Common Core ELA: Anchor Standards and Indicators Explained

Video Transcription

Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you are having a great day today. Today we're going to be focusing in on Common Core English Language Arts, specifically explaining those anchor standards and the indicators. For today's lesson, I've chosen a quote by another one of my favorite silly authors, Dr. Seuss, that says "the more you read, the more things you will know." I love that quote.

By the end of today's lesson, you are going to be able to analyze the structure of the Common Core English Language Arts Anchor Standard. You'll be able to analyze the K through 5 and 6 through 12 literacy standards, and you'll be able to examine the literacy standards for history, science, and the various technical subjects.

So let's focus in on the different parts of the standards, specifically those anchor standards. Anchor standards focus in on college and career readiness standards. What do students need to be able to know by the time they are graduating from high school? These hone in on reading, which focuses primarily on text complexity-- how difficult are the texts that they are encountering-- and the growth of comprehension. Are we continuing to encourage students and help students to comprehend more complex texts?

Within writing, these look at text typos, responding to reading, as well as research. How are students handling each of these various areas of writing as they are getting ready to go into college or career? Within the area of speaking and listening, we focus in on students' ability for flexible communication as well as collaboration through speaking and listening. And finally, within language, we look at the conventions and the effective use of language as well as the vocabulary that students have developed.

Before we really dive deep into the K-5 standards and the 6-12 standards, I want to note that from these anchor standards, you will start to see very specific grade level standards. These indicate what students should be able to know at each grade level. They're derived from the anchor standards, but you'll notice that some of these grade level standards actually have sub-standards, which are known as indicators. All of this really works to break it down and provide as much specific information as we can as we try to reach these Common Core standards.

Next, let's focus in on the K through 5 literacy standards. These standards include 10 specific indicators. An indicator is what a student should be able to know and do at the end of that grade. It helps to explain that following through. So for example, within Grade 1-- Reading Informational Text. we have indicator RI1.1, which says that students are able to ask and answer questions about key details in a text. Here as we break that down, you'll notice the R stands for reading, I for information. 1.1 is equal to grade 1, indicator 1.

Now let's really break down these K through 5 literacy standards. The first major area we have is reading. Within reading, there is literature-- focusing in on the key ideas and details, the craft and structure of literature, as well as the integration of knowledge and ideas, range, and complexity. Are students really focusing in as reading literature on each of these areas?

In terms of the informational indicator, we're looking at the key ideas and details within information. Are they able to look at the craft and structure of the informational text as well as integration of knowledge and ideas and the range and complexity? Again, you'll notice we're looking at the same major elements, but for different areas of reading. And finally, focusing in on the foundational elements-- print knowledge, phonological knowledge of phonics and word recognition as well as that fluency within reading.

When we focus in on the writing element in the K through 5 literacy standards, we're looking at text types and purposes, the production and distribution of their own writing, as well as the use of research to help build and present the knowledge that they have. When we look at language in these standards, we're focusing in on the conventions of standard English. Are they using those grammar elements, as well as are they acquiring the vocabulary and then using that vocabulary appropriate to their grade level?

Finally, we focus in on speaking and listening. Are students really looking at the comprehension and collaboration through speaking and listening, and then are they able to present their own knowledge and ideas, both through that verbal speaking as well as listening to other students present that information? When we focus in on grades 6 through 12 and their various literacy standards, what we're looking at are all of those elements in the K through 5 standards with the exception of that foundational reading.

Now we're also adding, in addition to those standards, literacy standards for history, sciences, and the technical subjects. It's also important to note here that these standards are written by grade level until grade 9, and then they're written as grade span standards. So we start out K1, 2, and so on. Once we get to 9th grade, then it's written as 9, 10, and then 11, 12.

When we focus in on these literacy standards for history, sciences, and technical subjects, it's important to note that these speak him in grade 6. And for some areas across the country, grade 6 is still a part of an elementary school, so we're starting to implement these already that early. It's also important to note that these standards are not history or science standards. These are rather the literacy elements, how to best teach critical reading and writing through the histories and the sciences.

Next we're going to take a look at some examples. Now, you'll notice that the CCSS is the Common Core State Standards. We have period and then ELA literacy. That's English, language arts, and literacy. Now, you'll notice that that first element there that you see is the RL. That's the strand abbreviation reminding us that we are looking at the strand of reading literacy.

Next you'll notice that they hone in on a 5. That's where you'll see the grade level. So the grade level for this standard is grade 5. The 1 is the indicator. That's the sub-standard that we're looking at here, so indicator 1, which is asking students at this grade level, in fifth grade, to, quote, "accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from a text." Having them being able to find that within the greater standard of picking up on the key ideas and details of information is really important.

The next standard that we're going to take a look at is in a different area. You'll notice that still within English language arts literacy, we're now focusing in on the strand abbreviation W, which is the strand of writing. This is for grade 8, and this is indicator number 7, which asks students to conduct short research projects to answer a question, including a self-generated question. So this could be either a question that the teacher gave or that the student created drawing on several sources and generating additional related focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

All of this within writing is located under the research to build and present knowledge. This specifically fits within the anchor standard because it's asking students not only to begin developing those research questions, but also using those to continue to ask additional questions, all helping to present the knowledge that they've gained in various ways. The final example I want to look at is even more advanced. This time, we're looking at the strand abbreviation SL, which indicates speaking and listening. We're looking at a more advanced grade level, grades 11 and 12. And this is the first indicator within this section, indicator number 1.

Now, the overarching anchor standard that we're looking at here is comprehension and collaboration. Specifically, the indicator is asking if students are able to initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions. Within comprehension and collaboration, this sub-standard has very specifically aligned itself to the 11th and 12th grade topics. So you'll notice it's still a fairly broad, overarching standard, but this has taken into account that 11th and 12th-graders should be able to do this in a variety of different ways.

Now, by the end of our lesson, you are able to analyze the structure of the Common Core English Language Arts Anchor Standards. You've been able to analyze the K through 5 and 6 through 12 literacy standards, and you've been able to examine a little bit the literacy standards for history, science, and the various technical subjects.

I'd like to take just a moment for reflection. As you look back on all that you've learned in this tutorial, what do you think will be the most difficult part of aligning the grade level standards to your curriculum? To dive a little deeper and learn how to apply this information, be sure to check out the Additional Resources section associated with this video. This is where you'll find links targeted toward helping you discover more ways to apply this course material.