English Language Arts
Quick Links
DESE MAP and EOC Development Recruitment
As a part of the assessment development cycle, DESE Assessment invites Missouri educators to participate in the process to help provide expertise. Missouri is always looking for educators to participate in these meetings. If you wish to be considered for participation for any future development meetings, please complete the online submission form at https://dese.mo.gov/form/assessment-meetings-interest. Once finished, you will receive an email to the personal email address provided to confirm your submission.
ELA Spring Content Meetings: Break it Down and Build it Up - Analyze and Synthesize to Energize Lessons
- March 13 (Grades 6-12)
- 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Department of Natural Resources, 1730 E. Elm, Jefferson City, MO
- Bennett Springs and Roaring River Rooms
- March 14 (Grades K-5)
- 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Department of Natural Resources, 1730 E. Elm, Jefferson City, MO
- Bennett Springs and Roaring River Rooms
Need deeper thinking from students to take lessons to the next level? Students can make complex plans for the weekend, yet they rely on a teacher to carry a class period, and are often reluctant to take their thinking to the next level in an educational environment. Help learners explore and communicate their thoughts independently. Break down the classroom walls, reach across the content areas, collaborate with other educators, and inspire the greater Depth of Knowledge (DOKs).
This spring’s DESE ELA Content Meetings aim at hitting those higher DOKs and help educators incorporate analysis and synthesis to energize their lessons and engage their classes.
Join DESE and dozens of enthusiastic educators from across Missouri in Jefferson City for free professional development conducted by Missouri Reading Initiative and Missouri Writing Projects Network. This spring’s focus is “Break it Down and Build it Up – Analyze and Synthesize to Energize Lessons.". Discover how you can engage your students in thoughtful, deeper DOK activities. Strategies demonstrated and practiced will align with the English Language Arts Missouri Learning Standards for reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
- ELA Missouri Learning Standards (MLS)
English Language Arts Missouri Learning Standards
Document Description MLS Expectations K-5 PDF Expectations adopted by the Missouri State Board of Education in April 2016; state testing over these new expectations began during the 2017-18 school year. MLS Expectations K-5 Word MLS Expectations 6-12 PDF MLS Expectations 6-12 Word MLS Expectations K-12 Excel MLS Expectations K-5 with Examples Replication of the K-5 MLS Expectations document above with explanations and examples added. MLS ELA Expectations Grade 6 with Examples Merging of the MLS Expectations 6-12 and MLS Expectations Terminology 6-12 documents in an easy-to-follow format at each grade level. MLS ELA Expectations Grade 7 with Examples MLS ELA Expectations Grade 8 with Examples MLS ELA Expectations Grades 9-10 with Examples MLS ELA Expectations Grades 11-12 with Examples MLS Expectations Coding System Provides examples and explanations of coding used to refer to expectations in ELA, math, science, and social studies. ELA Glossary K-12 Definitions for terms used frequently in the ELA curriculum; working document for educators intended as a guide to assist with classroom instruction. ELA/Social Studies Crosswalk Example Links ELA and social studies to support critical thinking and interdisciplinary learning in elementary classrooms. Vertical Progressions 6-12 Chart of each new MLS expectation by grade level. MLS Expectations Terminology 6-12 Explanations and examples for selected terms in the 6-12 MLS Expectations. The PDF version of the 6-12 MLS Expectations contains hyperlinks from the terms to this document. - 6-12 ELA Crosswalk (download)
- K-5 ELA Crosswalk (download)
- ELA Priority Standards
- Assessment Resources
Assessment Resources
ELA Item Specifications
Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grades 9-10 Grades 11-12 Guide to Creating Quality Assessments
Grade-Level Assessment Resources End-of-Course Resources Performance Level Descriptors
Grade-Level Assessment Scoring Guides
- Argumentative (Grades 6-8)
- Informational Explanatory(Grades 3-8)
- Narrative(Grades 3-8)
- Opinion(Grades 3-5)
Grade 4 Writing Samples
- Practice Form – Informative/Explanatory Prompt
- OTT Form – Opinion Prompt
- Robotics Club at School and Vote for the Cooking Clubs Passages
- Released Narrative Prompt
Grade 8 Writing Samples
- Practice Form – Narrative Prompt
- OTT Form – Argumentative Prompt
- Released Passage-Based Reading Items and Informative/Explanatory Writing Prompt
Grade-Level Assessment Writer’s Checklist
Performance Level Descriptors
EOC Scoring Guides
Writing Samples
End-of-Course English I and II Assessment Writer’s Checklist
End-of-Course English I and II Assessment Writer’s Checklist
EOC Practice Tests
Blended Writing Resource Set
Scoring Guide Writing Task Models of Blended Writing Use the materials in this set to see what blended writing looks like and to get an idea about how blended writing can be scored with the new EOC scoring guide.
Introduction Find out about the why’s and how’s behind the new writing prompt and scoring guide. Conventions (2 points) The 10-point guide describes what is expected in different levels of student writing. Content Development/Elaboration (4 points) Organization and Flow (4 points) Prompt Students in a Missouri high school wrote to this prompt during an informal trial in April 2017. The essay models below are from that trial. Source #1 This source from the Kentucky Transportation Office of Highway Safety was used by students during the writing prompt informal trial. (used with permission) Source #2 This source from the City of Bryan, Texas, was used by students during the writing prompt informal trial. (used with permission) Balanced blending of narrative, expository, and argumentative writing is smooth, effective, well thought out, and purposeful. Model B Balanced blending of narrative, expository, and argumentative writing is smooth, effective, well thought out, and purposeful. Balanced blending of expository and argumentative writing is smooth, effective, well thought out, and purposeful. Model D Balanced blending of narrative, expository, and argumentative writing is smooth, effective, well thought out, and purposeful. Model E Balanced blending of expository and argumentative writing (with an attempt at some narrative) is smooth, effective, well thought out, and purposeful. Strong narrative writing with inclusion of some expository and argumentative writing is smooth, effective, well thought out, and purposeful. Model G Balanced blending of narrative, expository, and argumentative writing is smooth, effective, well thought out, and purposeful. Blending of narrative, expository, and argumentative writing is adequate and generally purposeful. Argumentative writing with minimal addition of expository writing shows little blending of genres. - Curriculum Resources
English Language Arts Curriculum Resources
- Resources for ELA Priority Standards
- Text Complexity Rubric - Literary
- Text Complexity Rubric - Informational
- Text Analysis Form
- Curriculum Framework - Provides assistance for districts in planning, writing, revising, and implementing curriculum.
Textbook Review Instrument Grade Levels K-5 6-8 9-12