Overview
Core Foundational Knowledge Competencies
Foundational Competency 1: Literacy Scholarship
| ID | Knowledge | All Teachers |
Elementary Educators |
Special Educators |
Remedial Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1K | a. Identify reliable and valid sources that translate scientific studies of reading and writing into usable information and recognize the evidence-aligned principles and practices of instruction supported by that research. | ✓ | |||
| b. Summarize the major findings of interdisciplinary, scientific studies of reading and writing and the evidence-aligned principles of instruction supported by that research. | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| 1.2K | a. Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative research methods in terms of their general approach to data collection and analysis and use research study conclusions to help inform instructional decisions. | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| b. Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative research methods in terms of their general approach to data collection and analysis, the kinds of information they produce, the appropriate interpretation of the data, and their contribution to identifying the best practices for teaching literacy skills. | ✓ | ||||
| 1.3K | a. Explain common statistical concepts, such as reliability, validity, and effect size, as used in assessment and research. | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| b. Explain common statistical concepts such as reliability, validity, significance, and effect size; accurately interpret common descriptive statistics used in assessment and research. | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| 1.4K | Summarize the basic principles of the scientific method as outlined in the National Institute for Literacy’s document titled: What is Scientifically Based Research? USING RESEARCH AND REASON IN EDUCATION A Guide for Teachers; National Institutes for Literacy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 1.5K | Identify the major components of an effective and comprehensive literacy curriculum and explain their interrelationships, and how this knowledge informs integrated instructional design. | ✓ | |||
| 1.6K | a. Explain some of the major theoretical models and heuristics of reading development and how these models inform pedagogy. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| b. Explain the major theoretical models and heuristics of reading development and how these models inform pedagogy. | ✓ | ||||
| 1.7K | a. Explain some of the major theoretical models of writing development and how these models inform pedagogy. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| b. Explain the major theoretical models of writing development and how these models inform pedagogy. | ✓ |
Foundational Competency 2: Language Acquisition and Development
Advancing CCS Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening: SL 1-6 and for Language: L1, L3
| ID | Practice | All Teachers |
Elementary Educators |
Special Educators |
Remedial Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1P | Use an evidence-aligned strategy or routine to teach all students to engage in conversation and structured oral language activities with their peers, with consideration for ELs/MLs, students with limited oral language fluency and those who speak a variation that differs from GAE (General American English) (e.g., AAVE [African American Vernacular English]), and for ELs/MLs, incorporate opportunities to practice in L1 and L2 cross-linguistically when possible. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.2P | Demonstrate an ability to identify and incorporate the language and literacy practices of your students’ families and communities into your teaching. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ID | Knowledge | All Teachers |
Elementary Educators |
Special Educators |
Remedial Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3K | Identify and describe the various stages and developmental progression, across age and grade, of language acquisition and development for native speakers of English and for ELs/MLs. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.4K | Identify models of second language acquisition including the Five Stages of Second Language Acquisition (Krashen and Terrell, 1983), Cummins’ Theory of Second Language Acquisition (Cummins, 1981) and how these models inform language acquisition and academic instruction for ELs/MLs. | ✓ | |||
| 2.5K | Describe the characteristics of the overall organization (macrostructure) and details (microstructure—e.g., use of linguistic devices at the sentence level) of narrative language and their relationship to receptive and expressive language. | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 2.6K | a. Identify the characteristics of the domains of language (phonology, orthography, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, discourse) and their relationship to the units of language (sounds, morphemes, words, phrases, clauses, sentences, discourse). | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| b. Identify the characteristics of the domains of language (phonology, orthography, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, discourse), their relationship to the units of language (sounds, morphemes, words, phrases, clauses, sentences, discourse), and explain their role in designing instruction to support attainment of proficient reading and writing for native speakers of English and for ELs/MLs. | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| 2.7K | Describe the three components of phonological processing (phonological awareness, phonological memory, rapid naming/phonological access) and explain their contribution to the development of skilled reading. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 2.8K | Explain how multilingualism enriches and influences students’ thinking and learning during language acquisition and development and describe the most common linguistic differences for ELs/MLs in phonological and phonemic awareness, oral vocabulary, and comprehension (to include language structures). | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 2.9K | Describe key environmental and individual factors that affect language acquisition and development, note their impact, and explain how difficulties associated with these factors might manifest in the learner’s reading and writing performance. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.10K | Explain how reading, writing, and spelling proficiency depend on language proficiency. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Foundational Competency 3: Literacy Acquisition and Development
| ID | Knowledge | All Teachers |
Elementary Educators |
Special Educators |
Remedial Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1K | Identify and describe the phases of word reading development as presented by Ehri (1995) with consideration for native speakers of English and ELs/MLs. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.2K | Identify and describe the interrelationships among the major component skills of written language. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 3.3K | Know the regions of the brain related to skilled reading and key findings from cognitive neuroscience that have implications for reading acquisition and development. | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 3.4K | Describe orthographic processing and explain its contribution to the development of skilled reading and writing. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.5K | Explain how multilingualism enriches and influences students’ thinking and learning during literacy acquisition and development. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 3.6K | Compare and contrast oral and written language acquisition and explain the developmental difference between learning to talk and learning to read. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.7K | Describe key environmental and individual factors that affect literacy acquisition and development (e.g., primary home language, cognition, ability to attend, anxiety, SES, etc.), note their impact and explain how difficulties associated with these factors might manifest in the learner’s reading and writing performance. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.8K | Identify the common intrinsic differences between proficient and less proficient readers, with reference to cognitive, linguistic, neurobiological, and educational research, and distinguish the characteristics of major profiles of less proficient readers. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.9K | Explain the importance of code-emphasis instruction in the early grades (K-3) and the role that language comprehension and meaning-making play in developing oral language and foundational skills for literacy. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 3.10K | Describe how students’ language, literacy, and reading experiences are influenced and shaped by their families and communities. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Foundational Competency 4: Principles of Explicit Instruction
| ID | Practice | All Teachers |
Elementary Educators |
Special Educators |
Remedial Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1P | Provide systematic literacy instruction by (1) referencing a logically ordered scope and sequence; (2) following a gradual release of responsibility model; (3) making connections to previously taught concepts, strategies, skills overt. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 4.2P | Provide explicit literacy instruction by (1) setting the purpose for instruction, (2) identifying the important details of the concept being taught, (3) providing instructions that have only one interpretation, (4) modeling instructional tasks (skills, strategies, routines), (5) using visuals and manipulatives to teach concepts and content, as necessary, (6) engaging students in discourse around new concepts; and, (7) providing timely and specific confirming and corrective feedback. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4.3P | During the provision of systematic and explicit literacy instruction, engage students in meaningful interactions with language by (1) providing and eliciting background information; (2) emphasizing the distinctive features of new concepts; (3) using visuals and manipulatives to teach concepts and content as necessary, and with consideration for ELs/MLs; (4) making relationships among concepts overt; (5) engaging students in discourse around new concepts; and (5) elaborating on students’ responses. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 4.4P | During the provision of systematic and explicit literacy instruction, provide multiple opportunities for students to practice instructional tasks by (1) providing more than one opportunity to practice each new skill; (2) providing opportunities for practice after each instructional step; (3) eliciting group responses when feasible; and (4) providing extra practice based on the accuracy of student responses. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 4.5P | During the provision of systematic and explicit literacy instruction, encourage student effort by (1) providing timely and specific confirming and corrective feedback, (2) ensuring that most feedback provided is positive, and (3) celebrating and displaying examples of student progress in literacy. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 4.6P | During the provision of systematic and explicit literacy instruction, adjust the emphasis of lessons to accommodate learners’ strengths and needs (e.g., support for chunking information, breaking down content, using visuals) to support proficient reading and writing. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4.7P | Implement systematic and explicit literacy instruction with integrity to the evidence-aligned guidance provided by the CSDE and the publisher, if utilizing a branded approach (e.g., scope/sequence, delivery, frequency, duration, group size, instructional language, routines and contexts, etc.). | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ID | Knowledge | All Teachers |
Elementary Educators |
Special Educators |
Remedial Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.8K | Identify and describe the components of a structured literacy lesson for phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, including the features and appropriate use of varied texts. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4.9K | Identify, describe, and explain the importance and appropriate use of various types of practice (e.g., deliberate, interleaved, retrieval, spaced, massed, etc.) in building automaticity. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 4.10K | Understand the importance of enhancing explicit instruction for ELs/MLs by activating and connecting to their fund of knowledge, using visuals, focusing on cross-linguistic features and transfer skills, employing wait time, using manipulatives, organizers, language supports, or total physical response. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Foundational Competency 5: Dyslexia
| ID | Practice | All Teachers |
Elementary Educators |
Special Educators |
Remedial Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1P | Identify students who are at risk for dyslexia according to the guidance provided by the Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities (ODRD). | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 5.2P | Plan for and provide instruction that addresses the student’s unique strengths and needs, including but not limited to those related to word reading accuracy, word reading automaticity, oral reading fluency, reading vocabulary, reading comprehension, and written expression. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ID | Knowledge | All Teachers |
Elementary Educators |
Special Educators |
Remedial Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3K | a. Identify the characteristics of the four common reading difficulty profiles outlined in Connecticut’s 2010 Guidelines for Identifying Children with Learning Disabilities and note how the three reading disability subtypes identified by the Simple View of Reading align with these profiles. | ✓ | |||
| b. Describe the characteristics of the four common reading difficulty profiles outlined in Connecticut’s 2010 Guidelines for Identifying Children with Learning Disabilities and note how the three reading disability subtypes identified by the Simple View of Reading align with these profiles. |
✓ | ✓ | |||
| 5.4K | Explain how and why symptoms of reading difficulty are likely to change over time in response to development and instruction. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.5K | Identify the tenets of the (2003) IDA definition of dyslexia and CT’s current definition of dyslexia, or any accepted revisions thereof. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.6K | a. Identify the distinguishing characteristics of dyslexia. | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| b. Explain the neurobiological basis and characteristics of dyslexia. | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| 5.7K | Identify risk indicators for dyslexia. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.8K | Explain how dyslexia varies in presentation and degree. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.9K | Explain the consequences of a lack of timely identification and appropriately intensive and adequately comprehensive interventions. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5.10K | Identify and describe federal laws and state guidelines concerning the identification of and special education eligibility determination for Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), including SLD: Dyslexia and identify parent-friendly language to communicate these guidelines to families and caregivers. | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 5.11K | Identify and describe Connecticut’s approach to SLD: Dyslexia IDEA eligibility determination and identify parent-friendly language to communicate these approaches to families and caregivers. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Foundational Competency 6: Assessment Concepts, Practices, and Applications
| ID | Practice | All Teachers |
Elementary Educators |
Special Educators |
Remedial Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1P | Three times per year, accurately administer, score, and interpret the results of a state-approved universal K-3 reading screening benchmark assessment (all subtests) according to standardized administration guidelines to (1) identify students who are at risk for dyslexia (per guidance provided by the ODRD), (2) identify students’ levels of instructional need. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 6.2P | Accurately administer, score, and interpret a range of criterion-referenced literacy assessments to inform (1) the focus of targeted supplemental instruction provided to students performing below Benchmark (composite or subtest) on a state-approved universal K-3 reading screening assessment; and (2) the development of instructional groups and schedules to address students’ unique literacy strengths and needs. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 6.3P | a. For students receiving targeted supplemental instruction, utilize the progress-monitoring component of the state-approved universal K-3 reading screening assessment administered according to standardized administration guidelines or use a curriculum based measure for students beyond grade 3 to (1) determine if the student is responding adequately to the instruction provided (e.g., calculate students’ learning slope, rate of improvement, etc.) and if not, to inform how instruction will be intensified in consultation and collaboration with schoolbased education professionals (e.g., classroom teacher, remedial reading specialist); and, (2) for students identified with SLD, determine if they meet criteria for a primary disability of SLD: Dyslexia. | ✓ | |||
| b. For students receiving targeted supplemental instruction, utilize the progress-monitoring component of the state-approved universal K-3 reading screening assessment, administered according to standardized administration guidelines, or use a curriculum based measure for students beyond grade 3 to (1) determine if the student is responding adequately to the instruction provided (e.g., calculate students’ learning slope, rate of improvement, etc.) and if not, to inform how instruction will be intensified in consultation and collaboration with school-based education professionals (e.g., reading specialist, special educators); and, (2) determine if a referral for special education evaluation, per guidance provided by the CSDE, is warranted. | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| 6.4P | Analyze school-wide universal reading screening assessment data to evaluate the efficacy of, and inform refinements to, general education reading instruction (curriculum, programs, practices) provided across the SRBI/MTSS continuum. | ✓ | |||
| 6.5P | Accurately select, administer, score, and interpret a range of standardized norm-referenced tests to support identification of dyslexia and SLD: Dyslexia eligibility determination. | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 6.6P | Evaluate multiple sources of student assessment data, including information provided by families, to analyze students’ literacy profiles, provide a recommendation for eligibility determination consideration, and propose specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) instructional goals and objectives. | ✓ | |||
| 6.7P | Effectively communicate, present and explain the results of various types of assessments to educational professionals and students’ families and engage them in ongoing discussions of student learning and progress. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ID | Knowledge | All Teachers |
Elementary Educators |
Special Educators |
Remedial Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.8K | a. Explain the results of common diagnostic assessments/tests, both formal and informal, used by psychologists, speech and language pathologists, and other educational professionals. | ✓ | |||
| b. Interpret the results of common diagnostic assessments/tests, both formal and informal, used by psychologists, speech and language pathologists, and other educational professionals. | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| 6.9K | Identify and describe the features and appropriate use of the following types of assessments: Curriculum Based Measure (CBM), Curriculum Based Assessment (CBA), criterion-referenced tests, and norm-referenced tests; and their relevance to universal screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, and summative assessment applications. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 6.10K | Identify the underlying principles and critical features of SRBI/RTI/MTSS as outlined by CT’s Framework for RTI (2008) or any accepted revisions thereof (e.g., instructional tiers, universal screening with approved measures, diagnostic assessment, continuous progress monitoring to include the use of approved measures, collaborative problem-solving, research-based interventions, fidelity of instruction, etc.) and compare/contrast the essential features of each tier. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 6.11K | Describe Connecticut’s three-tiered model for implementing SRBI/RTI/MTSS for EL/MLs, as outlined by A Handbook to accompany Connecticut’s Framework for RTI (2012) or any accepted revisions thereof and compare/contrast the essential features of each tier. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |