IRA and NCTE Offer Resources to Address Common Core State Standards

IRA and NCTE are pleased to offer a wide array of resources to aid in the successful implementation of the English Language Arts (ELA) Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

IRA recently released guidelines to address the need for a link between reading instruction and the ELA CCSS. These guidelines provide teachers and educational leaders with recommendations on how to integrate many of the central ideas of the standards into effective practice. They represent a consensus of the thinking of literacy leaders in the field who support thoughtful implementation of the standards for student literacy achievement.

The guidelines from IRA capture the most pressing issues in clear language, point out their significance for those responsible for implementation, and then offer clear guidance on accomplishing the task at hand. Seven specific issues are addressed, including:

• Challenging texts
• Foundational skills
• Comprehension
• Vocabulary
• Writing
• Disciplinary literacy
• Diverse learners

Visit the CCSS guidelines webpage to download for FREE the guidelines white paper/statement entitled Literacy Implementation Guidance for the ELA Common Core State Standards and to join the IRA CCSS Resources mailing list for future notifications. To see IRA’s current offerings of CCSS-related materials, including books, journals, webinars, and more, visit www.reading.org/elacommoncore.

NCTE offers books, online courses and events, journal articles, and more to support the teacher’s focus on keeping students at the center of instruction. These can be found on the Common Core State Standards Resources page. These resources from NCTE show how to keep students at the center of every classroom, providing examples of upholding NCTE principles in a time of Core Standards, and supporting teachers and schools with interpreting the CCSS and planning units of instruction keeping students at the center and teachers as decision-makers.

In addition to general materials, NCTE also offers resources on the instructional shifts associated with the Common Core State Standards:

• Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are grounded in evidence from the text.
• All students need regular practice with complex texts.
• Students need to build knowledge through content-rich nonfiction and informational texts.
• Literacy is a shared responsibility.

Visit IRA and NCTE to learn more and see what other resources are available!