English Learners and Common Core Standards

As a teacher or administrator, you may have heard the State of California is implementing an entirely new collection of academic standards in K-12 education. In August of 2010, the California State Board of Education approved a collection of new English Language Arts and Mathematics Standards for K-12 education. In the coming years, teachers and administrators will see new Social Science and Science standards aligned to the Common Core ELA and Math standards. Since then, we have been working toward the implemention of those standards. Additionally, California has joined the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium.

With both of these new systems having been adopted by the state, The English Learner Group is working diligently to support districts in the implementation of the new Common Core Standards with an emphasis on the specific linguistic needs of the English Learner community. Specifically, our group is providing support to teachers and administrators in their knowledge and focus on the Depth of Knowledge components (Webb, 2009) and the academic language necessary for English Learners’ achievement. We support teachers of English Learners in understanding the growing importance of the use of appropriate forms and functions in the their lesson objectives, and the specific instructional strategies that promote that kind of academic language in their classrooms across all content areas.

We offer classes, coaching, and guidance in implementation of those critical linguistic areas to schools and districts. Our English Learners face an ever-growing challenge to display the knowledge that they possess. Research has shown us what to do and, now, it’s time for us to do it.

If The English Learner Group can help your educational agency or organization in that pursuit, let’s connect.

Sam Nofziger, Ed. D.