English & Reading
Includes:
- Curriculum Frameworks
- Enhanced Scope & Sequence Sample Lesson Plans
- Test Blueprints
- Released Tests
- Writing Practice Tool
- Performance Expectations
The goals of the English Standards of Learning are to teach students to read and to prepare students to participate in society as literate citizens, equipped with the ability to communicate effectively in their communities, in the work place, and in postsecondary education. As students progress through the school years, they become active and involved listeners and develop a full command of the English language, evidenced by their use of standard English and their rich speaking and writing vocabularies.
Professional Development Resources
English Standards of Learning (SOL) Institutes
VDOE has provided targeted professional development through English Language Arts Standards of Learning Institutes.
- 2015 English Standards of Learning (SOL) Institutes
- 2014 English Standards of Learning (SOL) Institutes
- 2013 English Standards of Learning (SOL) Institutes
- 2012 English Standards of Learning (SOL) Institutes
Virginia Association of Teachers of English (VATE) 2013 Presentation – Rising to the Rigor of the English Standards of Learning (PPT) – This keynote presentation focuses on rigor in English instruction and assessment and provides tips for infusing nonfiction into the English classroom.
Literacy
The goal of Literacy Instruction in Virginia is to ensure that all children have the necessary skills to become successful as they progress and transition through the stages of their lives. This section includes the State Literacy Plan and other resources to support students in literacy from birth through graduation.
Elementary School Resources
In kindergarten through third grade, the primary goal is to teach all students to read fluently and to comprehend a variety of fiction and nonfiction selections that relate to all areas of the curriculum. As they progress through the elementary grades, students continue to acquire and refine strategies for comprehending and analyzing selections that encompass all literary types, exemplify universal themes, and relate to all subjects. K-3 standards are organized in three strands: Oral Language, Reading and Writing. Beginning at grade 4 the strands become Communication: Speaking, Listening, Media Literacy, Reading, Writing, and Research.
In addition to the standards, curriculum frameworks, enhanced scope and sequence guides, test blueprints and released test items, other elementary instructional resources include:
- Elementary Reading Early Literacy Instructional Videos – demonstrations by Virginia teachers of early literacy instructional strategies and activities
- Virginia Reads (PDF) – parent brochure highlighting preschool Foundation Blocks for Early Learning and the K-5 English SOL with suggestions for assisting children in achieving these school-readiness and reading standards
- Online Writing Resources – teaching strategies and lesson plans, video links, SOL progression charts, graphic organizers, and resource links to assist teachers at all grade levels in the instruction of the writing process. Beginning with the 2013 spring administration of grades 5, 8, and end-of-course Standards of Learning (SOL) writing assessments, Virginia students will complete all direct writing tests online.
- Vocabulary Resources – teaching strategies, lesson plans, graphic organizers, and resource links to assist teachers at all grade levels in the instruction of vocabulary.
- Sample Text-Dependent Questions – provide a fiction sample text from public domain and offer a series of text-dependent questions, companion nonfiction texts, and writing assignments.
- Sample Grade 3 Reading SOL – embedded Lesson Planning Template (Word)
- Sample Grade 4 Reading SOL – embedded Lesson Planning Template (Word)
- Sample Grade 5 Reading SOL – embedded Lesson Planning Template (Word)
K-3 Specific Instructional Resources
- K-3 English Achievement Record Sample – Schools maintain a record of achievement in English for each K-3 student to monitor progress and to promote achievement on third-grade SOL tests. This record accompanies a student who transfers to a new school.
- Early Intervention Reading Initiative (EIRI) – provides intervention services to students who demonstrate reading deficiencies on the Phonological and Literacy Screening (PALS) assessment
- Virginia Animals and their Habitats – a model comprehensive, cross-curricular second-grade unit that addresses 40 grade-two Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) in science, mathematics, English, and history and social science.
Best Practice
- Doing What Works – Interactive Strategies for Teaching Nonfiction Text Structure Video
- Read Aloud: Text Talk Lessons Resource
- 26 Instructional Strategies That Facilitate Learning Across Content Areas (PDF)
- Language & Culture Videos
Additional English & Reading Resources
- Classroom Research Handbook for Teachers and Students (PDF)
- How to do Research – An Interactive Graphic
- Instructional Interventions That Have Proven to Be Successful with Low-Achieving Students (PDF)
- Florida Center for Reading Research Principal Reading Walk Through Checklists
- Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read (PDF)
- Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS)
- For Virginia Reading Assessment Contact Information, see Professional Teacher’s Assessment Requirements (PDF)
- Reading Resources from the Center on Instruction
- Understand Scoring uses actual Virginia student anchor papers to provide examples of SOL scoring in each domain of writing
- Writing Practice Items and Guides
- Interactive Reading Activities for K-2 Students
- Interactive Language Arts Activities for Students in Grades 3-5
Middle School Resources
In middle school, standards continue to be organized in the three related strands: Oral Language, Reading and Writing. Students continue to acquire and refine strategies for comprehending and analyzing the written word.
In addition to the standards, curriculum frameworks, enhanced scope and sequence guides, test blueprints and released tests, other middle school instructional resources include:
- Wordsalive Vocabulary Acquisition Model for Virginia – research-based graphic organizer designed to enable students to learn content vocabulary
- Interactive Reading – combines a graphic organizer with researched-based reading comprehension strategies providing a framework that supports students prior to reading, during reading and after reading across the curriculum
- Vocabulary Videos – ten three-minute videos demonstrating a vocabulary lesson or teaching strategy
- Online Writing Resources – teaching strategies and lesson plans, video links, SOL progression charts, graphic organizers, and resource links to assist teachers at all grade levels in the instruction of the writing process. Beginning with the 2013 spring administration of grades 5, 8, and end-of-course Standards of Learning (SOL) writing assessments, Virginia students will complete all direct writing tests online.
- Vocabulary Resources – teaching strategies, lesson plans, graphic organizers, and resource links to assist teachers at all grade levels in the instruction of vocabulary.
- Sample Text-Dependent Questions – provide a fiction sample text from public domain and offer a series of text-dependent questions, companion nonfiction texts, and writing assignments.
Best Practice
Additional English & Reading Resources
- The National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA) collects, coordinates and conveys a broad range of research and resources in support of an inclusive approach to high quality education for English language learners (ELLs)
- Writing Practice Items and Guides
High School Resources
Standards for ninth through twelfth grades are organized in four related strands: Oral Language, Reading Analysis, Writing, and Research. Students in high school become familiar with exemplary authors and classic literary works.
In addition to the standards, curriculum frameworks, enhanced scope and sequence guides, test blueprints and released tests, other high school instructional resources include:
- Online Writing Resources – teaching strategies and lesson plans, video links, SOL progression charts, graphic organizers, and resource links to assist teachers at all grade levels in the instruction of the writing process. Beginning with the 2013 spring administration of grades 5, 8, and end-of-course Standards of Learning (SOL) writing assessments, Virginia students will complete all direct writing tests online.
- Writing Practice Items and Guides
- Vocabulary Resources – teaching strategies, lesson plans, graphic organizers, and resource links to assist teachers at all grade levels in the instruction of vocabulary.
- Sample Text-Dependent Questions – provide a fiction sample text from public domain and offer a series of text-dependent questions, companion nonfiction texts, and writing assignments.
Specific Course Information and Resources
- English Capstone Course Information – Guidance documents and links to instructional resources
Best Practice
Standards of Learning Assessment Resources
- Writing Practice Tool – The Writing Practice Tool allows students to practice using the online writing format utilized by TestNav, the online testing software used in Virginia.
- Writing Practice Items and Guides – Provides the opportunity for students to practice multiple-choice and technology-enhanced items (TEI) that reflect the new content and increased rigor of the revised English Standards of Learning (SOL).
- Online Writing Resources – teaching strategies and lesson plans, video links, SOL progression charts, graphic organizers, and resource links to assist teachers at all grade levels in the instruction of the writing process. Beginning with the 2013 spring administration of grades 5, 8, and end-of-course SOL writing assessments, Virginia students will complete all direct writing tests online.
- Released SOL Tests & Item Sets – Tests and item sets representative of the content and skills included in the Virginia SOL tests
Outside Websites
- Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS)
– screening tool for Virginia's Early Intervention Reading Initiative consisting of PALS-K (for students in kindergarten) and PALS 1-3 (for students in grades one through three) - Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA) – is a national center for research on early reading, representing a consortium of educators from five universities
- HELP MY CHILD READ Reading Resources – resources from the U.S. Department of Education
- Perspective's Understanding Scoring– Training tool to help Virginia's teachers prepare students for the English SOL Direct Writing Assessment
- Center on English Learning and Achievement (CELA) – Learning materials, teaching resources and online journals focusing on literacy
- National Writing Project – Professional development network for writing teachers at all grade levels
Professional Organizations
- Virginia Association of Teachers of English (VATE)
- Virginia Middle School Association (VMSA)
- Virginia State Reading Association (VSRA)
- International Reading Association (IRA)
- National Council of the Teachers of English (NCTE)
- National Middle School Association (NMSA)