Using CCSS, NYS SHIFTS, and NLAPS as entry points to plan for ell achievement

Abstract

ESOL teachers are no strangers to curricular change. Over the years, they have ridden many waves
of pedagogical initiatives. Now, with the mandate of the Common Core State (CCSS) Standards, ESOL
teachers are faced with another impact on curricular planning (Fenner, 2013). The goal of this report is to
provide guidance to ESOL and classroom teachers as they work to meet the learning targets of the CCSS.
These learning targets have been aligned with the new design goals of the New York State English as a
Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT), and are planned to help ensure that ELL students are
prepared for the NYSELAT- and the NYS Common Core-based ELA Regents exams (Metritech, Inc., 2015).
Successful integration of the Standards is possible in several steps: (a) careful planning, using the New
Language Arts Program (NLAP) to zoom in to grade-level learning targets or to zoom out to focus on the
NYS Common Core Shifts; (b) correlating targets with student proficiencies; and (c) holding rich
conversations with partner teachers to ensure that student needs are at the center of all planning (New
York State Education Department, 2014–2015).