Developing academic literacy for English language learners through effective instruction within CCSS implementation

Abstract

The implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the significance of literacy skills
placed by the Standards cause English language learners (ELLs) and their teachers to face a great deal
of academic challenges. The present study examined how high-school-level ELLs’ academic writing
skills developed through content instruction, particularly using the three-step approach and the
systemic functional linguistics framework. In each step, the participants were asked to produce an
essay of narratives; these essays were analyzed. Results revealed that the participants’ writing skills
progressed from the first to final essays in general, and showed noticeable improvement in essay two,
when direct instruction was implemented. It appeared, however, that all of the participants could not
distinguish the differences between writing a summary and a description, a phenomenon that did not
seem to improve throughout the three essays. Pedagogical recommendations are discussed.