Secondary Literacy: Middle_HS

ELA Standards Grades 6-12

The Arizona English Language Arts Standards define the knowledge, understanding, and skills that need to be effectively taught and learned for all students to be ready to succeed in credit-bearing, college-entry courses, in the workplace, and/or in military service. The standards present a vision of what it means to be a literate person in the twenty-first century.

Grade-specific K-12 standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language translate the broad aims of The Arizona English Language Arts Anchor Standards into age- and attainment-appropriate terms. These standards allow for an integrated approach to literacy to help guide instruction. 

You can access the Grade 6-12 ELA Standards, as well as the Vertical Articulation of Standards, Glossary, and other guidance materials on the Standards: English Language Arts webpage.

Interventions for Secondary/Adolescent Readers

This resource section is under construction, but a great place to start is:

IES Practice Guides - Institute of Education Sciences has provided a set of recommendations for evidence-based best practices to address challenges in classrooms and schools that serve the secondary grades.

• Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices - Released August 2008
• Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9 - Released March 2022

Reading | Literature Resources

Achieve the Core - Text Complexity Toolkit

All About Adolescent Literacy - AdLit.org is a national multimedia project offering information and resources to the parents and educators of struggling adolescent readers and writers. 

AdLit Classroom Strategies - Before, During, and After Reading

CEEDAR - Disciplinary Literacy Course Enhancement Module

EdWeek - Spotlight on Adolescent Reading 

GELN - Essential Instructional Practices for Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary Classroom

IES Practice Guides - Institute of Education Sciences has provided a set of recommendations for evidence-based best practices to address challenges in classrooms and schools that serve the secondary grades.

• Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices - Released August 2008
• Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9 - Released March 2022
   

Keys to Literacy Adolescent Literacy Resources - Joan Sedita of Keys to Literacy provides resources focused on adolescent literacy. Adolescent literacy encompasses the skills that must be taught to all students so they can meet increasingly challenging reading and writing demands as they move through the upper grades, as well as what needs to be done for those students who fall behind who may need intervention instruction in foundational literacy skills.

Meadows Center, Partner Reading Teachers' Guide - The purpose of this guide is to provide teachers a feasible partner reading procedure that can be used in middle school classrooms.

NCTE Bookstore, Adventurous Thinking: Fostering Students’ Rights to Read and Write in Secondary ELA 

NCTE Students’ Right to Read – Plethora of resources for engaging students in literature. 

ReadWriteThink – Powered by NCTE. ReadWriteThink is a teaching and learning community for English Language Arts teachers from K-12th grade with resources providing free access to the highest quality standards-based practices, lesson plans, videos, activities, and apps.

WestEd Publications, Reading for Understanding: How Reading Apprenticeship Improves Disciplinary Learning in Secondary and College Classrooms 

WestEd Reading Apprenticeship - What if instead of teaching around the text, lecturing, or summarizing for students, teachers engaged students in actually grappling with text - reading and talking about what it means and how they figured it out? WestEd has provided resources and materials to teach reading in a metacognitive way. 

Writing | Grammar Resources

Writing Contests 

JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest - The Profile in Courage Essay Contest opens for submissions in the Fall of each year.

National Novel Writing Month Young Writers’ Program – National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) takes place in November. The Young Writers’ Program supports under-18 writers and K-12 educators as they participate in the November event, and take part in smaller writing challenges year-round. 

Pulitzer Center - Local Letters for Global Change: A Pulitzer Center Writing Contest, deadline is November 13, 2021

Grammar Resources 

Heinemann Publishing, The Grammar Planbook 

NCTE Bookstore, Grammar to Get Things Done: A Practical Guide for Teachers Anchored in Real-World Usage 

Stenhouse Publishers, Revision Decisions: Talking Through Sentences and Beyond 

Stenhouse Publishers, Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft in Writer’s Workshop 

Writing

Keys to Literacy, Keys to Content Writing Resources

IES Guide, Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively

Parent Resources

AdLit.org, "Organizations that Promote Adolescent Literacy" - From lesson plans and classroom tools to free books and opportunities to publish students’ work, nonprofit organizations have a lot to offer parents, teachers, and struggling readers themselves. Learn about some nonprofits with a commitment to helping young people become better readers and writers.

AdLit.org, "Parent Engagement in Transitions to Middle and High School" - Using the 3A framework (Attendance, Achievement, and Attainment) for dropout prevention developed by the America’s Promise Alliance and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, this article highlights specific knowledge that parents need to support students’ success, as well as ways that schools can engage parents as partners.

AdLit.org, "Engaging Parents to Support Academic Achievement" - Academic achievement is a strong predictor of high school graduation and is critical to long-term success in college, work, and life. A sixth grader who fails math or English, has unsatisfactory behavior, or poor attendance has a 75% likelihood of dropping out. Freshmen in Chicago public schools who earn a B average or better have an 80% chance of finishing high school with at least a 3.0 GPA.

IES, "Literacy Tips for Parents of Adolescents" - Based on common instructional elements , these are activities that parents can initiate at home to help ensure successful literacy outcomes for their adolescent students.

Meadows Center, "How Can I Help My Middle Schooler Read Multisyllabic Words? Five Helpful Steps" - This resource describes a simple strategy you and your child can use to help decode long words.

Scholastic, “17 Ways to Keep Your Middle Schooler Turning Pages” - As your kids get older, they may put reading on the back burner. Learn the best ways to keep them turning the pages with these helpful tips. 

Assessment

ADE Assessment - Educator resources for the new Arizona state assessments. [AASA (3rd-8th), ACT Aspire (9th), ACT (11th)]

Including:

• Performance Level Descriptors and Item Specifications (AASA)
• Arizona State Standards Alignment Guide (ACT and ACT Aspire)

Graduation Supports

High School Graduation - Information and Requirements

PostSecondary Resources - Resources and Events

OELAS Guidance - High School Credit for Integrated and Targeted ELD (August 2022) | Townhall Presentation 8.17.22 | OELAS Homepage

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Current Opportunities

ADE OPPORTUNITIES

Secondary ELA Quarterly Office Hours

Secondary ELA Quarterly Office Hours is a virtual opportunity to collaborate, share, and learn about secondary reading and literacy information from the AZ Department of Education with secondary ELA literacy educators and leaders from around the state. Register for the March 28th, 2023 meeting!

Past Meetings:

• March 24, 2022
• June 28, 2022
• September 27, 2022
• December 13, 2022

Secondary ELA Webinars on APLD

Earn PD credit and collaborate with other secondary ELA teachers! A variety of topics including: reading comprehension, writing, secondary MTSS, collaboration with Social Studies, and more! - use search term "secondary ELA"

Register - use search term "secondary ela" to narrow down your search

ELA and Social Studies Collaboration

These professional learning webinars are offered in collaboration with our ADE Social Studies team:

• Will be updated soon - no current opportunities

ALL ELA Professional Learning Opportunities

Current PD from the whole ELA Team: 

• K-12 Literacy Office Hours once a month - come join us to hear the latest ELA news!
• Arizona Reading Fundamentals OnDemand Academy - This academy offers schools a variety of free knowledge blocks on demand. Each knowledge block includes several different sessions. Each session includes three recorded presentations and pre- and post- activities. Districts and schools are encouraged to utilize these resources as a part of a comprehensive professional learning plan that is data-driven, sustained, intensive, collaborative, job-embedded and instructionally focused.

Register - use search term "k12-AS-ELA" to narrow down your search

APLD Support:
For questions regarding registration, certificates, accessing courses, etc. please refer to our: APLD FAQs

Sign up for ELA Listserv:

To stay on top of the latest Arizona ELA news, join our listserv!

Secondary ELA Book Study

March-May 2023

Thinking Reading: What Every Secondary Teacher Needs to Know About Reading 

by James and Dianne Murphy

This is a thought-provoking book about young people who have reached secondary school and are unable to read fluently, and about what teachers and school leaders can do to help improve attainment, confidence, and life-chances. This book provides a thorough, easy to use introduction to the extensive research on reading, its effects on student achievement, and how the brain best learns to read. It then delves into how the general secondary school classroom can support all levels of reading more effectively, regardless of subject; how school leaders can ensure that their systems, practices, and school culture deliver the very best literacy provision for all students; and what it takes to ensure that a racing intervention aimed at adolescent struggling readers is truly effective. The overall message of this books is one of great optimism: the authors demonstrate that the right of every child to learn to read is entirely achievable if schools employ the best research-driven practice.

To order: http://bit.ly/3ml78e3 (note: this publishing company is in Australia, so feel free to purchase from other vendors)

Book Study Details:

• Virtual book chats will take place over 6 Thursdays starting 3/30 through 5/4.
• 4:30-5:30 MST
• All participants must register in APLD to receive credit - each session is offered individually.
• All participants who register in APLD, read their chapters, and attend the book study will be given 2-hours PD credit. (For a total of 12 hours of PD!
• Flyer - share with colleagues!

Register - use search term "secondary ela book study" to narrow down your search

Archived Book Studies:

• January - March 2023 Effective Instruction for Middle School Students with Reading Difficulties - Visit the Padlet!
• Fall 2022 Disciplinary Literacy Inquiry & Instruction - Visit the Padlet!
• Summer 2022 The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades - Visit the Padlet!
• April-May 2022 Reading for Understanding: How Reading Apprenticeship Improves Disciplinary Learning in Secondary and College Classrooms, 2nd Edition - Visit the Padlet!
• Early Spring 2022 Fundamentals of Literacy Instruction and Assessment, Grades 6-12 - Visit the Padlet!
• Fall 2021 Effective Instruction for Middle School Students with Reading Difficulties - Offering this book study again in January 2023, see registration above!
• Spring 2021 Reading for Understanding: How Reading Apprenticeship Improves Disciplinary Learning in Secondary and College Classrooms, 2nd Edition

Writing Professional Learning

Spring 2023

Arizona's 6-12th Grade Writing Standards: Model, Practice, Reflect, Assess - register for upcoming offerings on:

• February 15th
• March 15th
• April 19th

Fall 2022

11/9/22 Special Presentation - Arizona's 6-12th Grade Writing Standards: Model, Practice, Reflect, Assess - all materials archived here

Types of Writing Standards - Grades 6-12 Professional Learning Webinars

All materials from the webinars have been archived here:

• Types of Writing Standards Grades 6-12: Argument Writing | Padlet
• Types of Writing Standards Grades 6-12: Informative/Explanatory Writing | Padlet
• Types of Writing Standards Grades 6-12: Narrative Writing | Padlet

Summer 2022

Thank you to all who joined in the Secondary ELA Summer of Writing Professional Learning Series! 

All materials from the Summer Series have been archived here:

• The Writing Revolution Book Study | Padlet
• Types of Writing Grades 6-12: Argument Writing | Padlet
• Types of Writing Grades 6-12: Informative/Explanatory Writing | Padlet
• Types of Writing Grades 6-12: Narrative Writing | Padlet
• Empowering Students through Grammar Instruction | Recording | Slide Deck 
• Writing for College, Career, and Beyond | Recording | Slide Deck

Reading Apprenticeship

Reading Apprenticeship from WestEd - Arizona SEED Grant

Reading Apprenticeship is an evidence-based professional learning experience focused on disciplinary literacy. Educators are engaged in a process to discover the tools and perspective to “apprentice” their students in any subject area, including secondary ELA and other subjects. This assets-based approach helps teachers develop students’ comprehension skills while also building subject-area knowledge, reader-identity, collaboration, and persistence. As part of a federal SEED grant, WestEd will be offering the opportunity for Arizona teachers to participate in a summer Reading Apprenticeship essentials course with little to no cost.

Informational Webinars: Informational webinars were presented in Spring 2021 and Spring 2022 - access the presentation slides.

Contact Information to register for the course: Access this flyer for more information on Reading Apprenticeship and to contact Dr. Daryl Michel for more questions about setting up the course for yourself, your school, or your district.

Book Study: Access the materials from the Spring 2022 Professional Learning Book Study on the Reading Apprenticeship core text.
 

Recordings/Archived

Webinars

• Special Presentation - "A Face Like Mine: Connecting Classic Literature to Modern YA Books" - On 2/11/21,  a panel of high school librarians discussed ways to incorporate modern YA books in with teaching classic literature in the classroom. Click here to view the presentation
• Building Background in the Virtual Secondary ELA Classroom - Building schema and background knowledge is one of the best ways to raise reading comprehension for our students. In this webinar, we explored some easy and fun ways to do this in the virtual/distance learning secondary ELA classroom. A better understanding of how building background and surfacing schema will help your students become better readers. Visit the Padlet with resources and slide deck.
• Summer Series - Spotlight on Media Literacy and Sourcing - In collaboration with our ADE Social Studies team - Join trainers from ADE, and master teachers from around the state to a webinar to teach and engage with media literacy at all grade levels. Recorded presentation
• "What is Media Literacy and How Do I Teach It?" - This webinar will examine what media literacy means, how do we teach students to be responsible consumers and producers of media and examine some methods and lessons you can use in your classroom. Recorded presentation
• Integrating Secondary Social Studies and ELA - In collaboration with our ADE Social Studies team - How do you integrate Social Studies and English Language Arts in a secondary setting? What are the benefits of collaboration between English and Social Studies educators? This webinar demonstrated best practices to integrate Social Studies and ELA efficiently and easily. This webinar also used texts with multiple perspectives to address new ways to create cross-curricular projects and lessons. Slide Deck

Professional Organizations - Current Events