Teaching with the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts, PreK-2

Lesley Mandel Morrow, PhD, holds the rank of Professor II at the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Her research deals with early literacy development and the organization and management of language arts programs. Dr. Morrow has published more than 300 journal articles, chapters, and books. Her work has been recognized with awards including the Outstanding Teacher Educator of Reading Award and the William S. Gray Citation of Merit from the International Reading Association (IRA), and the Oscar S. Causey Award from the Literacy Research Association. Dr. Morrow is past president of the IRA and is a member of the Reading Hall of Fame.Timothy Shanahan, PhD, is Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he directed the Center for Literacy. He served on one of the expert panels that helped develop the Common Core State Standards. Dr. Shanahan’s research emphasizes reading–writing relationships, reading assessment, and improving reading achievement. In 2006, he was appointed to serve on the Advisory Board of the National Institute for Literacy. Dr. Shanahan is past president of the International Literacy Association and is a member of the Reading Hall of Fame.Karen K. Wixson, PhD, is Dean of the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has published widely in the areas of literacy curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Dr. Wixson co-directed the federally funded Michigan English Language Arts Framework standards project, and served as Co-Director and Principal Investigator of the U.S. Department of Education’s Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement. She also served as a member of the extended work team for the Common Core English Language Arts standards. Dr. Wixson is a former board member of the National Reading Conference and the IRA.

This multifaceted volume provides not only a sound understanding of the CCSS/ELA, but also practical ideas for implementation. Experts in the field of literacy offer meaningful insights into essential topics, from phonemic awareness to text complexity.--Maureen McLaughlin, EdD, Reading Department, East Stroudsburg University; President (2013-2014), International Reading AssociationMorrow, Shanahan, and Wixson have collaborated with a talented group of contributors to provide this extremely important work. Taken together, the chapters illustrate how teachers and instructional leaders can apply the CCSS to transform instruction. The book offers multiple visions of effective instruction that gives all students access to high-quality literature, including informational and multimedia texts; integrated curricula; reading and writing connections; and content learning.--Victoria J. Risko, EdD, Department of Teaching and Learning (Emerita), Vanderbilt UniversityThis book is coming on the scene at exactly the right time--it's just what informed educators need. Chapters explain and analyze the challenges and demands of each ELA standard. Suggestions for implementation, vignettes of classroom practice, lists of children’s literature, and sample units are just a few of the volume's user-friendly features. The broad overview of the standards, as well as the supporting materials, should inspire classroom teachers and administrators to order their copies immediately. This is also an ideal text for the college classroom.--Lace S. Cassidy, PhD, Department of Literacy Education, New Jersey City UniversityTeachers gain extensive background knowledge and information on how to incorporate the CCSS into classroom practice. I am excited about the ideas I learned from this book that I will be able to include in my classroom instruction. The lesson vignettes provide very helpful concrete examples.--Courtney Bartlett, MEd, second-grade teacher, Sunnyview Primary School, Knoxville, TennesseeThis is a great resource for anyone in PreK-2 education who is trying to navigate the CCSS. It breaks the ELA standards down into easy-to-understand terms, explains the purpose behind each one, and provides interesting, meaningful teaching strategies.--Stephany Dillon, MEd, first-grade teacher, Tecumseh-Harrison Elementary School, Vincennes, Indiana-

• Foreword, Susan B. Neuman Introduction, Jennifer Renner Del Nero1. Understanding the Common Core State Standards, P. David Pearson and Elfrieda H. Hiebert 2. Reading Standards for Literature: Developing Comprehension, Lesley Mandel Morrow, Diane H. Tracey, and Kellyanne M. Healey3. Reading Standards for Informational Text, Nell K. Duke, Juliet L. Halladay, and Kathryn L. Roberts 4. Reading Standards: Foundational Skills, Kristin M. Gehsmann and Shane Templeton 5. Writing Standards, Jane Hansen6. Speaking and Listening Standards, Sandra L. Gillam and D. Ray Reutzel7. Language Standards, Susan Watts-Taffe and Allison Breit-Smith8. Technology and the Common Core Standards, Michael C. McKenna, Kristin Conradi, Craig A. Young, and Bong Gee Jang9. Assessment and the Common Core Standards, Peter Afflerbach10. In Conclusion: On Implementing the Common Core Standards Successfully in Grades K-2, Timothy Shanahan Appendix A. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Grades K-2 Appendix B. Thematic Units for Grades K-2, with Common Core State Standards Embedded