Idaho's Comprehensive Literacy Course Standards

I. Language Structure and Literacy Instruction

The practicing educator has knowledge, strategies, and beliefs about language structure and literacy instruction that are based on current research and best practices in order to maximize students' reading success.

The educator has knowledge and understanding of:
Grades K-3
/
Grades 3-6
/
Grades 6-8
/
Administrators
  • The interrelation of language acquisition and its relationship to literacy
  • Phonological awareness, phonics morphemic structural analysis; semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic systems of language, and their relation to reading and writing processes
  • Language patterns, pragmatics, comprehension, and critical thinking
  • Multi-dimensional instruction including explicit implementation and approaches
  • Development of reading fluency
  • Students use knowledge of language structures to make meaning
  • Students use literacy for personal and social growth
  • Students understand the reciprocity of reading and writing processes
  • Students' knowledge of language structures forms the integral base of reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing
  • Students' language structures will be expanded
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  • K-3 indicators
  • Story structure
  • Expanding fluency and flexible reading rates
  • Morphology (rots, prefixes, affixes)
  • Students refine their orthographic and spelling knowledge through reading and explicit instruction
/
  • K-6 indicators
  • Reading interests and literacy needs of pre-adolescent youth
  • Narrative and expository writing
/
  • K-8 indicators
  • Language structure and literacy instruction components
  • A variety of literacy materials
  • Developmental continuum of literacy acquisition
  • A variety of effective instructional strategies
  • Extended reading time on a daily basis is promoted
  • Current literacy research is pursued
  • Environments are created to support literacy development
  • The integration of technology into literacy programs is guided
  • Students are read to, with, and by on a daily basis

II. Comprehension Research and Best Practices

The practicing educator understands and applies/promotes research and best practices relating to comprehension instruction that maximizes students' reading success.

The educator has knowledge and understanding of:
Grades K-3
/
Grades 3-6
/
Grades 6-8
/
Administrators
  • Narrative and expository reading materials
  • The use of technology to promote comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading
  • Vocabulary development strategies
  • Metacognitive strategies
  • Students are flexibly grouped to acquire comprehension strategies
  • Students are immersed in a literate environment
  • Students use technology to support literacy development
  • Students reflect on and self-monitor their own literacy processes
  • Students use a variety of comprehension strategies to make meaning
  • Students consider multiple interpretations of reading materials
  • The home-school partnerships in comprehension development and as an intervention strategy
  • Reading to, by, and with students
  • Providing daily opportunities to practice reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing
/
  • K-3 indicators
  • Strategies to teach content area materials
  • Various genres
  • Students read a variety of literacy materials on a daily basis for extended periods of time
  • Promoting reading and writing as life-long activities
/
  • K-6 indicators
  • Dominant text characteristics germane to specific content areas (organization of text structure)
  • Graphic and electronic literacy
  • The importance of thinking skills to student success
  • Developmental characteristics of the pre-adolescent learner and the need for collaborative learning activities
  • Students are introduced to technical reading and writing
  • Students explore literacy in the work area
  • Research and collaborative sharing
  • Applying technology in the classroom
/
  • K-8 indicators
  • A variety of intervention strategies and available resources
  • A variety of assessments as stated in K-8 indicators
  • K-3 literacy plan, the elements of Idaho's Literacy Act, and their applications for staff development
  • Setting expectations for student learning and achievement
  • Assessments and instruction are transactive
  • Students and teachers self-reflect and self-monitor
  • Networking and reinforcing students' strengths
  • Developing and implementing action plans for students' reading success
  • Developing a school-wide improvement plan based on the analysis of assessment data
  • Selecting appropriate and varied reading materials that match student needs and interests
  • Identifying expectations and current performance and intervention plans

III. Assessment and Intervention

The practicing educator understands, promotes, and applies appropriate strategies, multiple assessments, and interventions to maximize students' reading success.

The educator has knowledge and understanding of:
Grades K-3
/
Grades 3-6
/
Grades 6-8
/
Administrators
  • A variety of assessments to include, but not be limited to the following: norm-referenced tests, criterion-referenced tests, formal and informal inventories, constructed response measures, portfolio-based assessments, student self-evaluation, work performance samples, observations, anecdotal records, journals, and other indicators of student progress to inform instruction and learning
  • Approaches to develop assessments that involve multiple indicators of reading progress
  • A variety of intervention strategies and available resources
/
  • K-3 indicators
  • A variety of assessments to include, but not be limited to the following: norm-referenced tests, criterion-referenced tests, formal and informal inventories, constructed response measures, portfolio-based assessments, student self-evaluation, work performance samples, observations, anecdotal records, journals, and other indicators of student progress to inform instruction and learning
  • Approaches to develop assessments that involve multiple indicators of reading progress
  • A variety of intervention strategies and available resources
/
  • K-6 indicators
  • A variety of assessments to include, but not be limited to the following: norm-referenced tests, criterion-referenced tests, formal and informal inventories, constructed response measures, portfolio-based assessments, student self-evaluation, work performance samples, observations, anecdotal records, journals, and other indicators of student progress to inform instruction and learning
  • Approaches to develop assessments that involve multiple indicators of reading progress
  • A variety of intervention strategies and available resources
/
  • K-8 indicators
  • School climate
  • Literacy-rich environments
  • Partnership development between home, school, and community
  • Relevance and meaning in literacy acquisition
  • Skills to build collegial teams and collaborative environments