Begin the school year with Module 1 (Grades K-8 Skills and Module Lessons): Students should start the year in Module 1, rather than attempt to make up any missed content from the previous Spring and Summer of 2020.  A majority of the skills from the reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language standards from Modules 3 and 4 that were potentially missed can be addressed during whole group, on grade level, module lessons, and also independent work. This will occur when the corresponding standard from the current grade level is addressed. We will provide a crosswalk of standards covered in the previous grade in Modules 3 and 4.

*Please note the exception to this recommendation is Reading Foundational Skills Block

Just for 2020/2021 only facilitate three modules of content-based literacy per grade level instead of four. Expanding three modules will ensure adequate time for students to both adapt to the new school community and environment, and to build the necessary skills to be able to demonstrate mastery in the current grade-level skills. 

As a result of this change please note the following:

• *For the Reading Foundation Skills Block, It is recommended to facilitate all four modules as each module contains discrete skills.

• Three expanded modules will be approximately 12 weeks long. The only exception to this is K-2 Module 1, which will only be approximately 8 weeks long.  

• Standards only taught and assessed in the module not used in the 2020/2021 year will be incorporated in the three expanded modules. EL Education is providing guidance to support this in our Fall 2020 crosswalk documents.  

• If in a full-time classroom environment where students can be fully supported by the teacher in the way the module was intended, some of the modules selected to be omitted for 2020/2021 may be important to teach. In this situation, consider selecting a different module to remove. Note the * next to these modules in the list below. 

Please see the chart at the bottom of this page for the Module selection and rationale.

We recommend the schedule incorporates daily synchronous whole group and small group instruction to close potential gaps from the spring and summer by meeting specific student needs.

Address reading foundational and language skills and standards from Modules 3 and 4 during small-group differentiation. The reading foundational and language skills and standards from Modules 3 and 4 that were potentially missed during the spring and summer of 2020 are often more discrete skills and don't always connect between grade levels. They are, however, essential skills. Students are more likely to be at different places in their ability to demonstrate mastery of these skills, particularly the reading foundational skills, and therefore small group instruction will better meet specific student needs. 

• At Grades K-2, in both hybrid and fully remote learning situations, we recommend students receive direct instruction at their instructional level during small group differentiation time which will address reading foundational and language standards that were potentially missed. This time of differentiation provides an opportunity to bridge potential gaps in learning to progress students further in their foundational skills. 

• At Grades 3-5, in both hybrid and fully remote learning situations, we recommend students receive small group differentiated instruction during the ALL Block. Some skills, particularly the skills required in the previous grade-level language standards can be facilitated either whole group or small group.

General K-8

• Avoid administering additional assessments on top of the current grade level formative and summative assessments, including the Skills Block Benchmark Assessments, due to student stress. The formative and summative assessments in the current grade level materials will reveal gaps that students have.

• If hybrid or full-time in the classroom, administer assessments as outlined in curriculum materials. In a hybrid schedule, prioritize administering assessments while students are in the classroom. 

• Identify key formative assessment items in the content-based modules* to review to determine student progress prior to summative assessments to inform instructional decisions.

*Note: Identify one formative assessment item for each priority standard prior to the summative assessment. Priority standards are as follows: R.1, R.4, R.10, RF.4, W.8, W.9, SL.1, L.4, L.5, L.6

Grades K-2

• Administer the Skills Block Benchmark Assessments at the beginning of the year to ensure students are grouped to meet their specific microphase needs. 

If fully remote:

• Benchmark Assessments: Given the limitations of the remote environment, administer only the Letter and Sound Recognition assessment for Kindergarten, and the Spelling Assessment for Grades 1 and 2. If hybrid, or full-time in the classroom, administer the Benchmark Assessments as written. 
• Skills Block cycle assessments: If fully remote, consideration should be given to the technology access available and, therefore, which parts of the assessment will be appropriate and useful to administer.  
• Skills Block snapshot assessments: If fully remote, consideration should be given to the technology access available and, therefore, which parts of the assessment will be appropriate and useful to administer. 
• Module assessments using teacher observational checklists: Administer in small groups during synchronous (live) instructional time to be able to hear and see what students are doing.
• Module assessments in which students answer multiple questions under test conditions (usually reading assessments with selected response, short-answer questions, etc.): If fully remote, facilitate during synchronous (live) instructional time in small groups* for students to be able to ask and have questions answered. 

*Note: This should occur during the time allocated for whole group synchronous instruction with students rather than during differentiated small group time allocated for the Skills Block. 

• Module extended writing assessments (narratives and essays): Facilitate with a synchronous (live) kickoff in order for students to hear the prompt and directions read aloud. Students then complete the task independently; however, it is recommended holding a synchronous space for students to check-in with questions and/or requests for help. If completed in Google classroom, it is recommended to check student work and provide guidance and feedback where necessary throughout the writing process as well as afterward.

Grades 3-8

• Grade 3 only: Administer the K-2 Skills Block Benchmark Assessments at the beginning of the year to ensure students are grouped to meet their specific microphase needs, given the potential gaps from the spring and summer. Use ALL Block time to work on those specific needs.

If fully remote:

• Multiple question assessments (usually reading assessments with selected response, short-answer questions, etc.): Facilitate during synchronous (live) instructional time either whole group or small group in the Grades 3-5 ALL Block over two days. Read the questions and directions aloud during that time, should students need it. Facilitating over multiple days will provide students with more space to answer questions.
• Extended writing assessments (narratives and essays): Facilitate with a synchronous (live) kickoff in order for students to hear the prompt and directions read aloud. Students then complete the task independently; however, it is recommended holding a synchronous space for students to check-in with questions and/or requests for help. If completed in Google classroom, it is recommended to check student work and provide guidance and feedback where necessary throughout the writing process as well as afterward.