ELA Standards – NY

In 2015, New York State (NYS) started the review and revision process of the ELA Learning Standards (adopted Jan. 2011), which led to the newly revised NYS Next Generation ELA Learning Standards (adopted Sept. 2017).

Committees developing the new standard included New York State educators, teachers of English Language Learners (ELLs)/Multilingual Learners (MLLs), parents, curriculum specialists, school administrators, experts in cognitive research, and many more. The consensus on the existing standards was that the standards needed to be clarified, needed to be student appropriate, and needed to detail the progression across grade levels.

Here’s a brief guide of the major key revision points made to the NYS P-12 Common Core Learning Standards to develop the NYS Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards:

 

New York State Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards Adopted: September 11, 2017 Previous Version: P-12 Common Core English Language Arts Learning Standards (Jan. 2011)
Major Revisions to ELA Standards*	Purpose for Revision
Reduced repetition of standards	To ensure clarity, appropriateness and vertical alignment
Added Lifelong Practices of Readers and Writers	To ensure students become lifelong learners who can communicate effectively
Merged the Reading for Information and reading for Literature Standards	To reduce repetition and assist with classroom curriculum and instruction
Reduced the overall number of Anchor Standards	To respond to educators’ concern that there are too many and that some previous standards are repetitive
Created a NYS-specific introduction	To provide guidance and background on how to use standards
Revised the Language Standards & grouped in grade bands	To reflect research around grammar and conventions instruction
Created separate 6th -12th Grade Literacy document	For educators to see how standards connect directly with applicable standard areas
Created an Early Learning Introduction	To ensure clear guidance around how standards can be implemented in the Pre-K – Grade 2 grades

* Taken from the Crosswalk between P-12 English language Arts Common Core Learning Standards (2011) and the revised New York State Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards (2017) document.

 

ELA/Literacy Standard Revision: Academic Vocabulary

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.6
“Acquire and accurately use general academic and content-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening; demonstrate independence in gathering and applying vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.”

The developing of NYS Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards places a renewed emphasis on academic vocabulary and asks that teachers present an integrated model of literacy. Though the standards do not dictate curriculum instruction, rather they provide milestones students should reach as they progress in each grade level, understanding the revisions made to the NYS P-12 CC Learning Standards will help guide your instruction.

To build a foundation for College and Career Readiness (CCR), students must read a wide array of high-quality and increasingly challenging literature and informational text. The 2017 revisions emphasize that vocabulary plays a “central role” in “reading, writing, speaking, and learning.”

The revised NYS Next Generation ELA Learning Standards asks educators to provide practice with academic vocabulary in the following categories:

 

Three Areas of Academic Vocabulary
Academic Vocabulary Areas	Example	How
Domain-Specific	photosynthesis, hemisphere, probability, simile	Assign words lists in literature, math, science, social studies, and other subjects
General Academic Language	however, therefore, evident, distinct	Assign must-know grade level word lists in any subject
Language for School Learning	summarize, explain, evaluate, contrast	Assign academic vocabulary words lists in any subject

 

New York State Education (NYSED)

Regardless of grade level, students are expected to “think, write, speak, and listen to understand” every day in all subject areas. NYSED stresses that ELA Standards are designed to connect with and support the knowledge and learning standards of all content areas together.

As you design your curriculum, create your lesson plans, and pursue professional development opportunities, the NYSED offers these guidelines for helping you align your teaching efforts with the revised standards:

 

NYSED Guidance for Educators Taken from the Introduction to the New York State Next Generation ELA learning Standards (Rev. 2017) doc
Key Points	How	Educator Resource
Learning complex content requires learning new language that supports precise, concise, and accurate communication: academic language	Assign academic vocabulary lists on an array of topics	Choose from must-know grade-level word lists and academic vocabulary word lists
Students should practice the literacy skills of the standards both individually and collaboratively	Provide differentiated instruction for individuals or small groups	Assign grade-level and academic vocabulary word lists to a struggling student or to the whole classroom
The development of all literacy skills requires extensive opportunities to practice	Provide sufficient spaced and repeated practice	Pair word lists with over over 40 interactive games and activities
Students must develop skilled practice in the use of current media and achieve digital literacy	Assign coursework across channels in multiple modalities	Choose to assign a word list online or choose from printable activities
Lessons should include a global and diverse variety of authors, time periods, genres, and cultural perspectives	Assign diverse, grade appropriate content	Challenge your students with diverse literary word lists and other cultural events

 

 

Vocabulary Strategies from EngageNY

In light of the renewed emphasis on academic vocabulary in the revised NYS Next Generation ELA Learning Standards, EngageNY shared their top strategies for vocabulary instruction.

Implement these strategies to deliver the best possible instruction for your students:

 

EngageNY Strategies for the Classroom
Strategy	The Research*	Classroom Implementation
Provide multiple opportunities to learn and expand on meanings	Multiple exposure for word recognition	Pair word lists with over 40 learning games and activities
Present words in a variety of contexts	Multiple modalities for better word retention	See, hear, and play with words at every skill level
Teach terms that are central to the unit or theme of study	Repeated practice for vocabulary retention	Student-created review lists and practice test

* Based on an independent Efficacy Study, published by McRel, examins word study and instruction using VocabularySpellingCity. See the results.

 

Teach the Vocabulary Found in Popular Reading Series

Academic vocabulary can pose a major challenge to students when encountering a new text or work of literature. The language that appears in informational and literary texts is often not the language students commonly hear in their daily lives. It’s up to the teacher to provide the amount of exposure students need to become familiar with higher-level language.

Provide spaced, repeated practice with key vocabulary terms with word lists from Next Generation Literacy Programs for the most popular literacy programs in New York schools.

Promote deep learning and retention of everyday academic vocabulary in any subject by giving your students every opportunity to succeed.
Pair these and other academic vocabulary word lists with over 40 engaging, interactive learning activities.

 

Next Generation Learning Reading Series
Grades K-5	EngageNY	NYSED curriculum modules for adaptation for local purposes
Grades K-6	ReadyGen Reading Series	Focuses on reading, writing, speaking, and listening
Grades 6-12	Collections Reading Series	Develop student abilities to analyze complex texts, determine evidence, and reason critically