WAC+&+The+Common+Core+Standards

The emergence of the Common Core Standards and its adoption by a multitude of state governments in an attempt to earn federal funding has reignited the "literacy crisis" mantra. With a greater emphasis on non-fiction texts in the reading standards, the CCS has clearly stipulated the need for students to be writing in all subject areas.

[|Click here for the Common Core Standards Home Page]

The following is a list of standards for writing in History / Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects for Grades 9 & 10

[|Grade 9 & 10 non-ELA Writing Standard]

One of the most interesting on the list is Standard WHST.9-10.10 focusing on the range of writing required in these courses. It reads "write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences." In addition to standards referring to the writing process including brainstorming, drafting revising and peer editing, it is clear that the federal government supports the principles that are the foundation of the WAC movement.

Similar in format and content the Writing Standards for [|Grades 11 & 12] call for more complexity both in content and style.