This spring the State Education Department is holding public forums around the state to solicit comments regarding the review of the standards for English Language Arts and English as a Second Language (ELA/ESL).

The following document includes a series of focus questions to guide you in the review of the current ELA Core Curriculum document (2005 revision). Along with the questions are a series of talking points that can serve as a starting place for your discussions.

• DOWNLOAD: Focus Questions and Talking Points for ELA/ESL Forums (PDF)

The ELA/ESL Standards Forums will include a brief introduction on the process SED is employing in this review process. The majority of the time will be spent in small groups discussing your thoughts and suggestions on what needs to be done during the review. Members of the ELA/ESL Standards Review Panel will be at each of the forums. Your comments will be shared with the Standards Review Panel and the Board of Regents.

Schedule of Forums

The following is a list of the places, dates and contact person for each of the statewide forums:

April 24, 2008
Erie One BOCES, West Seneca, 2 - 4:30 PM. Contact - Geri Hoffman, 716-821-7161, ghoffman@e1b.org

May 7, 2008
Western Suffolk BOCES, Wheatley Heights, 2 - 4:30 PM. Contact - Joan Johnson, 631-549-4900, jjohnson@wsboces.org

May 8, 2008
UFT, NYC, 1 - 3:00 PM. Contact - Jerrill Adams, 718-722-2784, jadams@mail.nysed.gov

May 9, 2008
Adirondack CC, Queensbury, 12 - 3:00 PM. Contact - Janice Keller, 518-746-3310, jkeller@wswheboces.org

May 13,2008
Nottingham High School, Syracuse, 3 - 5:00 PM. Contact - Kathy Southwell, 315-433-2602, ksouthwe@ocmboces.org

May 21, 2008
Putnam-Northern Westchester BOCES, Yorktown Heights, 2 - 4:30 PM. Contact - Marla Gardner, 914-248-2330, mgardner@pnwboces.org

Focus Questions and Talking Points for Preparation of Comments for the ELA/ESL Standards Review Forums

The State Education Department is holding public forums around the state to solicit comments regarding the review of the ELA/ESL standards. It is important that the Board of Regents and SED hear the voices of practitioners. The Standards Review Panel is especially interested in hearing your perspectives on the following focus questions. Also provided are more extensive talking points on this topic. We encourage you to personalize your responses to these questions based on your teaching experiences.

SED Focus Questions:

• Should the four current ELA standards remain? If no, what standard(s) would you recommend be eliminated?
  • Should there be other standards added, such as separate standards for literature or literacy?
• Should the ELA learning standards reflect what students should be able to do and know beyond grade 12?
  • What should be included for preparation for the world of work?
  • Should there be standards for college freshmen through seniors?
  • Should there be standards for graduate students?
• Should SED develop a single set of ELA standards for students, with guidance documents for teachers and other staff that provide different levels of support or scaffolding to enable students to meet the standards? (For example, best practices and instructional strategies for English language learners and students with disabilities)
• In reviewing the 2005 ELA Core Curriculum:
  • What performance indicators should remain?
  • What performance indicators should be deleted?
  • What is missing from the document?
  • What needs to be updated and/or revised?
• Should the revised standards include implementation strategies on how to incorporate the multi-culturalism of the State student population?
• Organization/format of the current standards and performance indicators:
  • Is the current format easy to understand by teachers and other stakeholders?
  • Does the current format and organization promote engagement by teachers and does this format make the standards easily "usable" by teachers?
  • What organization and format would you recommend be considered?
• Measurability of the current standards:
  • How do you feel about the current ability of these standards and performance indicators to be properly measured?
  • Can student understanding or proficiency be measured through multiple assessment approaches?
  • Should the measurability of the Standards through local assessment measures, State assessments and classroom methods (observation, portfolio evaluation, etc.) will be addressed.

NYSUT Talking Points

Standards Review Process

• It is important that the forum discussions be used to inform the review of the standards. Comments made by teachers and other stakeholders should be seriously considered by the ELA/ESL Standards Panel when revising the standards.
• It is important that teachers serve as the majority of members of any Standards Review Panel. They bring the expertise and experience of the classroom to the table and can provide the practical application of the standards.
• Teachers must be involved throughout the Standards review process.
• The criteria that will be used to determine what and the extent to which standards will be revised should be made public.

Standards and Performance Indicators

There must be grade-by-grade standards.

• o Grade-by-grade content standards ensure that all students have access to a rigorous, sequenced curriculum that is consistent across grades, schools and districts.
• o Grade-by-grade content standards would specify what students should learn and when they should learn it. There must be a clear understanding of what the standards mean, including the concepts and skills necessary for students to show mastery.
• o Grade-by-grade content standards clearly show parents what students are expected to learn and to help parents work more effectively with their children.
• o Grade-by-grade content standards must be detailed, explicit and rooted firmly in the content of the subject area to lead to a common, knowledge rich curriculum.
• o The current standards seem repetitive with too many performance indicators. The number of performance indicators should be reduced so the alignment between the standards and assessments developed from them is clear and coherent.
• o The performance indicators should be specific to grade levels, developmentally appropriate, targeted and focused and should represent a clear continuum of concepts and skills across grade levels.
• o Grade-by-grade curricula guidance should be developed for teachers and administrators including comprehensive resources that could help teachers integrate content and instructional strategies.

The Standards Panel needs to ensure that the skills and knowledge requirements be developmentally appropriate for all students, including English Language learners, and students with disabilities

P-16+

• The standards revision must ensure that the attainment of the standards will allow students to make a successful transition from secondary to postsecondary including opportunities for college and employment.
  • Currently, New York State does not have articulation between high school skills and skills needed for either college or employment.
  • With the revision of the standards emphasis can be placed on preparing students PreK-16.

Professional Development

• SED must ensure that teachers, school related professionals, and other school personnel receive appropriate professional development in the use and application of the new ELA/ESL learning standards.
  • o The Regents must approve and SED needs to disseminate standards based professional development.
  • o Professional development and appropriate models of how to use the results of student assessments as diagnostic tools need to be provided.
  • o Model lesson plans incorporating the revised standards should be available for new and experienced teachers.
  • o Higher Education teacher preparation programs need to be involved in the dissemination and implementation of the revised ELA standards.
  • o Pre-service teacher preparation programs must incorporate the specific content of the ELA learning standards in their courses of study.

Funding

• SED must ensure that schools and districts receive appropriate funding in order to implement the new ELA/ESL learning standards?
  • Schools and districts will need to provide updated materials and resources for instruction as well as professional development.
  • SED will need to lobby the Legislature to provide funding to support professional development and acquiring necessary materials and resources.

Technology

• Current technologies (i.e. internet, ipods) need to be infused in the standards.
• The revised standards should allow for hands-on, project-based learning and real-world projects that will incorporate the 21st Century learning skills.