CCRS Institute Tips and Resources

I (Claudia) recently returned from the CCRS Implementation Institute in Phoenix. Five outstanding teachers from five of our AEFLA funded programs came with me: Patrick Matsuda from Catholic Charities, Ana Improgo from College of Southern Nevada, Hallie Murphy from Western Nevada College, Brian Dezzani from Community Multicultural Center, and Marianne Rasmussen from Northern Nevada Literacy Council. These teachers will now offer guidance and support to their programs on how to implement these standards. I would like to share some of the highlights and "aha" moments from this experience:

·       Susan Pimentel, author of the CCRS, confirmed that these standards can and should be used in all programs (ABE, ELL and HSE) at all levels.

·       For the lower levels of ELL, teachers should focus more on the listening/speaking standards and emphasize oral reading and questioning while these students work on acquiring the necessary language skills to be able to read.

·       Teachers should always test drive their writing assignments before giving them to their students to make sure that the assignments are clear and realistic for the time frame that they are given to complete the writing task.

·       Always demand evidence from the text in student writing.  Click here here to view an example of how to cite evidence from a text in writing.

·       It is important to transfer previous text-dependent questions to later writing prompts or culminating projects.

Here are some excellent website resources suggested by the Institute:

www.readworks.org - offers leveled reading passages with text-dependent questions and a plethora of texts that cover multiple genres.

http://ell.stanford.edu/teaching_resources/ela - a brilliant unit called "Persuasion Across Time and Space" that helps teachers understand what a unit is meant to illustrate.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2013/03/guide-8-mathematical-practice-standards - A wonderful website that explains in plain English the 8 Mathematical Practice Standards.

www.achievethecore.org - This website is full of free content designed to help educators understand and implement the Common Core State Standards.

http://www.act.org/commoncore/pdf/FirstLook.pdf - A longitudinal research report identifying the knowledge and skills essential for success in postsecondary education and workforce training.

http://63000resources.com/about/close-reading/ - Excellent slides that explain close reading:  strategies and practices, by Dr. Steven Gerhke, University of Reno.