Core Connections: Why Language Arts Is Vital to Teaching Technology and Engineering

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The Introduction to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects states: "The Standards insist that instruction I in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language be a shared responsibility within the school." Teachers of all subjects, including science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), share in the responsibility to make connections between language arts and domain-specific content. This article specifically addresses ways in which teachers can connect technology and engineering instruction with English language arts. The examples provided in this article are from a unit called "Inventors and Inventions," in which second and third grade students examine how technology has evolved throughout history.

vocabulary building

By definition, the language we use has meaning. Many times, students can get confused simply because they don't understand the words we use. The Common Core standards describe it this way: "The standards expect that students will grow their vocabularies through a mix of conversations, direct instruction, and reading. The standards will help students determine word meanings, appreciate the nuances of words, and steadily expand their …