8th Grade - Gateway 3
Back to 8th Grade Overview
Note on review tool versions
See the series overview page to confirm the review tool version used to create this report.
- Our current review tool version is 2.0. Learn more
- Reports conducted using earlier review tools (v1.0 and v1.5) contain valuable insights but may not fully align with our current instructional priorities. Read our guide to using earlier reports and review tools
Loading navigation...
Usability
Gateway 3 - Meets Expectations | 88% |
|---|---|
Criterion 3.1: Teacher Supports | 9 / 9 |
Criterion 3.2: Assessment | 10 / 10 |
Criterion 3.3: Student Supports | 3 / 6 |
Criterion 3.4: Intentional Design |
The materials meet the expectations for usability. The materials provide comprehensive teacher guidance and correlation information to the ELA standards. In addition, the materials include explanations of the instructional approaches and include and reference research-based strategies.
There is a clear assessment system that provides multiple assessment opportunities to determine students’ learning. The standards assessed in each assessment are indicated, and the materials offer some accommodations for assessments that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
The materials provide some strategies, supports, and resources for students in special populations. While general guidance is provided across special populations, lesson-specific guidance is lacking.
The materials integrate technology in ways that engage students in grade-level standards. The materials provide teacher guidance for using embedded technology in the Program Guide. The visual design of the materials supports learning. The design is not chaotic and easy to navigate, as student materials mimic teacher materials.
Criterion 3.1: Teacher Supports
The program includes opportunities for teachers to effectively plan and utilize materials with integrity and to further develop their own understanding of the content.
The materials provide comprehensive teacher guidance and correlation information to the ELA standards. In addition, the materials include explanations of the instructional approaches and include and reference research-based strategies. The materials do not include strategies or suggestions for stakeholders to use to support student progress.
Indicator 3a
Materials provide teacher guidance with useful annotations and suggestions for how to enact the student materials and ancillary materials to support students' literacy development.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 3a.
Materials provide teacher guidance with useful annotations and suggestions for how to enact the student materials and ancillary materials to support students’ literacy development. The home page clarifies available resources to assist teachers with the variety of different lessons in each unit. Videos guiding teachers through the unit lessons and tasks are available in each unit. Unit guides break the unit into parts, guiding the teacher through each step and providing facilitation of lessons and suggestions for implementation. Lessons include Notes to the Teacher sections, and guidance within lessons provides suggestions for During Reading questions and Independent Practice addressing specific learning objectives.
Materials provide comprehensive guidance that will assist teachers in presenting the student and ancillary materials. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Materials provide teachers with overviews and highlight instructional supports and instructional routines. The home page provides an overview of what is available in the ELA curriculum, including reading and writing lessons, vocabulary and grammar lessons, and related media exploration. Materials also provide three PDFs and a video to assist teachers in presenting to students and ancillary materials. The PDFs include access to the Scope and Sequence, Program Guide, and Research-Based Evidence. The video provides navigation information and a tour of the curriculum units.
Materials provide teachers with an About this Unit section. In this section, teachers can access a five-minute video that provides general information about the unit lessons and tasks. In addition, the culminating task is identified and outlined, a list of skills students should be able to do is outlined, and reasons students might love the unit are identified.
Each unit provides a Unit Guide that reveals the unit at a glance. Teachers can find the unit’s essential question, pacing guide, unit texts, focus, writing, and language skills for each specific unit. Both the Arc of Reading Instruction and the Arc of Writing Instruction are detailed and explained in the unit guide, along with the Culminating task prompt, vocabulary, discussion, and grammar focus, which are all aligned with identified grade-level standards.
Each unit is broken down into reading, writing, vocabulary, related media exploration, discussion, and culminating task lessons. Pacing time allotment for each lesson is evident before opening each lesson. Upon opening the lesson, teachers have access to a description of the lesson. The material provides a Teacher Copy that demonstrates how each specific lesson fits in with the entire unit, outlines the skill focus, provides notes to the teacher, breaks down the lesson activities, and provides suggestions for facilitation of the lesson.
Materials include sufficient and useful annotations and suggestions that are presented within the context of the specific learning objectives. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Materials provide many useful annotations and suggestions within each lesson of each unit. One example is the Notes for Teachers component found in every lesson. For example, in Unit 5, Reading Lesson: “The Star Beast,” the Teacher Copy provides teacher notes that state, “This lesson is designed to be a whole class lesson because it provides students with guidance on analyzing point of view and dramatic irony and how those details contribute to a text’s mood and theme. Use the recommended reading modalities (whole class, partner, independent) and the During Reading Questions.”
Materials provide annotations and suggestions found in the During Reading Questions within each reading lesson of every unit. For example, in Unit 5, Reading Lesson: “The Star Beast,” in blue italicized writing, directions to the teacher state, “Answers in blue. To help us ensure assessment security, please do not post or circulate these answers online.” Suggestions for During Reading questions can be found in blue below the student question. Also, the Independent Practice section of the lesson provides guidance and states, “Note: To ensure test security, the following assessment items are viewable only on commonlit.org for verified teacher accounts. Navigate to the Answer Key tab on the text page to access it.”
Indicator 3b
Materials contain adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade-level/course-level concepts and concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 3b.
Materials contain adult-level explanations and examples of the more complex grade/course-level concepts, such as resource-based instructional strategies found in the How-To Guidance section. The Program Guide provides implementation guidance for teachers, and the Professional Development Portal includes target lessons to improve students’ success. The materials provide concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject. Guides are provided that include content that challenges a wide range of readers. Videos are provided to engage in best practices, such as teaching digital writing lessons. Links to building classroom libraries and reading across contents can be accessed under Independent Reading and Book Club Resources.
Materials contain adult-level explanations and examples of more complex grade/course-level concepts so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Every unit provides a How-To Guidance section found under the Professional Development tab. This section states, “These free resources provide teachers research-based instructional strategies and time-saving tips to get the most out of CommonLit 360 lessons.” Teachers can access multiple PDFs addressing four ELA categories: Reading, Writing and Research, Speaking and Listening, and Assessments.
The 360 Program Guide provides implementation guidance for using the common program tools and for implementing the different types of lessons in each unit, such as Reading, Writing, Discussion, Vocabulary, and Related Media Exploration.
On the home page, the materials provide a Professional Development Portal that provides 60+ self-paced training modules. One example module includes Target Lessons: Engaging and Scaffolding Lessons to Support Your Students.
Materials contain adult-level explanations and examples of concepts beyond the current course so that teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Each unit provides a link to Guidance for Supplemental Text Sets. The materials explain the purpose of these texts, “Because the texts vary in complexity, teachers can use the texts to support and challenge a wide range of learners. The texts provide an opportunity for remediation and extension within each unit.” The guide also educates teachers on a variety of ways to use supplemental texts.
Each unit provides self-paced training under the Professional Development tab. One section, 360 Best Practices, provides seven training videos. A few examples include Best Practices for Essential Reading Lessons, Scaffolding Instruction to Support All Readers, and Best Practices for Digital Writing Lessons.
Under Lesson and Materials, teachers can access Independent Reading and Book Club Resources for most units. Teachers are provided a guide to Best Practices for Independent Reading. The guide includes a link to “build your classroom library on the cheap.” The guide leads to other posts related to reading in the classroom.
Indicator 3c
Materials include standards correlation information that explains the role of the standards in the context of the overall series.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 3c.
Materials include standards correlation information that explains the role of the standards in the context of the overall series. Correlation information is present for the ELA standards addressed throughout the grade level/series. The Scope and Sequence provides ELA standard focus skills tied to every unit at all grade levels. The Library provides specific reading standards correlated to over 1100 texts. Explanations of the role of specific grade-level/course-level ELA standards are present in the context of the series. Each Unit Guide for every grade level provides the focus standards in clear language correlating to specific standards across core ELA standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language. Reading, Writing, and Culminating Tasks across all units and grade levels explain the skills and tasks the students will focus on and the correlating standards associated with those skills and tasks.
Correlation information is present for the ELA standards addressed throughout the grade level/series. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
The Scope and Sequence can be accessed on the home page and also on each grade level tab. For every grade level and every unit, the Scope and Sequence provides the unit title. Essential questions and knowledge-building texts are tied to the focus skills and the ELA standards addressed.
The Library, found under the Browse Content tab, contains over 1100 texts. The materials have a Reading Standard tab for information and literature. Users can click a specific reading standard to find text titles that contain specific reading standards across all grade levels.
The Reading lessons for each unit contain an Independent Practice section that includes multiple-choice and short-response questions that identify the assessed grade-level standard.
Explanations of the role of the specific grade-level/course-level ELA standards are present in the context of the series. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Each Unit provides a Unit Guide that explains the role of specific grade-level standards present in the context of the series. At the beginning of each guide, the Unit at a Glance provides the focus skills that are addressed throughout the unit in Reading, Writing, Language, and Speaking and Listening, along with the correlating ELA standard. The Skill Focus provided in the Unit Guide shows the correlation between the previous grade standard and the shift to the current grade standard.
Each Reading, Writing, and Culminating Task lesson includes a skill focus section. The skill focus explains what the students will be doing and learning and directly indicates what standards those activities and learned skills address.
Indicator 3d
Materials provide strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.
Indicator 3e
Materials provide explanations of the instructional approaches of the program and identification of the research-based strategies.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 3e.
The materials explain the instructional approaches to the program. In the Research and Evidence Base PDF, the materials list sections including, but not limited to text selection, knowledge building, repeated reading, annotation and note taking, on-demand and process writing, and academic discussions. In each of these sections, the materials provide the research that supports that strategy and then explain how CommonLit360 aligns with the research. The document cites the research throughout and includes a Works Cited page. Throughout the course of the year, the materials include these research-based strategies. Examples are given throughout the PDF so teachers know what the materials will look like.
Materials explain the instructional approaches of the program. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In the Research and Evidence Base PDF, the materials explain how their materials are research and evidence-based. For example, under text selection, the document says, “Research has shown that the ability to comprehend complex texts is a key factor in determining college readiness among students (ACT, 2006; Nelson et al., 2012).” The materials then state, “CommonLit360 immerses students in rich, engaging, grade-appropriate complex texts across a wide range of genres and modes.”
In the Research and Evidence Base PDF, the materials state the research behind text-centered questions and tasks. The materials state, “Teachers should adopt approaches that enhance academic rigor, such as asking targeted text-dependent questions that contribute to students’ comprehension (Fisher & Frey, 2012).” The materials then say, “Questioning makes up the heart of the CommonLit360 curriculum.”
In the Research and Evidence Base PDF, the materials state, “Studies have shown that specific feedback can significantly improve students’ writing quality and ability to revise their work. Graham and Hebert (2010) found that feedback that focuses on both the content and process of writing is most effective in helping students identify areas for improvement.”
In the Research and Evidence Base PDF, the materials elaborate on the use of repeated reading. The materials state, “Through repeated engagement with complex sections of a text, close reading supports students in developing their vocabulary and analyzing text structure and sentence structure (Goff et al., 2005; Ericsson, 1993).”
Materials include and reference research-based strategies. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
The materials include a Professional Development tab, which includes a How-To Guidance section. This includes a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, Checking for Understanding During Reading Lessons, Using a Note-Taking Graphic Organizer Effectively, and Giving Meaningful Feedback.
The materials provide suggestions for implementing this strategy in the Checking for Understanding During Reading Lessons PDF. One suggestion states, “Teach student fix-up strategies like Rewriting the question in their own words. Defining Key terms in the question.”
In the Using a Note Taking Graphic Organizer Effectively PDF, the materials share why it is important and offer teacher tips. The materials also include a section titled “What the Research Says.” This section references Knipper & Duggan 2006 and says, “The act of writing content improves students’ abilities to process and comprehend new and complex ideas, and connect new information for prior knowledge and lived experiences.”
In the Giving Meaningful Feedback PDF, the material provides examples of one-dimensional feedback and meaningful feedback and what the potential student outcomes could be based on the feedback. The PDF provides a rubric example and sample feedback responses.
Indicator 3f
Materials provide a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 3f.
The materials provide a list of materials for lessons throughout each unit. Each unit begins with a Unit Guide, which lists everything included in the unit. Each unit has a Lessons & Materials tab, which includes everything needed to complete the lessons within the unit. Most reading lessons do not include a materials list, but the materials needed are included within the assignment as students click through the resource. Most writing lessons include a “Materials Needed” section since they often use materials from previous lessons.
Materials provide a comprehensive list of supplies needed to support instructional activities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Unit 1, Unit Guide, the materials list what’s included in the unit. The list includes but is not limited to, A Unit Introduction Activity, 7 Reading lessons, A Set of Supplemental Texts, and 5 Writing Lessons. The materials then state, “All lessons can be accessed through the Lessons & Materials page.”
In Unit 3, Related Media Exploration 1: The Jury System and the Role of a Juror, the Teacher Copy provides a Lesson Overview that states how to facilitate this lesson. The materials state, “Use the paired slide deck to guide students through the handout. Videos are linked in the slide deck.” The materials then list the parts of the lesson and link the videos used throughout the lesson.
In Unit 5, Writing Lesson: Using Precise Verbs in Your Reasoning, the Teacher Copy Lesson Overview provides a “Materials Needed” section. This section lists items “You will need” and items “Your student will need.” Under “You will need” the materials list: This lesson handout, “The Star Beast” (Teacher Copy), and “What is Othering?” (Teacher Copy). Under “Your students will need” the materials list: “Using Precise Verbs in Your Reasoning” (Student Copy), “The Star Beast” (Student Copy), and “What is Othering?” (Student Copy).
Indicator 3g
This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.
Indicator 3h
This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.
Criterion 3.2: Assessment
The program includes a system of assessments identifying how materials provide tools, guidance, and support for teachers to collect, interpret, and act on data about student progress towards the standards.
The materials provide a clear assessment system that provides multiple assessment opportunities to determine students’ learning. Assessments include grammar and usage quizzes, vocabulary quizzes, independent in-class assessments, and final culminating unit assessments. Every unit contains a culminating task that incorporates reading, writing, and speaking and listening skills. The materials include a rubric for the teacher to use to grade the culminating tasks. Materials also include an Independent Practice component throughout each unit, typically with each reading lesson. This is similar to an exit ticket that allows the teacher to assess student understanding frequently over the course of the year. During Reading questions and tasks allow teachers to check in with students during the lessons. Throughout the program, the materials identify the standards and practices assessed in formal assessments. In addition, the materials offer some accommodations for assessments that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
Indicator 3i
Assessment information is included in the materials to indicate which standards are assessed.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 3i.
The materials identify the standards and practices assessed in formal assessments throughout the program. Independent reading questions and culminating task prompts always have the standards addressed listed beside the question or the prompt. The grammar quizzes and vocabulary quizzes do not list the standards by the questions, but the standards are listed in the Unit Guide for teachers.
Materials consistently identify the standards and practices assessed for formal assessments. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Most units include a grammar quiz. The grammar quiz includes a scoring chart at the bottom to help determine a student’s score. The grammar instruction standards addressed for each unit are listed in the Unit Guide, and those are the standards addressed in the quiz.
Each unit includes at least one vocabulary quiz. The Unit Guide lists the Vocabulary standards addressed within each unit, and the quiz addresses those same standards.
The culminating task for each unit includes the standard(s) addressed on the task prompt. Each culminating task also includes a rubric teachers can use to score the task. The rubrics used are a 4-3-2-1 scale, and each section contains clear expectations that students must include to receive that score.
Independent Practice questions are included at the end of almost every reading lesson. Each question is marked with the corresponding standard or standards that the question addresses.
Indicator 3j
Assessment system provides multiple opportunities throughout the grade, course, and/or series to determine students' learning and sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance and suggestions for follow-up.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 3j.
The materials provide multiple opportunities for assessments. Every unit contains a culminating task that incorporates reading, writing, and speaking and listening skills. The materials include a rubric for the teacher to use to grade the culminating tasks. Materials also include an Independent Practice component throughout each unit, typically with each reading lesson. This is similar to an exit ticket that allows the teacher to assess student understanding frequently over the course of the year. During Reading questions and tasks allow teachers to check in with students during the lessons. The materials provide possible answers, as well as optional during reading questions the teacher can use if they choose.
Assessment system provides multiple opportunities to determine students’ learning and sufficient guidance to teachers for interpreting student performance. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Each unit contains a multifaceted culminating task. Students typically include reading, writing, and speaking and listening skills to complete the culminating task. Each culminating task includes a rubric for the teacher to use to assess the students. The task for each unit differs to provide some variety over the course of the year. For example, the Unit 1 culminating task is a literary analysis essay, while the Unit 4 culminating task is an argumentative presentation.
Independent Practice is a form of formative assessment used throughout each unit. Independent practice may include a short written response question, an application question, and multiple choice questions.
The materials provide during reading questions that allow the teacher to check in with students while reading. These questions may be Turn & Talk, highlight evidence, written response, or Think & Share. The Teacher Copy provides possible answers, as well as providing information on optional During Reading Questions that the teacher can choose to use.
Assessment system provides multiple opportunities to determine students’ learning and suggestions to teachers for following-up with students. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
In the Program Guide, the materials state the following under the rubric section, “Rubrics enable teachers to provide constructive feedback that helps students recognize their strengths, identify areas for improvement, and set goals for future growth.”
Formative assessments are included throughout the units within the Independent Practice sections of the lessons. The program guide states, “Teachers are able to monitor students’ comprehension, analysis, and skill building through frequent review of these formative assessments, allowing them to adjust their instructional practices and improve student learning outcomes.”
Indicator 3k
Assessments include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level/course-level standards and shifts across the series.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 meet the criteria for Indicator 3k.
Materials provide opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level/course-level standards and shifts across the series through formative and summative assessments, such as grammar and usage quizzes, vocabulary quizzes, independent in-class assessments, and final culminating unit assessments. The assessment item types in the program are varied.
Assessments include opportunities for students to demonstrate the full intent of grade-level/course-level standards and shifts across the series. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
All grade-level units include a writing baseline assessment. This argumentative prompt connects to the major unit themes. Facilitation suggestions include instructions to “Use the Grade 6-10 Argumentative Writing Rubric to score student essays. Provide direct feedback to students on their essays using the Student Feedback Form. Have students reflect on their writing and set writing goals using the Writing Baseline Assessment Goal-Setting Tool. You may use this tool to kick off 1:1 conferences with students.” This writing baseline assessment is a constructed response.
Each unit includes one to two Vocabulary quizzes that assess the “10 high-impact academic vocabulary words they will see in the texts they read.” Vocabulary quizzes are multiple-choice.
Most units include one Grammar and Usage quiz that assesses students’ knowledge of the unit’s grammar skill that correlates directly to grade level language standards. Grammar and Usage quizzes vary in structure, including short answer and open-response.
Each unit includes a culminating task with instructions that state the following: “To measure student understanding, each unit culminates in a task that assesses student understanding of core unit knowledge and skills. Throughout the unit, students engage in the writing process to refine this task so that they have a published product by the end of the unit.”
Students are assessed using many different types of rubrics such as “Writing: informative, argumentative, narrative, literary analysis, Listening and speaking, and Presentation.” “Culminating tasks are assessed using the associated rubric, which allows teachers and students to track and understand how students are performing in relation to the focus standards in the unit.” Culminating tasks vary in structure, including process writing and presentations.
Formative Assessments found in many of the reading lessons include in-class Independent Practice activities that “require students to answer a short written response question, an application question, and/or multiple-choice assessment questions.”
Indicator 3l
Assessments offer accommodations that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without changing the content of the assessment.
Criterion 3.3: Student Supports
The program includes materials designed for each student’s regular and active participation in grade-level/grade-band/series content.
The materials provide some strategies, supports, and resources for students in special populations. While general guidance is provided across special populations, lesson-specific guidance is lacking. Some of the How-To Guidance PDFs provided for teachers in the materials provide guidance for helping students who are struggling, including examples and strategies to guide teachers. The materials provide some strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak a language other than English. The Program Guides provide a list of supports for English Learners, including a list of teacher-led strategies and explanations for how CommonLit 360 tools and resources can be used to help. The materials provide some suggestions and strategies for using home language to support students in learning English Language Arts. The Program Guide suggests that teachers use the students’ first language skills to help them better understand vocabulary and comprehend text. There is guidance for grouping students in a variety of ways across each unit. Types of interactions among students include Whole Class Partner Work, including Think Share, Turn and Talk, Student-Led Discussions, Further Analysis responses, and Independent work. Materials provide varied approaches to learning tasks over time. Opportunities for students to demonstrate and monitor their learning are also varied.
The materials, including texts and assessments, depict characters and individuals of varying ages, genders, races, and ethnicities and typically present diversities in a positive light. The materials do not include teacher guidance on how to engage culturally diverse students in the learning of ELA.
Indicator 3m
Materials provide strategies and supports for students in special populations to work with grade-level content and to meet or exceed grade-level standards that will support their regular and active participation in learning English language arts and literacy.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3m.
The materials provide some strategies, supports, and resources for students in special populations. The materials include PDFs under the How-To Guidance section within the professional development tab for each unit. These PDFs cover topics regarding reading, writing, research, speaking and listening, and assessments. Some of these PDFs provide guidance for helping students who are struggling, providing examples and strategies to guide teachers. The examples and strategies are general and not specific to particular lessons. Individual lessons include optional During Reading Questions that teachers can use, but lessons do not include specific guidance on strategies and supports to use with students in special populations. The materials provide a variety of texts for students to use during the Choice Board lessons, but there is no guidance for the teacher on how to use these to support special populations.
Materials regularly provide strategies, supports, and resources for students in special populations to support their regular and active participation in grade-level literacy work. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
The materials provide How-To Guidance PDFs under the professional development tab for each unit. These PDFs provide suggestions for the teacher to use in a variety of situations, including, but not limited to, annotating effectively, checking for understanding during reading lessons, facilitating a productive discussion, and giving meaningful feedback. The PDFs typically provide suggestions for students who are struggling. For example, in the “Checking for Understanding During Reading Lessons” PDF, the materials provide suggestions for students who are struggling to comprehend the content. The materials state, “Teach students fix-up strategies like:
Rereading
Breaking down the existing question
Asking an additional question.”
The materials provide an example for the teacher as well.
In the Teacher Copy of Reading Lessons, the materials provide a suggested reading modality based on the amount of support students may need with the topic. The materials provide During Reading questions, but certain questions are optional. The materials state, “During Reading Questions that are marked with an asterisk (*) are optional questions. Teachers can choose to use the questions with students needing more support.”
In Unit 4, Choice Board: Texts, the Teacher Copy provides notes for teachers. Part of the notes state, “This lesson is designed as independent reading because students select and read two texts that support their own stance on the research question.” Although this task is designed as an Independent Research activity, the materials do not provide guidance for the teacher on how to assist students in special populations or information regarding which grouping of texts might be best for students in special populations.
Indicator 3n
Materials regularly provide extensions to engage with literacy content and concepts at greater depth for students who read, write, speak, and/or listen above grade level.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3n.
The materials provide some opportunities for advanced students to investigate grade-level content at a higher level of complexity. The materials contain a Beyond the Wall section in the Word Wall Teacher Guidance that provides a variety of activities that the teacher can incorporate for advanced students. The materials also provide Reading Responses for Advanced Analysis as options for the questions/responses in the Independent Reading and Book Club Resources. There are also opportunities for students to choose to read more challenging texts during choice text lessons.
Materials provide some opportunities for advanced students to investigate the grade-level content at a higher level of complexity. Materials are free of instances of advanced students doing more assignments than their classmates. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
The materials provide a Word Wall Teacher Guidance document for the Vocabulary Activity Sets. This document provides best practices for using word walls, as well as a Beyond the Wall section. The Beyond the Wall section says, “Here are additional creative ways to support students to do higher-level thinking with target words. These activities can be beneficial for reinforcing key ideas and making cross-curricular connections.” One example activity is Word Relationships. The materials state, “In pairs, each student has a target word on a card. Sharing their words with each other, students discuss similarities between their words. Ask pairs to form groups of four to see if students can find similarities among the four words.” The teacher directions for this page state, “Here are additional creative ways to support students to do higher-level thinking with target words. These activities can be beneficial for reinforcing key ideas and making cross-curricular connections.”
In Unit 5, the Additional Materials tab provides Independent Reading and Book Club Resources. The materials provide reading responses students can use for their independent reading log. The materials contain a section called Reading Responses for More Advanced Analysis. An example of a response is, “Significant Passage: Describe or quote from a passage that you feel is most important to the meaning of the whole text or a part of the text. Explain what makes this passage especially meaningful to the other parts of the text. Which words and phrases stand out as particularly important? Why might the author have chosen to include this passage, or particular words, phrases, and lines from the passage?” There are no clear teacher directions on when to use these questions.
Indicator 3o
Materials provide varied approaches to learning tasks over time and variety in how students are expected to demonstrate their learning with opportunities for for students to monitor their learning.
Indicator 3p
Materials provide opportunities for teachers to use a variety of grouping strategies.
Indicator 3q
Materials provide strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to meet or exceed grade-level standards to regularly participate in learning English language arts and literacy.
The materials reviewed for Grade 8 partially meet the criteria for Indicator 3q.
The materials provide some strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak a language other than English. The Program Guides provide a list of supports for English Learners. The Program Guides also provide a list of teacher-led strategies and explanations for how CommonLit 360 tools and resources can be used to help. The materials include resources in written and audible modes and provide many During Reading questions teachers can use to check for understanding. Discussion stems are also provided for all discussion lessons. While the materials provide some strategies and materials, they do not provide information within the lessons to help teachers utilize those resources to help English Language Learners. All guidance is provided for the teachers in the program guide and is not specific for each unit or lesson.
Materials consistently provide some strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to meet or exceed grade-level standards through regular and active participation in grade-level literacy work. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
The Program Guide contains a section titled Support for English Learners. The guide lists the practices that the materials include. The practices include Use Background Knowledge, Engage in Meaningful and Intellectually Challenging Interactions, Build Academic English and Content Knowledge, Utilize Scaffolds, and Accommodations for English Learners.
Under Accommodations for English Learners, the strategies include, but are not limited to, “pointing out cognates to key vocabulary to leverage first-language skills,” “breaking down routine and directions into shorter, more manageable segments,” and “using flexible grouping by strategically grouping students according to home language.”
Under Use Background Knowledge, the materials state, “At the beginning of each unit, teachers are provided with unit introductions, which create opportunities to connect students’ prior knowledge to the new content in order to leverage students’ languages, literacy, culture, and other experiences…” There are no further teacher prompts or directions in the Unit introductions on how to utilize the introductions to support English Language Learners.
In Unit 5, Discussion Lesson, the materials provide a Discussion Preparation Student Copy document. This document includes a list of sentence stems. This list includes, but is not limited to:
“The similarity I see between ___ and ___ is…
How does ____ connect to ____?
I see it slightly differently because on page ____…
What do you think, [Name]?”
The Program Guide states, “Carefully constructed questions promote extended discussion about academic content using supports such as sentence stems.” There is no further guidance for the teacher within the discussion lesson on how to help English Language Learners.
Indicator 3r
Materials provide a balance of images or information about people, representing various demographic and physical characteristics.
Indicator 3s
Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student home language to facilitate learning.
Indicator 3t
Materials provide guidance to encourage teachers to draw upon student cultural and social backgrounds to facilitate learning.
Indicator 3u
This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.
Indicator 3v
This is not an assessed indicator in ELA.
Criterion 3.4: Intentional Design
The program includes a visual design that is engaging and references or integrates digital technology, when applicable, with guidance for teachers.
The materials integrate technology in ways that engage students in grade-level standards. Materials include digital technology and interactive tools like annotation, highlighting, increased and decreased font size, text and question translation, and text and question read-aloud options. Graphic organizers, worksheets, or other documents that students fill in are Google Docs, allowing for customization as needed. Opportunities for collaboration are possible in the Google Doc format.
The materials provide teacher guidance for using embedded technology in the Program Guide. The Program Guide explains how lessons can be assigned and how some lessons provide the option to download a PDF or a Google Doc. The Program Guide provides guidance for sharing multimedia resources linked through an external website.
Materials have a visual design that supports learning. The design is not chaotic, nor does it distract from student learning. The layout and structure of the teacher materials make navigating units and lessons easy. Student handouts and materials mimic Teacher versions.
Indicator 3w
Materials integrate technology such as interactive tools, virtual manipulatives/objects, and/or dynamic software in ways that engage students in the grade-level/series standards, when applicable.
Indicator 3x
Materials include or reference digital technology that provides opportunities for teachers and/or students to collaborate with each other, when applicable.
Indicator 3y
The visual design (whether in print or digital) supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject, and is neither distracting nor chaotic.
Indicator 3z
Materials provide teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning, when applicable.