The Literacy Foci in Stepping Stones

Literacy foci in

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Stepping Stones Genres or Language Functions

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Why give away a whole year of free curriculum?

Some things are

worth more than money. .

The Stepping Stones system

is SO POWERFUL and makes such a difference for teachers looking to incorporate more

target-language use , move towards fully proficiency-oriented instruction

and assessment, and build engaging, comprehensible language interactions into their language programs that we just can't keep it to ourselves!

That's why in April 2020, we decided to make the Starter Curriculum available FREE for the school year on our Teachers Pay Teachers store. It's just too powerful, and too transformative, for you not to try it, and we wanted to make it easy to use it for free!

Our big, audacious goal for this work is to reach enough teachers so that this

interactive, student-centered, literacy-based approach to language teaching becomes the

default setting

in schools, departments, and districts across the nation and around the world.

Some companies are in it to make money. We're in it to make change!

Click here to learn more about Curriculum Club.

Our members have access to ALL of our TpT resources & Canva templates, plus step-by-step live coaching support along the way!

Learn more about Stepping Stones & Foundations

Click here to learn more about Curriculum Club.

Our members have access to ALL of our TpT resources & Canva templates, plus step-by-step live coaching support along the way!

The Stepping Stones Curricular Framework & Materials

What's a Cycle?

The Stepping Stones curricular framework is a new, powerful, literacy-based approach to language development courses & programs.

"Cycles" of instruction & assessment are the overall organizing principle.

How people, places, and things look, sound, smell, feel, etc using sensory details, personality & physical traits, and comparing/contrasting cultural practices, products, and perspectives, and comparing descriptions in the past and present time.

Stories of what happened, who said what, who thought what, who wanted what, where they went, and how they solved their problem or achieved their goals. This cycle, like all the cycles, is divided into four "phases" that focus on (1) personal stories, (2) imaginative/literary stories, (3) cultural stories, and (4) historical stories.

Stories with more "writer's craft" such as stronger and more meaningful descriptions, dialogue and thinking that reveals more about the characters, and commentary on the significance or importance of the narrative, culturally, historically, or personally.

Teaching about content (e.g. culture, geography, history, significant places, celebrations, global challenges, the environment), using facts, examples, and short stories to provide details, in well-organized writing and speech to lead through the topic and teach topic-specific vocabulary.

Stating opinions on topics of personal relevance (e.g. holidays, school subjects, family responsibilities, activities, locations, clothing, food) with reasons or facts that explain the opinion (e.g. data from surveys, facts, personal stories, or quotations) to show examples of why one might hold that opinion.

Constructing arguments to support a claim and refute possible counterclaims by situating the claim in its historical context, citing and explaining evidence and reasons from credible sources with authority on the subject, and addressing and dismissing counterclaims by refuting their evidence/authority.

The Stepping Stones Curricular Framework & Materials

What's in a Cycle?

Each instructional cycle contains four "phases" or parts.

These phases are organized around literacy objectives that build upon each other as you work through the curricular framework. e v i t a m Sum s t n e m s Asses r u o F e s a h P

e e r h T e s Pha

Phase One

Cycle One

e n O e s a h P

o w T e s a Ph ee r h T e s a Ph r u o F e s a Ph

Phase Two

A "cycle" is usually about weeks of instruction & a week of summative portfolio assessments in which students self-score their performance using rubrics aligned to that phase's literacy focus.

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The Stepping Stones Curricular Framework & Materials

What's in a Phase?

Each phase introduces a new literacy focus, a language function that builds on the previous phase.

Cycle One

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The Stepping Stones Curricular Framework & Materials

What's a "literacy focus"?

It's what we often refer to as a "language function" such as describing our preferences or giving reasons for our opinions.

We have them all mapped out for you, so you can confidently model writing and speaking moves that expose students to the language function in a meaningful context and build Novice to Advanced proficiency.

p e r p o t y s a It's e s l e v e l e l p i t l u m r fo with leveled

literacy foci that allow you to use the same theme/topic in all your classes, and drastically reduce your planning & prep time.

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Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Weather Day and Date Intensifiers (Very, A little, Extremely, etc.)

Add: Preferences Time Adverbs (Sometimes, Often, etc.)

Add: Adjective Agreement

Add: Present and Past Tense Verbs to Describe Expressions of Time (Now, In the past, etc.)

Comparisons (-er, -est, etc.)

Adverbs of Location (Here, There, etc.)

Add: Giving Reasons and Opinions (This is because, I think, etc.)

Add: Possessive Adjectives (His, Her, My, etc.)

Add: Present and Past Tense Verbs

Add: Giving Anterior Narration (She had already, They had always, etc.)

Add: Expressions of Historical Time (During the 80s, During that decade/ century, At that time, etc.)

Expressing Importance/ Add: Expressing Desires/ Significance/ Effects Hypotheticals (I want (This means, This people to..., If...then..., shows, etc.)

I would prefer... etc.)

Learn more about Foundations: A Natural Approach to the (Transition) Year

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Past Tense Actions (Went, Looked, Said, Wanted, etc.)

Comparisons Adverbs of Location (Here, There, etc.)

Add: More Past Tense Verbs to Narrate Actions

Add: Expressions of Time (First, Then, Next, Finally, After 5 days, etc.)

Add: Present Tense (Direct) Dialogue and Thinking (She thought, "I want, I see, I am," etc.)

Add: More Present Tense Verbs to add Direct Dialogue and Thinking

Add: Adverbs as Dialogue Tags (Nervously, Loudly, etc.)

Add: Expressions of Historical Time (During the 80s, At that time, etc.)

Expressing Importance/ Add: Add: Add: Expressing Cultural Anterior Narration (She Setting Historical Significance/ Effects Importance/ Significance had already, They had Context (It was (This means, This (This is a significant, always, etc.) common, Most shows, This was typical Important/ Beloved, etc.) people believed, of, etc.)

Add: Expressing There was much cultural comparisons debate around, etc.)

(In my experience, in my culture, etc.)

Learn more about Foundations: A Natural Approach to the (Transition) Year

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Past Tense Description (Was feeling, Feared, Wanted, etc.)

Present Tense Dialogue and Thinking (I am, I want, etc.)

Add: Expressions of Time (First, Then, Next, Finally, After 5 days, etc.)

Add: Past Tense Weather Description Angled to Establish Mood (It was gloomy and rainy, It was crowded and noisy, etc.)

Add: Adverbs as Dialogue Tags (Nervously, Loudly, etc.)

Anterior Narration (She had always feared, He had already asked, etc.)

Add: Past and Present Tense Expressions of Significance (was important because, now, people think/consider, etc.)

Add: Past Tense Description Angled to Establish Mood (It was gloomy and rainy and she felt..., It was crowded and noisy and he felt..., etc.)

Add: Expressions of Literary Time (When it all started..., but now..., In the beginning..., but now...)

Add: Add: Setting Historical/ Expressing Cultural/ Expressing Cultural Context (It was Historical Importance/ Importance/ common during those Significance (This is Significance/ Effects days to, Back then, most significant/important/ (This means, This people believed, During etc. because...) shows, This was this time, there was much Cultural comparisons (In typical of, etc.) debate around, etc.) my experience, in my culture, etc.)

Add: Present-Tense Narrator's Commentary on Significance (So we can see, So we can learn, So now please, etc.)

Learn more about Foundations: A Natural Approach to the (Transition) Year

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Introductory Phrases: There are three important facts, parts, etc.)

Transitions: e.g. First, Also, Last

Add: Restating (which means, or, which is, etc.)

Questions as Introductory "Hooks": Did you know, Have you ever, etc.)

Transitions: e.g. To begin, To add on, Furthermore

Add: Paraphrasing (in other words, which is to say, etc.)

Add: Quotations, Facts, Giving Examples (an and/or Mini-Stories as example of which is, Introductory "Hooks" which is often, etc.)

(According to..., It might surprise you to know, Once...)

Consolidate Phases One and Two

Add: Comparing and Contrasting (Similarly, On the other hand, etc.)

Add: Conclusion statements (If...then..., Now, we should..., Now you know..., etc.)

Add: Giving Examples (an example of which is, which is often, etc.)

Add: Transitions Between Body Paragraphs Conclusion paragraphs (You have learned X, Y, and Z. First, Second, Last, etc.)

Add: Personal, Historical, or Cultural Context (This is/was true for many people...as we can see by..., This is/was common, which is illustrated by...)

Learn more about Foundations: A Natural Approach to the (Transition) Year

Beginner

Stating an Opinion (The best X is, The worst X is, I think, I agree, I disagree, etc.)

Intermediate Add:

Intensifiers (I strongly agree, I completely disagree, etc.)

Advanced

Add: Giving reasons (One reason is, An example of why I think X is...)

Add: Quoting Facts (According to a recent survey, five out of six people responded, etc.)

Add: Using mini-stories from personal experience or quoting a source (According to, This was true for, In my experience, etc.)

Consolidate Phases One and Two

Add: Past & Present Tense Verbs to Establish Credibility (She's been playing soccer for five years, He lived in Mexico for three years, etc.)

Add: Angling Mini-Stories to Support Opinions (An experience that shows why X is Y is when, Here is an example of why X is Y, etc.)

Add: Adjectives & Adverbs to Establish Authority (an obviously experienced player of, a well-known expert on, etc.)

Add: Add: Angling Evidence (This Angling leads into shows, One might mini-stories (using conclude, Obviously, dialogue, thinking, or this demonstrates, action to set the tone/ This means, You can establish mood/ clearly see that...) significance of the example story)

Add: Angling Authority (Clearly, an expert such as she is, Obviously, a person with such extensive experience is wellprepared to show...)

Learn more about Foundations: A Natural Approach to the (Transition) Year

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Making a Claim (It is true, It is beneficial, It is harmful, dangerous, Many people agree, etc.)

Quoting Source Text(s) (According to, This was true for... when..., According to a study/survey/ poll, etc.)

Consolidate Phases One and Two

Establishing Authority of Sources (She is a noted researcher/ scientist/expert. etc.)

Add: Add: Add: Literacy-based vocab (In Counter claims (On the Giving evidence (We the article X published other hand, many can see, One example on the website Y, In a people also believe...) is, This illustrates, You book published in the can clearly see, etc.) year, According to the data from a survey conducted by, etc.)

Add: Using Verb Tenses to Establish Authority (She has been playing soccer for five years, He lived in Mexico for three years, etc.)

Add: Giving General Context (In today's world, In the world of, In the past...but today..., etc.)

Add: Adjectives and Adverbs to Establish Authority (an obviously experienced player of, a well-known expert on, etc.) and Dismiss Counter-evidence (On the other hand... has little experience with...)

Add: Quoting a Source and Giving Context (Her work was important because, Their contributions are remembered for, etc.)

Add: Giving and Dismissing a Counter claim (Many believe... however, upon deeper investigation, Some might say...but when we consider...)

Learn more about Foundations: A Natural Approach to the (Transition) Year

The Stepping Stones Curricular Framework & Materials

What makes this approach unique?

Within the phases, you can work with any themes, topics, or content that align with the literacy focus*. * Most any topic or theme can be adapted to fit any cycle and phase. You can easily gather resources, or get the free materials, and let us do the legwork for you!

: s c i p o T e l b i s s o P e n O e s Pha

Cycle One

n i s e c a l P l o o h c s the

Places in town

y l l a r u t Cul t n a c i f i n g i s sites

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Nuts & Bolts of the

Stepping Stones Curricular Framework Click below to learn more.

The Six Instructional Cycles (Genres or Language Functions)

Example of Leveled Learning Outcomes

The Literacy Foci Throughout the Year

Example of Leveled Anchor Charts

Stepping Stones Multi-Year Scope & Sequence

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Two Podcasts on the Cycles and Phases