PARCC IMPLEMENTATION: DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ELA

Data-driven instruction, The Common Core, College and Career Readiness. These are terms that have become a mainstay of the educational landscape in 2013, affecting anyone involved in education – from students to teachers, administrators, parents, and legislators.

One aspect of the adoption of the Common Core is related to assessment. How do we know if students are meeting the required standards? That’s where PARCC comes in. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is committed to ensuring that today’s students have viable college and career options upon graduation, and the PARCC Assessment will be one measure to determine students’ growth and achievement with respect to these goals

First, the current curriculum of any given district needs to align with the standards so that the assessments accurately measure how students are faring with respect to Common Core-based instruction. To that end, PARCC has provided districts and states with a “Model Content Framework” for Math and English Language Arts. This Model Framework is a guidance tool that integrates the standards into a format that allows appropriate curricular planning.

As districts rewrite, change, and revise their curriculum, educators need to be aware of the key points in this framework. First, “this ELA model” proposes the use of four “modules” to be taught throughout the academic year, and each module addresses the content that connects with both the Common Core Standards and also the PARCC Assessment System.

Each module addresses the following standards:

• Reading complex tasks
• Writing effectively when using and/or analyzing sources
• Conducting and reporting on research
• Speaking and listening
• Language use for reading, writing, and speaking

Additionally, the following reading and writing skills underpin all four modules:

• Citing evidence
• Analyzing content
• Using correct grammar
• Acquiring and applying vocabulary
• Conducting discussions
• Reporting findings
(from www.parcconline.org)

The modules, or units, can be taught in any order throughout the year. Two of the modules require that students focus on informational literature as the extended text reading, while the other two modules focus on fictional literature as extended text. In addition to these extended readings, students are expected to read shorter pieces of informational text and literature during the entire school year.

In writing, two modules focus on informing and explaining, while the other two modules focus on opinions and argument writing. Along with these written analyses, students will also be asked to write routinely to “develop and convey understanding” and write narratives that “convey experiences, events, and/or procedures” (www.parcconline.org).

Finally, students are required to research and present their findings throughout the year: however, this research need not be the “traditional” library research paper. Instead, students may demonstrate their skills and understanding through a variety of mediums (oral presentations, written reports, and/or multimedia presentations).

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