Core Ready English Learners: Empowering Language Development in K-8 Classrooms

by Pam Allyn

In this dynamic book, K-8 educators get an inspirational call to action for ensuring ELL success that focuses, not only on the common core state standards and state academic standards, but also on the necessary paths to academic achievement. Core Ready English Language Learners: Achieving and Exceeding the Standards gives readers an authoritative look at the diversity of ELLs; the science of language acquisition; and the shifts in literacy for the 21st century and how these shifts specifically impact ELLs, complete with concrete activities to scaffold for these changes. Included are a guide to the use of English Language Development Standards nationally; ready-to-use lessons and effective means for planning, implementing, and creating a successful classroom environment for ELLs; and authentic student samples and artifacts from actual classrooms to demonstrate how to put the ideas into action. Looking beyond the ELL student and the classroom teacher, a full chapter covers family and community involvement, with tangible activities for engaging families culturally and promoting academic self-advocacy by ELLs in their communities.Assessment is interwoven throughout the text and a full chapter helps readers navigate the nextgen assessments. The closing chapter of the book takes ELLs and their educators forward into the characteristics of, and qualities necessary for success in college- and career-ready learning in the global world. About the Core Ready series: Core Ready is a dynamic series of books providing educators with critical tools for navigating the Common Core Standards effectively, fluidly, and successfully. In the pages of these books, readers see how to take complex concepts related to the standards and turn them into practical, specific, everyday instruction. The series is founded on the author's 4 Doors to Core Ready, an easy to use yet strikingly brilliant way to access and organize all of the content within the standards.

224 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2015

About the author

PAM ALLYN is the author of an inspirational and practical book for parents, teachers, and caregivers entitled What to Read When , which was published by Penguin in April 2009.

Her first professional book, The Complete 4: How to Teach Reading and Writing Through Daily Lessons, Monthly Units and Yearlong Calendars , was published by Scholastic in November 2007. This groundbreaking book was recently followed by Pam’s series of grade level books chock-full with day to day lessons called The Complete Year published by Scholastic in 2008 and co-authored with her LitLife colleagues.

Pam is the Executive Director of LitLife, a nationally recognized organization specializing in transformative school improvement through literacy education. She is also the Executive Director of LitWorld, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to bringing quality education to the world’s most vulnerable children.

She is the Founding Director of Books for Boys. For nine years, this program has been acclaimed for its innovative efforts on behalf of at-risk boys, and its work is replicated in other foster care agencies. Pam also spearheads an initiative called “The Family Story Power Project” which brings literacy rich curriculum to families and children.

Pam is the recipient of the James Patterson Page Turner Award for excellence in bringing literacy to underserved populations. She has also received a Disney Points of Light Foundation Award for her work bringing books and literacy to children. In May 2007 The Children's Village, the nation’s largest residential treatment center for foster care children presented Pam with its Legacy of Service Award for her tireless efforts to bring the magic of books and reading to children.

She is a motivational speaker for audiences of teachers, administrators, librarians and parents. She has been featured on The Today Show. Prior to founding LitLife, she was the Director of Funded Projects at the Columbia University Teachers College Reading and Writing Project.

Pam is on the Advisory Board of the Dream Charter School in Harlem, the Leadership Council of Global Action for Children, the Advisory Board of the Amherst College Center for Community Engagement and the English Language Arts Scope and Sequence Advisory Group for the New York City Department of Education.