| (a) Introduction.
(1) The Spanish language arts and reading Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) reflect language arts standards that are
authentic to the Spanish language and Spanish literacy; they are neither
translations nor modifications of the English language arts TEKS.
The Spanish language arts and reading TEKS embody the interconnected
nature of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking through
the seven integrated strands of developing and sustaining foundational
language skills; comprehension; response; multiple genres; author's
purpose and craft; composition; and inquiry and research. The strands
focus on academic oracy (proficiency in oral expression and comprehension),
authentic reading, and reflective writing to ensure a literate Texas.
They are integrated and progressive with students continuing to develop
knowledge and skills with increased complexity and nuance in order
to think critically and adapt to the ever-evolving nature of language
and literacy.
(2) The seven strands of the essential knowledge and
skills for Spanish language arts and reading are intended to be integrated
for instructional purposes and are recursive in nature. Strands include
the four domains of language (listening, speaking, reading, and writing)
and their application in order to accelerate the acquisition of language
skills so that students develop high levels of social and academic
language proficiency. Although some strands may require more instructional
time, each strand is of equal value, may be presented in any order,
and should be integrated throughout the year. It is important to note
that encoding (spelling) and decoding (reading) are reciprocal skills.
Decoding is internalized when tactile and kinesthetic opportunities
(encoding) are provided. Additionally, students should engage in academic
conversations, write, read, and be read to on a daily basis with opportunities
for cross-curricular content and student choice.
(3) Spanish, as opposed to English, has a closer letter-sound
relationship and clearly defined syllable boundaries. The syllable
in Spanish is a more critical unit of phonological awareness than
in English because of the consistent phoneme-grapheme correspondence.
Syllables are important units for Spanish because of their strong
effect in visual word recognition (Carreiras et al., 1993) and their
major role in predicting Spanish reading success. In addition, Spanish
presents a much higher level of orthographic transparency than English
and does not rely on sight words for decoding. This orthographic transparency
accelerates the decoding process, and the focus quickly moves to fluency
and comprehension. However, in English sight words are used because
of words that are not decodable such as "are" or "one." In Spanish,
decoding issues are not as prevalent as issues of comprehension. These
specific features of the Spanish language will influence reading methodology
and development.
(4) Text complexity increases with challenging vocabulary,
sophisticated sentence structures, nuanced text features, cognitively
demanding content, and subtle relationships among ideas (Texas Education
Agency, STAAR Performance Level Descriptors, 2013). As skills and
knowledge are obtained in each of the seven strands, students will
continue to apply earlier standards with greater depth to increasingly
complex texts in multiple genres as they become self-directed, critical
learners who work collaboratively while continuously using metacognitive
skills.
(5) Research consistently shows that language and literacy
development in the student's native language not only facilitates
learning English and English literacy, but is foundational to cognitive
development and learning (Cummins, 2001; Thomas & Collier, 2002;
Coelho, 2001). Emergent bilinguals (Sparrow et al., 2014; Slavin &
Cheving, 2013) are students who are in the process of acquiring two
or more linguistic codes, becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural.
Emergent bilinguals are often defined by their perceived deficits
(semilinguals) (Escamilla, 2012). However, research has shown that
bilinguals develop a unique interdependent system (Escamilla et al.
2007; Grosjean, 1989; Valdes and Figueroa, 1994) in which languages
interconnect to increase linguistic functionality. This linguistic
interdependence of language acquisition facilitates a transfer of
literacy skills from the primary language (L1) to the second language
(L2) (August & Shanahan, 2006; Bialystok, 2007; Miramontes, et
al., 1997). The strength of learning through formal instruction in
Spanish determines the extent of transfer to English (August, Calderon, &
Carlo, 2002; Slavin & Calderon, 2001; Garcia, 2001). For transfer
to be maximized, cross-linguistic connections between the two languages
must be explicitly taught while students engage in a contrastive analysis
of the Spanish and English languages (Cummins, 2007). Continued strong
literacy development in Spanish provides the foundation and scaffold
for literacy development given that a Common Underlying Proficiency
(CUP) exists between the two languages (Cummins, 1991). Consequently,
direct and systematic instruction (Genesee et al., 2005) in the appropriate
sequence of Spanish skills with early English as a second language-based
literacy instruction is critical to student success. As a result of
working within two language systems, students' metalinguistic and
metacognitive skills are enhanced when they learn about the similarities
and differences between languages (Escamilla et. al., 2014). The extent
to which English and Spanish are used is reliant on the type of bilingual
program model being used (see Texas Education Code, §29.066).
(6) English language learners (ELLs) are expected to
meet standards in a second language, and their proficiency in English
directly impacts their ability to meet these standards. The comprehension
of text throughout the stages of English language acquisition requires
scaffolds such as adapted text, translations, native language support,
cognates, summaries, pictures, realia, glossaries, bilingual dictionaries,
thesauri, and other modes of comprehensible input. Strategic use of
the student's first language is important to ensure linguistic, affective,
cognitive, and academic development in English. ELLs can and should
be encouraged to use knowledge of their first language to enhance
vocabulary development; vocabulary needs to be in the context of connected
oral and written discourse so that it is meaningful.
(7) Current research stresses the importance of effectively
integrating second language acquisition with quality content area
education in order to ensure that ELLs acquire social and academic
language proficiency in English, learn the knowledge and skills, and
reach their full academic potential. Instruction must be linguistically
accommodated in accordance with the English Language Proficiency Standards
(ELPS) and the student's English language proficiency levels to ensure
the mastery of knowledge and skills in the required curriculum is
accessible. For a further understanding of second language acquisition
needs, refer to the ELPS and proficiency-level descriptors adopted
in Chapter 74, Subchapter A, of this title (relating to Required Curriculum).
(8) Oral language proficiency holds a pivotal role
in school success; verbal engagement must be maximized across grade
levels (Kinsella, 2010). In order for students to become thinkers
and proficient speakers in science, social studies, mathematics, fine
arts, language arts and reading, and career and technical education,
they must have multiple opportunities to practice and apply the academic
language of each discipline (Fisher, Frey, & Rothenberg, 2008).
(9) Statements that contain the word "including" reference
content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such
as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Developing and sustaining foundational language
skills: listening, speaking, discussion, and thinking--oral language.
The student develops oral language through listening, speaking, and
discussion. The student is expected to:
(A) listen actively and ask questions to understand
information and answer questions using multi-word responses;
(B) restate and follow oral directions that involve
a short, related sequence of actions;
(C) share information and ideas by speaking audibly
and clearly using the conventions of language;
(D) work collaboratively with others by following agreed-upon
rules for discussion, including taking turns; and
(E) develop social communication such as introducing
himself/herself, using common greetings, and expressing needs and
wants.
(2) Developing and sustaining foundational language
skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--beginning
reading and writing. The student develops word structure knowledge
through phonological awareness, print concepts, phonics, and morphology
to communicate, decode, and spell. The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate phonological awareness by:
(i) identifying and producing rhyming words;
(ii) recognizing spoken alliteration or groups of words
that begin with the same simple syllable or initial sound;
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