EL EDUCATION FLEX CURRICULUM: 2020-21
Last Updated: December 14th, 2020
The following recommendations were developed for the implementation of the EL Education Grades K-8 Language Arts Curriculum for the 2020-2021 school year and are being incorporated into remote learning resources for the curriculum created by EL Education.
These resources, adaptations of the existing curriculum, will support students whether they are experiencing remote learning, a hybrid approach, or are full-time in the classroom.
Screencasts
For an overview to assist you in navigating the Flex Curriculum on our website and in Google Drive, take a few minutes to watch our short screencasts:
Part 1 Navigation to Flex Curriculum materials on Curriculum.ELeducation.org.
Navigating Flex K-2 Module Lessons materials in Google Drive.
Navigating Flex K-2 Skills Block materials in Google Drive.
Navigating Flex 3-8 Module Lessons materials in Google Drive.
To explore our curriculum in its entirely, see the curriculum overview here: K-8 Curriculum Overview
EL Education Flex Resources:
- Recommendations and Guiding Principles for 2020-21
- Module Selection and Rationale
- Trade Book Access
- Considerations for Cultural Responsiveness
- FAQs
On this page:
Access Materials
Use the table and buttons below to access materials for the EL Education Flex Curriculum: 2020-21
View All K-8 Flex Materials View Teacher Tools
PLEASE NOTE: All materials are view-only. You may make an editable copy or directly download for your use in classrooms. There is no need to request edit access to use these materials.
Grade K Module Lessons | Grade 1 Module Lessons | Grade 2 Module Lessons |
Grade K Skills Block | Grade 1 Skills Block | Grade 2 Skills Block |
Flex Your Skills are 26 standalone videos for students that teach or review instructional practices used in K-2 Skills Block, including Count It Out, Rhyme Time, Feel the Beats, Letter Sound Chant, Articulatory Gestures, Interactive Writing, and others. |
Grade 3 Module Lessons | Grade 4 Module Lessons | Grade 5 Module Lessons |
Grade 6 (Second Edition 2019)
| Grade 7 (Second Edition 2019) | Grade 8 (Second Edition 2019) |
Please Note: We developed Lesson Planner Tools as a guide for adapting the modules selected for the Flex Curriculum: 2020-21 to support a blend of synchronous and asynchronous instruction. We will not be developing student materials for Grades 6-8 (First Edition 2012).
See Module Selection and Rationale for more information on what modules will not be included in the Flex Curriculum.
Grade 6 (First Edition 2012)
| Grade 7 (First Edition 2012)
| Grade 8 (First Edition 2012)
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Virtual Instruction Guidance EL Education Flex Curriculum: 2020-21
Welcome to EL Education's Virtual Instruction Guidance. In our development of the EL Education Flex Curriculum: 2020-21, clear patterns of instruction emerged that needed specific guidance for effective implementation in a virtual environment.
The principles that follow represent our approach to virtual instruction for the various components of the EL Education K-8 Language Arts Curriculum.
General Guidance For Using a Video Conferencing Platform
We recommend facilitating specific lessons to help students familiarize themselves with using a virtual classroom environment or a video conferencing platform. Topics to cover include:
Screens: | Students should be able to: Move between speaker and gallery view.
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Breakout Rooms: | Grades K-2 Most video meeting software has an option to separate a larger meeting into small groups, often called breakout rooms. Consider the following:
Some software (such as Google Meet) do not have the ability to send students to breakout rooms. To accomplish the same process group students and create multiple meeting links for each group. List the groups and the link for each group on a shared document for the student reference. | Grades 3-8 Most video meeting software has an option to separate a larger meeting into small groups, often called breakout rooms. Consider the following:
Some software (such as Google Meet) do not have the ability to send students to breakout rooms. To accomplish the same process group students and create multiple meeting links for each group. List the groups and the link for each group on a shared document for the student reference. |
Chat Box: | Most virtual conferencing platforms allow students to use a chatbox. Create a classroom set of signals using either the chat box or reaction emoticons to quickly show if students understand, need more help, have a question, etc. |
Additional Features: | Many virtual conferencing platforms have additional ways for students to respond, for example, a raised hand to ask a question, and emoticons for students to show their reactions. |
Platform Specific Guidance
Zoom |
The links above are external guides we are providing for reference. Please consult with your school or district administrator regarding technical guidance. |
Google Meet |
The links above are external guides we are providing for reference. Please consult with your school or district administrator regarding technical guidance. |
Microsoft Teams |
The links above are external guides we are providing for reference. Please consult with your school or district administrator regarding technical guidance. |
Section 1: Direct Instruction
Throughout the curriculum, there are specific moments when teachers directly convey information, model a thought process or piece of work, and/or review the correct answers for a piece of work. These moments of explicit guided instruction are vital to students practicing the necessary skills and techniques both collaboratively and independently. This section gives guidance on high-leverage techniques and practices for use during virtual instruction.
General Classroom Management Techniques | A major consideration is how to manage student engagement and behavior in the virtual environment. Techniques involving physical proximity or looking at an individual student are either impossible or lose their power without physical presence. Consider the following, below. |
Virtual Classroom Norms | School or district guidance: Consult school or district guidance for all virtual classroom decisions. Developing norms: As the EL Education text Management in the Active Classroom states: “Classroom norms are the foundation for respectful behavior among students, between students and teachers, and among teachers. Norms provide students with rationale for why boundaries exist…” As in the physical classroom, co-creating positively-framed norms with your students early in the school year will support learning throughout the year. Use synchronous instruction time to explain what norms are and why they are important. Use habits of character to frame the conversation (e.g. “How can we show respect to each other when we are having conversations online?). Age Appropriateness: Consider the age and developmental appropriateness of each norm for students. These norms will look different for an 8th-grade classroom as opposed to a 1st-grade classroom Examples: Below are some examples of student norms:
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Anchor Charts | Throughout the curriculum, an 'Anchor Chart' is employed to create a common space for students to co-create resources based on their learning. It is recommended these anchor charts be large physical pieces of paper that can be displayed and easily referenced during class time. Unfortunately, a virtual or hybrid learning environment does not always allow for this type of visible shared learning. As a result, consider taking one of two approaches that will still allow students to co-create anchor charts, but also will ensure individual access for reference during asynchronous time:
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Reading in Class | Often, the curriculum calls for a read aloud to support students with learning to read or accessing complex texts. Below are suggestions:
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Section 2: Independent Work
Timing for Work Completion | The Flex Curriculum K-2 and 3-8 schedules (See Teacher Tools Folder) contain suggested time blocks for independent work where students can complete tasks asynchronously. These timings are suggestions only, and teachers should inform caregivers that students can complete this work based on home schedules. For example, students can view the whole group K-2 Skills Block instructional videos while eating their breakfast, or later on in the afternoon. Additionally, grades 3-8 students might complete the work assigned after Lesson 1 and the pre-work for Lesson 2 as a single work block in the afternoon. |
Shared Documents | These documents can be edited by multiple contributors and are shared by the class with varying levels of permissions depending on the teacher's discretion for students editing or suggesting edits to the content of the document. When using shared documents, consider the following:
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Assessments and Feedback | Providing Feedback
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Section 3: Protocols and Student Collaboration
Classroom Protocols: The document linked below (and in Teacher Tools) provides guidance for high-frequency protocols used in the EL Education Language Arts Curriculum. We have categorized these protocols to ensure there is always a synchronous and asynchronous option for teachers. We always give guidance for which protocol to use in the K-2 Lesson plans and/or 3-8 Lesson Planner tools. This guidance is designed to provide more detail for each protocol and/or support teachers in selecting alternative protocols.
Virtual Instruction Guidance - Classroom Protocols
Student Collaboration: A hallmark of the EL Education Literacy curriculum is student collaboration and discussion. Students solidify their internal understanding when they work with others and have to share their thinking externally. Collaboration also helps develop students speaking and listening abilities, a strand of the college, and career-ready standards. These skills are also embedded in our Read-Think-Talk-Write Cycle of instruction, a core part of the design of our literacy curriculum.
Discussion: The most consistent form of collaboration in the EL Education Language Arts curriculum is discussion. While the Protocols section provides specific examples of routines that can facilitate student talk, special considerations for the virtual environment should be made.
Below are suggestions for fostering collaboration in discussion and group work for the virtual classroom:
One Voice: Only one person, student or teacher, should talk at any given time as video conferencing software often does not handle multiple audio inputs well. |
Mute and Unmute: Connected to the above, explicitly teach students how to mute and unmute themselves while talking. Explain that when it is their turn, the class will know they are done if they mute when they have finished. |
Monitor Student Order: As the teacher, you, or a student you assign, will need to monitor who has requested to speak and either call on that student or directly unmute the student. This will ensure students don’t inadvertently interrupt their peers. |
Discussion Stems: As in the physical environment, discussion stems are a useful tool to support students as they develop their ability to speak using academic language in a classroom. Consider sharing your screen with these stems during the discussion as an added support. |
Pre-Determine Groupings: Choose groups in advance, and maintain them for consistent periods of time (e.g. Unit or Module). Preview the kinds of groupings that will be required for the period (pairs, triads, quads, etc) and provide students with a shared document that includes their groups and roles at the start of each period. As the teacher, you may always adjust the suggested groupings from the Lesson Planner (i.e. students work in quads instead of pairs during a think-pair-share). NOTE: One way to provide novelty in groupings is to use random breakout rooms for quick discussions such as think-pair-shares. Use your discretion with this tool as they will not account for the social dynamics of your students when grouping! |
Roles: When predetermining groups, we also suggest assigning or allowing students to choose roles to ensure efficient working independent breakout rooms. Roles may include:
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Section 4: Writing
In the EL Education Language Arts Curriculum, all writing is connected to reading. Students read and build knowledge in order to write coherent well-informed information, argumentative, and/or narrative pieces. However, one of the most powerful tools for every teacher is in the guidance provided to students during writing. This becomes difficult, but not impossible during virtual instruction.
This section provides general guidance to consider while writing as well as guidance on specific parts of our writing instruction:
Grades K-2 | Primary learners typically cannot yet type, and benefit from writing by hand. Given that, it is recommended K-2 students complete work by hand on hard copies, rather than working in Word or Google Docs. Consider:
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Grades 3-5 |
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Shared Writing |
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Section 5: Close Reading
Close reading is an essential part of our curriculum and repeated often in the module lessons. Follow the steps below to ensure smoother facilitation of this vital practice with students:
Note: in K-2, one close read-aloud text per module has been turned into a recorded video for added student support. You can see more information and how to gain access on our Trade Book Access page.
Before the Lesson |
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During the Lesson |
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Section 6: Language Dives
Quick Start:
- Get ready and get prepared by having easy access to your materials. This means having a physical copy of the lesson's Language Dive Guide and sentence in front of you while working with students, so you can reference the flow of instruction while monitoring students and sharing your screen. Consider printing the Language Guide Dive from our website, or locating it in your Teacher Supporting Materials.
- Get comfortable using conversation cues virtually with students. Consider practicing conversation cues with your students during the first two weeks of school as you are building virtual culture and establishing routines. Conversation cues can support productive, equitable, student-led conversation.
- Resources: Conversation Cues in the Curriculum
- Play with technologies that can support independent learning and conversation virtually. Students can use technologies asynchronously and synchronously to explore language and talk with one another in pairs or small groups, which can hasten language development.
- Resource Examples: Zoom Breakout Rooms, Flipgrid, Seesaw, Pear Deck, Padlet
Synchronous and Asynchronous Recommendations for Instruction by Grade Band
Grades K-8 | Synchronous: Technology Suggestion: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams
Asynchronous:
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Grades K-2 Modifications | Synchronous:
Asynchronous:
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Section 7: Assessment/Reviews
K-2 Skills Block |
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Suggested Routines |
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Cheating/Plagiarism |
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© 2016-2020 EL Education. Except where otherwise noted, the EL Education Flex Curriculum 2020-21 is published under a public license. To view a copy of this license, visit [https://curriculum.eleducation.org/content/flex-curriculum-public-license].