Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a set of standards that have been adopted by 45 states. Only Virginia, Minnesota, Texas, and Nebraska have not adopted these standards. The overall goal of Common Core is to create K-12 standards that raise achievement and prepare students for careers and college. The unique thing about CCSS is that it does not actually provide teachers with prescribed curricula but instead provides general guidelines for teachers to design to their own curricula.

In terms of English Language Arts Standards, Common Core divides these into three different areas. These are:

• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking and Listening

Reading Standards

Even though these standards are known as English Language Arts Standards, they are actually applied in many content areas across the curriculum including social studies, science, and technical subjects that rely on reading, writing, speaking, listening and using language effectively. However, these are meant to enhance rather than replace specific content standards that each state adopts.

One of the key goals of the English Language Arts Standards is to have students read increasingly complex books and texts. This will help them grow in their reading skills as they gain knowledge and vocabulary. In language arts, students will be reading more than under most previous curricular standards. Many language arts teachers achieve this by having students not only read a novel, short story, or poem, but also integrate nonfiction letters, articles, and texts that build upon and reinforce the fiction text that they have read.

Writing Standards

English Language Arts Standards focus on three specific types of writing:

• Narrative Writing – This is an essay or piece that tells a story and in the end reveals a truth or central idea to the reader. Writing short stories like Aesop’s Fables is a great way to help students begin to understand narrative writing.
• Informative/Explanatory Writing – These written items pieces are required to inform and/or explain a topic to the reader. Papers on topics like genetics and nutrition might fall under this category.
• Argument/Opinion Writing – This category is emphasized in the standards, especially since this is the type of writing many students will practice in college. These items require the students to make a judgment and take a stand. An essay on gun control or abortion would fit here.

Writing should be purposeful, and students are expected to refer to the texts that they have read. Further, the standards push the students into the upper realms of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Students must  not only be able to compare and contrast but also be able to make judgments and analyses on texts as shown through their writing skills.

Speaking and Listening Standards

Students must show that they have developed key speaking and listening skills as they progress through their courses. Included in this area are comprehension and collaboration along with the presentation of knowledge and ideas. Students will be faced with a number of assignments that require them to work as a team. Further, they need to be able to use their speaking and listening skills to show a high level of comprehension. Finally, all students are required to be involved in public speaking and presentations.

Assessments

Common Core is having year Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) and Smarter Balanced create computer-adaptive assessments for the 2014-2015 school year. These will assess how well students are meeting their standards. In terms of the English Language Arts, students will have to analyze texts, identify main ideas, make inferences, and more.