A Teachers' Guide to the Common Core: A resource guide for success in English Language Arts for teachers who work with English learners and students with disabilities

This document was designed to support teachers of ELLs and students with disabilities as they seek to help their students meet new, higher standards in English language arts. Produced by AFT for AFT Connecticut, and supported by an AFT Innovation Fund grant.

The purpose of this guide is to assist specialists and mainstream educators to engage in professional dialogues and practices:

• to gain a deeper understanding of the shifts and how they apply to English learners and students with disabilities
• to incorporate critical strategies for addressing the instructional needs of English learners and students with disabilities; and
• to develop lessons plans that meet the requirements of the ELA Common Core State Standards and include instructional accommodations for English learners and students with disabilities.

This guide provides the following resources for implementing the CCSS with English learners and students with disabilities:

• Identification and explanation of the ELA instructional shifts
• Strategies and instructional considerations
• Lesson planning guide and template
• Exemplar lesson
• Digital resources to deepen and expand understanding