The document discusses using the Common Core State Standards to improve world language instruction. It begins by asking participants to write a short press release describing the CCSS. It then provides a definition of the CCSS, stating that they are nationally benchmarked standards designed to set high expectations aligned with college and career readiness across all subject areas. The document goes on to list several CCSS standards that are already addressed in world language instruction, such as writing narratives, revising work, and using technology. It provides an example lesson plan for teaching about a famous Latin American figure that incorporates writing, reading, speaking, and language standards. It concludes by listing some resources for the CCSS.

1. Nancy Gates
“Using the Common Core State
Standards to Improve World Language
Instruction”
Nancy Gates
Chittenango High School

2. Using The Common Core State
Standards
To Improve World Language Instruction

3. What are the Common Core State
Standards?
At your table, please write a short press release describing
the CCSS.

4. What are the Common Core state
Standards?
The Common Core State Standards are internationally
benchmarked national educational standards designed to set
high expectations aligned with college and career
expectations across all content areas.

5. HOW MANY OF THESE STANDARDS DO YOU ALREADY ADDRESS?
•
Writing narratives
•
Planning, editing, revising or trying a new approach
•
•
•
Using technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to
interact and collaborate with other
Follow the rules for collegial discussions and decision making, pose questions,
acknowledge new information expressed by others
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English (Spanish, French,
German, Italian, Hebrew)
•
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language
•
Determine a central idea of a text

6. CREATE A LESSON PLAN: BIOGRAPHY OF A FAMOUS LATIN AMERICAN
•
Choose your MAIN STRAND: WRITING
•
W2 Write informative/explanatory texts
•
Decide which additional standards you will incorporate
•
R3 Read informational texts (sample biographies), analyze how the texts make
connections between individuals, ideas or events
•
R8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources
•
L1 Demonstrate command of standard conventions of language
•
•
L5 Semonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings
Plan your strategies and instructional activities

7. READING
•
•
Grade specific standard (8)
Citing textual evidence, determining central ideas and
development of a text, analyzing and evaluating
structure, point of view, purpose, arguments, claims
and conflicting information.

8. WRITING
•
•
Grade specific standard (8)
Writing either informative/explanatory texts to support
claims, arguments to examine a topic or narratives to
develop real or imagined experiences. Students are
taught to plan, edit, revise and rewrite as well as use
technology to produce and publish writing.

9. SPEAKING AND LISTENING
•
•
Grade specific standard (8)
Collaborative communication skills. Students determine
the purpose and evaluate the evidence found in grade
level appropriate topics, texts and issues. Students then
present claims and findings using multimedia and
visual displays in a variety of contexts with appropriate
organization, development and style.

10. LANGUAGE
•
•
Grade specific standard (8)
Conventions of standard English grammar, determining
or clarifying meaning and understanding figurative
language, word relationships and nuances in word
meanings. (Including prefixes, suffixes, homophones,
synonyms, antonyms, metaphor, simile, irony, puns and
using references such as dictionaries.)

11. CREATE A LESSON PLAN: BIOGRAPHY OF A FAMOUS LATIN AMERICAN
•
Choose your MAIN STRAND: WRITING
•
W2 Write informative/explanatory texts
•
Decide which additional standards you will incorporate
•
R3 Read informational texts (sample biographies), analyze how the texts make
connections between individuals, ideas or events
•
R8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources
•
L1 Demonstrate command of standard conventions of language
•
•
L5 Semonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings
Plan your strategies and instructional activities

12. RESOURCES
•
Engage NY
•
Achieve the Core
•
Corestandards.org (PDF much nicer than NY’s!)
•
Literacy TA (Great templates!)