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Reading, Writing, and Communicating
CDE Position Statement: RWC Standards & English Language Learners
The Colorado Academic Standards in Reading, Writing, and Communicating were written for all students using the content, concepts, skills, and language conventions and structures found within the English language. This does not mean students must be native English speakers, nor fluent English proficient, but by utilizing the Colorado English Language Proficiency standards (Office of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education) in tandem with the Colorado Academic Standards, qualified and well prepared educators can ensure that all English learners receive appropriate support to ensure all students successfully meet the expectations in the standards.
Academic Standards
The reading, writing, and communicating standards invite students to use texts to better understand others' experiences in the world and to command language in order to articulate their own perspective on the human experience. The standards intentionally reflect the read-write connection and the relationship between critically consuming text to build knowledge and producing texts to convey knowledge.
Curriculum Support
Article IX, Section 16 of Colorado's constitution states, "Neither the general assembly nor the state board of education shall have power to prescribe textbooks to be used in the public schools." However, CDE can still serve as an advisor to help districts and schools adopt, adapt, develop, or use the materials of their choice.
Instructional Support
Instructional support is grounded in CDE's shared approach to Best, First Instruction as well as practices and strategies supported by professional organizations and scholars at the leading edge of reading, writing, and communicating education.
Community
There are many opportunities to connect and grow as a professional educator with the larger reading, writing, and communicating education community, including mail lists, professional organizations, and events.
- National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE): NCTE amplifies the voice of educators through personal connection, collaboration, and a shared mission to improve the teaching and learning of English and language arts at all levels.
- Conference on English Leadership (CEL): The Conference on English Leadership offers a collaborative, dynamic, discussion-based forum for literacy leaders to explore current and emerging issues.
- Colorado Language Arts Society (CLAS): The Colorado Language Arts Society is the state affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), a professional association of educators in English studies, literacy, and language arts.
- Colorado Counsel International Reading Association (CCIRA): CCIRA collaboratively encourages, supports, and advances literacy through researched-based instructional practices to increase literacy access to all.
- ReadWithMe.Today: Of the widely accepted essentials children need to thrive, reading is often the one we forget to provide. Therefore, CDE has launched a public information campaign to encourage and empower parents to make reading part of their daily routine with their children.
Important News, Announcements, and Updates
Monthly Co-Literacy Conversation for Grades 4-12
CDE is hosting monthly virtual conversations for leaders, teachers, and other classroom practitioners who support literacy in grades four thru 12. The conversations include a problem of practice, a presentation from a district, school, or CDE team, breakout sessions with guided questions, and additional resources to help educators and leaders implement evidence-based practices in their schools and districts. All recordings and upcoming topics are listed below.
The next session will be at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 23rd, via Zoom.
Monthly Co-Literacy recordings:
- January 2023
- Spotlight: Mountain Vista Community School in Harrison District 2
- Problem of Practice:
- Designing and Implementing a District Literacy Plan
- Secondary teachers seeing themselves as literacy instructors through their content areas.
- Schoolwide systems and structures to support disciplinary literacy practices
- February 2023
- Spotlight: Boulder Valley School District
- Problem of Practice: Supporting Emerging Multilingual Students in Secondary Literacy
- Creating and implementing systems and structures at the district, school, and classroom level through collaborative and cross-departmental efforts to build an intersectional infrastructure that brings together MTSS, CLDE, Reading, Special Education, and GT.
- March 2023
- Spotlight: Colorado educators and leaders
- Problem of Practice: Addressing Roadblocks and Strengthening Adolescent Literacy
- What are some of the biggest challenges in your district's or school's systems and structures that:
- Support literacy and language development for multilingual learners?
- Support literacy instruction for students with disabilities?
- Administrator knowledge and supports related to literacy?
- Systems and structures that support effective instruction across the content areas?
- What are some of the biggest challenges in your district's or school's systems and structures that:
- April 2023
- Spotlight: St. Vrain Valley School District
- Problem of Practice: Family Literacy Engagement in Secondary Schools
- May 2023
- Spotlight: Colorado Teachers Appreciation & Resource Sharing
- Problem of Practice: None. Instead, CDE will unveil evidence-based resources and guidance for secondary literacy. This will include summer and fall professional learning opportunities and upcoming topics for the 2023-2024 school year.
2023 Teaching and Learning CoLabs
The Teaching and Learning CoLabs are one-day, multi-disciplinary regional professional development workshops developed in partnership with Colorado's higher education institutions, professional teaching organizations, and the Colorado Department of Education. This year's content areas are expanding to include English language arts (RWC), math, health, PE, science, computer science, social studies, visual and performing arts and school leadership. Schools and districts are encouraged to attend a CoLab in teams, with teachers representing multiple grades and content areas.
The dates and host sites are:
- Thursday, June 1, 2023, at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction.
- Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.
- Friday, June 23, 2023, at Colorado State University-Pueblo in Pueblo.
Topics for ELA (RWC) include the following:
- Significant Reading Deficiency (SRD) and Body of Evidence
- Science of Reading and English Language Learners in K-3
- Sentence Structures to Support Writing and Comprehension in K-3
- Myths and Misconceptions about the Science of Reading
- Supporting Multilingual Learners in Secondary Literacy
- Designing and Implementing a District Literacy Plan Across All Levels
- READ Plans Beyond Third Grade
- Frameworks for Writing Instruction: Leadership to Classroom Practices
The Teaching and Learning CoLabs are free to attend, and teachers who attend will receive certificates for 8 contact hours. Registration will open later this month. For additional information, please visit the Teaching and Learning CoLabs website or contact Olivia Gillespie at gillespie_o@cde.state.co.us.
On-Demand Professional Development Opportunities
The Office of Standards and Instructional Support has compiled several on-demand learning opportunities for educators. Visit the on-demand library on the CDE website
For further assistance, please contact:
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