Successful implementation of the current English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum invites a new approach to teacher professional learning (PL). A focus on establishing and renewing relationships must play a role in developing the collaboration necessary for curriculum implementation. This article presents a research-based argument that effective and…

It's a story that is all too familiar. A school district has a majority of students reading below grade level. The district adopts a new English language arts curriculum anchored in complex texts and analytical writing tasks. As they began to teach with the new curriculum, teachers adapted materials in an effort to meet their students at their…

A crisis of literacy has emerged among high school students in the United States. In order to encourage students' engagement with literacy education, there is a need for an integrated curriculum of English Language Arts (ELA). An integrated language arts curriculum would allow students to learn literacy and reading skills while engaging with a…

K-12 education has witnessed a sea of change in attitudes about curriculum as a serious reform strategy. The movement gained traction in the wake of the Common Core State Standards, when newly created curriculum products emerged. While there are an increasing number of high-quality, content-rich curriculum products available, as well as venues to…

This article examines the implementation of an innovative English language arts curriculum from the William and Mary Center for Gifted Education (CFGE) using the perspectives of teachers and its impact on students. The school/university collaborative project between Paradise Valley Unified School District and CFGE is discussed in the hope of…

Students are active in shaping the implementation of any curricular intervention. At Paradise Valley Unified School District (PVUSD), more than 1,500 students in Grades 1 to 6 were recipients of the William & Mary English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum units. In this article, we share students' perceptions related to the following three…

This Framework is built upon the foundation of the 2010 "Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy," as well as earlier versions of the "Massachusetts English Language Arts Frameworks" published since 1997. The current Framework incorporates improvements suggested by Massachusetts educators after…

This article describes the implementation of blogging in ninth-grade pre-advanced placement language arts classes to support strong writing practices. In particular, the writing workshop's elements of student choice, continuing revision, discussion of craft, publication, and process orientation meshed well with digital composition. Blogging in the…

The adoption of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English language arts and mathematics and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for K-12 students by a large majority of states is having a profound influence on curriculum, instruction, and assessment in classrooms across the country. The content standards are intended to promote higher…

"If you want to be able to read with comprehension, you must become knowledgeable about the topic. The more relevant knowledge you have, the less it matters whether the text is complex or not," write Hirsch and Hansel in this article. Research has shown that a student who has extensive background knowledge of a topic will find it easy to…

A state's department of education requested assistance from the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) in developing a tool to assist with cross walking the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Math and English Language Arts with their state's Kindergarten 1/2 day program CCSS Pacing Guide Grade Level Standards to transition with the…

Material resources, personalized support, time to collaborate, and strong principal leadership are necessary for making curricular and instructional shifts. The authors of this article share the lessons they learned about supporting implementation of the Common Core State Standards. They draw on interviews with teachers, as well as field notes…

Writing needs to be taught, not assigned, but teaching writing well within a 43-minute period is a daunting task. This article describes how three 8th-grade teachers implemented a unit of study approach to teaching memoir writing in their language arts classes. Teacher and student decision making are highlighted in this inquiry process. ["Teaching…

Now that the Common Core standards are coming to just about every school, what every school leader needs is a straightforward explanation that lays out the benefits of the Common Core in plain English, provides a succinct overview, and gets everyone thinking about how to transition to this promising new paradigm. This handy, inexpensive booklet…

In this timely book, curriculum expert Gerald A. Lieberman provides an innovative guide to creating and implementing a new type of environmental education that combines standards-based lessons on English language arts, math, history, and science with community investigations and service learning projects. By connecting academic content with local…