plan for the purpose of the close read ●​ Prepare text dependent questions (TDQ) ●​ Prepare sentence frames for discussion and questioning First Read Teacher Roles Student Role Text Dependent Questions ●​ Explain the purpose and structure for reading and annotating the text ●​ Notice where students struggle ●​ Facilitate discussions with precision partners ●​ Provide questions/sentence frames ●​ Students read unfamiliar text for the first time (access to text) ●​ Annotate confusing words and find main idea ●​ Discuss/share ●​ Write ●​ Retell or Summarize Key Ideas and Details - What does the text say? ●​ What is the main idea? ●​ What is the theme? ●​ What did you learn? ●​ Summarize the text Second Read Teacher Roles Student Role Text Dependent Questions ●​ Shared read ●​ Think aloud ●​ Pause to model thinking ●​ Demonstrate use of structural or context clues to gain meaning. Focus on craft and structure of text ●​ Facilitate discussions with precision partners ●​ Provide questions/sentence frames ●​ Track ●​ Active Listening ●​ Choral/Echo/Cloze/Dyad Read to provide access to text ●​ Annotate ●​ Discuss/Share ●​ Write Craft & Structure - How does the text work? Structure ●​ Compare/Contrast, Problem/Solution, Cause/Effect, Sequence, Descriptive Craft ●​ Literary devices: e.g. allegory, allusion, cliffhanger, imagery, irony, satire, time lapse

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Unique structures: e.g. diary, journal, sayings, prologue & epilogue

Third Read

Teacher Roles

Student Role

Text Dependent Questions

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Text dependent questions to prompt rereading and encourage the use of textual evidence in supporting answers Focus on integration of knowledge and ideas for students to describe and explain logical connections, reason with evidence, mood, or themes, opinions, intertextual connections, inferences and point of view. Facilitate discussions with precision partners Provide questions/sentence frames Provides format for final response and facilitates students with scaffolds for success as students write about the text. Scaffolds may include summary in foursquare, short constructed response, paragraph frame

Re-read for logical connections, reason with evidence, mood, or themes, opinions, intertextual connections, inferences and point of view

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas - What does the text mean?

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Glean deeper meanings, subjective, speculative, debate and disagreement, alternative points of view, author’s purpose and inferences

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Annotate text evidence Discuss/share/write

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Performance Task or Written Application

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Students write responses to teacher provided prompt using evidence from text and appropriate grammar

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas - What does the text inspire you to do? ●​ Debate, conduct an experiment, research, socratic seminar, philosophical chairs

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Secondary ELA & Special Education Implementation Tools & Resources

Special Education is used to support students through Individualized Education Plans in order to access the General Education Core Standards. ELA: THe Utah Core Standards for ELA Practice : are included to provide a reference of your grade-level standards in Reading Literature and Information texts, Language Conventions, Writing, and Speaking and Listening. These standards are included in grade-level bands (6, 7-8,9-10, 11-12 ) and offer a focus for instruction to help ensure that students gain adequate mastery of a range of skills and applications. Utah Core Standards Alignment and IEP goals . Standards based IEP goals are written with the use of the core standards. Case managers align students' current abilities on the continuum of standards and address the needs required to close the educational gap. Reasonable individual gains are considered when writing a one year IEP goal. Special Education teachers may use off-grade level core standards in order to close identified educational gaps. Within each strand are standards. A standard represents a fundamental element of learning that is expected. While some standards within a strand may be more comprehensive than others, all standards are necessary for mastery. Essential Elements The Essential Elements (EEs) are “specific statements and skills linked to the grade-level expectations identified in college-and-career-readiness standards” (Dynamic Learning Maps [DLM] DLM ). They are the “big rocks” of the Utah Core Standards. Each Essential Element has a respective learning map with linkage levels that identify basic skills within the standard to set an appropriate challenge for students with significant cognitive disabilities, no matter their ability level. General education teachers, in conjunction with special education teachers, must consider which scaffolds are needed to differentiate, accommodate, or modify the learning for all students in order to master core standards. Differentiation of Instruction Typically, differentiation of instruction is the process of teaching in a way to meet the needs of students with differing abilities in the same class. One way to do this is by providing several different avenues by which all students can learn the same material. In differentiating instruction, teachers plan out and implement a variety of approaches to content, process, and product. Differentiated instruction is used to meet the needs of student differences in readiness, interests, and learning needs. Differentiation is something you do for ALL STUDENTS, and something you

Critical Actions for Educators .………………………... ●​ Determine that your IEP is aligned to Utah Core Standards: Present Levels, Goals, Services

●​ Use Reading Inventory to determine possible

placement in Read 180/System 44

●​ Collaborate to best support students

●​ Connect with your Instructional Coach for support.

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build into your lesson in your planning. Differentiation is good teaching. Accommodations

Accommodations are intended to reduce or eliminate the effects of a student's disability. Accommodations do not decrease learning expectations and are noted on a student's Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). Examples of accommodations include reading words out loud, extra time for completion of standardized tests, etc.

(gmueduc514holincheck/differentiation) Accommodations are required by law. Modifications

Modifications are adaptations that change what students learn and are used with students who require more support or adjustments than accommodations can provide. Whereas accommodations level the playing field, modifications change the playing field. Modification DO change the expectations for learning. Modifications DO reduce the requirements of the task. Students would be expected to learn priority standards vs all standards. (Iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu) Modifications are required by law. In summary, differentiation is planned curriculum that takes into consideration the individual needs or interests of the child, or as Carol Ann Tomlinson puts it, “Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs.” [3] Where accommodation is about how instruction is delivered and modification is about what a child will learn , differentiation focus on how a child will demonstrate learning . Supported Programs for Special Education

Resource/ABS

ABS/ACC

Essential Elements

ELA: Accommodated General Ed. program

ELA: Accommodated General Ed. program Reading: Read 180/System 44

Teaching to Standards: English Language Arts (MS Only)

Reading: Read 180/System 44

News2You

Unique Learning System (HS Only)

Last Updated May 22nd, 2025 Middle School ELA, Page 26

Accommodations vs. Modifications

Accommodation

Modification

●​ Visual cues ●​ Audio books ●​ Close-captions on videos ●​ Access to exemplars ●​ Peer modeling ●​ Precision partnering ●​ Books and materials with large print ●​ Pre-teaching skills ●​ Speech-to-text software ●​ Orally dictate responses (scribe or digital recorder) ●​ Sentence frames for paragraph writing ●​ Oral response in lieu of written ●​ Preferential seating ●​ Testing in a separate location ●​ Extended time to complete a task ●​ Frequent breaks ●​ Shorter testing sessions ●​ Chunking task/assignments ●​ Reduction of options on multiple choice problems (out of two rather than four)

●​ Alternate assignment ●​ Lower-level text ●​ Fewer homework questions ●​ Shorter Report ●​ Accountable to alternate academic language (class discussion v collegial discussion) ●​ Complete an alternate homework assignment ●​ Different test questions ●​ Different material ●​ Allowing outlining instead of writing essays ●​ Modified grades based on the goals

For more information on Accommodations and Modifications click here .

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Implementing Common Formative Assessments (CFAs) in Secondary English Language Arts

Purpose and Rationale Common Formative Assessments (CFAs) are brief, standards-aligned tools used to gauge student understanding during the learning process. Their primary purpose is to provide timely, actionable feedback that helps teachers adjust instruction before students reach summative assessments. In secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classrooms, CFAs encourage collaboration among teachers by fostering a shared understanding of academic expectations and student proficiency. They also promote equity, ensuring that all students are assessed consistently and given opportunities to demonstrate growth. Designing Effective Writing CFAs

Writing CFAs should be directly aligned with priority standards and designed to assess specific, measurable writing skills—such as crafting a thesis, integrating evidence, organizing ideas, or using academic language. Tasks may range from short constructed responses to full multi-paragraph compositions. To ensure consistency, teachers should use shared rubrics, ideally aligned with larger assessment systems like the Utah RISE Writing Rubric. Collaborative rubric development and review help teams align expectations and improve scoring reliability across classrooms. Administering Writing CFAs

Writing CFAs should be administered in a low-pressure, supportive environment. Depending on the task, assessments may take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes. Teachers are encouraged to avoid over-scaffolding during assessment to ensure they are collecting authentic evidence of student learning. However, appropriate accommodations should still be provided for multilingual learners and students with IEPs, following legal and instructional best practices. Teachers can use platforms like Google Docs, school-based learning management systems, or MagicSchool AI’s Student Writing Trends tool to facilitate digital assessment and data collection. Using CFA Data to Drive Instruction Once CFAs are administered, their true value lies in the follow-up. Teachers should analyze the results collaboratively in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), identifying patterns, misconceptions, and instructional needs. Reviewing student writing samples together helps calibrate scoring and promotes the sharing of effective teaching strategies. The goal is not to assign grades but to use formative data to guide re-teaching, extension, and differentiation. CFAs should empower teachers to support student growth as writers in meaningful, responsive ways.

Last Updated May 22nd, 2025 Middle School ELA, Page 31