Table Of ContentTeaching to Exceed in the
English Language Arts
Timely, thoughtful, and comprehensive, this text directly supports pre-service and in-service
teachers in developing curriculum and instruction that both addresses and exceeds the
requirements of English language arts standards. It demonstrates how the Common Core
State Standards’ as well as other local and national standards’ highest and best intentions for
student success can be implemented from a critical, culturally relevant perspective frmly
grounded in current literacy learning theory and research.
Te third edition frames ELA instruction around adopting a justice, inquiry, and action
approach that supports students in their schools and community contexts. Ofering new
ways to respond to current issues and events, the text provides specifc examples of teachers
employing the justice, inquiry, and action curriculum framework to promote critical
engagement and learning. Chapters cover common problems and challenges, alternative
models, and theories of language arts teaching. Te framework, knowledge, and guidance in
this book shows how ELA standards can not only be addressed but also surpassed through
engaging instruction to foster truly diverse and inclusive classrooms.
Te third edition provides new material on:
• adopting a justice, inquiry, and action approach to enhance student engagement and
critical thinking
• planning instruction to effectively implement standards in the classroom
• teaching literary and informational texts, with a focus on authors of color
• integrating drama activities into literature
• teaching informational, explanatory, argumentative, and narrative writing
• supporting bilingual/ELL students
• using digital tools and apps to respond to and create digital texts
• addressing how larger contextual and political factors shape instruction
• fostering preservice teacher development.
Richard Beach is Professor Emeritus of English Education at the University of Minnesota, USA.
Ashley S. Boyd is Associate Professor of English at Washington State University, USA.
Allen Webb is Professor of English Education and Postcolonial Studies at Western Michigan
University, USA.
Amanda Haertling Tein is Associate Provost for Graduate and Professional Education, Dean
of the Graduate College, and Professor of English Education at the University of Iowa, USA.
Teaching to Exceed in the
English Language Arts
A Justice, Inquiry, and Action Approach for
6–12 Classrooms
Tird edition
Richard Beach, Ashley S. Boyd, Allen Webb,
and Amanda Haertling Tein
Cover image: © Mindi Rhoades
Tird edition published 2023
by Routledge
605 Tird Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Richard Beach, Ashley S. Boyd, Allen Webb, and Amanda Haertling Tein
Te right of Richard Beach, Ashley S. Boyd, Allen Webb, and Amanda Haertling Tein
to be identifed as authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77
and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in
any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafer
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identifcation and explanation without intent
to infringe.
First edition published by Routledge 2012
Second edition published by Routledge 2016
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Beach, Richard, author. | Boyd, Ashley S., author. | Webb, Allen, 1957– author. |
Tein, Amanda Haertling, author.
Title: Teaching to exceed in the English language arts : a justice, inquiry, and action approach
for 6-12 classrooms / Richard Beach, Ashley S. Boyd, Allen Webb, and Amanda Haertling Thein.
Other titles: Teaching to exceed the English language arts common core state standards
Description: Tird edition. | New York, NY : Routledge, 2022. | Revised edition of: Teaching to
exceed the English language arts common core state standards : a critical inquiry approach
for 6–12 classrooms | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifers: LCCN 2022004370 (print) | LCCN 2022004371 (ebook) | ISBN 9781032011455 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781032008424 (paperback) | ISBN 9781003177364 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Language arts (Secondary)—Curricula—United States—States. |
Language arts (Secondary)—Standards—United States—States.
Classifcation: LCC LB1631 .B356 2022 (print) | LCC LB1631 (ebook) |
DDC 428.0071/273—dc23/eng/20220421
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022004370
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022004371
ISBN: 978-1-032-01145-5 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-00842-4 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-17736-4 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003177364
Typeset in Minion and Gill Sans
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Please access the book’s wiki site http://englishccss.pbworks.com for further resources.
Contents
Preface vii
Acknowledgments xi
Section I
Teoretical Frameworks/Foundations of English Language Arts Instruction 1
1 Justice, Inquiry, and Action 3
2 Planning English Language Arts Instruction 21
3 Contexts, Standards, and Teacher Freedom 41
Section II
Implementing and Exceeding the ELA State Standards 65
4 Teaching Literature 67
5 Teaching Nonfction 87
6 Teaching Writing 107
7 Writing and Enacting Narratives, Drama, and Poetry 127
8 Implementing Digital/Media Literacy Standards 143
9 Implementing Speaking and Listening Standards 165
10 Implementing the Language Standards 181
vi CONTENTS
Section III
Evaluation, Assessment, and Refection 203
11 Assessing Students’ Learning 205
12 Fostering Teacher Refection and Professional Development 227
Index 239
Preface
Tis book is about meaningful teaching of secondary English language arts in today’s world,
teaching that addresses and moves forward from Black Lives Matter, from the COVID pan-
demic, from global climate change, and the so many other urgent issues that touch students’
lives and create the need and opportunity for their voices to be heard. Te book explores
traditional approaches to teaching English and sets forward an approach founded on justice,
inquiry, and action. Te book addresses all strands of the English language arts including
classic, contemporary, multicultural, international, and young adult literature. Drawing on
critical literacy, cultural studies, youth participatory action research, school literacy projects
and more, Teaching to Exceed addresses writing, drama, language, technology, speaking and
discussion, and English teacher professional development.
Following up on the frst two editions, Teaching to Exceed also addresses implementing the
6–12 Common Core State Standards (CCSS) ELA standards in ways that are critical, mean-
ingful, and successful. Te book is rich with alternative models and theories of language arts
teaching articulated through the voices and experiences of innovative teachers working with
the truly diverse students of today’s classrooms.
Today, districts and schools difer in the degree of attention paid to the CCSS. Preservice
teachers may be in states, districts, and/or schools that demand close, daily attention to stan-
dards or in states, districts, and/or schools that pay little or no attention to the standards.
However, this book will be useful to you as it draws on and sets forward exemplary English
language arts instruction in ways that model some of the fnest and most current teaching in
our feld, as well as addressing and exceeding ofcial standards.
In this book, we frame ELA instruction around adopting a justice, inquiry, and action
approach based on students addressing topics that matter in their lives, schools, commu-
nities, nations, and worldwide. We show students asking questions that matter, engaging in
research, drawing on diverse texts and resources, exploring multiple perspectives. We report
on teachers and students fnding ways to have their voices heard, efectively communicating
their beliefs and ideas, educating others, taking action in their lives, schools, and via the
Internet, in their communities and beyond.
We also believe in the need to develop ELA instruction based on the current context in
which students live and through your use of digital/media tools that shape your instruction
viii PREFACE
and daily interactions. We also believe in the need to build language instruction based on
understanding diversity, and relations between language, society, and power.
We also stress using open-ended, formative assessment to build supportive relations with
students to foster growth. We prepare prospective teachers to understand how schools and
classrooms work, to both use and think critically about standards and traditional approaches,
and to develop diverse ideas about what language arts classes can accomplish. Readers of this
book will beneft greatly from the examples of veteran ELA teachers describing in their own
words their use of innovative instruction for engaging students.
OvERvIEW
Te structure of the book is based on a critical inquiry framework.
Section I Teoretical Frameworks/Foundations of English Language Arts Instruction
is a theoretical introduction to a justice, inquiry, and action approach and its applications to
planning instruction to address state English language arts standards. Te opening chapter
on “Justice, Inquiry, Action” critically examines traditional approaches including cultural
literacy, forms, skills, and processes for fostering a justice, inquiry, and action framework
built on critical pedagogy, critical literacy, cultural studies, youth action, youth participatory
action research, and school action literacy projects. Te second chapter on planning activities
is based on considering students’ emotions to identify relevant topics and issues; employing
questioning to focus on fairness and justice; fostering students’ adoption of alternative per-
spectives; and promoting ways for students to address topics or issues by taking actions. It
considers lesson planning and shows how to set high expectations. Te third chapter exam-
ines the larger social and cultural contexts, the role of state and Common Core ELA stan-
dards in an unequal society, and ways to move beyond censorship to create teacher freedom.
Section II Implementing and Exceeding the ELA State Standards includes descriptions
of specifc frameworks and methods related to teaching literature, nonfction, and writing;
writing and enacting narratives, drama, and poetry; implementing digital/media literacy
standards, speaking/listening standards, and language standards. Each chapter in this section
includes examples of teachers employing innovative instruction activities designed to engage
students in critical inquiry instruction.
Section III Evaluation, Assessment, and Refection describes formative and summative
assessment methods of evaluating student work designed to foster their growth in literacy
practices over time. Te book then concludes with activities designed to enhance preservice
teachers’ refection on their instruction as well as resources for their long-term professional
development.
Te book also includes a companion website, exceedingelastandards.pbworks.com, with
resources, units and activities, and further reading for each of the book’s chapters.
NEW IN THE THIRd EdITION
Te third edition provides new material on:
• adopting a justice, inquiry, and action approach that foregrounds teaching that matters,
student engagement, critical thinking, and having their ideas heard
• planning instruction that holds high expectations for all students, supports student
choice, and meeting and exceeding expectations and standards
PREFACE ix
• addressing how larger contextual and political factors shape instruction, for example, the
impact of censorship on literature instruction
• fostering critical response to literature, with a focus on literature/young adult literature
by authors of color
• enhancing reading instruction based on fostering student engagement with comprehen-
sion practices
• teaching information, explanatory, and argumentative writing based on use of topics or
issues of interest to students
• engaging students through having them create narratives or portray or enact in drama
activities
• using current digital tools and apps to foster supportive discussions and create digital
texts
• improving discussions through facilitation practices as well as use of dramatic inquiry
activities
• focusing on languaging instruction to support bilingual/ELL students through use of
translanguaging activities
• employing formative assessment practices to provide supportive feedback and preparing
students for summative assessments
• fostering preservice teacher development through supportive feedback and access to
professional development resources, including the book’s wiki site http://exceedingela
standards.pbworks.com.
