Some educators, including those enthusiastic about the Common Core, have publicly worried about the effects of the standards on students already lagging, especially those still learning English, writes Pat Wingert for The Hechinger Report. Teachers fear the achievement gap between native speakers and English learners (ELLs) will widen, particularly where teachers have too little training and too few resources. The number of English learners has grown by 50 percent nationally since the 1990s, and currently accounts for 10 percent of all American students. Projections indicate that by 2030, 40 percent of the K-12 population will be ELL. Whether schools can successfully meet this challenge will be a key measure of success for the Common Core. Writing and vocabulary won't be enough; ELLs also must tackle more challenging, nuanced concepts, like figurative language and inferences. But Wingert reports the new standards have prompted some teachers to use ambitious vocabulary in class, and they've been surprised at how quickly students echo their word choices. Common Core proponents hope the emphasis on comprehension and vocabulary will help ELLs catch up with native speakers by high school. They're also convinced that extra time spent on nonfiction will help all students expand their knowledge of the world and become more powerful readers. More

Source:  Public Education News Blast

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