English Learners, Writing, and the Common Core

Abstract

Adopted by 46 states, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) present a vision of what it means to be literate in the twenty-first century and call for all students, including English learners, to develop critical reading skills necessary for a deep understanding of complex texts, and critical writing skills to write about those texts. This article addresses how teachers can prepare English learners to meet the CCSS for writing in grades K–8. It considers the degree and type of additional scaffolding English learners need to write at a level required in the standards, gives examples of best practices for teaching English learners, and provides specific lessons and activities for the types of writing emphasized in the standards. In addition, the relevant research on English-learning writers in grades K–8 as well as on effective interventions geared toward helping English learners attain higher level academic literacy is reviewed.