1. Lead with NCSSFL: World Languages Support Common Core STATE Standards
Michele Anciaux Aoki, Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Janis Jensen,
School for Global Education & Innovation, Kean University

2. National Council of State Supervisors for Languages
Introducing NCSSFL
National Council of State Supervisors for Languages
Program Supervisors working in the state educational agencies on Standards and Assessment
Partnering with ACTFL and other language organizations to align the National Standards for Learning Languages to the Common Core State Standards
Alignment of the National Standards for Learning Languages
with the Common Core State Standards

3. Questions to Consider What are the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)?
How can we link CC Anchor Standards to world language learning and teaching?
How can world languages support the CCSS?
This session offers a systematic approach for transparently linking the content and skills in the Common Core State Standards to world language learning and teaching, emphasizing the value-added component of world language instruction in facilitating student achievement in two highly scrutinized state-assessed content areas.

4. What are the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)?
What have you heard?
Start by asking them to take a moment to share with a partner what they’ve heard so far about the CCSS.
Possible Follow-up questions:
How many people had NOT heard about the Common Core State Standards before coming to the ACTFL Conference?
How many people had heard back in their states about the CCSS? What have you been hearing? (Take a few comments?)

5. The Core . . .
The Common Core State Standards (CCSSS) define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education experience to graduate high school and to be able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses/workforce training programs.

6. The Standards . . .
Build upon strengths/lessons of current state standards and are internationally benchmarked with top performing countries.
Are clear, understandable and consistent.
Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills.
Focus on learning expectations for students, not on specific methods of instruction, instructional resources.

7. This is a propitious time for world languages to make the connection!
New Expectations
Time for planning
Common assessments operational
Between now and then Transitions in assessment systems
-Phase-in standards
-Curriculum development/alignment
-Professional development
This is a propitious time for world languages to make the connection!

8. Key Design Considerations
Focus on results rather than means
Integrated model of literacy
Processes of communication closely connected
Research and media skills blended into Standards
Shared responsibility for students’ literacy development
Special emphasis on informational text
Take a moment to look at these design considerations for the CCSS. Let’s think about how they might relate to what is important to us in teaching world languages.
Give them 2 minutes to share with a partner?
Ask them to share a few ideas.
From:
Page 4 of Introduction
Focus on results rather than means
>>WL Stds: Focus on what students can do with the language (= results) not on how languages should be taught (=means)
Integrated model of literacy
Processes of communication closely connected
>>WL Stds: Focus on modes of communication (Interpersonal, Interpretive, Presentational) not on isolated skills
Research and media skills blended into Standards
>>WL Stds: Research and media skills are entailed in Interpretive and Presentational Modes
Shared responsibility for students’ literacy development
Special emphasis on informational text
>>WL Stds: Yes, world languages teachers also develop literacy skills; Connections standard puts emphasis on informational text (not just literature)

9. How these relate to World Languages
Focus on what students can do with the language (= results) not on how languages should be taught (=means)
Focus on modes of communication (Interpersonal, Interpretive, Presentational) not on isolated skills
Research and media skills are entailed in Interpretive and Presentational Modes
World languages teachers also develop literacy skills; Connections standard puts emphasis on informational text (not just literature)
Here are some ways we’ve thought about…
From:
Page 4 of Introduction
Focus on results rather than means
>>WL Stds: Focus on what students can do with the language (= results) not on how languages should be taught (=means)
Integrated model of literacy
Processes of communication closely connected
>>WL Stds: Focus on modes of communication (Interpersonal, Interpretive, Presentational) not on isolated skills
Research and media skills blended into Standards
>>WL Stds: Research and media skills are entailed in Interpretive and Presentational Modes
Shared responsibility for students’ literacy development
Special emphasis on informational text
>>WL Stds: Yes, world languages teachers also develop literacy skills; Connections standard puts emphasis on informational text (not just literature)

10. Math Snapshot Articulate a progression of learning
Connect mathematical practices with mathematical content.
Emphasize application to the real world.
Emphasize mathematical modeling.
Although we don’t always think of world languages as supporting the learning of math, when we look at the CCSS Math Snapshot, we can see that in our teaching o f languages we also are putting emphasis on students applying what they learn to the real world and to connect practices (like speaking, reading, and writing) with content (such as knowledge of a language’s structure, grammar, and vocabulary). In addition Math, especially mathematical modeling, for example, statistics, offers a rich area of making Connections to other disciplines for students learning a language.
The Standards:
Articulate a progression of learning of key conceptual understandings and procedures starting in the early grades.
Connect mathematical practices with mathematical content.
Emphasize application to the real world. The middle school and high school standards call on students to practice applying mathematical ways of thinking to real world issues and challenges; they prepare students to think and reason mathematically.
Emphasize mathematical modeling, the process of choosing and using appropriate mathematics and statistics to analyze situations, to understand them better, and to improve decisions, thereby linking classroom math and statistics to everyday life, work, and decision‐making.

11. ELA Snapshot Articulate a clear progression of K-12 learning.
Greater focus on text complexity
Shared responsibility for students’ literacy development.
The Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in
History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects articulate a clear
progression of K-12 learning of designated Anchor Standards. They emphasize:
Greater focus on text complexity with as much attention devoted to the complexity of what students are reading as to how students read.
Shared responsibility for students’ literacy development with a significant focus on informational text in grades 6-12.
Systematic acquisition of knowledge in literature and other disciplines through reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
A focus on writing to argue or explain in the later grades.
Integration of research and media skills.
Certain critical content for all students, including classic myths and stories from around the world and foundational American documents and literature.

12. ELA Snapshot
Systematic acquisition of knowledge through reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
A focus on writing to argue or explain.
Integration of research and media skills.
Classic myths and stories from around the world.
The Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in
History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects articulate a clear
progression of K-12 learning of designated Anchor Standards. They emphasize:
Greater focus on text complexity with as much attention devoted to the complexity of what students are reading as to how students read.
Shared responsibility for students’ literacy development with a significant focus on informational text in grades 6-12.
Systematic acquisition of knowledge in literature and other disciplines through reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
A focus on writing to argue or explain in the later grades.
Integration of research and media skills.
Certain critical content for all students, including classic myths and stories from around the world and foundational American documents and literature.

13. How can we link CC Anchor Standards to world language learning and teaching?

14. Activity 1: Getting Started
Review the Standards for Learning Languages (5 C’s) if you need to.
Take a look at the CC Anchor Standards for: - Reading - Writing - Speaking & Listening
Identify ways that the CCSS Anchor Standards align with the 5 C’s
First Activity:
Look at page 1 of the handout. Review the Standards for Learning Languages (5 C’s) if you are not already familiar. (Maybe ask how many people in the room are already very familiar with the 5 C’s. If a lot say no, then give them 5 minutes to find a partner and go over the 5 C’s. Ask them to reflect on ways that they (whether consciously or not) incorporate the 5 C’s into their language teaching.
Take a look at pages in the handout, which list out the CC Anchor Standards for Reading, Writing, and Speaking & Listening on the left, then give a space on the right for you to jot down notes on how the Standards for Learning Languages(5 C’s) align to the English Language Arts Anchor Standards. (Explain the concept of “anchor standards” (see below). These are esp. helpful for world language teachers because our programs do not generally span K-12 grades so the specific grade-level performance standards may not quite apply to the grade that we are teaching.) Pick one of the areas (Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening) and take 3 minutes to jot down at least 3-4 examples of how the CC Anchor Standards align with the 5 C’s. Don’ t forget about the other 4 C’s (not just Communication). Take 3 minutes to share with your neighbor examples of what you found. (Take a few examples from the floor for Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening.) Remind them why we are doing this activity: So that they are familiar with the content and terminology of the CCSS and how what they are already doing in their world language classrooms supports students to become career and college-ready in multiple languages, including English. To have credibility in an educational system that is heading, almost universally, toward CCSS, language teachers need to be able to speak with confidence about the common core.
From ELA CCSS page 8:
Each section is divided into strands. K–5 and 6–12 ELA have Reading, Writing,
Speaking and Listening, and Language strands; the 6–12 history/ social studies,
science, and technical subjects section focuses on Reading and Writing. Each
strand is headed by a strand-specific set of College and Career Readiness
Anchor Standards that is identical across all grades and content areas.

15. Aligning World Languages Tasks to the CCSS
Novice Level Task:
Students team with another class in a target language country
to identify and compare endangered species in both countries,
and collaborate to produce a multi-media informational
presentation for their peers using basic information in the
target language and post on an animal advocacy site.
WLs Standards:
ELA CCSS:
Math CCSS:
Seeing the connections between the CCSS and our Standards for Language Learning 5 C’s is not enough. We need to also think about how both apply to example tasks at various proficiency levels.
Here’s an example of a Novice level task.

16. Aligning World Languages Tasks to the CCSS
Intermediate Level Task:
Students create raps and/or poems reflecting a perspective,
such as a “coming of age” event in the target culture and
compare this with the “coming of age” process in the U.S.
such as getting a driver’s license or the right to vote. These
examples are then shared with peers in the target culture who
have completed a similar project and the results are shared on
a social media website with comments in the target language.
WLs Standards:
ELA CCSS:
Math CCSS:
Here’s an example of an Intermediate evel task.

17. Aligning World Languages Tasks to the CCSS
Advanced Level Task:
Students investigate an immigration issue in the US and
a target language country, analyze and synthesize the
information, and propose a solution in the form of a letter to
editors in the U.S. and in the target language country.
WLs Standards:
ELA CCSS:
Math CCSS:
Here’s an example of an Advanced level task.

18. Activity 2: Aligning Tasks
Consider a specific Task for a specific proficiency level.
Take a look at the CCSS Anchor Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, and the Standards for Learning Languages (5 C’s).
Identify ways that the Sample Tasks might incorporate CCSS Anchor Standards and 5 C’s.
Now let’s take a closer look at those tasks.
Second Activity:
Look at pages 5-6 of the handout, which have Sample Tasks in the center column with the CC Anchor Standards in Reading, Writing, and Speaking & Listening on the left and the 5 C’s on the right.
Pick one of the Sample Tasks at the Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced level and take 3 minutes to jot down ways in which that task might incorporate the CC Anchor Standards and the 5 C’s.
Take 3 minutes to share with your neighbor examples of what you found. (Take a few examples from the floor for Novice level Task, Intermediate, and Advanced.) Remind them why we are doing this activity: To have credibility as an advocate for standards, teachers need to know how standards actually apply to their classroom practice. We are asking them to expand beyond the familiar 5 C’s of the Standards for Learning Languages to also think about the CCSS for English Language Arts.

19. Aligning your World Languages Curriculum to the CCSS
1. Select a thematic unit of study in your current curriculum.
2. Identify priority world languages standards goal areas.
3. Identify standards selected for the unit from the Common Core State Standards.
Now let’s think about how to apply this to YOUR curriculum in your classroom.

20. Aligning your World Languages Curriculum to the CCSS
4. “Unwrap” Priority Standards and create a graphic organizer with:
WLs linguistic and cultural objectives
Transferable ELA content and skill objectives
Interdisciplinary connections

21. Thematic Unit Literature Settings: Weather or Not?
This six-week unit invites students to explore geography as it relates to seasons and
weather in target language countries . Students explore how these settings are
represented in—and affect events in—literature. (Modify to suit proficiency level)
CCSS:
RL.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
RL.4.3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
RI.4.3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
RF.4.4: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
RF.4.4(a): Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
RF.4.4(b): Read on-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade and level appropriate topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.4.1(c): Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.
SL.4.1(d): Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
L.4.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
L.4.5(a): Sort words into categories (e.g., colors, clothing) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent. 
WLs Standards: Which standards are addressed? Modes of Communication?
(NOTE: Not sure this slide would be readable, although nice to show them greater detail of standards…)

22. Thematic Unit: Sample Activities and Assessments
Class Literary Graphic Organizer
Title and author
Type of literature (story or poem)
Main character(s)
Setting (geography, season and/or weather)
Summary (using the “Somebody-Wanted-But-So “strategy)
Write your own response on a Post-It note and share it with a partner before posting.
(CCSS RF.4.4a, RF.4.4b, RL.4.1, RL.4.2, RL.4.3, RL.4.5, L.4.5a)
Literature Response
What impact does weather have on stories such as (insert titles)? What if the setting were changed (i.e., from winter to summer, from the sea to the desert, or from a hurricane to a snowy day)? How would that change the story? Discuss your ideas with a partner and then with your partner, write a first draft of a scene for a modified story of choice. (CCSS RL.4.3, W.4.3)
WLs Standards: Which standards are addressed? Modes of Communication?

23. Thematic Unit Sample Activities and Assessments
Weather Forecast
Read a variety of informational texts, in print and online, about a specific season in a
geographical region of choice in a target language country. Watch a meteorologist
presenting a weather forecast online or on TV, and describe what makes that style of
presenting unique. Then, write a weather forecast for the area of choice. Include visual
displays and maps in your electronic presentation, as appropriate, and share your
report with your class in the style of a meteorologist.
(CCSS RI.4.1, RI.4.3, RI.4.4, RI.4.7, RI.4.9, W.4.2, W.4.7, SL.4.4, SL.4.5, L.4.1a,c,d,g, L.4.2a,b)
Connecting with Art
Investigate how weather is portrayed in the various art forms in the target culture
(e.g., art, music) selected by your teacher. Describe the weather and use similes,
metaphors, or figurative language as needed. Write your own response and
compare your answer with others in the class. Choose your favorite art form and find a
Partner who likes the same one. Together, write an opening scene from a story that
would have that weather as its setting, using at least one metaphor or simile.
(CCSS RL.4.7, W.4.3b, L.4.5a)
WLs Standards: Which standards are addressed? Modes of Communication?

24. How can world languages support the Common Core State Standards?

25. Value-Added: ELA
Every hour spent in the World Languages classroom helps build students’ ability to Read, Write, Speak, Listen, and use Language effectively.
Take a moment to consider this claim. Do you think it’s true?
Turn to your neighbor and give one reason, connected to the CCSS, why this might be true.

26. College and Career Ready
English Language Arts
CCSS
Standards for Foreign Language (FL) Learning
Demonstrate independence.
Establish a base of knowledge across a wide range of subject matter.
Respond to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose, and discipline.
Function as independent FL users.
Connect with other disciplines and acquire knowledge in the FL.
Communicate in a FL to a variety of audiences and for various purposes.

27. College and Career Ready
English Language Arts
CCSS
Standards for Foreign Language (FL) Learning
Comprehend as well as critique.
Value evidence.
Use technology and digital media strategically and capably.
Understand other perspectives and cultures.
Comprehend what author is saying within the appropriate FL cultural context.
Cite and use relevant evidence in a FL.
Use technology to support effective oral and written communication in a FL.
Understand cultural perspectives in the FL culture(s).

28. Advocacy for World Languages
Create an Advocacy Toolkit:
Modify this session’s PPT and adjust according to the grade level(s) you teach.
Show specific alignment with world languages curriculum and CCSS.
Use information from Parents’ Guides (in Spanish too) from National PTA: or
Now that you have a very basic understanding of what the Common Core State Standards are, let’s conclude our session by looking at ways to advocate for WLs by linking them to the CCSS.
Create an Advocacy Tool:
Show specific alignment with student outcomes in your world languages curriculum, units/lessons and CCSS.
Use information from the electronic Parents’ guide (includes Spanish versions) by grade level developed by the National PTA organization accessible at: or
Use information from this session’s PPT and adjust according to the grade level(s) you teach.

29. Advocacy for World Languages
Share information with stakeholders:
At back-to-school night
During conversations with colleagues (ELA, Math, SS, Science, Arts) and administrators
During curriculum planning meetings
Via school website
At world languages events
At local School Board meetings
At language conferences
Share information with various stakeholders and advocate:
At Back-to-School Night
During conversations with colleagues (ELA, Math, SS, Science, Arts) and administrators
During Curriculum Mapping/Curriculum Development Meetings
By posting on the School Website (department link and/or teacher link)
Before and after world languages events attended by parents
At local School Board Meetings
At regional and statewide language conferences